Won't say much about this except to annotate the pictures
(  here . . . .  )

We decided to take a long weekend away around Miranda’s birthday. We had found an ideal tiny place to stay just in the hills East of Betwys y Coed near a village called Capel Garmon and on a West-facing slope looking across the mountains around Snowdon.
( More here with some pictures too . . . .  )

Our last day in Skagway was Monday 6th October. The uncertainty of transport in this part of the world often requires a compromise. We were due to fly from Juneau on the Wednesday morning; flying from Skagway on the Tuesday evening would only work if the weather were good enough for a light aircraft and, at this time of year it's a risky proposition.
( More here . . . .  )

Jacq was keen that while we were in Seward we should visit the Sea Life Center. Lest we labour under the misunderstanding that this was some sort of watery disneyesque aquarium affair she convinced us that a visit was worthwhile by relating the history of the place: it’s a serious marine research and rehabilitation centre.
( More here . . . .  )

The Harding Icefield

We'd chosen to camp just outside Seward in the Kenai Fiords National Park at a campsite just below Exit Glacier. This, initially appears to be a rather small glacier as it's toe is only about 100 metres across and it looks a lot less impressive than the tidewater glacier (Aialik) which we'd visited the day before.
( More here . . . .  )

Seward and the Kenai Fjords National Park

In continued unexpected sunshine we drove on down past Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula, a beautiful journey along the Seward highway as the road hugs the edge of the Cook Inlet (after Cap’n Cook who explored there) and climbing up the Turnagain Pass. We looked out for beluga whales as these rare chaps are known to frequent the inlet, but no joy – wrong time of year me thinks.
( More here . . . .  )

During the previous night’s long haul to reach Fairbanks in a day, we were a bit concerned by the amounts of fresh snow we‘d encountered as we travelled further north.
( Read on here . . . .  )

The Road Trip Begins

Skagway to Fairbanks – distance 750 miles – driving time 15 hours.
( Read on here . . . .  )

Just a quick note for all you voracious journal readers.
We are currently in Anchorage having travelled about 1500 miles.
Last Saturday we drove for hours and hours through sun, snow and frost and finally arrived in Fairbanks where we spent the night. The Sunday intention was to then drive South to Denali National Park and stay there for a while. However, the roads in were closed by snow so we moved on South and camped near a lovely lake in -9°C frosty conditions (coldddddd feeet).
Sam and Jacq fished and we just made supper. Beautiful views in the sunshine of Denali (Mount McKinley) at something like 20,000 feet high.
Next day - South via Anchorage to Seward on the coast where we spent several days looking at amazing sea-life, glaciers, ice fields and some more cold cold camping! Good seafood but an extraordinary lack of vegetables (or muesli for breakfast and proper hot water for tea!).

Back in Anchorage and we intend to head back towards Whitehorse and then Skagway either late Saturday night or Sunday morning. We'll post some more details then.
Bye - Mash

What an amazing walk (hike) . . .
( Read on here . . . .  )

Tomorrow is Monday and we will head off onto the Chilkoot Trail. Don't know how long we'll be away as it depends on the weather. It's unlikely that we'll walk the whole trail as the only sensible way out at the Canadian end is to take the seasonal train from Lindemann back to Skagway and this stopped running about 2 weeks ago. The only other way out is a 7 mile walk along the railway lines and if you've ever walked tracks you'll know how demoralising it can be - 7 miles is a long way; think of a 7 mile journey that you regularly make and imagine walking it with one step on a sleeper and the next step on some gravel x 12,000

BUT we'll walk the exciting bits and we'll take loads of photos and we'll probably do our next post in about 5 days time.

Just noticed on our drive back from a supplies trip to Skagway that people here are getting out their PALIN posters from 2 years ago when she was running for Governor. They are so proud of . . . . not sure what.

Rain is an essential feature of Alaska but sometimes it shines . . .
( Read on here . . . .  )

We have arrived in Skagway and it's just lovely . . .
( Read on here . . . .  )

Posted from Seattle Airport on a balmy evening @ around 5pm. We've done the big bit of the journey and are just waiting for the flight to Juneau later this evening. It's a hell of a long day this 17th September; we left Birminham @ 8pm this morning and will finally hit the sack in Juneau at the equivalent of 7am on Thursday - then I will go to sleep finally.
More interesting stuff soon.
Mash

A weekend of planning, experimental packing and bountifying.

( so look behind the cut for more . . . .  )

We finally got a holiday. this was a second best because we had half planned to take another trip to Alaska to see Sam & Jacq but dates got a bit tight and ..... well we got sensible and postponed 'til next year. Anyway the upside was that we were able to take both Xander & meri with us to the Northumberland coast.
( so this is what we did on our holidays )

We expected a rainy day but it turned out sunny, Jean came for lunch, Xander & Meri turned up too. When Jean took off for home Miranda said "what a lovely day" and then she said "I know" and then we all guessed that she'd say "let's go for a walk" but she said "lets go for a lovely walk" so we said "OK" and then she said "it'll do us all good to go for a health-giving walk" - so off we went although Xander complained that yesterday's tennis was making his bottom hurt.
( lots of pics behind the cut )

OK - we haven't posted for a while so there's a lot of pics behind the cut
( more with pics )

We went for a lovely walk today. From the Kemp Valley we walked up into forestry land just under Bury Ditches. On this part of the walk we only saw one person who drove his quad past us on a track in the middle of nowhere without even acknowledging us. He drove down again after a few minutes and did the same ignoring trick.
( didn't take his picture but he's in my book )

We've been home for a week or more and made all those adjustments so thaat we are now cranked into the daily routines. It's all fine and very lovely to be home.

We've not had a major excursion since we came home from Botswana in 1994. In that year we did a major excursion around Namibia and spent 2 weeks in Mauritius. Alaska rekindled the traveller in both of us so that when people say "I'll bet that was the trip of a lifetime" our response is "No - 'cause we'll be going back".

We are both a hell of a lot fitter. We were pretty fit before the trip. We've both lost weight, I needed to but I don't think that the hamster did!

It's good to know that Sam & Jacq are well and happy.

I'm just itching to get back so that I can do my "Now that's what I call a real man's truck" photo documentary.
Mash