So….I’m going to Alaska! The great state where animals most likely outweigh the amount of people and where you can probably drive for hours without seeing someone. Needless to say, I am EXCITED!
No, really though…I am beyond pumped! I’m going May 4th thru the 13th, and am traveling by myself. Gotta put the backpacking backpack I received for Christmas (Thanks, Santa! Bet you’d never thought I’d use it for traversing through the great unknown!) A lot of people have been asking me why I’m going. They must think that the majority of Alaska is still unexplored and that there are more men than women or something…To their multiple questions and quizzical looks, I reply “DUNNO!”
But….I really don’t know. We had frequent flier miles left over from when family members came to visit Claire and I in Europe, and I have 3~ weeks off between school and starting even more school, so to all you naysayers, why not go to Alaska? It’s going to be a beautiful trip, and I am so excited to see just where the wind (or snow) takes me!
Of course though, I do have some things planned. For instance, I have the shuttle that I plan on riding in from Fairbanks to Anchorage all set up- just need to pay for it! But for mostly everything else…I’m just winging it! That’s the most exciting part of traveling to me. It isn’t the food, the sights, or the people…but having to rely on myself and just be completely and totally 100% in the present. Plus, being able to ride a bike through the gorgeous Denali park, eating with locals, and sleeping in a renovated VW van (Yup, I’m doing this.) is much more fun when you’re actually there being in the moment.
I get a lot of odd looks and “Really?”s when I tell people of my plans. I think they are surprised that a girl like me, (wait…what is a ‘girl like me’ ??) is willingly going to Alaska on her own. I’ll be sure to bring home pictures of proof for you all that I did it! 🙂
As for packing (which I’m pretty terrible at), I have to do so lightly. I’m hoping to use my pack as a carry-on and not deal with checked baggage fees and all that junk. That, of course, will be easier said than done- as everything is with traveling. For me, nine days = 2 pairs of pants, couple of shirts, jacket and underclothes. Lets just hope that I don’t get asked out to any fancy dinners while I’m there…haha.
I’m still figuring out my backpack and what all I can (and can’t) stuff into it. There are multiple hooks, snaps, and rings on the exterior so that is excellent for tying shoes, a compass, and perhaps a little traveling buddy (similar to Jacques or Daisy) for easy grabbing.
My route for this trip is pretty simple. I’m not traveling up north, although I’d love to see it, this time around because of my admitted inexperience and the cold. I’ll be going from Fairbanks to Anchorage with stops in Denali and Talkeetna. I also hope to make it out to North Pole, AK just to send a post-card home pretending that I’m Santa.
So that’s that. My upcoming trip to Alaska via poorly written blog post for the virtual world to see. If you’ve been to Alaska and would like to share some tips, comment below or e-mail me (Lauren.landuyt@gmail.com) or if you want to say how crazy but still awesome I am, feel free to comment as well.
Now I’m off to go make a PB&J and watch Transformers 2 with my housemates…ah, college!
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