North to the ffuture-part 2

So we have visited and returned from Alaska. It was one of the better trips I've ever taken. And it proves that a married couple can drive in a car for a week without killing each other. Silence is golden when you are distracted by the scenery.

Just a little run down of what we did in Alaska--

Day 1-2: Spend in Anchorage, shopping and eating (sort of). And adjusting to 19 hours of sunshine. It's very strange to see bright sunshine out the window at midnight. Anchorage is a nice little city with lots of character and a beautiful view of the mountains. LOTS!! of tourist shopping and places to eat. Sadly (for me) I was really sick the weekend before we left, so the eating was not so good for me. I compensated with shopping.

Day 3-4: We drove to Seward, two hours south of Anchorage. Very scenic drive along lakes and inlet. Seward if located in/by the Kenai Fjords which is filled with wildlife and glaciers. It is a very foggy, oceanic little town. Not the best accommodations, but the you don't go there to stay in a hotel. We hit the Sealife center (paid for by money from the Exxon oil spill) and then went on a whale watching tour. We saw more sea life then I thought possible including humpback and orca whales. Plus glaciers that were the most ungodly shade of blue. Incredible. We dropped our camera in our excitement! (Which resulted in a new camera for the rest of the trip.--Maybe I should drop things more often.)

Day 5-7: Drove to Denali National park. Long drive (6 hours), but lovely. Denali national park is about the size of Massachusetts and has had very little "human" impact. You can't drive into the park and there is limited camping. And the midnight sun is even more prevalent then in Anchorage. We took a bus tour through the park and saw very animal on our "list." Grizzly bears, moose, caribou, and sheep.

Then next day we went to the dog kennels. Denali is still patrolled by dog sleds in the winter in order to decrease the impact on wildlife and keep with tradition. The dogs were amazing and I would highly recommend this part of the park to anyone who visits.

Day 8: Drive back to Anchorage and head home. Very sad for me. It's back to 95 degree heat and work. Man it sucks to be a grown up.

Alaska is an amazing place still full of mystery and intrigue. It is still an unspoiled place with many places to explore. I will post pictures once I actually figure out how to post pictures.

Until then, I'm off to study for my NP exam.