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Aug. 23rd, 2013 08:25 pmBack from Alaska!
Or I was Tuesday evening, but whatever. It was fun! Pictures coming soon.
Things I'm glad I didn't pack: my sandals. Things I wish I packed: warmer socks.
There was sunshine and warmth only on the first day of the trip, as in when we got off the plane and were looking around. It was rather strange the entire time. It would be around ten at night and only getting dark.
First Day: We arrived in Anchorage and got our car. We drove to a small motel whose amenities included coffee and a fridge and microwave. Also very slow internet. Like dial-up slow. We then went and found the one store that had kosher meat in it. Turkey sandwiches, soda and chips for dinner.
Second Day: Drive to Dinali. It's a long drive. We stop in Wasilla where Sarah Palin lives and my friend lived. We visit my friend's house. It's been turned into part of a museum. Her father was one of the first big people in Wasilla and helped make it into a bigger town. He owned the first store etc. And then we drove. And drove. And drove. We stopped at a lot of scenic spots. It was also cloudy but not too bad. Just a little bit chilly. We stayed at a place called the White Moose Lodge which had very slow internet and we could use the fridge and microwave in the lobby. It also had danishes in the morning. Turkey sandwiches, soda and chips again for dinner.
Third Day: We went into Dinali. First we stopped off at the Tourist Trap that was right outside the park. Stuff was bought. I got a sample of fudge. We went into the park and hit the visitor centers. Saw some nice movies there. I bought a hat. A cold weather hat with flaps on the side. I was very thankful for that purchase. We went on a tour into the park on a bus with a bunch of old people from one of those cruises. We saw a caribou. And moose if by moose you mean tiny dots that through a binoculars were moose. Also, in theory, Dall sheep. Sill, very scenic. After the tour we drove back into the park as far as we were allowed to go and stopped at a river. Which was utterly fun. I wish it had been warmer because I would have gone wading. Dinner: Turkey sandwiches, chips and soda.
Fourth Day: My birthday! We drive to Moose Pass. For those who've read Son of Neptune this is the same Moose Pass that Percy and friends stay at over night after running from the Gryphons. We stay in this tiny motel with keys. White Moose Lodge also had keys. We had dinner in the restaurant. My mom and I split fish and chips, my dad got a burrito thing and my brother a salmon burger. They were pretty good. I also got a lovely chocolate cake slice because it was my birthday.
Fifth day: We go down to Seward. First we stop off at the Exit Glacier. Which is very Blue. And pretty. There are these signs on the road that show where the glacier used to be at any given point in time starting in the 1800s. It's sort of depressing watching how quickly it starts to melt. My dad, brother and I take a trail up to try and reach being in close proximity to the glacier, but we didn't have enough time.
Then we took a cruise around the Resurrection Bay (also seen in the Son of Neptune). One of those boat tours where you see the wildlife and stuff. We got a baked salmon lunch. We saw otters, seals, bald eagles, sea lions, jelly fish, PUFFINS and my lunch. Again. I got very sea sick, if you can't guess.
My mom and I were looking a bit green and this one crew member (Tall, dark, handsome, nice body) came over and asked if we were doing okay. I said we were both feeling a bit sea sick. He said let me get you something for that. He comes back with some barf bags, ginger candy and ginger ale. I take the bag and about five seconds later... hello lunch again. The guy had the best timing.
But I saw puffins! Dinner was cheese sandwiches.
Sixth Day: We drove back to Anchorage. We stopped in this little town... not even town called Whittier, I think. The only way into it by car is through this tunnel. A one lane tunnel that's two miles long and has to take both cars and trains. So. They stagger it out. There are fifteen minute windows to which you can get to drive through. Otherwise you have to wait 45 minutes to an hour. We got in pretty quickly and had the best fish and chips. Halibut fish. It was in this tiny locals only sort of place. Of course there weren't very many places in general in town. But we were definitely away from the small touristy bits. And the fancy hotel.
There were about two streets which we drove around and missed the tunnel window so we had to wait for 45 minutes. BUT we were first in line. Weather was miserable and rainy.
From there we went to the Alaska Zoo as my dad said it was the only way we were going to see the animals up close. This was around seven at night, still nice and light out. The zoo was pretty much empty so we had it to ourselves. We saw all the animals! Including bears and a camel. Dinner was sandwiches
Seventh Day: we go around downtown Anchorage looking for a post office to mail postcards. It takes about an hour to find one. It's in a mall next to the Nordstroms. Then we decided to go to the museum of Anchorage. We saw Stuff about the history of Alaska. My mother was disappointed when she saw what a real igloo looked like. Not made of ice. Oh well. I got a stuffed puffin! :D I named him Seward.
Then we went to this place that's supposed to have great pizza but my dad ordered a margarita pizza which I hate. Unfortunately I got out voted. It was icky. The crust was good.
Following lunch we went to Target because my mom wanted to see if they were the same as here in LA. They were, except more cold weather stuff. Also the hat that I bought was cheaper. Like I paid double in Dinali. Well. I didn't know. And I'm still glad I got it. Dinner was: Mac and Cheese... not sandwiches.
Eight Day we rested... I mean we flew home. I read most of a book. It was boring. Turkey sandwich for lunch. Salmon jerky for dinner. For the first night in seven days I didn't have to listen to my brother snore.
I love him dearly but he snores like Granny Weatherwax and I'm a light sleeper. Every time I'd start to drift off he'd scare the shit out of me with a snRkkKFZZFFFKkkkzZZz.
And it was good.
Or I was Tuesday evening, but whatever. It was fun! Pictures coming soon.
Things I'm glad I didn't pack: my sandals. Things I wish I packed: warmer socks.
There was sunshine and warmth only on the first day of the trip, as in when we got off the plane and were looking around. It was rather strange the entire time. It would be around ten at night and only getting dark.
First Day: We arrived in Anchorage and got our car. We drove to a small motel whose amenities included coffee and a fridge and microwave. Also very slow internet. Like dial-up slow. We then went and found the one store that had kosher meat in it. Turkey sandwiches, soda and chips for dinner.
Second Day: Drive to Dinali. It's a long drive. We stop in Wasilla where Sarah Palin lives and my friend lived. We visit my friend's house. It's been turned into part of a museum. Her father was one of the first big people in Wasilla and helped make it into a bigger town. He owned the first store etc. And then we drove. And drove. And drove. We stopped at a lot of scenic spots. It was also cloudy but not too bad. Just a little bit chilly. We stayed at a place called the White Moose Lodge which had very slow internet and we could use the fridge and microwave in the lobby. It also had danishes in the morning. Turkey sandwiches, soda and chips again for dinner.
Third Day: We went into Dinali. First we stopped off at the Tourist Trap that was right outside the park. Stuff was bought. I got a sample of fudge. We went into the park and hit the visitor centers. Saw some nice movies there. I bought a hat. A cold weather hat with flaps on the side. I was very thankful for that purchase. We went on a tour into the park on a bus with a bunch of old people from one of those cruises. We saw a caribou. And moose if by moose you mean tiny dots that through a binoculars were moose. Also, in theory, Dall sheep. Sill, very scenic. After the tour we drove back into the park as far as we were allowed to go and stopped at a river. Which was utterly fun. I wish it had been warmer because I would have gone wading. Dinner: Turkey sandwiches, chips and soda.
Fourth Day: My birthday! We drive to Moose Pass. For those who've read Son of Neptune this is the same Moose Pass that Percy and friends stay at over night after running from the Gryphons. We stay in this tiny motel with keys. White Moose Lodge also had keys. We had dinner in the restaurant. My mom and I split fish and chips, my dad got a burrito thing and my brother a salmon burger. They were pretty good. I also got a lovely chocolate cake slice because it was my birthday.
Fifth day: We go down to Seward. First we stop off at the Exit Glacier. Which is very Blue. And pretty. There are these signs on the road that show where the glacier used to be at any given point in time starting in the 1800s. It's sort of depressing watching how quickly it starts to melt. My dad, brother and I take a trail up to try and reach being in close proximity to the glacier, but we didn't have enough time.
Then we took a cruise around the Resurrection Bay (also seen in the Son of Neptune). One of those boat tours where you see the wildlife and stuff. We got a baked salmon lunch. We saw otters, seals, bald eagles, sea lions, jelly fish, PUFFINS and my lunch. Again. I got very sea sick, if you can't guess.
My mom and I were looking a bit green and this one crew member (Tall, dark, handsome, nice body) came over and asked if we were doing okay. I said we were both feeling a bit sea sick. He said let me get you something for that. He comes back with some barf bags, ginger candy and ginger ale. I take the bag and about five seconds later... hello lunch again. The guy had the best timing.
But I saw puffins! Dinner was cheese sandwiches.
Sixth Day: We drove back to Anchorage. We stopped in this little town... not even town called Whittier, I think. The only way into it by car is through this tunnel. A one lane tunnel that's two miles long and has to take both cars and trains. So. They stagger it out. There are fifteen minute windows to which you can get to drive through. Otherwise you have to wait 45 minutes to an hour. We got in pretty quickly and had the best fish and chips. Halibut fish. It was in this tiny locals only sort of place. Of course there weren't very many places in general in town. But we were definitely away from the small touristy bits. And the fancy hotel.
There were about two streets which we drove around and missed the tunnel window so we had to wait for 45 minutes. BUT we were first in line. Weather was miserable and rainy.
From there we went to the Alaska Zoo as my dad said it was the only way we were going to see the animals up close. This was around seven at night, still nice and light out. The zoo was pretty much empty so we had it to ourselves. We saw all the animals! Including bears and a camel. Dinner was sandwiches
Seventh Day: we go around downtown Anchorage looking for a post office to mail postcards. It takes about an hour to find one. It's in a mall next to the Nordstroms. Then we decided to go to the museum of Anchorage. We saw Stuff about the history of Alaska. My mother was disappointed when she saw what a real igloo looked like. Not made of ice. Oh well. I got a stuffed puffin! :D I named him Seward.
Then we went to this place that's supposed to have great pizza but my dad ordered a margarita pizza which I hate. Unfortunately I got out voted. It was icky. The crust was good.
Following lunch we went to Target because my mom wanted to see if they were the same as here in LA. They were, except more cold weather stuff. Also the hat that I bought was cheaper. Like I paid double in Dinali. Well. I didn't know. And I'm still glad I got it. Dinner was: Mac and Cheese... not sandwiches.
Eight Day we rested... I mean we flew home. I read most of a book. It was boring. Turkey sandwich for lunch. Salmon jerky for dinner. For the first night in seven days I didn't have to listen to my brother snore.
I love him dearly but he snores like Granny Weatherwax and I'm a light sleeper. Every time I'd start to drift off he'd scare the shit out of me with a snRkkKFZZFFFKkkkzZZz.
And it was good.
