Interview with Eirik Sønneland
When the South Pole appeared on the horizon, or when you approached it, what comments did you make to each other about South Pole Station?
That is a time we will never forget. First I felt we were looking for a needle in a haystack, because a base in Antarctica is small. The first sign of being on the right track was the smoke from an LC-130 far away, taking off from the runway. We were three days away at that point. Then we started to see small buildings on the horizon. Because the station sits on somewhat sunken terrain, you have to get pretty close to see it. It was a wonderful day, the sun was reflecting in the snow and the manmade installations were beautiful from a distance...When we got closer, a guy from Switzerland was out taking photos and looked at us. Surrealistic. Some photos and greetings. We continued along the "roads" on the station, quite bothered by the traffic lights to cross the runway. I remember looking at the buildings thinking, "This is ugly..."
Who greeted you when you arrived? What did they say to you?
Closing in on the ceremony place and the South Pole, about twenty or thirty people were walking with us, asking all kinds of questions, many I don't remember. I was in some kind of trance, happy. One girl, from the gift shop I believe, asked me why my sledge was still so full when we arrived. I answered, "Because we are going to McMurdo." Some guy behind me said, "Crazy Norwegians..." People applauded as we closed in on the Pole. Rolf said to me, "Slow down Eirik, you are walking like crazy." My mind was another place, the South Pole was ours, and I wanted to be with my best friend when we touched the most southern point in the world. A lot of pictures and greetings. A girl came over and took my hand, "I'm Jensen, the station manager..." When I looked at her face I swear it must have been the most beautiful face I'd ever seen. (Yeah, yeah...I hadn't seen a girl for 13 months.) With all the wonderful people at the base I felt real warm for the first moment on the whole trip...seriously.
When we left the base a girl working on the construction of the New Station flashed her tits as we passed her. I tried to get a picture. She shouted something like, "These are for your motivation!" She was right.
When you got home, what did you tell your friends about South Pole Station?
I told everyone that the people at South Pole Station are very friendly. It has an enormous infrastructure to be in the middle of nowhere. A piece of America!? It must be a wonderful place to spend the winter! Lots of boxes...it seems temporary. The Dome is nice, and I guess the New Station is going to be nicer.
Do you like the name "Amundsen-Scott Station"?
 Geographic South Pole: Caution Do Not Enter
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Hmmm...I guess it is okay. It says a little about the race to be first to South Pole. On the other hand, why should Scott get his name on the station? He lost the race and his men because of bad planning and arrogance (he wouldn't listen to more experienced people). The sad thing is that everyone knows who Scott is, but few know Amundsen's story. Even today, people like the National Geographic Society think Scott is the "big boy".
With the glaring exception of Borchgrevink, Norway has consistently manufactured high-calibre polar explorers such as Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, and Trygve Gran. Are you much influenced by these old-time explorers? Do you read their accounts?
Yes, the old polar explorers have meant a lot to us. We have read a lot of their stories and used much of their experience on our expedition.
What influences throughout your life led you to want to ski across Antarctica?
Why we wanted to ski Antarctica is complex. Interest in Antarctic history, testing our own physical and psychological limits, and at the same time doing this with your best friend. Making history is also nice. But if you look in the Guinness Book of World Records it says that two Belgians have the world's longest unsupported ski trek. This is wrong, and everybody knows that. We will try to make this right.
We will straighten out this nonsense about the Belgians. Forced at gunpoint to pick only one, who is your favorite Antarctic explorer?
I think for the time being Shackleton is my favorite because I have an interest in how he was leading and motivating his men.
What books did you bring with you on your expedition? Did you carry photographs of anyone? Who?
A Norwegian book "L" by Erlend Loe, "Pale Blue Dot" by Carl Sagan, and the Bible. We brought no pictures except satellite photos of the Axel Heiberg Glacier. What we did have was names on our sleeping bags: Rolf had written Selma Hayek on his, and I had written Jennifer Lopez on mine, in big white letters. In some way or another we went to bed with these girls every single night of the trip: 105 total.