The days are again falling into regular patterns. Weather changeable: sunshine and cloud.

Skiing conditions varied between extremely tough to welcomingly smooth. This morning we had an exasperatingly close encounter with a huge field of difficult pack ice. But we got through it in the end.

In the afternoon, our luck improved. Throughout the trip we have been dreaming for a straight lead, going directly north, covered with smooth fresh ice up which we could speed. Today, at last, our dream came true. For a kilometer the lead was narrow, but smooth as a skating rink. Then it opened out into a broad `lake´ of ice, over which we could glide for almost 3 km in a state of bliss. Our speed increased momentarily to nearly 4 km per hour. Please, Mother Nature, send us more of your smooth skin …

All is well with the Expedition.