While Under The Counter may well list drinking beer among his dream jobs, counting penguins doesn’t rate so highly.
But that’s exactly what a Bo’ness woman is about to spend five months doing, 9,000 miles down the way on Goudier Island in the Antarctic.
Mairi Hilton will swap views of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant for the equally godforsaken vistas of the South Atlantic, as the historic Port Lockroy base reopens for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic.
Along with three other women, the conservation biologist will be responsible for, besides keeping tabs on the cast of Happy Feet, running the site’s post office, museum and gift shop. Yes, really.
Amazingly, considering the sub-zero temperatures and icy winds, the site attracts around 18,000 visitors every year. And – unlike all those branches CJ Lang axed – the post office does a remarkably brisk trade – handling in the region of 80,000 cards annually.
Despite a glaring lack of upsides, there is – unfortunately – a downside to the job: no running water and consequently no flushing toilet.
Predictably enough, UTC doesn’t view this as problem. As anyone who’s ever fallen asleep listening to tales of his spartan upbringing in a tenement flat sharing an outside lavvy with five other families will testify.
