Alaska Highlights

Highlights of our trip to Alaska
Day 1: 6-8-2012

Akka and Ashay caught a flight to Houston and joined us on the long 7 hour flight to the 49th state. A kind couple switched seats so we could all sit together (and share hotbreads).

We arrived in alaska at around 8.30 PM and got into our spacious Nissan Murano rental.
We stopped at TGIFridays for a quick bite to eat and then drove to the Arctic Fox B&B where we would be staying during our time in Anchorage.

One of our first views

After arriving we all crashed so we could make the 7.30 am breakfast time.

Day 2: 6-9-2012

We all surprisingly were up and ready for breakfast on time. We feasted on a delicious banana split pancake meal cooked by the lovely Ms Judy. Our day was helpfully planned by one of the other guests at the hotel so we got ready and embarked on the first leg of our incredible Alaska journey.

Mom's stellar photo taking skills @ the turnagain arm

We then made our way to the AWCC (alaska wildlife conservatory center) where hurt and orphaned animals are rehabilitated and then released into the wild (or given a permanent home to live)

We watched as a baby deer was bathed and fed by mama

Argh! Says mama.

Orphaned babies are fed by bottle

Wild grizzlies paced up and down

Us at the very end of the turnagain river

Sleepy lynx-ie

 We watched Taquoka (translates to Brown Bear) play in the water and then drink orange juice from a spray bottle. He is now headed to his new home in Sweden.

After our visit at the AWCC, we stopped at Jack Sprat in Girdwood for a yummy organic brunch.

Then we headed down to Potter's Marsh to look at some of the different varieties of nesting birds

We finished our eventful day with a mini peruvian reunion and a lovely dinner @ the Glacier Brewhouse. Steaks were eaten and bloody mary's were drunk to celebrate a special someone :)

Non Peru-reunioners. My family and the lovely Melissa

I got to hold the lovely lovely Ms. Shay

Peru reunion!! Me, Allan, Larry and Holly :)

10 pm

It was 10 pm at this point (note the daylight in the background) so we went home and tucked in for the night.

Day 3: 6-10-2012

We kicked off Day 3 with breakfast and then packed our bags to head over to Seward. The drive was expected to take about 3  hours so Mom ensured that we had plenty of snacks to eat on the way :)

We arrived at the Marina with 14 minutes to spare. We bought tickets for the 5 hour Kenai Fjords tour with the major marine tour group. They had a buffet of prime rib and salmon option but we opted out of it and decided to lunch like champions instead.

Bloody Mary's and Cup O' Noodles

We boarded the ship and bundled up for breathtaking views and wildlife sightings

Keeping an eye out for the tell tale whale fin

Our patience was rewarded with the spectacular dive sequence seen below. (Fun fact- a whale exhales 3 times before diving underwater for 5 minutes. If you ever go whale watching be sure to count the puffs off the spout!)

Humpback whale diving

We also got to see a lot of otters, sea lions, bald eagles and porpoises. All in all it was a very successful wildlife exploration.

After disembarking the ship we made our way to the exit glacier. We decided to make the 1 mile hike up to the look out point. But first, we had to ensure that we were well versed in how to defend ourselves against bear attacks!

Hikers! (note the cane :))

The exit glacier was absolutely breathtaking! By being so close you can actually hear it "breathing" and moving. We were sad to learn that it has steadily been receding and that the spot we were standing on was actually covered in ice less than ten years ago.



We ended our days adventures with dinner at Resurrection Roadhouse and feasted on a scrumptious meal of seafood chowder, fish and chips, steak and chicken with parpadelle pasta.

Day 4: 6-11-2012

We rewarded ourselves keeping up with an exciting day 3 by sleeping in. We ate a quick breakfast and then headed to Girdwood to our next excursion - Alpine air.

Alpine air is a wonderfully run operation. We opted for their glacier dog mushing tour which includes an 8 minute helicopter ride through the Chugach mountains with a landing on punchbowl glacier. Upon landing you are escorted through the dog camp and shown how sled dogs are harnessed and then taken on a 2 mile long dog sled ride through the snow. (Fun fact- the Iditarod is a 1050 mile long dog sled race which takes between 8-16 days for the musher to complete)

Exiting the helicopter

Upon exiting the helicopter, we were greeted by Shinook. An AKC registered Alaskan Malamute with the most beautiful disposition

Shinook- the star attraction

Snowball fight!

At this point, all the 50-odd sled dogs were fast asleep. As soon as the sled was harnessed, however, they all rose to perform this beautiful rendition of "put me in, coach!"

So now that the sled dogs were harnessed...off we went!!

The ride was so much fun and exhilarating not only for the riders, but the dogs themselves. They were besides themselves with excitement and joy it was really wonderful to partake.

After we completed our 2 mile loop, we were allowed to play with some puppies!! There was a litter of 5 atop the glacier and they were all precious

Look at that face!!

We then made our way down the glacier by helicopter and treated ourselves to some amazing mexican food courtesy of Casa Del Sol which incidentally has also been voted the #1 laundromat in Girdwood.

Day 5: 6-12-2012

Game of chess in Hatcher's pass

We checked out of the Arctic Fox on Day 5 and made the trek to Denali. It was pouring the entire way there so we didn't feel like doing much siteseeing along the way.

We stopped at the Hatcher's pass lodge for a cup of cheese and brocolli soup and to get our bearings

Posing by the raging Susitna river

We then checked into the Denali River Cabins hotel which was small and rustic and disappointingly did not have hot water readily available. We went to the nearby food carts to have a thai/chinese food dinner and went to bed early, tired from the nearly 8 hour drive.

Day 6: 6-13-2012

Mom and Ash shooting hoops while we make reservations

On day 6 we wandered around Denali, visited the visitor center and made reservations for the bus tour.

We ate lunch at the Salmon Bake and then went home to relax and take a nap to get ourselves ready for our next adventure- White water rafting!!

We rafted on the Nenana river with Raft Denali- a company that gave us a really wonderful rafting experience. We were given dry suits, that kept our clothes and socks completely dry, helmets, lifevests and paddles. They also stationed safety boats ahead of and behind us in case a rapid caused us to fall out. Since it had rained the whole of the day before, the water was at 17,000 cfs. The cut off at which rafting companies will not allow tours is 18,000 cfs. Needless to say, the rapids were raging and high and the experience was quite the memorable one. We're all very proud of my mom being so brave, enduring the heavy waves and the cold and thoroughly enjoying herself.

After rafting we had a wonderful dinner at Nenana View Bar and Grill where I finally had some King Crab. It was beyond fantastic!

Day 7: 6-14-2012

Day 7 required us to wake up at 5.30 am and make our way to Wildlife Access Center to catch our bus to wonderlake.

The bus tour was a total of 11 hours roundtrip and we got to see bear, caribou, dall sheep and moose.

In the bus

Us at Toklat

Caribou running up the hill

Me trying to recreate Peru

Sleeping bear (that we woke by being too loud :S)

Squirrel @ Eielson

Grazing moose

Wonderlake

Day 8: 6-15-2012

On day 8 we had to drive back to Anchorage, so we packed up and started the drive.

We stopped at Talkeetna for lunch and had some fabulous Thai food at Payos followed by fresh coffee at Cafe del Mar.

Got to kiss a moose! (sorry Ash)

After Talkeetna, we drove to Eklutna to the Indian Burial Ground where little houses are built over the graves

Day 8 ended with Dinner at the Moose Tooth with our hosts Larry and Allan. Highly recommended for some excellent pizza!!

Larry-me-Allan

Mom + Veggie Delight Pizza

Akka + Chorizo Pizza

At the beautiful and historic Wildflower Inn

Day 8: 6-15-2012

Day 8 started with some amazing Caramelized French Toast cooked by Chef Allan after which we went for a coastal bike ride to negate the calories. (690 to be exact, but who's counting??)

Ash and Mom attempt the tandem bike

At Pablos bike rental

The End! (Phew)