Another wonderful day!!Started off with blueberry pancakes and hot chocolate.Yummm.
Decided to drive a little way south and explore as tomorrow we will be driving straight through to Kenai with no time to detour.It turned out a great idea as the road followed the Cook Inlet on one side and marshes on the other..Supposed to be a good place for whale watching along here but no luck..Saw a moose eating young tree buds on the marshy side.He looked a bit scraggy because of losing some winter coat..
Our next stop was a Wildlife Conservation Park.Still very new but was fabulous as we saw grizzly bears/black bear/musk ox/caribou/deer/porcupine and lots of bison..The grizzlies were climbing down into the water and getting fish which must have been stashed somehow under the water for them to hunt for..Once out of the water they climbed back up the bank and ran back & forwards on the snow bank drying off!They were fun to watch....
Next stop was Portage Glacier.A popular spot for tourists in the Summer.There is a gondola ride and a cruise on the lake but the season hadn't started there so all we could do was walk down to the glacier which was just awesome..The road we walked down was piled high either side with snow banks higher than 6ft and and the child in us all just had to have snow fights and play a bit of soccer with the stuff!!
Back in the car and headed down to Whittier which is a sea port mostly..To get there we had to use the tunnel that is 2and a half miles long through the mountain. One way traffic in at 15 min intervals and a longer wait if the freight train gets there before you..There really was a light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!!The village was mostly closed and we were starving but Leanne found a chinese restaurant open so we were saved!!It feeels funny when you're the only people in places, whether for meals or tourist things to explore but has made our trip very memorable.
Back to the hotel and have a little snooze before dinner.Tomorrow we drive down the Seward Highway to Kenai where we were told the whales had arrived on their journey north..Fingers crossed!!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Day 9
Picked up our rental car from Avis and before heading out we did a tour of the Anchorage Cultural and Heritage Museum..Just a wonderful display to walk through and step back in time a little to see how tough it was living in Alaska..The Athabascans(Inuits)knew how to do things though and were a tough and hardy race.
Down the Parks Highway and planning to stop at Denali National Park..Only just opened for the season but we were able to drive through to Savage River until the road was closed.The information Ctre was open and full of very helpful Rangers..Decided to go back the next day and drive further in if possible,so headed back to a motel/restaurant/bar for the night called The Totem Inn..Spent the evening in the bar and had pizzas for dinner..Instead of a mechanical bull to ride on they had a grizzly bear..Luckily it wasn't in operation otherwise there could have been some very sore people in our car the next day..The motel room was okay except we couldn't turn the tv off,either at the set/remote or by pulling allthe plugs out of the wall!!!Not a very restful night to say the least!!
Back to Denali in the morning and what a difference..It started to snow and the deeper we went into the park the whole scenery was covered and looked absolutely awesome..Saw caribou and pretty birds about dove size which were snow white on the body with a black head and brilliant red around the eyes.We played around in the snow like silly kids making snowballs and throwing at one another.Great fun!!!!
After we left Denali our next stop was a small town called Talkeetna.Had a really nice lunch at " Pizza Pie" where Leanne & I had the best hot chocolate..Bought some more gifts from shops where everything was made locally and uniquely Alaskan.Great little place..
The famous Mt McKinley had eluded us when we were in the park but about 100 miles south we came to a lookout that gave us great views and we took stacks of photos.The rivers are thawing and are a great sight as huge blocks of ice float downstream.
Onwards to Anchorage and we encounter traffic for the first time..Terry did a great job getting us to the hotel in one piece!!
Down the Parks Highway and planning to stop at Denali National Park..Only just opened for the season but we were able to drive through to Savage River until the road was closed.The information Ctre was open and full of very helpful Rangers..Decided to go back the next day and drive further in if possible,so headed back to a motel/restaurant/bar for the night called The Totem Inn..Spent the evening in the bar and had pizzas for dinner..Instead of a mechanical bull to ride on they had a grizzly bear..Luckily it wasn't in operation otherwise there could have been some very sore people in our car the next day..The motel room was okay except we couldn't turn the tv off,either at the set/remote or by pulling allthe plugs out of the wall!!!Not a very restful night to say the least!!
Back to Denali in the morning and what a difference..It started to snow and the deeper we went into the park the whole scenery was covered and looked absolutely awesome..Saw caribou and pretty birds about dove size which were snow white on the body with a black head and brilliant red around the eyes.We played around in the snow like silly kids making snowballs and throwing at one another.Great fun!!!!
After we left Denali our next stop was a small town called Talkeetna.Had a really nice lunch at " Pizza Pie" where Leanne & I had the best hot chocolate..Bought some more gifts from shops where everything was made locally and uniquely Alaskan.Great little place..
The famous Mt McKinley had eluded us when we were in the park but about 100 miles south we came to a lookout that gave us great views and we took stacks of photos.The rivers are thawing and are a great sight as huge blocks of ice float downstream.
Onwards to Anchorage and we encounter traffic for the first time..Terry did a great job getting us to the hotel in one piece!!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Day 8 Fairbanks
Yukon River
Leanne got her wish to see sled dogs!
View above the clouds approaching Fairbanks at 10.30 pm.
View above the clouds approaching Fairbanks at 10.30 pm.
Day 8
The sun was gone but it was a soft light through the night,so blinds had to be closed so we could sleep.
Up at 6.30 and down to have the complimentary breakfast.Nice variety to choose from so left for our Arctic Circle Adventure well fed.
We boarded a Piper 2 engine plane and belted up for the ride of our lives!Climbing up and over Fairbanks city and then over the magnificent mountains..Followed the Dalton H/way,flew over a couple of remote Athabascan outposts and the famous pipeline that carries oil down from Prudoe at the top of Alaska. Saw a couple of remains of old gold mining towns that are now only inhabited by 80 or so folks.
Followed the Yukon River which was still frozen over and looked like a great white ribbon weaving it's way between the mountains.
Smooth flight again..How lucky have we been? We landed in Coldfoot which is really a truck stop for the haulers going north & south along the Dalton.
Chris was our guide on the ground.Just a young bloke but very enthusiastic and knowledgable.Because Leanne showed an interest in the sled dogs he got us all fitted out with gumboots and we walked around to the kennels..We were greeted by about 20 happy and excited doggies who just wanted to be patted,all the while taking turns howling in the air to get attention..Chris then took us to a frozen lake where we walked out a little way (nervously!).It's very isolated there but in the Summer season when the tourists arrive there is boating/hiking and a variety of attractions.
Back on the plane to Fairbanks which got a little bumpy as we neared the airport but we landed safely after a terrific and memorable day.
Up at 6.30 and down to have the complimentary breakfast.Nice variety to choose from so left for our Arctic Circle Adventure well fed.
We boarded a Piper 2 engine plane and belted up for the ride of our lives!Climbing up and over Fairbanks city and then over the magnificent mountains..Followed the Dalton H/way,flew over a couple of remote Athabascan outposts and the famous pipeline that carries oil down from Prudoe at the top of Alaska. Saw a couple of remains of old gold mining towns that are now only inhabited by 80 or so folks.
Followed the Yukon River which was still frozen over and looked like a great white ribbon weaving it's way between the mountains.
Smooth flight again..How lucky have we been? We landed in Coldfoot which is really a truck stop for the haulers going north & south along the Dalton.
Chris was our guide on the ground.Just a young bloke but very enthusiastic and knowledgable.Because Leanne showed an interest in the sled dogs he got us all fitted out with gumboots and we walked around to the kennels..We were greeted by about 20 happy and excited doggies who just wanted to be patted,all the while taking turns howling in the air to get attention..Chris then took us to a frozen lake where we walked out a little way (nervously!).It's very isolated there but in the Summer season when the tourists arrive there is boating/hiking and a variety of attractions.
Back on the plane to Fairbanks which got a little bumpy as we neared the airport but we landed safely after a terrific and memorable day.
Day 7
A day for travelling and getting to Fairbanks,,
Woke up and looke out the window to see 2 window cleaners on the high rise opposite,dangling from a thread of rope and swinging from side to side to clean..Couldn't watch...gave me the heebie geebies!!!!
We had breakfast in the hotel and decided to have stroll around the city.Same as as any other so we all said let's just drive to the airport and hang around there Arrived very early but read and snoozed until time to board.
Because we wereleaving Canada and our destination was the US we had Customs to go through and they are very very thorough..Our fingerprints were taken as well as eyes....Shoes off and bag opened and examined..All good.Phew!
Not a big plane this time..Just 2 propellers(and 2 wings too!!)but it was a great flight as very smooth.Only 1 & 1/2 hour flight to Seattle where we changed planes for Fairbanks..Seattle is a big airport but just had time for a coffee before we wereoff again.This time a big jet..Another easy smooth flight and totally awesome views of the tops of snowy mountain ranges.
Took a taxi to the hotel with a real character.She had her little dog on herlap as she drove and looked like she'd just come out of the woods.!But she was full of info about Fairbanks and we booked her to take us to our Arctic flight in the morning.
.
Woke up and looke out the window to see 2 window cleaners on the high rise opposite,dangling from a thread of rope and swinging from side to side to clean..Couldn't watch...gave me the heebie geebies!!!!
We had breakfast in the hotel and decided to have stroll around the city.Same as as any other so we all said let's just drive to the airport and hang around there Arrived very early but read and snoozed until time to board.
Because we wereleaving Canada and our destination was the US we had Customs to go through and they are very very thorough..Our fingerprints were taken as well as eyes....Shoes off and bag opened and examined..All good.Phew!
Not a big plane this time..Just 2 propellers(and 2 wings too!!)but it was a great flight as very smooth.Only 1 & 1/2 hour flight to Seattle where we changed planes for Fairbanks..Seattle is a big airport but just had time for a coffee before we wereoff again.This time a big jet..Another easy smooth flight and totally awesome views of the tops of snowy mountain ranges.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)