A man quit the rat race to for a job in the South Pole - where he now works in -60 temperatures, sees the Northern Lights "every day" and the nearest shop 2,000 miles away.<br /><br />Jeff Capps, 33, was a mechanic in Denver, Colorado, US, before deciding take up a job 9,000 miles across the world to the South Pole, Antarctica. <br /><br />He heard of a job opening for a mechanic to work at the US government owned Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station - a scientific research facility - and leapt at the chance to apply.<br /><br />The $80k-a-year role sees Jeff work six-month stints in the South Pole and he says the idea of having "pretty much zero expenditure for half the year" was one of the main draws.<br /><br />Jeff started the role in 2019 and describes the facility as like "living on a ship".<br /><br />He says the 43 staff there have everything they might need - including a team of chefs. <br /><br />Jeff even met his partner, Michelle, 33, while in the South Pole - where she worked in catering. <br /><br />Jeff said: "I used to work in a car dealership as a mechanic.<br /><br />"One day an old friend came by and said they needed a mechanic to work on snowmobiles in the South Pole – I thought 'sign me up!'."<br /><br />Scientists at the station conduct research on climate change and the origins of the Big Bang.<br /><br />Jeff said: "We call it our spaceship, as it's 700 miles from the next nearest research station.<br /><br />"We’re totally isolated from everything."<br /><br />According to Jeff, life inside the facility is pretty normal. <br /><br />“If you don't open the door – it just seems like you’re in a nice hotel," he said.<br /><br />“We have great team of chefs. It's room temperature inside and you can just walk around in a t-shirt.”<br /><br />The facility is shared between a small group of people – 43 in total the last time Jeff was there six months ago.<br /><br />“You build an extremely close community as you see the same people every day, it’s all pretty nice until you open the door outside – then that all changes," Jeff said.<br /><br />While on site, Jeff frequently works outside fixing trucks and snowmobiles that have broken down in temperatures which average –60 degrees in winter.<br /><br /> At one point, he was working outside when the temperature dropped to an astonishing –76 degrees, which Jeff described as "surreal".<br /><br />“You'd think you’d freeze to death instantly, but it’s a dry cold, so it’s actually not as bad as it sounds," he said.<br /><br />“The weirdest thing is – I never felt shivering or chilled to the bone.<br /><br />“The worst bit is if the cold hits any part of your skin which is uncovered, you get a sharp burning sensation – it feels like your skin is being stabbed with a knife.<br /><br />“In winter it’s crazy outside – it's always dark as the sun sets once a year so it’s six months daylight then six months darkness."<br /><br />Surprisingly, Jeff says among the best aspects of working in the South Pole is the social scene. <br /><br />“We are all like a big family – we have arguments and stuff but you still kind of respect each other," he said.
