Thursday, May 29, 2014

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

This week we went on a cruise out of the port of iceland.  We went along the mid-atlantic ridge, noting the occasionally violent underwater earthquakes caused by this divergent boundary.  We went scuba diving after we crossed into the southern hemisphere.

San Andreas

Here we found out what happens when you are unlucky and are spending a lot of time along the San Andreas fault.  This fault is a transform boundary, which is when tectonic plates grind against each other, which can cause devastating earthquakes.  That is exactly what happened to me, while I was peacefully sunbathing in the warm California sun, enjoying myself.  The ground rumbled, buildings fell, and the resulting fires killed hundreds.  All in all, it was a horrible vacation.

The Himalayas

This week we visit the Himalayan mountains. The Himalayas are there because of a collision between two tectonic plates, where a less dense plate went underneath a denser plate, causing the crust to rise up.  This formed what we call a convergent boundary.
Day 1:  Today, my party and I landed in Bhutan, where the locals congratulated us on our safe landing. During this terrifying landing, a number of people released the contents of their stomachs onto the plastic sheeting lining the floor, designed to catch such disgorgements.  We hurried over to our slightly sketchy hotel, where we checked in and rode up to our room in an elevator that stopped at the wrong floor.  All in all, today was a bad day.
Day 2:  Today, when I woke up, the group was already ready to go.  We were all so jet-lagged I was the only one who got any sleep.
Day 3:  We hired a guide to take us up the mountains to see the sights.
Day 4:  We started our ascent, the steep slopes making us regret our decision of carrying 60 lbs of photography gear in our packs.
Day 5:  We reached to lowest peak.  At this point, all of us are ready to turn around.
Day 6:  We turn around and head back to the city, cameras full and backs destroyed.
Day 7:  We reach the city and book a flight back home.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014