SHAH ALAM: The All Women Expedition to Antarctica (Aweta) team who were scheduled to begin its mission last Wednesday, are held up due to uncertain rains in Puntas Arenas, Chile.
Mentor, Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir, via her Facebook yesterday, said the team were not allowed to fly until the weather condition is stable.
“We are expecting to fly to Antarctica anytime whenever it is announced that we are allowed to do so.
“Today’s (Friday) activity while waiting is to climb the Mount Vinson for three hours to keep the stamina.
“The three ladies who are participating in the expedition are also familiarising themselves with the clothing technique that is suitable with the unpredictable weather, that goes cold and hot alternately,” she said.
From Puntas Arenas to Antarctica they would ride on a Russian aircraft, in a roughly five-hour journey.
Sharifah Mazlina said the team is also using their free time to master the usage of global positioning system (GPS) to help ease their expedition.
She also called on all Malaysians to pray for the expedition to be carried out successfully.
The team is on a mission to retrieve and unearth the time capsule planted by Sharifah Mazlina during her first mission to the Antarctica in 2004.
The location of the capsule might have changed or it had submerged after 14 years of being buried in the South Pole or it might have been inside the US Research Centre area.
The team, comprising pharmacist Nurul Atiqah Tamarun, 31; Army Corporal Siti Jumaidah Bensali, 34, and Administrative and Diplomatic Officer at the Home Ministry, Salehah Abu Nor, 33, slated to begin the mission from Dec 18 until Jan 3.
