Sunday, August 31, 2008

north to alaska part one

I think I was deluding myself when i thought i would blog every day and upload pics to flickr every night!! so far this trip has been a bit intense. lots of getting up early and staying up late... and there are still 6 days to go!
My cell service has been good but uploading photos with the cell phone has not been working at all today. I wanted to post them all the day i took them, but i don't think that will happen. I am posting them in order, though.

ok, recap.

day one was.. well, all i did was fly to seattle and spend the night, so day one was uneventful.

day two - got up at 5:30 am (EW EW EW) to catch the flight to anchorage. ended up next to a flight attendant on her way to work - she was SO nice and we had a nice talk.. and then as we approached anchorage she gave me the window seat!! i took some amazing photos out the window of the plane, it was unlike anything i'd ever seen. HUGE mountains. tons of snow. GLACIERS visible from the plane. rad.
next, a short 40 minute flight to fairbanks, had a window seat. scenery was not quite as insane but still lovely.
We headed to the princess lodge on the banks of the Chena River, where i relaxed a little, took some photos, and had a completely amazing dinner. asaigo crusted halibut... MMM!

day three - up early to head to the el dorado gold mine. we took a short train ride that had little stops to teach you about the mining process back during the gold rush. then, we got to pan for gold! and I got $30 worth of gold flakes - which is more than anyone else got. the weird thing about panning for gold is that you feel like you're just washing it all out of your pan, but you're not, really. touristy but fun.
Then we took a riverboat cruise up the Chena to the intersection with the Tenana River. it was neat to see all the houses along the river, and the scenery was reeeally beautiful. we stopped at a replica native village which was fun, but a little cheesy. it was a nice day but a bit exhausting.

tomorrow we have to get up early to drive down to Denali, where we're going to go on a natural history tour and watch the dinner show! should be more touristy fun! ;-)

On the train to the gold mine




In a permafrost tunnel!



The trans-alaska pipeline




800 miles from prudhoe bay to valdez



Saturday, August 30, 2008

Twilight on the Chena




Took this at 9:15 pm!



Coolest coke machine ever!




Makes me really want a coke!



Lovely!




The Chena river, from the deck at the hotel



HA HA!




Entry to the bathroom at the fairbanks airport!



Very tall mountains!




Not Denali, though, i was on the wrong side of the plane.



On my way to fairbanks




Lots of fluffy clouds!



Taking off




Anchorage from the air



Third flight in two days!




Off to Fairbanks!



Friday, August 29, 2008

At the sea-tac airport




Welcome to seattle!



Friday, August 22, 2008

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FUCKING RADIOHEAD



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BECK!



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At the outside lands festival in golden gate Park



Monday, August 18, 2008

Off to Alaska!

it's been a long time since I've touched this blog!!

Since so much of my life is consumed by travel lately (both travel i book for other people, and trips i go on myself) I thought i'd resurrect the blog to chronicle my adventures.

In just 10 days i leave for a 9 day trip to Seattle and ALASKA! i'm beyond excited... i get to see Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna and Anchorage, and i finish up the trip with a few days in Seattle. I've got free picture and text messages, internet at every hotel along the way, and 4 cameras, so i should have at **least** one update each day, probably more.

whee, can't wait!