We started planning this trip in March, and it's finally here. Our friends, Ruhani and Gary, have joined us on this adventure. After two 10-hour flights (Sydney-Seoul-Seattle) we arrived in Seattle to have one night's stay before flying on to Fairbanks, Alaska. We had a brief look around Seattle to check out Pike's Market and the area of the Space Needle, and I have to say I'm so impressed with the Seattle transport system. We stayed out near the airport, and used the light rail to go into the city - cost us $5 for a day ticket which covered all light rail and bus systems around the city. Although we didn't have a lot of time there, we got an idea of what to have a look at when we return to Seattle in August for 3 days before coming home to Canberra.
The next day we caught an Alaska Airlines flight to Fairbanks - around 4 hours. We arrived around 10.30pm and contacted Allan, our host at the Downtown Log Cabin, to pick us up and take us to our cottage for the next 2 nights. He was a great host, and had lots of interesting stories to tell, having moved to Alaska many years ago with his wife, Verna and four kids, to work on the Alaska Pipeline. They own a couple of properties which they rent out during the summer, and we had rented the Hall House, a two bedroom cottage. It was very comfy and cosy, and had everything we needed - including lots of supplies to make our own breakfasts over the next two days. We got ourselves organised, and watched the sun 'set' just after midnight, only to 'rise' about 3 hours later. Very strange, trying to sleep in daylight - even after 24 hours of flying time.
Trevor and Gary had booked a trip to the Arctic Circle the following day, while Ruhani and I were left to our own devices. They were picked up around 7.00am, and Ruhani and I had a chat with Allan who suggested a walk into town along the Chena Riverbank, have a look at the Fairbanks Visitor Centre and grab some lunch, then he would drive us out to the Riverboat Discovery Tour.
The Visitor Centre was very good, with excellent displays of Alaskan Native culture, and information on the Alaska Pipeline and Mt McKinley (Denali). We had lunch at the local 'Diner", which was not great - I ordered eggs benedict, and they came out covered in lumpy yellow sauce which was not terribly appetising and looked awful - you win some, you lose some.
We headed back to our cottage and Allan drove us out to the Riverboat Discovery Tour. This was excellent - well done, well organised, and the young people (mostly students, and many of them Athabascan Indians) were very knowledgeable about their culture and history. The paddle steamer took us down the Chena River past many amazing and some 'creative' homes, log cabins and mansions. We stopped at the Dog Mushing property of Susan Butcher, four-time winner of the gruelling Iditarod Dog Sled Race. We watched a demonstration of the dogs pulling a quad bike, and they were just amazing - they were so excited and keen to get going, they were nearly jumping out of their skins.
Next, we paddled up to where the glacial river, the Tanana, meets the non-glacial Chena River - it was quite obvious where the silt-filled glacial river met the Chena - two totally different colours and temperatures. On the banks of the river were fish traps - large contraptions which scooped up fish and dumped them into a central bucket.
We stopped at an Athabascan Native Village, with presentations by some of the young students about their way of life as nomadic indians who have now adapted to a more western style of life while still keeping their own identity. The skins of wolves, wolverines, arctic and red fox, muskrat, beaver, and bears were on display, as well as salmon drying and smoking huts. We returned to the Riverboat Discovery centre and had our photos taken in the '40 degrees below' room. Quite chilly!
Ruhani and I finished the day by having dinner at 'Big Daddy's BBQ' then returned to our cottage to find that Trev and Gary were home after their big day out at the Arctic Circle. So Trev has crossed that off his bucket list now. Next morning, Allan drove Trev and Gary out to the airport to pick up a car rental. Trev gets to drive on the wrong side of the road again!
We did a bit of shopping at Walmart, had lunch (a very good Thai meal) then headed out to Chena Hot Springs, about 60 miles away. It was a lovely drive, and we had our first moose spotting on the way out there. Chena Hot Springs Resort was lovely, with plenty of activities available, but unfortunately we got out there a little late to do many of them. But we did have a dip in the very hot springs - lovely. Headed back, moved to our new Hotel, the Wedgewood Resort, did a bit more shopping at Fred Meyer - where you can buy your guns along with groceries, then dropped the car off at the airport and returned to Wedgewood for the next part of our trip - the start of the land portion of our Royal Caribbean Cruisetour.
Next up, all aboard the Wilderness Expess Dome Train to Denali National Park. This train journey is definitely a pleasant way to travel. Luxury leather seats, plenty of leg room, clear-domed carriages so you get a good view of the surroundings, and first-class food in the dining car below. I loved it. After several hours of travelling through mountainous, changing scenery, we arrived at Denali - we stayed in the Grand Denali Lodge, perched high on the mountain overlooking the town. The room was very good, with excellent views.
