Juneau – Anchorage

Today I head from the capital of, to the largest city in, Alaska. I am afraid I am increasing my carbon footprint to one encased in a boot because I am flying, but I want to get there inside a week!

I had got everything packed up and ready to go so I headed off for a last Heritage coffee and to order up a taxi to get me to the airport.

This duly arrived on time and I was at the airport in plenty of time to check in and have something to eat. I had a bit of a scare at the check in desk as my bag was overweight – one is only allowed 50 pounds as check in luggage although it can be spread over three bags. As there was no one else waiting to check in, and the woman on the check in desk was very kind, I kept removing things from it and stuffing them into my carry-on bag until I hit the magic 50 (spot on as well). When I proceeded to the security check this is when I had a problem. One of the things I had transferred was my washing bag, so my shaving foam and bottle of water were duly confiscated. No matter it saved me carrying them.

The flight left on time and took 90 minutes offering some stunning views of the mountain ranges we passed over. (I can’t remember the names of them without the aid of a map – so I pass that burden to you dear reader.)

To land at Anchorage International Airport the planes fly out over the sea, hang a big U turn and come in to the airport – that was quite impressive in itself. Anchorage seems to be a sending off and receiving point for quite a few US Military personnel. The sending off bit might all be a bit gung-ho but when the coming back with bits missing part comes around I suppose it is best to hide them all away “way up north” where it is quiet. I won’t relate the gut churning conversation I overheard in the Juneau departure lounge, but I will say I kept my mouth shut and didn’t vomit on anyone!

Having reclaimed my bag and not knowing where I was heading for – I had booked my hostel place, I just didn’t know where it was – I resorted to a taxi. This was most fortuitous as the taxi driver was telling me all the real places to go “hell, you don’t want to spend all your time in Anchorage, it’s just a city like any other.” Like others before him he recommended Seward and Homer and said it was a beautiful drive, if I was going to hire a car. I thought I would mull this over.

The hostel is a bit rough and ready but everyone in it is very friendly and I have a dorm to myself. Most of the people here are workers or in the process of getting work arranged. It is quite amazing to me just how much personal stuff people will tell you as the result of a question like; “what brings you to Anchorage or Alaska?” Even if it might be bullshit, one wouldn’t invent that sort of personal crap to spout at someone (a complete stranger) would they? I don’t know – but I am in America.

As I said, everyone is friendly and will chat. The first guy I met, Roger, came out and greeted me and immediately confiscated my bag in order to carry it into the hostel himself. I met Eric next who reminded me of Donald “Duck” Dunn from the Blues Brothers (well he is actually a renowned muso in his own right). I will have to ask him if he plays the bass. I also got to meet Jason the hostel owner who is also a nice bloke and basically tries to help out all his guests – travellers or otherwise.

Having got settled I then went to the local Wal-Mart. Now I know they are a large company and dabble in many things but this Wal-Mart one could park a jumbo jet in and turn it around (possibly two) – it was vast and contained everything from clothing to shot guns (yes, roll up folks get your 2 for 1 deals on firearms from your local Wal-Mart). They also do a nice range of bows & arrows – the hunting kind you could kill a child or adult or dear, ox or moose with. Since the recent school shootings they have very conscientiously stopped selling hand guns – can you feel the sarcasm and scorn dripping from these words? I have to confess to the typical Brit fascination with this display of weaponry and thought “well they do look nice and well made and obviously wouldn’t kill anyone on their own because that nice Mr. Heston says they don’t, it’s the people using them...” Don’t worry I am taking the piss because some of the people I have encountered here (watching shoppers in Wal-Mart was interesting and amusing) I would not trust with a pea shooter let alone any sort of firearm! This “wise and socially minded” move on Wal-Mart’s part has not made any difference to the state of affairs as I heard two more reports of school shootings on the news that day – one of them involving parents in a gun-fight - resulting in fatalities from the nasty humans misusing the nice guns! (Do I hear “hallelujah” for the NRA? Do I bollocks!)

Another word of warning UK residents: as we sell out to the great “US Dream” and embrace all the shit Hallmark and associates want to vomit on us – Halloween is coming! The tons of crap and junk one can/has to buy in relation to this is colossal. There is such a big hype leading up to the door to door begging season I felt quite sick (and still do as it hasn’t gone away yet). There are also loads of bollocks to be had with “Boss’s Day”, “Secretary’s Day”, “Pets Day” and a plethora of others I have purged from my mind. My only advice is don’t get involved with all this shit – it will only waste your money, create more rubbish for landfills and make some scum-bag corporation richer for having sold us a crock of shit and convinced us we should be happy and grateful to buy it. Beware! You have been warned!

Having walked round the hanger twice and replaced the items I lost to the TSA I then headed back to the hostel to dump off my purchases and get something to eat.

Suitably stuffed I returned to the hostel and had “a little lie down”. It was only 9:30 but I was knackered and full and it was very warm in my room. I fell asleep on my bed only to wake up at 4:00 am in order to get undressed and into bed. Then I went back to sleep again – like a Redwood log!