After two years preparing for this expedition the day had arrived at last to leave for Pre Expedition Training on Broughton Island, Nunavut. 

Ian, Tori and I arrived at Heathrow airport squashed in the back seat of a black cab crammed to the gills with expedition luggage to meet Pen and Michael Gorman who were bringing the expedition radar.

As Pen and Michael checked the radar and produced cables and wires from a very ordinary looking blue case, we began to wonder if we would ever clear security. 

Thankfully not only did we clear security but were upgraded to first class, which meant we could still work on the expedition while travelling in style to Ottawa.

Coincidentally we were on the same flight as Ran Fiennes and Robin Knox Johnson who were travelling up North to take part in a documentary. It was great to meet up with fellow adventurers and swap stories.

Although it was early Canadian time when we checked in to the Lord Elgin hotel in Ottawa after a fantastic meal of Steak and chips at The Keg, we went to bed exhausted, after the long day’s travel. 

The flight to Iqaluit the next morning was around 3 hours long and we arrived in the Northern frontier town for what was supposed to be a quick stop over before two more hops took us to Broughton Island.  Travelling so far North is never simple and after being told there was a problem with our plane, we were held for 7 long hours in the tiny airport lounge before the flight finally cancelled.  We spent the night in a local hotel hoping to make the journey the next day.  As lovely as it was to be back in the wonderful arctic and feel the cold dry air in our lungs once more we were bitterly disappointed to delay our training for one more day.