Behind the scenes - A few more snippets

We just had an email from Patricia McCormack talking about her attempts to arrange changed flight dates for the team. It hasn't been easy.

"I had fun trying to pin down Annie or Christian at Air Greenland in Nuuk. His answer-phone was on while Annie was on vacation. I went online to find a different number and from there I worked my way through to someone who kind of knew what I was talking about. I sent a text to Anna to tell her what I had found out."

It's especially not easy when these arrangements are being made at distance.

On our blog - Camp Raven - 29 May - the team mentioned seeing some video footage about the car maker Volkswagen having built a vehicle test track on the ice. You can find out more about how engineers planned to use the extreme weather and ground conditions in Greenland to make their cars safer in this online news article.

Patricia had been reading up on Camp Raven and DYE-2 and the Volkwagen testing track. and thought that must be an incentive to the older children in their study of history. Anna’s godmother, Hazel, told how she had shown an 80-year old gentleman the team's websites and he was mesmerised. He had been at university with her husband and he hadn’t taken to modern technology - but the whole thing, the expedition, the communications, the IT, just left him speechless.

Patricia also reported that Karen's husband Suresh is reluctant to use up valuable sat-phone time ... and batteries but sends his love and best wishes anyway. As the expedition gets closer to its goal, it is very important that the sat-phone is used responsibly. The team, to date, has been very dependent on it working properly.

We see, too, that the BBC website - on its new Highlands and Islands pages - has just published an article about Karen and the expedition. Link to article on BBC website: Ice cap team close to finish line

Short weather report 31 May

The west and north-west will be mostly cloudy, with a bit of sleet and rain and with periods of fog in many areas.

The south-west and south should get sun but with some risk of fog.

Also in Tasiilaq will there be some sun, but in Ittoqqortoormiit it will be cloudy with sleet or snow.