Updated 08 December 2003, 09.54

At first I thought I was going mad. I'd step outside in the morning and think "I'm sure that big mountain of ice wasn't there yesterday"

It's because the sea ice is always moving. The icebergs blow about in the wind - slowly thankfully!

The other thing that I'm slowly getting used to is the pace of life.

The people here don't get stressed about silly things. They are 'chilled' mentally as well as physically!

It's a big day in the summer calendar here at Rothera. The British Antarctic Survey's main ship comes in later today. It's called the James Clark Ross, after a famous Antarctic explorer.

Everyone's really excited because as well as being fitted out with lots of scientific equipment, it also carries the station's main supplies for the next 6 months.

There'll be loads of chocolate, fresh fruit, medicine, toilet roll, paper and pens - everything needed to keep the base running smoothly.

In the photo at the top of this page I'm roped-up ready to interview a glaciologist for our Newsround Extra on Global Warming.

At the time I thought all that roping-up business was just a lot of fuss. But it turned out, where we'd been standing and stamping about to keep warm, it was actually really dangerous and we could have disappeared through the ice at any time!

Day 5: Thursday 4th December 2003

I woke-up to another beautiful sunny day here in the Antarctic.

I'm told it's a bit colder today, 5 degrees, but it's not very windy so it feels warmer.

Those of us who are new to base have to do a special training course before we're allowed to go off base to other stations or even to go snowboarding over the hill next door.

It's pretty in depth and already I know how to inject someone with a painkilling drug, how to light and use an ancient paraffin lamp and how to put up a gigantic pyramid tent.

Tonight we might have to put some of our new skills into practice. We're staying the night off base in a tent about a mile from the station buildings!

We're supposed to cook our dinner in the tent as well but we must have looked hungry so they let us have a proper dinner before setting off into the cold with our sleeping bags and tents.

Today's picture was taken during training with ice axes - long, sharp things climbers use to make holes in the snow.

I was going to tell you about abseiling but so far we've only done it inside. We're going to do it outside tomorrow and that's when we have to descend an icy crevasse - a big crack in a glacier.

Hopefully I'll have a picture with me looking ridiculous for you then!

After waking-up in the Antarctic for the first time today I can understand why everybody who comes here falls in love with the place. It is absolutely beautiful.

We're staying at The British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Research Station.

It's on the northerly peninsula of the Antarctic and it's built on rock.

There are about 10 buildings ranging from sleeping quarters and garages to the main block which has the dining hall, doctor's surgery and science labs.

Rothera is surrounded by sea so there are icebergs everywhere.

It's about minus 2 degrees today which for me is very cold, but the regulars here are often seen walking around in t-shirts!

My room is lovely and at the moment I'm not sharing with anyone which meant I chose the best bed - I'm on the top bunk!

Today we've been having our base training. It's so we know where everything is and how it all works.

I learnt to ride a skidoo - like a motorbike with skis on - which was hilarious and this afternoon we're being shown how to cook on stoves and put-up tents.

Tomorrow we learn to abseil... so another good photo opportunity.

After eight hours flying we stopped off at Ascension Island to refuel. It's a really small Island in the south section of the Atlantic Ocean.

I was allowed to sit in the cockpit for the landing which was amazing. When we descended through the fluffy white clouds it looked like we were sinking into heaven.

After an hour sweating at Ascension - it's really hot and I was dressed for winter - we had another eight hour flight to The Falkland Islands.

The Falklands are owned by the British. They're basically between South America and Antarctica which is why they're a good base for Antarctic trips.

We decided to film a story there, about some schoolchildren who are trying to stop pollution ruining the beaches and killing wildlife.

So when we arrived, although we felt really tired and smelly we rushed off to interview the kids and to film some shots with me in the countryside with penguins nearby.

2,000 people live on the islands and there are two main schools. We stayed in a hotel called The Upland Goose in the capital, Stanley.

We even had films to watch - I saw a Jim Carrey film on the way out , and am looking forward to seeing Agent Cody Banks on the way back!

More Info

All Lizzie's Antarctica diaries

Pix: Antarctic ice shelf

Quiz: snow and ice

'I helped clean up Antarctica'

Past Stories
	Experts worry about Antarctic ice melting
	Huge Antarctic ice shelf collapses
	Antarctic penguins dying of mystery disease