Wave Vidmar - The North Pole Solo 2004 Expedition

Wave Vidmar's aim was to travel solo over six hundred and sixty miles to the North Pole starting in Russia. Ein Ganim pupils were among two thousand students worldwide who followed Wave's adventures. They took part in online activities and sent emails to Wave and learned about the North Pole.

On 22 April Wave spoke to Marsha's pupils by satellite phone. "Many of the kids had prepared questions, well thought out too, and the whole class sang me a song. It was truly touching and special for me!" (Wave Vidmar)

Read Wave's logbook at http://www.northpolesolo.com

Interview with Wave Vidmar

We spoke with him for 20 minutes and the kids were amazing and spoke fluent English. He kept saying he was smiling and feeling great. (Marsha)

Marsha: How are you? Wave: I am doing good.

Hi Wave, welcome to Ein Ganim School Israel. We are the Sixth Grade

Wave: Thank you very much.

1) Hi Wave, my name is Dudi, I wanted to ask you a question, could you tell us about your trip, was it fun? Would you do it again?

Well I have been having fun lately. In the beginning it was very difficult and very hard and, yes, I think I would do it again.

2) Hi Wave, my name is Tom (and I'm a girl). I am very excited to hear you and talk with you. I want to ask you how were the preparations for the trip? Did people learn from your experience?

Well preparation was good and I have enjoyed my trip. I have learned a lot of things even before I started on my trip. I learned many, many things and I am always excited to learn new things. I hope you kids will also be excited to learn new things. ... You are always learning in life if you want to and it's very exciting that way. I have enjoyed it and I hope that some day you all will learn new things and try new things and explore the world as well.

3) Hi Wave, my name is Shay. How can you get used to the conditions in the North Pole?

The conditions? What are the conditions like? Right now it's snowing and it's very windy but it's warmer - minus 15 degrees C - before it was much colder.

4) Hi Wave, my name is Nofar. And I would like to ask you, how was your trip until now and are you satisfied?

Oh yes very satisfied, very. I have enjoyed this. It was difficult and hard as I said before but I am very happy that I've tried it and I am looking forward to going to the South Pole as well.

5) Hi Wave, my name is Saar. I'd like to know, do you regret going to the North Pole because of your health conditions? How do you feel now?

Oh I don't regret one minute of my decision to go to the North Pole. .. my health conditions are getting better but they have not stopped me from trying to achieve my goal or my dream. I have taken the best care I can and sometimes things happen you don't plan for. But also I have lots of medicine with me and I've got a very good doctor that watches over me and so I have gotten very good care and I am getting better. I'll be completely normal very soon but I don't regret for one minute trying to go to the North Pole, it's been the experience of a lifetime.

6) Hi Wave! My name is Dana. I am very happy to talk with you now. I would like to ask you how did you feel after you broke your ankle and the frostbite? How did you keep going on?

Well of course it was painful but I called my doctor and talked to him and made sure that I was not going to do permanent damage and he said I would be ok and it was just gonna be painful. So I decided the pain was not as important as my trying to go the North Pole. It was more important to me to continue to keep going.

7) Hi Wave, my name is Afik. Please tell us why you are going to the South Pole?

I am going to the South Pole in November of this year it will take about 2 months ... and it is much less dangerous and less difficult than going to the North Pole although there is more wind and it is a little colder.

8) Hi Wave, my name is Michal G. Did you have any disappointments? Can you tell us about them?

I am just disappointed that I started late and I am being picked up early. Although there is a chance that someone may help me continue my goal to the North Pole. That's my only disappointment. I am not disappointed in how hard I tried or having come here or anything else. I would like to make it to the North Pole the way I had planned. ... I am very, very happy that I tried. I am not very disappointed at all.

9) Hello Wave, my name is Gil. I wondered, how did you get the courage to even start this voyage?

.. I decided I wanted to try... (Unfortunately contact was lost at this point)

10) Hi Wave, my name is Nitzan. I just want to ask you, how do your family and friends feel about your trip to the North Pole?

They are very proud of me, they think it's amazing that I tried to go to the North Pole. They talk about me a lot and look forward to seeing me again.

11) Hi Wave, my name is Roei and I am very happy to hear you now. I'd just like ask you what are your future dreams and ambitions.

As I mentioned I am going to the South Pole in November and I am thinking about rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in June of 2005. I also have other goals which have nothing to do with exploring. I am interested in music and film ... I hope to produce films and music in the coming years.

12) Hi Wave, my name is On. We are doing a project "Dream A Dream with Ein-Ganim", and writing to children from around the world on the Internet and in letters. Do you think children can make a difference?

Oh absolutely. You kids today are the future of tomorrow, you are the future of the world. That's why it's important that you always do your best and try your best and be kind to other people and do what you can to make a difference ...

13) Hi Wave, my name is Or, and I'd like to ask you, what advice can you give other people, after you achieve your dream?

The best advice I can give you is that you should not be afraid to dream and you should not be afraid to try. I think if you try your best you will usually do better than you thought you could do.

That's a great answer. Thank you.

14) Hi Wave, my name is Paz, some kids say I look like you, when were you the most frightened on your trip?

There was a time that I came to a point where there was open water and I had to cross through open water and some ice and I was afraid of falling in and I did get wet, my foot went in the water and this frightened me the most ... because to get wet, it is so cold here it is very, very dangerous, you can lose your toes or your life very easily. That was when I was most afraid.

15) Hello Wave, my name is Sivan. What did you learn on this sixty day trip?

Many, many, many things. I learned how to survive in the Arctic in minus 50 and 60 degree weather. I learned about polar bears and how they look and act towards people. I learned about how the ice moves around. How beautiful it is up here. There are so many different things that I have learned and it will take me a long time to understand everything that I have learned here.

At the end of the interview, I asked him when he would be returning to the States and wished him a safe journey. We then sang "From Me to You" by the Beatles and he was absolutely delighted! He said that it was perfect and he had a huge smile on his face. (Marsha)

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