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Published: September 1st 2006
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Fairbanks - Gold Mine
We learned how the gold mine works. Our first day was spent in travel - a very long flight from Tampa to Fairbanks. It was tiring but we had a great time and we were very excited to begin our fun.
As the pictures show, day two was full of fun in Fairbanks. Our first day in Alaska was packed full. We all decided to were our Moosecruiser t-shirts so everyone would know who we were. We were a big hit -- and it was only our first day!
We started the day with breakfast at our lodge. Then we took a short bus ride to our first excursion - a river ride on a large stern wheel boat. The stern wheel boat delivered us to a native Athabascan village where we learned about trapping, drying salmon, and sled dogs. We did a little gift shopping and we were off to our next adventure.
Our Luxury Motor Coach Captain, Tim, delivered us to downtown Fairbanks for lunch on our own. The town of Fairbanks is not too large, so picking a place for lunch was really very easy. Our tour guide, Julie, had given us lots of hints and told us what her favorite eating
Fairbanks - Pipeline
The Alaska Pipeline. spot was - so most of us headed that way. Tim and Julie were our dedicated driver and tour director for six days. They told us that they had never seen such a happier group of people -- and they were sure the happiness and cheerfulness would wear off in the coming days -- but we had plans for them.
In the early afternoon we went to see the Alaska Pipeline. You can see the photos attached for a more impressive image of the pipeline. After the visit to the pipeline we were delivered to an active gold mine camp where we panned for gold. I know it isn't very believable - but I think just about everybody who panned came up with riches! So what do you do with riches? You head directly to the gift shop and do a little shopping. There seemed to be an ever present Alaska gift shop everywhere we went. So we shopped at the gold mine and then some of us headed on to start our next adventure of the day - the North Pole!
About half our group chartered a special bus to take us to see Santa! We got
Fairbanks - Gold Mine
Amy gets all the gold! to the North Pole only to find out - Santa takes Mondays off!!!! WHAT!!!!! We came from St. Petersburg, Florida to see Santa and he has the day off????
Now what were we supposed to do??? We did what all good tourists do - we shopped in the gift shop and bought a thing or two 😊
This little North Pole jaunt wasn't a part of our Celebrity Tour so we had to hustle to fit it in - and can you believe it, Santa had the day off!!! But with this group of friends - I wouldn't have missed it. We found the most unusual things to keep us amused -- and amusing we were. I think our bus driver thought so too - -- back onto the chartered bus to catch up with the rest of the group at the infamous all-you-can eat Salmon Bake!
I have to tell you - by the time we made it to the Salmon Bake it was about 8:00 p.m. (Alaska time). Now, in my mind and body that calculated to be about midnight Florida time -- oh joy!! all you can eat at midnight!!!! So in true tourist
Fairbanks - Our Luxury Motor Coach
Did you ever see such a happy bunch of people in your life? format, we filled our plates, several times, and we ate and we laughed and we gossiped and we planned our next moves and we took pictures of Margaret and we had a grand time. By the time we were finished with our wonderful dinner we were very very happy to get back onto the chartered bus to be delivered to our lodge for the rest of the evening.
Each evening or at the end of each day's group gathering there were directives and rules given out by our tour guide. This was the end or our first day and we were given our first set of rules - all luggage out of the rooms and in the hall by 6:00 a.m. The bus was leaving at 8:00 a.m. So-o-o-o- - so much for sleeping in a little in the morning.
It really didn't matter as the sun came up around 3:30 a.m. that day anyway. Who needed to sleep - we were in Alaska -- we had big plans. We were in ALASKA!!! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WOULD REALLY HAPPEN!!!! All of us really made it to Alaska - it was very overwhelming to think we had
Fairbanks - Athabascan Village
Mary & Tom & Margaret at a trapper's cabin. planned this for three years and it was truly a reality. There were times when the joy on everyone's face would catch me off guard and then the next thing I would know I'd be looking for a hanky to wipe the tears away. What a wonderful trip - with the best of the best of people to accompany us and share in the fun and memories.
We must have done something really good somewhere along the road of life to get to participate in this privilege.
In my next blog, I will tell you about one of the most wonderful parts of the trip -- the domed train ride.
Love sharing the memories with you --- peace to all of you, and, to God, a big thank you for sending us so many wonderful friends.
Kathy T
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Jason
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SALMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL YOU CAN EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????????