0:00:06 > 0:00:09I kayaked 2,000 miles along the Amazon...
0:00:13 > 0:00:15..I walked a high wire
0:00:15 > 0:00:18between the chimneys of Battersea power station...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21'..and in December 2011,
0:00:21 > 0:00:26'I embarked on my most demanding expedition to date -
0:00:26 > 0:00:28'a 500-mile trek to the South Pole
0:00:28 > 0:00:33'by kite, by ski and, in a world first, by bike.'
0:00:33 > 0:00:35My legs. Ow!
0:00:42 > 0:00:48'It was most the incredible journey of my life and this is my story.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:00'Coming up in today's programme....
0:01:00 > 0:01:03'I land myself in trouble with my team-mates...'
0:01:03 > 0:01:07- Helen!- What? - Don't care about the camera.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09'Good conditions give us a chance
0:01:09 > 0:01:11'to set a new kite-skiing world record...'
0:01:11 > 0:01:15You've got 13 miles, or 20km, to go
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and you and Niklas could potentially set a new world record.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22'..and the demands of Antarctica are taking their toll on my body.'
0:01:22 > 0:01:27This orangey-looking liquid is actually my wee,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31and that means that I'm dehydrated and I'm not drinking enough.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39'I'm hoping to reach the South Pole
0:01:39 > 0:01:44'with my Norwegian team-mate, Niklas, in just 20 days.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48'But we've got our work cut out if we want to reach the pole in time.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50'On day one, we underestimated
0:01:50 > 0:01:54'just how hard using the ice bikes would be.'
0:01:54 > 0:01:57I feel like we've been going all day. It is exhausting.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59'Progress was slow.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03'We covered 15 miles in nine hours,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06'failing to make our 25-mile-a-day target.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09'This means we're already behind schedule.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Why don't I think these things through?
0:02:13 > 0:02:16'But today, we've got a chance to make up the miles.'
0:02:16 > 0:02:19- WIND ROARS - It's day two and the wind is strong,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21as you can see, so we are going to try and kite
0:02:21 > 0:02:23and make up the mileage that we lost yesterday.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27If you hear Niklas shouting, "Keep the sail in the air!
0:02:27 > 0:02:30"Higher in the air!" That means, "Slow down, Skelton."
0:02:30 > 0:02:34It will be important for me to calm her down.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38She can easily twist her knee or hurt her back when falling.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Stay low, go fast.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43'All those months of training
0:02:43 > 0:02:46'are about to be put to the test for real.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50'I can't wait to get the kite in the air and make the miles count
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'towards my 500-mile journey to the South Pole.'
0:02:53 > 0:02:56There's something so rewarding about this.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58You know, you're moving forward at a pace,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02not using an engine, not using any petrol.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I can see why the Norwegian prefers this to cycling.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'Ahead of me is the polar plateau,
0:03:07 > 0:03:12'a vast ice desert first sighted by Captain Scott in 1903.'
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'There are no landmarks and no life can exist here.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20'Even breathing is harder, as it's 3,000 metres above sea level.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22'That's more than twice the height
0:03:22 > 0:03:25'of the highest mountain in the UK - Ben Nevis.'
0:03:27 > 0:03:28'Although I'm enjoying it,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32'I'm still very much a learner when it comes to this form of transport.'
0:03:33 > 0:03:35It is nerve-wracking, though.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I'm trying to keep one eye on the sastrugi
0:03:37 > 0:03:41because the ice is quite hard here. Oh, a bumpy bit of snow.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Ah!
0:03:43 > 0:03:44Argh!
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Oh, come on, stay in the air, stay in the air.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Oh...
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Urgh. You see?
0:03:54 > 0:03:58You have to concentrate all the time, otherwise...
0:03:58 > 0:04:03See if you don't concentrate, you get into a bit of a pickle.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Well, now I'm in a tangle, aren't I?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09'Oh, well. We've still managed to cover 16 miles in two hours,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11'which is a big improvement on day one.'
0:04:13 > 0:04:17You could do this for hours and hours, whereas the bike?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Nine hours, yesterday, floored us.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22OK. 1-0 to the Norwegian.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25He was right, this is definitely more efficient.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28'This will make Niklas very happy.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32'After his first day struggling on the bike, he's not its biggest fan.'
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Niklas? You love that bike, don't you?
0:04:35 > 0:04:38I hate the bike. THEY LAUGH
0:04:41 > 0:04:43'As we get in our final miles of the day,
0:04:43 > 0:04:47'I really feel like we're starting to achieve what we set out to do.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51'We've travelled 41 miles, more than our daily target,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54'and we're back on track for the South Pole.'
0:04:56 > 0:04:59'All I want to do now is climb into my tent
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'and have something hot to eat, but it's not quite that simple.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06'From start to finish, my tent routine takes three hours
0:05:06 > 0:05:12'every single night, and I'm still adjusting to life in the Antarctic.'
0:05:12 > 0:05:14You're not supposed to get any snow in your tent,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17because if you do then it melts and then you get water in your tent
0:05:17 > 0:05:19and then you get cold, blah, blah, blah.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23I mean, it is chaos. It is literally chaos in here.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29What are these?
0:05:29 > 0:05:30A-ha!
0:05:31 > 0:05:34- STOVE ROARS - Come on, blue flame.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37I took it upon myself
0:05:37 > 0:05:40to be the cook for Niklas and I.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42I thought that was one of the few things
0:05:42 > 0:05:45that I could bring to the table.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50So, it's my job to boil enough water for both of our dinners at night.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54I'm actually having muesli tonight and Niklas will tell me off
0:05:54 > 0:05:59cos it's not proper, but I just can't eat curried rice.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01'Even though we're in separate tents,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04'Niklas has still found a way to keep an eye on me.'
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Niklas has written a list of things that I should do if I get cold.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16I'm going to get in all kinds of trouble when I give this tent back.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27'It's another perfect day for kiting, with 447 miles to go.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30'It's such a privilege to be travelling across
0:06:30 > 0:06:34'this bleak but beautiful landscape. I can't help thinking
0:06:34 > 0:06:37'how brave Captain Scott and his men must have been,
0:06:37 > 0:06:38'stepping into the unknown,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42'in the hope of being the first to reach the South Pole.'
0:06:43 > 0:06:45There are moments when I look right
0:06:45 > 0:06:50and I just think, "Whoa. We are at the bottom of the world."
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Fewer people have been to the South Pole than have been up Everest.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55You look around and there's no-one.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And especially if I'm in front of Niklas
0:06:58 > 0:07:00and I can see no-one and nothing.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03And every now and again I can see the shadow of his kite
0:07:03 > 0:07:08dancing around on the surface next to me, and that's quite reassuring.
0:07:08 > 0:07:13'To stay warm and keep moving, we need to refuel regularly.
0:07:13 > 0:07:19'But it's a real effort to eat and drink in temperatures of -21.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:24This is all we eat in the day. Just bits of stuff out of this bag.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27A few nuts, bits of chocolate, bits of dried fruit.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31To be honest, we probably don't eat enough in the day because,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34as you can see, it's a real hassle.
0:07:34 > 0:07:40'Everything in this environment is a hundred times harder than normal.'
0:07:40 > 0:07:43All I want is a drink.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Is this a laugh? Can someone please get it?
0:07:54 > 0:07:55Oh, this is just...
0:07:55 > 0:07:58doing my head in now.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00This is ridiculous. It's only water.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03And then you say, "Forget it."
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Just forget it.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08'And taking the top off my water bottle
0:08:08 > 0:08:11'is nothing compared to actually getting the water to drink.'
0:08:11 > 0:08:15So, if I want to eat or drink anything,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I have to melt and then boil snow,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19because, obviously, we drink the water
0:08:19 > 0:08:23and then we add the water to the food and that's how we eat.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I always have to put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31because, believe it or not, the snow out here
0:08:31 > 0:08:35is so dry you can actually burn snow
0:08:35 > 0:08:38So, you put an inch of water in the bottom of the pan left
0:08:38 > 0:08:40over from the day, and then add snow.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44When you've finished, you just want to eat or drink something,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47and you can't until you have boiling water.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51It's weird, cos this place couldn't look and be
0:08:51 > 0:08:54any more different from Sierra Leone,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57yet, sitting here right now...
0:08:59 > 0:09:03..it's making me realise how precious water is,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06because it is such a hassle to get water to drink.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11And that's true for the families that I visited
0:09:11 > 0:09:15and the children that I've met. It's really making me realise
0:09:15 > 0:09:20why you should get involved with Sport Relief, if you can.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26There's only about a third of that pan full,
0:09:26 > 0:09:28so you just have to keep adding snow.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33'It takes me two hours to melt enough snow to make food
0:09:33 > 0:09:37'and get drinking water for the evening and next day.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40'This is the same time it takes children in Sierra Leone
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'to find a well with water clean enough to drink.'
0:09:44 > 0:09:46And so finally
0:09:46 > 0:09:50my water is boiling. But at least now I can eat something.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59'It's day four.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02'The wind speed has dropped to eight miles per hour.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05'The small kite sails won't work,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07'so it's time to bring out the big kites.'
0:10:07 > 0:10:09This is what I'm calling "the grown-ups' kite".
0:10:09 > 0:10:13I finally like I can use the Ferrari I've had the keys to for weeks.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15'But it comes with conditions.'
0:10:15 > 0:10:20It's...not as easy for me to put down this kite and come and help you
0:10:20 > 0:10:23if you get some tangling lines, or, just, any problems,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25so I thought it may be better
0:10:25 > 0:10:28to just start for an hour, or something,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31where you're pulling both me and both sleds,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35then after that hour we go on, uh, two kites.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- OK.- Are you OK? SHE LAUGHS
0:10:38 > 0:10:40HE CHUCKLES I know you hate that.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46'And there was me thinking I'd proved my kite-skiing skills.'
0:10:47 > 0:10:50I am basically a toddler.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Oh, it's... It's unbelievable.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55If I don't get my own way, or get to do it by myself,
0:10:55 > 0:10:56I take a bit of a huff.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01She can't accept that she doesn't manage something straight away.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03'One small strop later
0:11:03 > 0:11:06'and I reluctantly set off, pulling Niklas behind me.'
0:11:06 > 0:11:09And all the way, all the way, all the way.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12All right.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14You see... You see the point?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16'After 15 minutes of nagging,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19'Niklas agrees I can have a go on my own
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'and it soon becomes clear why he was being cautious.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24'These kites have 60-metre lines -
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'that's more than twice the length of a normal swimming pool.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32'They're much harder to control and progress is slow.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34'We've travelled one mile in one hour.'
0:11:34 > 0:11:36I would quite happily rip that kite up
0:11:36 > 0:11:38and use it as a table cloth right now.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Niklas is going on about these kites
0:11:41 > 0:11:44like they're God's gift to travel, yet...
0:11:44 > 0:11:46SHE SIGHS
0:11:46 > 0:11:48they're just really frustrating.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52'I'm not having a good day.'
0:11:52 > 0:11:54I need the loo, but, I mean...
0:11:54 > 0:11:58There's no chance I'm going to start taking all this clobber off.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I'm not drinking anywhere near enough, I know I'm not.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05But I'll tell you why. Because the zip's broken. These do my... Look.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10My down mittens have gone all funny - all the down's gone to the ends
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and I can't get the lid off my water bottle cos it's frozen on again.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17'I've never experienced anything like Antarctica before.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21'It's such an alien environment. Everything is more intense
0:12:21 > 0:12:25'and it's easy to get upset by the simplest things.'
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Come on, kite.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Just... Just get in the air.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Here we go, here we go!
0:12:33 > 0:12:39No, don't you dare! Oh, it's upside down, so I need to flip it over.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43I mean, I'm not the only one annoyed by this, am I?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Oh, this kite.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50I mean, I am having a shocker today.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56'Despite my bad mood,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00'we've still managed our daily target of 25 miles'
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I was really excited about getting out the big kites today.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08I thought, "We're going to go fast, I'm going to look cool."
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Neither of those things happened.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14I'm sure I will learn to love the kites,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17but I'm not entirely sure it's worth all the hassle.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'To make matters worse, my lack of drinking hasn't gone unnoticed
0:13:23 > 0:13:26'and I've been asked by the medics to check my wee.'
0:13:28 > 0:13:32This looks a bit like diluted orange cordial.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35It is, in fact, my wee.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39And that's a bad sign, that means that I'm dehydrated
0:13:39 > 0:13:42and I'm not drinking enough, so I know I need to drink more,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and hopefully... I can't stop looking at it now.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48It's awful, isn't it? It's definitely the wrong colour. So...
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Don't worry, the lid's tightly screwed on...
0:13:51 > 0:13:53I'm going to do my best over the next 24 hours
0:13:53 > 0:13:55to drink loads of water,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58hopefully in an effort to properly re-hydrate myself.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Then I'll be able to perform better, I will feel better
0:14:02 > 0:14:05and my wee will be a different colour.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10'After ten hours sleep and a lot of litres of water,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13'I'm hoping things have improved.'
0:14:14 > 0:14:18I made a determined effort last night to drink as much as possible
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and I am delighted to report that this morning,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25my wee looks like this. I now know if I drink more,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28my body's going to perform better, I'm going to feel better,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30so from now on I'll be keeping an eye on my wee.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36'That's not the only thing I'll be keeping an eye on today.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38'Overnight the clouds have come in
0:14:38 > 0:14:42'and it's white as far as the eye can see.'
0:14:43 > 0:14:46'This phenomenon is known as "flat light."
0:14:46 > 0:14:50'In these conditions, it's difficult to tell the ground from the sky
0:14:50 > 0:14:52'or to see the bumpy terrain.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'I'll have to concentrate hard to avoid an accident.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:02It's weird. Even though it's all white from top to bottom,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05I'm actually quite enjoying skiing in this flat light
0:15:05 > 0:15:10because it's a little bit different. It's probably a bit more dangerous,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13in that it's harder to see what you're skiing over,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15but I'm feeling lucky at the minute
0:15:15 > 0:15:19because the wind is so low, I'm keeping quite a low speed.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21If I was going fast I'd be like, "Whoa!"
0:15:21 > 0:15:24# Yeah, the night is alive You can feel your heartbeat
0:15:24 > 0:15:27MUSIC: "All About Tonight" by Pixie Lott
0:15:27 > 0:15:28# We've been working all week
0:15:28 > 0:15:32# Tomorrow doesn't matter When you're moving your feet
0:15:32 > 0:15:34- # It's all about tonight... # - DRAMATIC CLANG
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Your kite's there!
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Oh, no!
0:15:39 > 0:15:42'Unfortunately, I've been concentrating harder
0:15:42 > 0:15:45'on singing and talking to the camera than what I'm doing.'
0:15:45 > 0:15:50Look. The kite lines landed on the car.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Well, OK, I parked the kite and then I was talking to you lot
0:15:53 > 0:15:55and I didn't realise that the kite took off again.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59- Helen!- What? - Don't care about the camera!
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Keep the braking lines tighter!
0:16:02 > 0:16:06'If the 60m lines are tangled or the material tears,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'it could cause us long delays.'
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Oh, no! Now I'm in serious trouble.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'The crew vehicles have to reverse and get out of the way
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'so that Niklas can sort out the lines.'
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Sorry, guys.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I have one eye on the kite all the time,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27because if you don't, it can take off.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30And because I was looking at the camera and talking to you,
0:16:30 > 0:16:36I wasn't looking at the kite and it took off and then landed on the car.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41So now I'm in trouble with Mr Norman.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Is it all good?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45'Thankfully, it's OK...'
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I hate this.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49'..but Niklas is furious with me.'
0:16:49 > 0:16:53It's just that we have to make sure the kites are secure
0:16:53 > 0:16:55before we start talking to the camera crew.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59You have to check the kite's secure before you talk to the camera.
0:16:59 > 0:17:00Oh, no.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03I'm going to have a mad Norwegian telling me off all day, now.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05He's only letting me have this kite today
0:17:05 > 0:17:09because I proved yesterday that I didn't fall over. Oh...
0:17:10 > 0:17:12What's he doing?
0:17:12 > 0:17:15'Niklas has to wrestle with my upside-down kite
0:17:15 > 0:17:16'to get me back on track...'
0:17:16 > 0:17:18OK, OK. Now we're straight.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20No, now we're not straight...
0:17:20 > 0:17:23'..which isn't helping him be any less cross with me.'
0:17:23 > 0:17:27OK. Go, go, go, go. OK, I'm going to get out of everybody's way
0:17:27 > 0:17:29before I annoy anyone.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Thank you!
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Thank you, Niklas!
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Oh, dear.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47'It seems I've upset Niklas more than I realised,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49'and when I stop because the wind has dropped,
0:17:49 > 0:17:54'he carries on to camp on his own, leaving me to sort myself out.'
0:17:55 > 0:17:59I don't really know what to say. Am I annoyed that Niklas has left me?
0:17:59 > 0:18:03I won't be if, when I get there, he has the tent up and the kettle on.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06I can't win really, can I?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09I can't complain at him for leaving me and then
0:18:09 > 0:18:12complain at everything, "Don't help me, I want to do it by myself!"
0:18:12 > 0:18:15'Sometimes, I'm my own worst enemy.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18'My determination to do things my way
0:18:18 > 0:18:21'means I've got an angry team-mate on my hands
0:18:21 > 0:18:22'and a long walk before camp.'
0:18:22 > 0:18:25The trouble with being in Antarctica is
0:18:25 > 0:18:28you don't know how far away anything is, cos it's just...
0:18:28 > 0:18:29There's no landmarks.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32So Niklas could be five miles away, he could be one mile away.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34I'm hoping he's half a mile away.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38I think I'll maybe just go straight forward for a bit.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42'Walking back gives me time to think about how different Niklas and I are
0:18:42 > 0:18:44'when it comes to dealing with life in Antarctica.'
0:18:45 > 0:18:51He's, um...so clever, and so good at what he does,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55and I've realised that I'm not a thinker.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57I mean, I just don't think things through.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01'Which is becoming very, very clear.'
0:19:03 > 0:19:06I have a little bit of a confession.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08I don't know how this has happened,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11but I am really quickly running out of food.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Basically, we arrived 16 days ago.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17We were given food to last us till the end of January.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20However, I think I've split my bags wrong,
0:19:20 > 0:19:23or put a bag in the wrong place, because on day five
0:19:23 > 0:19:25I'm down to...
0:19:25 > 0:19:28two packets of muesli...
0:19:28 > 0:19:29and a curried rice.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32'And one of those is my evening meal.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35'I need to get to the halfway point quick and pick up new supplies,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38'or I won't be getting the 6,000 calories a day I need
0:19:38 > 0:19:41'for all the physical activity I'm doing.'
0:19:44 > 0:19:46'It's day six,
0:19:46 > 0:19:50'and it seems it's not just me who's been doing some thinking overnight.'
0:19:50 > 0:19:54I have a bad habit of, uh,
0:19:54 > 0:20:00always trying to...to find the reason for why we're doing something,
0:20:00 > 0:20:05and, uh, I should probably just don't think and go with the flow.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08But, uh, from now on I will try not to think
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and just enjoy being in Antarctica.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17'With Niklas back in a good mood, we put yesterday firmly behind us.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20'The wind speed is good, so the kite sails are back out
0:20:20 > 0:20:24'and in just three and a half hours, we make great progress.'
0:20:24 > 0:20:26- WIND ROARS - You can probably hear
0:20:26 > 0:20:28that the wind is really strong,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32which is great news for us, cos it means that we have done
0:20:32 > 0:20:35more than our daily mileage target
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and we're not even halfway through the day.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So far, today is going really well.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46'And the miles just keep on coming.'
0:20:46 > 0:20:48So, how many have we done now?
0:20:48 > 0:20:52We have now done 80 kilometres in a very short time.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54That's good, which is 50 miles,
0:20:54 > 0:20:59and our trusty producer, Murray, informs us that we're on the verge
0:20:59 > 0:21:01of a new world record, is that right?
0:21:01 > 0:21:05That's right, and the Guinness Book Of Records say there isn't a record
0:21:05 > 0:21:08for 100 kilometres skiing, that's around 63 miles,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11so you've got 13 miles or 20 kilometres to go,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14and you and Niklas could potentially set a new world record.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Well, why wouldn't we? Let's set a new word record. Come on.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19We'll see you at the 100k mark.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26That's exciting, isn't it? We love a world record at Blue Peter.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Woo-hoo!
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'In just seven hours, 28 minutes, we've covered 100 kilometres,
0:21:55 > 0:22:01'or 62 miles by kite ski, which is a brand-new, shiny world record!'
0:22:01 > 0:22:07I think this record is actually quite good in this sastrugi.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10- And with sledges.- It is extremely heavy for your knees.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13This'll go down as one of those days that you talk about,
0:22:13 > 0:22:14when there's highlight.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18After these things you only look back on the best bits,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22and so far, I think, this has been my best bit.
0:22:22 > 0:22:29'And to reward myself, I'm finally getting a wash - Antarctic style.'
0:22:29 > 0:22:32I haven't washed my hair for 20 days.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35But, the boys have worked out a way for me to wash my hair,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38so I'm really excited.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41This is a great moment, honestly.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Argh! It's minging!
0:22:43 > 0:22:45'It's a very technical setup
0:22:45 > 0:22:48'of a collapsible wash bag filled with hot water,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'but to me, it's better than any shower in the world.'
0:22:52 > 0:22:56OK. This is me trying to wash my hair.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59I'm dunking it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Wait until you see the hairdryer.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05HAIRDRYER WHINES
0:23:07 > 0:23:09This may be a blowtorch - it's also a hairdryer.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14You see, you've got to improvise in Antarctica.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19The boys were so sick of me moaning about how disgusting I felt,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23they said, "Right, wash your hair, we'll find you a hairdryer."
0:23:24 > 0:23:28Icelandic mechanics have altered this so it's safe for me to use.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Do not use a blowtorch on your head!
0:23:37 > 0:23:42'It's day seven. Today could be the day we reach the halfway point,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45'250 miles from the South Pole.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:49As you can see, it is not great, conditions-wise.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52The sun isn't out, so the visibility isn't great,
0:23:52 > 0:23:53and, if you look at the flag
0:23:53 > 0:23:56fluttering on one of the trucks there, the Icelandic flag,
0:23:56 > 0:24:00it's not going very fast, is it? Because there isn't much wind.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03So, we've decided to use the bikes today.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Niklas is excited, I can tell.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And, yeah, hopefully we'll make it to the checkpoint. Come on.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12It'll be worth it. It'll be hard, but it'll be worth it.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21'We need to cycle 18 miles to get to the half way point -
0:24:21 > 0:24:25'more than we've ever attempted on the bikes before.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:32'After 4.5 miles, we're doing well
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'but the physical effort of using the bikes means we're overheating,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39'so it's coats off to cool down.'
0:24:39 > 0:24:44Normally, I have an extra pair of trousers on and two extra jackets...
0:24:46 > 0:24:48..but we're working up such a sweat on these bikes,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50I've stripped down to my thermal layer.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54I'm not supposed to be sweating, because when you stop,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57that can lead to hypothermia, but from the smell of me,
0:24:57 > 0:24:58I am losing that battle.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03Come on, legs. Be strong.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06'It's two o' clock in the afternoon before we stop for a break.'
0:25:06 > 0:25:11So, 12 miles done, which means we've got about four or five to go?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15So, this is good.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Two thirds of today's distance. >
0:25:17 > 0:25:19And then we're at the halfway point.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25'And of course, I can't wait to get there to pick up new food.'
0:25:25 > 0:25:27This is all I have left,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30so if we don't make it to the halfway point tonight...
0:25:32 > 0:25:33..it's cashew nuts for dinner.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37'But the good news is Niklas seems to be enjoying the bikes.'
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Today I love the bikes,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42because I think they are more efficient than kiting.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Well, that is all I needed to hear. Good.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48That's going to make me smile for the rest of the day.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53'There's two miles to go to the halfway point - and food!'
0:25:57 > 0:26:01That was the longest two miles of my life,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04but that's halfway.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07LAUGHING: Halfway. So we shouldn't be exhausted?
0:26:07 > 0:26:08No, not yet.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11'We've done it, 18 miles on the bike
0:26:11 > 0:26:13'and we're halfway to the South Pole.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17'I'm tired and sore, but at least I'm not going to starve.'
0:26:17 > 0:26:21We have new food today, so that means you have biltong.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24That's how we can mark this halfway point.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26A bit of dried, salted meat.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30And that, uh, we made the bikes work for a full day.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Efficiently. That's also worth celebrating.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I'd happily retire tomorrow because you've just said that. Yes!
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I don't want to think,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43"Oh, tomorrow it'll be X number of miles," or whatever,
0:26:43 > 0:26:44I just keep thinking,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47"Tomorrow, get some mileage in, get some mileage done,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49"get closer to the pole,"
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and then, before you know it, fingers crossed, we'll be there.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55'And if you've been inspired by my challenge,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57'why don't you go the extra mile
0:26:57 > 0:27:00'and get involved in Sport Relief this year?
0:27:00 > 0:27:03'Get a grown-up and sign up to do the Sport Relief mile.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07'There are hundreds of events around the country,
0:27:07 > 0:27:11'and by raising money, you can help poor and vulnerable people
0:27:11 > 0:27:12'in the UK and around the world
0:27:12 > 0:27:16'Next time, we're still hundreds of miles from the South Pole
0:27:16 > 0:27:20'when I take a risky decision which will push us to breaking point.'
0:27:20 > 0:27:21It is time to say...
0:27:23 > 0:27:25..goodbye to the kites.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30My decision to ditch the kites upsets my team-mate...
0:27:30 > 0:27:34Today, we have been moving at, like, 1.3 miles an hour
0:27:34 > 0:27:35and that's way too slow.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38..and pushing myself to prove the bikes work
0:27:38 > 0:27:39begins to affect my health.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- SHE COUGHS - If it gets worse,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44this could, possibly, exclude you from finishing your race.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd