Growing up in Fairbanks Alaska I have vivid memories of looking up at the University dorms and seeing a bag hanging out of every window - for use in refrigeration.

My sister and her husband spent a year at South Pole Station in 2000. Here are a few of my take-aways from what they told:

1. The South Pole is high-altitude and far from the coast, very different from other stations. Most people hear "South Pole" and think "Antarctica." That's like hearing "Denver" and thinking "America."

2. The cafeteria's kitchen walk-in freezers are heated to keep them from being too cold! A typical South Pole day is -30° to -40°. (Celsius or Fahrenheit...doesn't really matter.) A food freezer is 0°F to -10°F.

3. Fresh veggies ("freshies") are coveted; they are only available after a supply plane arrives, which is not often enough—and not at all during the winter.

4. Because it is so remote and unspoiled, pets are strictly forbidden. Which means that when a live spider arrives hiding in a leaf of lettuce, it is an extra-special gift.