Category archive - Alaska

Long-Haul Travel: A Frequent Flyer’s Survival Guide. PART II

Travelling is something I plan to do for years to come and having a home base in Australia means long-haul flights are an inevitable part of getting from A to B. Finding ways to cope became a priority for me a long time ago.

So what do I do to survive?

I’m not saying any of this going to make things awesome, but it could help to take the edge off a little. Read more

Long-Haul Travel: A Frequent Flyer’s Survival Guide. PART I

I am going to be upfront with you: long-haul flights suck. A lot.

Profound, I know.

You thought you were in for some philosophical musing on the art of air travel, didn’t you? And now this! I apologise sincerely. Read more

Highlights of My Travels in 2011

I’ve had such an incredible year and now 2012 is approaching so fast it’s making my head spin.

The first half of 2011 was pretty quiet for me on the travel front, but the second half certainly made up for that!  I travelled to some of North America’s most spectacular places this year, I redesigned my blog and my readership has increased dramatically over the past six months. So thank you so much to all of you who have made that happen!

There were some very definite highlights from my travels, so these are the places and experiences that had special significance and are the best memories of my adventures in 2011.

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On The Road: American Road Trip

I feel like I have been driving forever.

Since that first nerve-wracking drive through Anchorage over two months ago I have driven nearly 4000 miles (6400 km) through Alaska and the western states of the USA. I was sure I would never get used to that uneasy feeling of driving on the right-hand/wrong side of the road, and yet now I feel as though I could do it in my sleep.

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Notes From North Pole, Alaska: Northern Lights

It begins as a wispy motion in the sky, almost as if your eyes are playing tricks you. On our first night we sit in the cold and the darkness with our hot chocolates, watching, waiting.

There is only darkness for what seems like hours. And then something changes. An almost undetectable lightening in one section of sky and a then a slight movement of this light. I blink once. Twice. The Aurora Borealis. It’s so faint that I’m not convinced. It’s 1am, I’m beyond tired and maybe my eyes are just clouding over. I’m not even totally sure I’m awake.

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A Change of Plans

You can spend months researching and planning your travels and you can easily figure out most of the logistics from home: which places to visit, how to get from A to B, accommodation ideas, possible driving routes etc.

But the one thing you can never ‘plan’ for is which of the places you’ve chosen to visit that you are going to lose your heart to. Occasionally you stumble upon a place and from the moment you arrive you wonder how on earth you are going to bring yourself to leave.

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A Day on the Ice: Ice Climbing the Matanuska Glacier, Alaska

Taking a well-rounded spirit of adventure and cranking it up to the next level is always a fun thing to do – and ice climbing fits that bill perfectly. I have to admit, I think I am addicted.

All I’ve thought about since our day on the ice is….when am I going to do this again? I’ve even googled potential ice climbing hot spots back home in Australia. So, you have been warned: ice climbing can be seriously addictive.  But, for even the slightly adventurous at heart, what trip to Alaska would be complete without it?

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North to Alaska

Last weekend I managed to conquer something I’ve been putting off for a verrry long time…rock climbing! My flatmate Shevaun (@Kafka was a Climber) is an avid climber and has been relentlessly pestering me to give it a try for, oh, about 4 years. And so, in keeping with my ‘outdoors enthusiast’ reputation, I finally I decided enough was enough! Admittedly, I have an ulterior motive.
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