Beyond the horizon -- क्षितिजाच्या पलिकडून

When I looked at the sky from India, US, I have always seen the Pole star depicting the North, Cassiopeia and the Great bear pointing towards it always.. Once having a glimpse of Large Magellanic Clouds (LMC) was all I could experience of Southern sky. Well, here I am at the opposite end of the Earth from the North. If I go further South from the South Pole, I would fall off the Earth! :P Just kidding.... My point is, I am at a place which is way beyond me-- Kshitija i.e. horizon.. :) I am in Antarctica, the highest, driest, windiest, coldest place on the Earth. I will be at the geographic South Pole. I will be at the Pole during the summer solstice of the southern hemisphere and winter solstice of the northern hemisphere (December 21), when Santa Claus travels down all the way from the North Pole (close to December 25), and even when the South Pole on the Earth physically moves (as the glacier drifts -- pole moving ceremony around January 1)! So, here is the diary from this heavenly place on our planet.

I will try to update my blog as and when possible depending on the internet availability here in Antarctica. I am also making a picture story simultaneously. You can find it under Destination Antarctica on my blog..

I would like to dedicate this whole story to four people. Baba and Mandar because of whom I am writing this in public instead of just my diary and to the two most beautiful girls in the world: Shreya and Parirani whose birthdays falls on 12/12 (the newest parirani arrived in this wonderful world only on 12/12/2010.. :) )