So.

Phew. Where do I start? Returning from any expedition is always a bit of a shock to the system, but this time has been way off the scale. Ironically, Tony and I are in superb physical condition after four weeks on the Greenland icecap, but I don't think we quite realised just *how* much work was waiting for us back home in London (where the current heat and humidity is feeling rather oppressive after the crisp Arctic breeze). The amount we want/have to achieve between now and October is unreal – one part ridiculous, one part scary and one part the most exciting thing I've ever done.

My to-do list is behaving like a time-lapse fim of bacteria in a petri-dish; every time I cross one item off, about twelve new things pop up around it, instantly. It's overflowing out of my desk diary and onto scraps of paper, Word documents, mind maps, backs of envelopes and the big file in my brain labelled 'procrastinate'. If it wasn't so much fun, I'd call it stress. Stress verging on burn-out. And that's the way my life seems to be panning out: burning and freezing. Burn, freeze, burn, freeze, yin, yang, peak, trough.

I've said this before, but it bears repeating – the next few months are going to be crazy. There are times when I'd rather be in your shoes, watching it all unfold like a reality TV show on steroids – no script, and the longest unsupported polar expedition in history. And there are times where there's nowhere I'd rather be than in the thick of it, whether that's battling hunched into a screaming whiteout, swearing at the wind, or sat here in front of a laptop at 3am with the to-do list from hell…

[Last up, BenSaunders.com is now a member of the 9Rules network - 'a community of the best weblogs in the world'. It's a new departure for me - I know Ed's not a fan, but it'll be interesting to see how things pan out. I'll keep you posted...]

— Filed under Greenland