Mostly Anchorage - Sunday 12/30 to Monday 12/31
My original flight itinerary from Indianapolis looked something like this:
Leave IND 9:30am (Indy time)
Arrive MSP (Minneapolis/St. Paul) 10:30am (Minneapolis time)
Leave MSP 11:30am (Minneapolis time)
Arrive ANC 2:30pm (Alaska time)
Bad news was awaiting us at the Northwest check-in. The flight was to be delayed one hour, and they were saying that anyone with connections in Minneapolis before 12:30 would not make it. Holy cow, I just wanted to get to Anchorage (for reasons that will be obvious later). The lady behind us (my mom and I) was very helpful. After changing her daughter's flight plans, she gave the phone to me and I was able to re-book my flights to get to Anchorage. The bad part was that I would not get to Anchorage until 8:40 in the evening. I would fly from IND to MSP, then on to Seattle, and then finally to ANC. That did not sound fun.
Side Note: While I was sitting at the gate waiting for my flight to MSP, I noticed that the sign above the desk showed our destination to be "Miniapolis" - Where is this place, I wondered.
Back on Track: Well, it turns out that the 12:30 arrival plans to MSP were in Indiana time, so I actually arrived in the airport at 11:30am on Minneapolis time, which was the scheduled departure for my flight to Anchorage. I quickly ran to that gate, which was fortunately only a few gates down. I saw that the plane was still there and still connected to the walkway. I asked the lady at the desk if there was any way for me to get on that plane, explaining that I was on it originally, but because of delayed flights they re-booked me because they believed I would not make it. She kindly gave me the last seat on the ginormous aircraft, which was being held back for mechanical check-up things anyway. I got on the plane just in time! Although my luggage was not going to be in Anchorage until around 9, at least I could run all of my errands!
The flight was long, about 5.5 hours, but I was so thrilled to have gotten on that flight, I didn't mind it so much. The lady next to me was very nice, and we chatted for a bit. I got to ANC at just about 2:30pm. I went immediately to the car rental place, which turned out to be another heck of a mess. For whatever reason I don't even remember, I needed to have a copy of my return flight itinerary. This meant I had to walk all the way to the other end of the airport (quite literally) to Hageland where they had to write on a receipt for me a copy of my itinerary, which I carried all the way back to the other end of the airport. Then they upgraded my car to a Ford Taurus (some of you may know my track record with Ford Tauruses...) for the trouble. At first I was not going to buy the insurance because it was a whole $100. The guy told me that since I don't have my own car insurance it would be a good idea for me to get it. And so I did. This information you will need to remember. You should also remember that, since I rented the car, I was the only authorized driver of the vehicle. Details, details.
I went over to my hostel, the Qupqugiaq Inn, which was quite cute. :) After checking in I went immediately to the REI store where I picked up my cross country skis and got them mounted. This was a very significant moment. I am very pleased with this spenditure of my hard-earned funds. And now I am an REI lifetime member. This is fine with me, since I will most likely be buying from them in the future. I am only 23, of course. This is a fact of my life, my youngness that is, of which I was continuosly reminded this week. I think I had the conversation about 4 times with 4 different groups just this week. Or maybe just 3. But it seemed like a lot. Anyway, yes, I was born in 1984, and my birthday is also Earth Day, and I still have extra fees when I rent a car because I am not yet 25. Just so you know.
I ran a few more errands before having to pick up my luggage at the airport. I didn't sleep wonderfully, but I think it was a mix of being in a strange place with people I didn't really know, and plus I was a little anxious to get on the road the next morning.
I was glad to be back in Alaska, and Anchorage was warm - like, in the teens and 20s, so I didn't have to wear much, just a sweatshirt. The next morning I was on the road a little before 7am. I was headed north to Fairbanks. The drive was - fine. It was fine. You have nothing to worry about. Once the fog lifted in Denali Park and the sun was out for a bit, the drive was gorgeous. I was driving right between mountains. It was beautiful. And I was happy, even though the radio didn't work for much of the trip, and neither did my cell phone, so I was quite alone, which was just fine with me.
I arrived in Fairbanks about 6.5 hours later safe and sound.
CHAPTER 5: New Acquaintances, Old Friends
Fairbanks - Monday 12/31 to Tuesday 1/1
You may be wondering what in the world I was doing in Fairbanks, AK. It's a fair question. Carrie was kind enough to invite me up to visit, since I was going to be in Alaska a week before school began again. I stayed two nights at her sister and brother-in-law's house (her other home). Monday afternoon we hung out at the house, not doing a whole lot, preparing for our evening activities. I enjoyed the company of Onan, the smartest 4.5 year old I've ever met anywhere ever (literally). He also likes to play with blocks.
Monday evening, being New Year's Eve, I was taken along to a women's night out of making our own pizzas, board games, and making new acquaintances. Frankly, I enjoyed myself. And there were some pretty funny people, and some really funny moments. And Apples to Apples is a fun game. I recommend it.
Tuesday I met up with an old friend, Antonio, from the old youth group days at Calvary Temple. I hadn't seen him since we graduated from high school, but he joined the Air Force and just recently returned from Iraq. He is based in Fairbanks, so lucky me, I got to see him while I was there. :) We had lunch and walked around a few places just chatting, not doing much. It was great. And he is doing well, although he hates the cold. Fairbanks is much colder than Anchorage, just so you know.
After Antonio dropped me off, Carrie and I eventually made our way to Kramer's Field to go for a little ski, so I could try out my cool new stuff.
I was a little wobbly at first, of course, and I fell, of course, but last year's practice all started coming back, and I was able to pick up a lot what I remembered. It involves a lot of balance and concentration (for me anyway, right now) and stamina, all good things to have, which is why I love it so much. Anyway, it was a good time.
This is me at the opening of the pretty tree tunnel.
This is Carrie at the other end.
And I just think this looks pretty, minus the giant white blotch there on the right. Oh well. It really wasn't this dark for most of the ski. But when it did get dark there was enough light from the sky and the city combined to make it just fine. It was actually kind of nice.
Anyway, these are my super cool BC (Back Country) skis. I like them. :)
That night we had a delicious dinner that I just absolutely scarfed. Skiing is hard work. (This is another reason I like it so much.) Carrie had made this amazing mosaic table top for her sister for Christmas, and all that was missing was the edging (which a guy gave her for free!!) and the grout. So Tuesday night we all three helped her get the grout off the daisies and the other glass pieces before it dried completely. And in the end it was incredible.
Michelle (her sister) loved it, of course. It's way cool, isn't it?? It's okay if you just want to sit and look at it. We sort of did the same thing. It turned out very beautifully. It's crazy because when we went to a glass shop we saw a table the exact same size and thickness that was mosaic with bigger pieces (it was really cool, black with a turquoise river and salmon jumping out... hard to explain). It was being sold for $360!!!! We wondered what Carrie's would be worth... but it is not for sale.
This concludes my Tuesday, New Year's Day in Fairbanks. I was kind of sick, but whatever. I enjoyed the time that I spent with good people. :)
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