Two young Australians are preparing to become the first people to walk from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back.
James Castrission and Justin Jones plan to begin their 2,200-kilometer journey at Union Glacier in October. That will coincide with the 100th anniversary of a legendary race to the South Pole by Britain's Robert Scott and Norway's Roald Amundsen.
Jones tells VOA that he and Castrission were inspired to make the attempt by the adventures of Scott, Amundsen and other Antarctic explorers of that era.
The two have already made history by becoming the first to travel by kayak from Australia to New Zealand in 2008.
They expect to take three months to complete the trek, with each man pulling a 160-kilogram sled laden with supplies. The trip is intended to raise money for children with cancer.
Jones says the biggest obstacle they will face is the extreme cold in Antarctica, where it can fall to minus 50 degrees Celsius. He says their preparation for the trip, which includes dragging two massive truck tires throughout Sydney, is the key to whether they succeed.
