2026 Alaska

 Photos are at:- https://photos.app.goo.gl/eRV5p93zNbmVUNpPA

Monday 16th March

Came back from Excalibur, dumped the race course and had a couple of hours at home before heading off and missing the 96 bus. So wandered down to the train station and got that into Cardiff. Also picked up another book. Mc D in Queen St and the Flixbus was early, so a comfortable wait. 
     Surprisingly tired and able to sleep on the bus. From Heathrow it was the A4 bus to the Travelodge and a garlic bread and cheese supper in the Toby.

Tuesday 17th

An all you can eat breakfast at the Toby and then the A4 bus back to Heathrow. Plenty of time to read the book. Delta flight - seat 33F which was quite near the front but in the middle. Guy on the outside moved, so we had a free seat between me and the rest of the row. Seattle saw me lose my water bottle. Phoned the hotel from Seattle before I discoverd the flight was running almost an hour late. (and they were offering $600 to switch flights). Turned out the shuttle was easier than I imagined and the driver was away before I could tip him,

Wednesday 18th

Down for breakfast at 07.15 - pretty good had sausages and scrambled egg + hot chocolate. Now need to do the UKTRA stuff. Then there was a chat to Jake and then a Principal's meeting on Teams so I didn't get out till midday.
     No one in the railroad office so I wandered through town and decided to go to McD in order to keep the USA account valid - the hot choc and wraps were quite nice. Amazing how the sidewalks have all been cleared. Spent too much in a supermarket and had to tote a paper bag all the way back.

Thursday 19th

Breakfast in preparation for a day on the train. Five minute walk to a crowded train Depot (as they call it hereabouts) Train was a little late and announcements were inaudible, assigned seating (what fun) and I had a lady from Florida assigned to me. A whole day of majestic scenery and Americans getting veryexcited whenever we spotted a moose. They go wild for animals.      Not so nice was the wait for the shuttle to get me to the hotel and the AI assistant cutting me off every time it attempted to transfr me to the front desk. Found a courtest phone eventually. I could have walked it quicker. 

Friday 20th

The sinks don't have plugs - guess it is that type of hotel. Anyhow I wandered down the river and into Pioneer Park which was interesting but everything was closed. Iin the afternoon I had a wander to Safeway via a mall with lots of stuffed animals. I managed to spend $50 on food - despite checking shelf labels for prices everything cost about 20% more than expected.

     In the evening 10.30 I wandered down the river again but the moon

set before I could get a photo and there was too much ambient light for me to see any aurora, though there seemed to be something there. (The camera picked it up with the colours) I like the cold!

Saturday 21st

Sort of attempted to lie in but got caught doing UKTRA stuff and had to rush out at 9am to get my breakfast at my favourite restaurant. Back by 11am and at least 2hrs spent getting their AGM Agenda together. Which it turned out has the wrong date on. 

 

  Afternoon wander to the visitor centre which had a nice film on the Alaska Pipeline and was a museum in itself. Attempted to sleep aterwards and failed and at 10pm began a hike to Creamers Field. The sidewalks wer the clearest I have had all visit, apart from the last bit which was hard packed snow and extremely slippery. Camera kept getting nice views of aurora despite cars not switching off lights but it was still just a grey cloud to me. The moon also failed to co-operate, it was a nice crescent but camera could not recoggnise this due to scattering of the light. It just vappeared as a bright blob. I tried hiking behind the building - no better - but I did nearly drown in soft snow and ended up with damp feet for the hike back to the hotel. Clothes stayed dry, it was so cold, but snow got into boots and pockets and then melted. The Aurora is a CON!

Sunday 22nd

Down to the lobby at 7am and shuttle to the station. The nice lady got my seat moved to car C and a D seat (which turned out to be the same side as I had on the way up}. Another day of spectacular scenery and reflections preventing good photos, although I did discover the vestibule and doors don't suffer as much, but it is pretty cold. Whilst the mountains are spectacular I have not been impressed by the frozen

rivers, would much rather see flowing water, but then that would mean lots of leaves on the trees. Even without leaves it is difficult enough to get a photo not obstructed by trees.  Not as many moose this time, just a couple towards the end. The sun was setting as we arrived at Anchorage. Hotel is really convenient 5min walk and finished the grapes.

Monday 23rd

Woke at 6am and superb breakfast, back in room by 07.30. Morning spent doing photos and blog. 

Out around midday and found the Coastal Trail, comes complete with moose. Don't know why everyone on the train got so carried away at seeing one or two. Advice sign on how not to get attacked by one came later in the walk Got carried away and went as far as Earthquake Park before turning back - it was a bit excessive and I was knackered by the time I got to McD's. Had the biggest ice cream I have ever seen but was still feeling tired so caught the bus back to downtown, as it happened to be coming along and I was at the bus stop and I had got change ready for the evening cost $1 - senior rate.

    Well, you can't say I didn't give Aurora a chance. Caught the No35 back out and hiked the mile to Earthquake Park and picked up the Coastal Trail. The moon was not even half ful and was casting shadows on the snow and the Aurora remained a grey cloud on the horizon. The photos make it look better than it is. At least I had long enough to see how it varies with time. Back at the hotel by midnight 30 which meant one mile of hiking got recorded as Tuesday. Should have been 15.5miles walked today.

Tuesday 24th -Wed 25th

Began the day checking in. Got the boarding pass for trip to Seattle but it steadfastly refuses to give me one to get to Heathrow. Breakfast at 7am and on computer at 8am. Checkout and shuttle to airport is 10am. Travel went fine, until I got to Cardiff. Although there was no duty free on the plane so I missed out on cheap gin. I suppose it is appropriate that I had to finish with a train trip. The busses had gone to one an hour, so by train I was home at the time the bus was just leaving Cardiff (worth £3.00)