David L. Harrowfield's Diary
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Saturday 30 December 2000, Law Base
Since my last message sent from Davis, have returned to Law Base and once again, had a most magnificent helicopter flight. It has to be the finest scenic flight which I have had since I began visiting Antarctica in the 1974 season.
I had a great view from the air of the three stations in the Larsemann Hills. All very neat and tidy. We had Richard, one of the two Davis Station chefs with us and on landing at Zhong Shan the Chinese station, we were met by two smiling Chinese. One was the station leader Mr Liu Shuyan and the other, the deputy Mr Cong Kai. Richard gave them some boxes of fresh vegetables which they were delighted to receive. We then landed at Law Base where Leigh Hornsby shut his aircraft down and we made a cup of tea for him. Jim had made some fresh bread in the small gas operated oven and this was appreciated by all. Most of us then set out by foot to the Russian Progress 2 station which is about 20 minutes walk away. The Russians were very pleased to see us and we posed for photographs under the three flags of Russia, China and Australia.
Mr Cong Kai, Deputy Station Leader Zhongshan Station at the controls of a "Landrovski". Photo courtesy Mark Tell
Sunday 31 December
Did my washing in a bucket and then headed by foot to the Chinese Station for New Years Eve. On the way I passed several wrecked Russian vehicles. These are all assembled in one place and will be removed from Antarctica, when their ship, the Akademik Federov arrives in late March - mid April. The Chinese were very pleased to see us all and six Russian guests also arrived. Jim presented his ANARE tie to one of the Russian doctors and he wears it with much pride.They were neatly dressed in sports coats and some of the men wore a tie. After a speech from the Chinese leader, we sat down to our meal. The Chinese all eat out of a bowl in which everything is placed, while we were given a tray with compartments in which we put rice, small spring rolls, chicken legs, jellyfish, prawns and other delectables. On a video screen, a Chinese lady was singing The City is So Empty. I walked back to Law Base and the evening light was magnificent. Icebergs stood out and where in shadow, cracks and crevasses were a most beautiful turquoise blue.