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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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May 05, 2010 02:00 PM Home, sweet home... Cloudy Europe.
The time difference between Alaska and Europe is like 10 hours! Europe was cloudy when we wre approaching Frankfurt. I was waiting 6 hours in the FRA airport for the connection to Gdansk. Worth to know: at the entrance to the wing A upstairs you can find a chairs to sleep... And at the entrance to wing B there is desk of the Zurich Bank where they offer free internet access. With some effort at the gates in the wing B you will find free coffee/tea self-service stands. For the backpacker they are a chance to spend less in the expensive environment.
I landed in Gdansk late in the evening, happy to be back home after a long journey. I was afraid that due to the volcano eruption on Iceland the return will not be so simple... But is was!
Another big trip is completed: South America, New Zealand, Australian outback, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan end to end, Russian Sakhalin and frosty Chukotka, new places on Alaska. It was wonderful juurney - not only because the great landscapes and adventures, but also because on the trail I met many fantastic people of different nationalities. Thank you to all of you! You made this great voyage even more attractive!
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May 04, 2010 02:00 PM Bye - bye Alaska!
The sea was very choppy in the night! I did not sleep much. Morning in Homer was wonderful when our ferry arrived. But I had limited time to enjoy the views today - it is like 5 hours drive to the Anchorage airport, I will also spent a time for the breakfast, car refueling and return to the Budget location... Hard day... I did not drive too fast to avoid the next meeting with a state trooper. Scenery was just great!
In the north (international) terminal of Anchorage Airport (access from south by the free shuttle bus) a long line was waiting for the check-in at Condor desk. Fortunately the flight was also one hour delayed... I boarded the 767 and at 3.40 pm Alaskan time we started over the snowy hills. On the monitor I saw a route connecting Alaska with North Greenland. But sorry - no views through the window. We were flying over Arctica on the altitude of 10 kms - all the time over the clouds...
The Grand Voyage is coming to the end... After almost 4 months on the trail I am flying home!
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May 03, 2010 02:00 PM Alaska - Kodiak Island
Do you know that Kodiak is second large US island (after Big Hawaii) and in the past for some time it was like a capital of Russian Alaska?
It is easy to buy a ticket for Alaska Marinie Highway ships on the internet. I did. A ferry to Kodiak departs from Homer. I reached Homer by car at 9 pm. Homer do not have monuments but on approach to the town you will see from the viewpoint great panaorama of the bay and little spit - narrow mini-peninsula in it. On the tip of the peninsula is the ferry landing. It is a must to stop here... Before I got to the ferry moose walking the main street stopped me for the few minutes... Fun! KENNICOTT ferry boat reminds me Columbia I took in the past from Ballingham to Skagway. Terminal staff allowed me to park the car for free in front of the building for 2 days and soon we departed...
In the morning I saw Kodiak - unspoiled island with snowy capped mountains. The weather was sunny, although very windy. My new friend from Kodiak - Ceci took me to the places of interest (thanks a lot Ceci!). I returned to the ferry at 5 pm. Bad news: due to the stormy wind departure will be delayed by 1 hour and the ship will sail the longer route. As a result I will come to Homer with at least 4 hour delay...
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May 02, 2010 02:00 PM Do you know state trooper?
I was driving the car already 6 hours. The lady in front of me was driving so slowly. I overtook her... And then in the mirror I saw a black, civil car folowing me and flasing blue and red lights from the cabin. I have been stopped. Gentelman in the blue uniform and fancy blue chapeau came to my window. -State trooper Xyz! You drove 80 miles per hour! I said that that in my country it is allowed to speed up during the process of overtaking... He was very courious because he did not see before such a driving license like my... I did not pay a fine, I got just instruction to drive slowly (55 mph limit!). In Alaska in the towns they have police. In the countryside state troopers deal like a police. I had a pleasure (?) to met one of them...
It was very busy day. In the great Alascan landscapes I went from Anchorage to Seward to see Exit Glacier (two hours round trip walk from the place where they closed the road). Later I visited Alaska Sealife Center in Seward watching like they feed seals and sea lions (hefty 20 USD entry fee, no discounts!) Then I was driving to Homer - on approach to the town there is really great view of the bay surrounded by snowy mountains... I was on time for the 10.30 pm ferry to Kodiak... I left a car at the pier to avoid extra payment for the car. On Kodiak they have limited number of roads...
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May 01, 2010 02:00 PM Driving to the south of Alaska
I want to take the opportunity to see new places during my present stay in Alaska. Intercity buses are rare here and they do not stop on the way for the pictures so I decided to try to rent an inexpensive car. (I made some savings on accommodation in Nome). It is worth to shop around before you decide to rent - they have about 10 rental agencies in Anchorage. I found a good deal: 21 USD per day plus fees and taxes from Budget. Challenging plan is prepared: I want to go today to Seward. After visit onward to Homer to jump on the evening ferry to Kodiak. I hope the weather will be nice and I will come back on time for my return polar flight to Europe. Please keep your fingers crossed!
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Apr 30, 2010 02:00 PM The moose come for breakfast...
In Anchorage I have a great pleasure to be hosted by Kay - also a member of Servas.org We were ready for breakfast when I saw through the window 3 moose at the door... What a attraction! -They came for breakfast- said Kay. That is normal in Anchorage... I took a pictures before they went down the street.
I have been to Anchorage 17 years ago. Not many changes in the downtown. It is compact enough for a walking tour. So far few tourists so the numerous souvenir shops stay empty. But the main attraction is the landscape: the chain of the snowy mountain s covers the horizon. We had a sunny afternoon - great time to enjoy the views and to take a coastal walk...
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Apr 29, 2010 02:00 PM Flying to slightly warmer Anchorage...
We got some 2 cm of fresh snow in Nome last night. Father Ross was so nice to gave me a lift to the airport. Then there was the normal check-in for Alaska Airlines flight and a security control. Backpacker must be a rare bird in Nome because the security guys did not trusted their hi-tech screening machines and opened my pack taking the stuff out... Uuu... They did not teach them how to pack all the things back... I was not happy to see my baggage looking very bad at the destination... But nothing was stolen.
On the way from the plane there were nice views of the icy shores and snowy mountains. After 1,5 hours I landed in Anchorage. No snow on the streets and much warmer here... Yes, I have enough winter temperatures, I dream about the warm sun...
I have been before to the biggest town of Alaska, so now I plan to go south. Since the public transport is scare here I am looking for the inexpensive car rental...
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Apr 28, 2010 02:00 PM Gold, gold... but where are the roads?
Nome, Alaska... Hard to believe, but they do not have any single road to to other Alascan or Canadian communities. In the winter all supply comes by air. In the short June-September summer ships are coming, bringing the fuel and construction material...
I visited local museum - the best little-town museum I saw in my life. It is free and you can see there the stuff from the gold rush era (including golden nuggets), the life of natives, Amudsen polar expeditions (they terminated in Nome).
Nome is also famous for Iditarod - March' 1700 kms long sled dogs race coming here from Anchorage... I saw many dog kennels in the outskirts on the town. Dogs were so bored...
In the seepy town I found nine different saloons and bars - most of them remembering gold rush time.
There are 3 local roads going out of the town. One of them go to Solomon where the graveyard of old narrow-gauge locomotion is located. But sorry, this road is still blocked by snow. I will take a walk to the nearest gold-dredge. There is many of them left around Nome...
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Apr 27, 2010 02:00 PM Crossing the Bering Sea...
There is only one charter flight per month performed by Bering Air from Nome! Russia and Alaska are so close but it is very difficult for the traveler to cross the Bering Sea. It was foggy in the morning in Anadyr, Chukotka and I was very much arfaid that they will not arrive... You can imagine how happy was I to see little, 14-seater bechcraft aircraft taxing on the snowy Anadyr airport runway!!!
Russian border formalities took me a long time, but finally I jumped on the plane. Captain Kevin Ohl flying already many years in the harsh climate contitions of Alaska gave me a warm welcome - I was the only passenger in the cabin! The flight over the ice took us about two hours, unfortunately there were quite a lot of clouds. But I was still abe to take some pictures of the pack ice... We landed safely in Nome airport... The time is 4 hours ahead and one day back! I started on Wednesday, but landed on Tuesday!
Welcome to the end of America!
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Apr 27, 2010 02:00 PM Nome - Alaska. My second Wednesday Apr 28th. How to survive...
Can you see Nome on your map? It is most- western township in America... 3500 souls... The place was unknown until the 1898 when three guys found here a gold. An invasion of gold prospectors started two years later and at the peak time around 30000 people tried a luck here. They still pan a gold in Nome area, but to be rich you have to work hard and also to be lucky.
From the airport to the "downtown" Nome is only about 2 miles - walking distance, and I wanted to walk to save the money but Goldie gave me a free lift, well even more: he was driving few loops around the town looking for the accommodation for the backpacker. -Thanks a lot, Goldie! Nome off the summer season is not a place for the backpackers. I feel here like a rare bird. The only little guesthouse is full (Mai's Guesthouse ph.907 443 4113) Second choice: Polaris Hotel offered me a room for 70 USD - sorry, too expensive!. Rasmussens "Sweet dreams" Bed and Breakfast wanted from me even 130 USD for the sweet night! I survived thanks to Father Ross from Catholic Church, who invited the world pilgrim to stay under his roof. God bless you Father!
I am only some 100 miles from the polar circle. It is snowing in Nome now. I pray for the better weather for tomorrow to take a pictures of Nome for you...
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