Joanie Clarkson
Matthieu Tordeur was only 27 years old when he reached the South Pole in January 2019, making him the youngest person to reach the South Pole all by himself, making him a Guinness World Record Holder! It took him 51 days.
Unassisted
He did this completely unassisted. That means, he didn't use anything other than his own strength on his skis. He did not have dogs or a snowmobile to help him.
Unsupported
He also did this unsupported. So he had to carry all his supplies with him. There was no place to stop for food or equipment. He had to drag everything on a sled weighing 115 kilograms or 253.53 pounds, mostly food.
Solo
Because he was alone the whole trip, that meant he went more than 50 days, about 7 weeks and almost 2 months without talking to another human. That would have been so lonely. Tordeur values the solitude he experienced because it helped him grow.
Food and Hygiene
During the trip, he had to eat differently than we do at home. Because Antarctica is like a giant freezer, all his food had to be dehydrated or not have any water or liquids of any kind in it. To have hot meals, he would boil water in his tent and add it to his food. In the video, he explains how he accomplished personal hygiene tasks. This could be a great discussion point on problem-solving.
Temperature
Antarctica is very cold. He started with temperatures ranging from -10 to -15 Celsius (14 to 5 Fahrenheit). By the end of his trip, it got to -25 to -30 Celsius (-13 to -22 Fahrenheit). I know I'll think twice before complaining about it being cold again!
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