Sunday, 15 July 2007

An Apology and A Sad Goodbye

BREAKING NEWS!!!

The intrepid explorers have returned from their 10 days in the high Arctic. Although they have a massive apology in that once they boarded the 'Polaris' they were unable to get an internet connection (unless you were the BBC staying up all night and taking 6 hours to send 4 minutes of footage) so therefore (as you have probably gathered) we couldn't update the blog. :-(

Keep looking in the next few days for more updates on what we have been up to and also look at the Ice Edge website and BBC Breakfast for more pics etc. Also watch South Today on Monday evening for 3 of the explorers live re-living their experiences (one of the explorers are on their way to China. :-D)

Well cya all

Luv da Natures Angels
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Friday, 6 July 2007

Day 2!!!!

Hello!!



Well today was an even earlier start - 5:30 for breakfast at 7!!!!! So still very sleepy - had a fairly late night as well. Last night we went to 'Basecamp' for a meal and had very nice pizza with some very weird toppings!!! Also a yummy chocolate desert (which Mich didnt eat and gave to Ellouise as Mich doesnt like deserts!!!).
Today we went to UNIS (University Norway In Svalbard) for safety training!!! We started with a breifing about general safety and then got on a bus up to the firing range. Here we discussed what you would do if you encountered a polar bear. Then we were shown about the 30-60mm Rifle, Flare Pistol, Signal Pen and Thunder Crashes. These would all help you to scare off a polar bear or if worse comes to worse kill a polar bear!!!! :'( Unfortunatly we were not allowed a go with the guns ourselves (but count ourselves lucky when Nat is about!!! :-))
After that we went back to the University for lunch whilst the Adults stayed for more training with the guns - which some didnt enjoy. The last activity of the day was water training. We had to get into Survival Suits and went out in a Zodiak (inflatable boat) and then we jumped in and swam back to shore. 3 of us were connected with safety lines and kept getting tangled :-). Also whilst the second group did the water training we learnt about camping on Svalbard. It was really fun.

Tomorrow we are going to the Svalbard Museum in the morning, more shopping and then going onto the boat (finally). From there we are travelling North towards 81 degrees lattitude (more geography Mrs B) and going onto a glacier and some pack ice.

Well about where we are staying - at the moment we are staying in a guest house. Ellouise, Natalie and Michelle are all sharing a room and it is very messy!!!!! Tom is sharing with Alex - his friend from finals day - and also Hallum - a new friend. We have all made new friends - Lic, Lucy, Kerry, Alex and lots of the other teams. Our 'traveling group' leader Christine has been amazing and looking after us well.

All those people going to China - at this moment you will be rehearsing without me!!! :-(

The weather is umm a lil chilly but blue sky and a lil cloud - but it can change very quickly!!!! We got Ice Edge t-shirts yesterday with all the team names on the back!!! woo! Also we got hats - cool white ones with a lil ice edge badge on it!!! lol. Our jackets are well kl!! The girls are pale blue with logos on and the boys are dark blue/navy/black with 2 logos on - how cheaky!!!!!!!! :-)

Tonight we are off to a hotel for a 3 course meal but we have to walk down into the town - we are staying on the outskirts of the town and it is a big hill - so fun on the way down and not as much on the way back up!!!! :-D

We have just heard that we are goin on the boat tomorrow morning at 11am - so will be exciting because we can finally unpack n make ourselves at home!!!
We are going to go now ( so some1 else can use da laptop!) but will update soon.

C u all soon
luv ya!
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(oh yeh - This was the view from one of the many aeroplanes!!! Tis amazin!!!!)

Well cya l8rs
Bi xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thursday, 5 July 2007

FINALLY here!!!

Well we are here atlast. We arrived at our bed at 1/2 3 in the morning and had to get up at 1/2 7!!!!!!!!!!! So for those of you who cant add up - thats 4 hours sleep!!!!!!!! The flights were long and late and tiring. The airport in Longyearbyen is tiny - its a runway with an aeroplane hanger as a terminal!!!!

So after our few hours sleep we were helpful by making sandwiches for our lunch - that was cheese, cheese and ham, ham, cheese and tomato, cheese ham and tomato and ham with tomato.
So after that this morning we went to the Worlds Biggest Satellite Station. We went in the dome with the antenna and it moved and freaked us all out!!!! It was very cold up there (caus it was very high up!!), also it was cloudy so we couldnt really see anything!!!!

After that and eating our sandwiches we went into the town and did some shopping. There were not many shops and also not a very large range!!!! (I did manage to get some smart trousers as mine are in the airing cupboard at home!!!!!

So after that we returned to our guest house where we are staying (for Mrs B - it is at 78 degrees lattitude!!!)

Many of you expect it to be covered in snow here but it is actually not!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is mainly rocky ground and a little snow on the top of these hills!!!!


Well need to go now because we are going for dinner!! Watch BBC Breakfast Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday caus they are doing something on the trip. Also look at the Ice Edge webby for pics until we can load some up on the boat!!!

We luv ya all lds!!
Michelle, Nat, Ellouise and Tom
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Tuesday, 3 July 2007

Another Oscars-style speech courtesy of yours truly


OMG! This is just so unreal it doesnt actually feel like we r goin!
*I would just like 2 mention da fact that only 1 PERSON commented on r last blog - we feel so unloved!!!!! (PE dept u should b ashamed of urself) Oh well, we know its cos u r saving all da comments 4 when we are acually out there.......Miss Ellard i hope you notice that this is nearly perfect english!

I am currently packing my suitcase frantically trying 2 keep within the baggage restrictions - but theres no way i am leaving my mock-croc dolly shoes @ home..... lol!

Right, before we 4get ahead of ourselves, it wouldn't have ever been possible without the help and support of so many people who have been behind us all the way.
Most importantly, *Miss Katie Broadribb* who has played an integral part in this right from day 1.
*The whole art department - for being so helpful in helping me make the model*
*Miss Rachel Collins - for believing in us and taking us 2 the finals*
*Holly Sandberg - cos we luv u*
*Our families - 4 constantly putting up with us n supportin us*
*And anyone elsse who i have forgotten 2 mention - i do sincerely apologise!!!*
Right, serious stuff over.

I had a very useful piece of advice from Mr Grant yesterday - never eat yellow snow. We shall b sure to ensure that this does not happen 2 us - we'll let tom try it first!

I fink we shall build a record-breaking snowman while we r out there! lol!
G2G c u all 2moz!
Tali..x.x
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Monday, 2 July 2007

U may hav my autograph - wiv only 1 n a half days 2 go, we r now da local celebrities


(still raining...)

Right, well. Hmmmm.
ok, sooooooo we av 2 days 2 go n i aint packed yet n 2moz i am bizzie bizzie bizzie!!!!! lol!

*FIrst of all, b4 we start properly, i would like 2 emphasise da fact that i did NOT make a complete idiot of myself on live TV. (!!!!!) i av ad many txts 2nite - all of them tellin me that thats the quietest they av ever seen me! (Simon Cowell spring 2 mind???)we would like 2 give our most sincerest apologies 2 r beloved Mrs B - we 4got 2 mention u on live national telly.
If u missed us, copy n paste this in2 the address bar 2 see us on tv!
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?q=Arctic+teenagers+trip&scope=all&tab=av&recipe=all and we r the first one there.

*OMG i av ad SUCH a traumatic day 2day - I was happily goin along my daily business wen i thought we would need da Ice Edge Winners Certificate. SO i 4t, 'OK, ill go get it' Well, it woznt wer i 4t it woz so i went 2 reception. I found out dat i had 2 go 2 da general office (or summat like dat) n they showed me 2 sumwer else ni woz like OMG! The words 'pillar' and 'post' cum 2 mind........
Yeah, so i finally managed 2 get it n finished da day without breaking it (Quite prouda dat) n den i went 2 my tech room wiv Mr D 2 do my mirror. Finished dat(well almost) again quite prouda it n den i went home. Now, i kinda 4got dat i ad given it 2 sir 2 look after cos i didnt wanna break it......... so i walked home. Without da certific8. oops.
Got home afta a long 25min (fast) walk n started gettin ready. i couldn't find da certificate. so i rang my mum hu woz up @ wildern neway n told her 2 go 2 555 - da wrong room. Dubble oops. Unsurprisingly, she couldn't find it. But Mr Dymock had gone home so she didnt no hu 2 ask 2 help find it. Luckily she found my luvverly history teacher (hu hasnt had a mention on dis blog yet) Miss Rea - shes REALLi nice. They also came across Miss Bropadribb (also very nice) along their travels. Eventually, they found it in 556. God knows how it got there considerin i woz in 557. SO they found it. We took it 2 da BBC wiv us bt we then discovered that their valiant efforts had been in vain - the galss meant that we couldn't show it on the news cos of da glare. WHAT A PALAVER!!!! Or as WIlliam Shakespeare might say, Much Ado About Nothing.
I will take it back tomorrow - without forgetting it......

OMG we wer treated like royalty @ da BBC - we got r own dressing room and they did r make-up 4 us (i happened 2 b wearin so much already dat they didnt really need 2 do much....) WE EVEN HAD THOSE FUNKADELIK MIRRORS WIV ALL DA LIGHTBULBS ROUND THEM!!!!!
its amazing how u r just drawn in2 da light.........almost like moths on a lightbulb.............

Callum - ud better win dis challenge against miss weids - i wanna c u dressed as a woman! lol!

OMG - LESS THAN 2 DAYS TO GO!!!!!!!!! I need 2 start packing!!!!!

One final note, I would like 2 say a massiv thanku 2 every1 hu has been involved in this once-in-a-lifetime chance for us. I would also like 2 thank my AMAZING big step-sister Stace for doin my hair - I LUV U ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

(Mr Groom, i shall b taking dat nu art book wiv me - WIV PRIDE!)

Toodles!
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Friday, 29 June 2007

5 D2G!!!!!!!!!

OMG HOW XITIN IS DIS!!!!!!!!!
Only 4 n a half days until we board r first flite 2 oslo!!!!!

*This piece of news deserves a very special mention, hence da use of da star! lol!
Me, mich, ellouise n tom av been asked 2 go 2 BBC studios on Monday nite @ 6 o clock 2 do a lil piece bout r trip on da news wiv Sally Taylor!!!!! Wow! (dontcha just lurrrve dat red sofa! I do!) n its gonna b live so if i make a complete idiot outta myself (as i have a tendency 2 do) der will b no1 2 edit it out - I dunno whether 2 b exited or terrified!!!!! lol!

*Would like 2 say thanku 2 my tutor, mrs lea 4 sponsorin me 4 da race 4 life n also 2 holly sandberg hu is providin da pink fairy wings - LUV U HOLZ!!!!! u hav now had da privilege of appearin in r blog! lol! Oh n i wanna say hi 2 mr thurgood hu has only just discovered r blog n miss fearon hu also rox! WE LUV U ALL!!!!! lol!

*Hi effelence, iced gems n a new shade of green hu hav also been commentin on here! Ur blogs r lookin fantabulous 2 n we r ReaLLy lookin 4wd 2 meetin u all on WEDNESDAY (!!!!!) 2 those of u hu dont no, probably most of u, these r sum of da other teams dat won n r comin 2 da arctic wiv us - THEY ROK!!!!! lol!

*I really should b packin bt i really cant b bothad. I av realised dat altho my waterproof trousas r 2 short, i can unzip da sides n dey suddenly look 10x longer! lol! Am hopin (SERIOUSLY hopin) dat it doesnt rain in da arctic tho - like it did 2day. Grrrrr............ ( i fink google's runnin outta rain pix cos i bn stealin dem all 2 use on here!)It absolutely bucketed down earlier - i woz most definitely NOT a happy bunny.

*In other news..... 5 DAYS 2 GO!!!!!
Sum mor images of stuff dat we will hopefully c while we r there!

Ok, so maybe not!

An arctic fox - these r just GaWjUS!!! lol! Really wanna c one of these.

Huskies - we r goin dog-sleddin!

POLAR BEARS!!!!! its alwayas bn my dream 2 c one of these!!!!!

In all seriousness tho, we will c the full xtent 2 which we r killin r planet so it is gonna b a real eye-opener n hopefully we can help people 2 change 4 da better.

Must go - can sum1 plz record me da rok concert @ wildern on saturday plz cos i really wanna go bt i cant so, PLEASE?????!!!! LOL!
Mwah XxXXXXXxXXXxXxXXXxXXXXXxX Luv y'all!

Thursday, 28 June 2007

6 DAYS LEFT!!!!!

Well, hello there my friends - note da use of correct english for JAS hu could only understand about a tenth of wot we ad written! We cant work out hu u r so please, REVEAL URSELF!!!!! lol! On ur behalf, we would offer 2 rite out da whole fing again bt dat wld b 1 VEEEEEERRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYY LONG BLOG!!!!! lol!

* I believe dat congratulations r in order 4 Mr rosenburg n mr dymock hu av both, 2day, managed 2 figure out how 2 leave a comment (with r help of course! lol!)
So, here u go. Congratulations. lol!

*I would personally like 2 say a MASSIV thanku 2 Mrs Anne Lockely and Mrs Ann Picton-Jones hu both, extremely generously might i add, sponsored me for da Race 4 Life which takes place da day afta we arrive home from the arctic! I am going as a fairy, or angel, 2 celebr8 r success as Natures Angels (and just 2 get in da papers, of course! lol - only jokin!) If anyone else would like 2 sponsor me, my tutor room is 103 n i can usually b found wanderin round da skl wiv michelle @ breaks! (unless its rainin n im cowerin inside!)

*Da weatha has brightened up - it musta got my (many) messages! Not 4 long tho - its supposed 2 b showers 2moz bt brightenin up l8r in da day. Yay! Well, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining!

*in reply 2 miss weids, we shall indeed b takin a stick wiv us 2 write in da snow dat "Miss Natalie Weids is leaving Wildern School 2 go 2 Fareham" - and yes, we will b takin a pic of it n postin it on here - Watch dis space! lol!

*OmG i av sooooooo much hw 2 do ova da weekend n i in Andover avec my Dad n stepmum Toni n step-brothers n -sisters - Stace, Dani, Aaron n Zak. I fink il b workin non-stop - there goes my chance of goin 2 da golf range! lol!

*2 all my luvlie swannie netballers current and ex, and my new frifends hu i met yestaday includin rosie n zoe, WE LUV U ALL!!!!! SWAN ROX!!!!!!
(i do also happen 2 luv my lil y6 berrywood netballers hu hav really progressed l8ly n im soooooo proud of dem n hope dey luv me 2!!!)

Mwah! Luv y'all!!!!!
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Wednesday, 27 June 2007

1 WEEK 2 GO!!!!!

omg how xitin!!!!!!!!!!
I would howeva, like 2 mention da fact dat sum ppl (no names mr steven dymock) av not yet commented on r blog (and mr ian rosenburg n miss weids hu has been on but i would just like 2 reiterate da fact dat she is leaving us 4 da fareham ppl.........traitor.) lol!
Packin is not comin along at all yet aaron in reply 2 ur comment - i av not yet packed a SINGLE fing!!!!! (i really shld b mor organised)
Miss Ellard - WE LUV U n r xpectin a comment by 2moz.....! lol!
Managed 2 get sum waterproof trousers but...... w8 4 it....... dey r WAAAAAYYY 2 short. Grr......

Well, ere is anotha weatha upd8 4 those of u hu, comme moi, are 2 lazy 2 get off der backsides n go look out da window. Da weatha is rainin, pretty continual precipit8ion in fact. H8 it. Absolutely loathe it.N wot appened 2 da supposed "heatwave" dat was "just around da corner"?
Got soaked earlia cos sum bike 4t it wld b funny 2 ride up rite nxt 2 me thru da middle of a MASSIV gr8 puddle. (I shal get my revenge.......!)
Jst bn 2 netball - da last 1 dis year! Sob, sob! lol!
Sum mor pix of stuff we will hopefully b doin (at least it wont b rainin as much in da arctic):
I av found a pic of a ship called Polaris bt i aint sure if its da 1 we r stayin on

This sign is found nowhere else in da world xept svalbard

Svalbard itself - how BE-a-utiful is dis!!!!!

Dat is wer we r stayin!!!!!
N dese r wot we wil hopefully c:

Do i really need 2 say ne mor????? lol!
Luv y'all! Mwah!
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Tuesday, 26 June 2007

8 DAYS 2 GO!!!!!!!!!

HOW XITIN!!!!!
da realisation dat we av actually 1 a nationwide competition is finally just beginnin 2 sink in - 8 DAYS B4 WE LEAVE!!!!! lol! WOW!!!!

*Hellos:
I av a lot of hellos 2 say 2day!
Ello 2 vicky hu is completely devast8d dat ian doesnt recognise her..... lol!
Ello 2 Mr Dymock, hu STILL AINT COMMENTED YET!!!!!
Ello 2 amanda - yep i agree wiv u - xams completely suk lol!
And FINALLY, ello 2 miss Weids hu is not only a traitor but as also cum up wiv da most cheesiest comment yet!!!
(i reckon now i sed dat, deres gonna b a race on btween callum n miss weids 2 either "reign supreme" or "steal da title"...... lol!
Ps we aint gonna get u a prezzie cos u r leavin us 2 go 2 FAREHAM........traitor.

Still rainin...........
As im sure many of u can tell, i am not, unlike da luvvly lil dux in da park across da road, a fan of wet weatha. My hair frizzes up, my makeup washes off and i get stressed. Not only that, but i get cold n wet 2 as da cars seem 2 hav sum kinda obsession wiv drivin in da biggest puddle rite nxt 2 me n cre8in a mini-tidal wave weneva i walk past. Now thats jst nasty............

*OMG dis is actually quite urgent - i cant get ne waterproof trousas ne-where dat r long enuff 4 me - any shorta n mosta em would b knee-bashas!!!!! Duz ne1 no wer i can get sum long-length ones frm??????? Plz? Wer i can realistically get within 8 days?

*Here r sum pix of sum of da stuff we r gonna b doin:
Huskie-sleddin

lookin @ walrus colonies

and HOPEFULLY....
see sum polar bears!!!!!

Luv u all!!!!!!!
Mwah!!!
Tali..x.x
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Monday, 25 June 2007

9 days 2 go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well, hello there my friends! n how r u all on dis......... fine(!!!) day?????
Nice weatha 4 ducks as they say, but sadly not nice weatha 4 da rest of us - me included! Pretty much continuous rainfall 2day so my precious athletics was cancelled (not that i can run v well @ da moment neway afta da disasta in Homebase....)lol! Oh well...
OMG we r all soooooooo xited @ da mo! Cant believe we only av bout 8 n a half days til we leave~!!!!!!!!!
Duz ne1 no if da ship has a gym on it? Or sum treadmills? Cos i got da Race 4 life on da 15th which is da day afta we get bak!!!!! (i avent actually dun ne trainin yet!)

Just outta interest - if ne otha teams r readin this now, is da weatha as bad where u r as it is here???
So.....
Ear Reading n all dose fings outta da way....... I STILL GOTTA GET SUM TROUSERS!!!!!! lol!
I reckon we r all gonna get serious jetlag by da time we arrive. R they a day ahead of us or summat cos those flight times r really confusin me (no nasty remarks please. No names, Aaron something Parker)
Omg rite, i burnt a tea towel @ da weekend! Oops!
Btw, callum is annoyed dat i mentioned him in da blog so i 4t i would mention him again (not to wind him up or nefin.......) We r now officially not bringin him bak a present.

*Is it jst me or has EVRY1 bn askin us 2 bring bak polar bears? How da hell r we supposed 2 catch 1, sed8 it long enuff 2 drag in on2 da cruise ship n in2 r suitcases n, 2 top it all off, pass da baggage restrictions @ da airport??? I dont fink im gonna get thru neway n dats bad enuff!!!!!

We would all like 2 giv a special mention 2 Miss Natalie Weids, hu is leaving us 2 go 2 FAREHAM.......... lol! WE LUV U MISS!!!!!
Gotta go! Will c all u luvverlies l8r on!
Mwah!!!!!
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