Week 1, Netherlands, Alaska (US)

Last couple of days, before i left for Alaska, i mainly stored my stuff (thanks Alwin and Bert) and did some cycling (thanks Andor) and running. On the 5th i packed, did my last laundry. I was ready to leave, so...

6/6

Rose at 6, last coffee in Meppel, train to Schiphol, check in, waiting .... 1 hour flight to Frankfurt and ... waiting ... delay, so ... more waiting. 2 hours behind schedule we left for the trans atlantic flight. View over Greenland was astonishing.

Despite all preparations for the bordercrossing i only had to show my ESTA form at customs and i walked into the US of A (all documents about the trip (to convince border protection, that i would not stay behind in the US) made for nothing).

Took a cap to the hostel, met Bob and his wife (fellow travelers), did some shopping (Wallmart supermarkets are huge ... i got lost !), a welcome beer with Bob, and fell asleep like a baby .... to wake up 3 hours later. Wide awake, due to jetlag. Well, that was to be expected huh?
So, checked FB, read the news and managed to fall asleep again until 7. Not bad after all.

7/6

Rose at 7 in my hostel, breakfasted. Going to check downtown Anchorage today and see if i can find Will. Laterz..

Walked down town to site see the center of Anchorage. Nice parks and foodplaces, but not too exciting.

Grabbed a burger and a coke at "Humphy" and walked back to the hostel. Then ... diarea ... hope it stays a 1 time event, but... no more burgers for me. No clue what caused it.

Did my daily shopping at Walmart, and slept for an hour.

Round 5.30 walked downtown again to meet Will and about 10 of my future fellow travelers. They seem nice. Mainly Aussies, Kiwis and British. Im the only dutch (again).

So, we met over a couple of beers and some food in an Irish pub. Walked back to arrive at the hostel again at 10.30 or so.

And .... of course... fell asleep for 4 hours and then wide awake again. Still jetlagged. Chatted with Mariya, who was about to go to sleep. Fell asleep again around 6, and slept till 8.30.

8/6

Having breakfast now in the kitchen of the hostel. Updating blog. Reorganizing tablet and phone content. Paperwork, shopping at Walmart again and had lunch with Bob and Linda.
Off to get some good muscito repellent now.

The mega camping store had about 30 variaties ... hard to choose. That goes for everything up here. Bought a comfortable pillow at Wall marts as well. Slept, ran a few miles in a nearby park, showered, laundried, ate and fell asleep at 10 to find myself wide awake again at 3.30 . Jetlag is not over yet.

9/6

Having breakfast with Bob and Linda now, in the kitchen of the hostel. About to pack, catch a cab and hop on the truck. Laterz...

7.45 arrived at the truck, met all the others, had coffee with Didi (also dutch), and took off at 9 am, as planned.

A 2 hour drive brought us to Witthier harbour, where we could make a boat trip to the glacier .... for 180 US $.
Too much for me, so i helped the rest setting up camp.

Great weather and a nice evening too, despite a little head ache (due to drinking too little). Made a long walk with Will to pay the harbor authorities, and now updating blog. Waiting for the cooks to have diner. Think i grab a beer. Laterz...

After diner, chatted and went to bed early. Slept like a log for full 7 hours. Finally, jetlag has gone.

10/6

Rose at 5.30. It had rained all night, so lots of wet, dampish stuff. Packed, breakfasted in the rain, waiting for the tunnel, to go to the other side of the mountain (were hopefully the weather is better). See you there.

Unfortunately, same shitty weather. Stopped for shopping at Walmart (bought a "comfortable" camping chair).
So weird ... to buy a beer, you need an id document, but for weapons .. just pick your choice... in the Walmart!!!

drove to the next park (Talkeetna), made a stop where we got free (!) hamburgers, and put up our tents.

We (Didi, Laura and I) were the first cookgroup. It's hard work, but we managed a nice spaghetti. Tired now and about to get an early night.


Some conclusions so far:
- lots of poor helpless people in Alaska and apparently no one to help them out. Churches all over the place but "love thou neighbour" does not really mean anything up here.
- people are fat. Very fat. Nobody walks ever. Every movement is done by car and they love food. A lot.
- people are friendly, polite and helpfull.
- the group has some very heavy drinkers. Wonder how that will turn out over the next months.

Ok, tired now. Going to get some sleep in my dampish tent. Hope for some sunshine tomorrow.

Oh yeah, we were told to watch out for bears!!! Oops!

11/6

Slept like a log, for 9 (!) hours. Made breakfast with Laura and Didi (that finishes off cookgroup duty). And then, after breakfast, the sun came through! Oh yeah, nice day ahead i hope. Hiking, and try to get a shower (haven't had one in the last three days, so... smell you later...).

Walked to the nearby village, along the river with Didi.

Had a coffee and a chat, sun has gone again, but ... still dry. Back at the truck now.

Afternoon: played guitar, had 2 beers, chatted, went back to town to find an ATM, ate, played some more, slept like a log again.

12/6

Rose at 7, packed, breakfasted, and on our way to Denali NP.

PS: getting a little irritated by some of the girls... lets see how that develops.

Trip to Benali NP went fine. Stop at a restaurant, Visitor Center of Benali NP, set up camp in the park (lots of warnings for bears and mooses (we did see one moose)). Rain again during diner, but hey... weather forecast looks better.

Bijan (Iran) and Didi and i plan to do a 2 hour hiking trip tomorrow . Leave before breakfast. Rainy night ahead now.

Updating blog now in the truc. Lots of "kids" around me.

Went to bed at 9 and slept like a log again.

See you all next week..., bye for now.