INUVIK - Two helicopter pilots on their way to the North Pole stopped in Inuvik last week to fuel up and spend the night.

Colin Bodill and Jennifer Murray are members of the Polar First expedition team.

Their goal is to be the first people to travel around the world from the South Pole to the North Pole.

The pair has crossed North America, Europe and Asia. Bodill made the flight in an ultra-light plane while Murray was in a helicopter.

"Our goal is to be the first people to go around the world via the poles; it's never been done before."

Bodill said the team is two-thirds of the way through their journey around the globe.

"We tried this three years ago and now we're back for another attempt," said Bodill.

Murray said their first attempt was stopped in Antarctica.

"We were making a cautionary landing, the altimeter read right through the snow and we hit the ground," said Murray.

"Colin had a broken back and had internal bleeding. I had superficial injuries, but went into shock," recalls Murray.

The weather was -55 C with windchill.

She said Bodill saved their lives by finding the emergency tent in the wreck, putting her in the tent and lighting the distress beacon, all while injured.

"It was four and half hours when we were rescued," she said.

"We were in a hospital in 21 hours, which from Antarctica, is a miracle."

"The helicopter was a write off; it was a heavy landing," said Murray.

Bodill said he was doing the trip for the same reasons people climb mountains.

"I'm here for the challenge," he said. "This might be out last adventure and we wanted it to be a big one. We wanted something that had never been done before."

Murray said she wanted to get back on the horse she fell from, which is why they made their second attempt.

"It was what we needed to do, it was like a healing process," she said.

"After the accident, we were both focused on going back and finishing it."

In 2000, the pair flew around the world across the oceans and continents. The pair started in Ft. Worth, Texas and flew to Mexico, through Panama and down the west coast of South America to Chile.

"We went to the South Pole and came back up the east coast through Argentina," said Bodill.

Flying from Antarctica to South Africa would be too far for the helicopter, said Bodill.

"We would need to re-fuel on a ship of some kind in the middle of the ocean," he said. "Our route works for us."

Their trip has spanned three months and three weeks, when they landed in Inuvik last Wednesday.

The trip took three years to plan.

Murray said finding sponsorship was tough, but getting permission to fly through countries and places like Antarctica was challenging, too.

"It's been three years putting this together," she said. "There is always something we need to plan for at every stop."

Murray said she loves the support they get from people around the world.

"We get so many positive reactions," she said.

"It could be a kid with a friendly e-mail, or a helicopter pilot who we've inspired; they all make it worthwhile."

The team will travel North to Ulukhaktok and on to Resolute Bay, Eureka and a stop at a Russian station then south.

"We'll be back through Greenland and Montreal before heading back to Ft. Worth, Texas," said Murray.