Soft skies in beautiful Alaska

---

Well, peeps - after eleventy hundred hours of travel, I am writing to you from the lovely Inn at the Creek in Ketchikan (Ke-tchi-kan) Alaska - green and cool, the Inn is surrounded by snow topped mountains, which to this plains grrl seem very sharply faced and seemingly endless. The Inn sits on wooden pylons along the Creek and once hosted the Red Light District - filled with tourist spots, it focuses on rogering of another kind now.

The trip was uneventful, and suprisingly pleasant (even the attempt a paleo meals was rather good - and hot and served sooner than others!) - thank you my 'sister' Lyndall for getting me aisle seats - much appreciated.

So far, so good barring a couple of discombobulations, which I will share with you as a lesson on what NOT to do :D


• Firstly - don't leave your boarding pass in the security area in ADL - it shows them you're clearly not serious about leaving the country and gives them permission to "tsk"!
• The reason you feel lighter after checking in, is because you are lighter= around 5 kg - go back and get your backpack before security in SYD crash tackle you to the ground and mace your dopey arse
• When your travel cup Douggie vowed he'd bolt before having American coffee in him, he meant it - not only is the rogue still in ADL, he persuaded the power adaptor to go out in protest with him - thankfully Hudson's News in LAX has power adaptors
• A close connection between SEA-TAC and KTN doesn't give you permission to run like a looney, take a train to another terminal and then discover the actual boarding gate was the one you sailed by 10 minutes earlier ... boarding passes lie. While not gazelle like, I was rather swift and ran all the way back and up two flights of stairs without puffing - Yeah baby!


And my impressions of the US of A so far are these, chums


• LA is still unlovely and Seattle gorgeous - gonna take lakes, forrests and baseball diamonds over oil refineries and mega overpasses everytime - just how I roll!
• The coffee orders are baffling - while the words have individual meaning, I have no clue what a caramel soy chai latte actually involves - seems alot of activity for one small paper cup.
• My double espresso was met with a momentary pitying glance from the brutally efficient serving staff. I am a stranger in a strange land!
• The techology makes me feel all country mouse - vending machines that dispense iPods and Skull Candy - prices still better in Oz
• People are kind and helpful


As sleep approaches I will sign off and send you robust frontier vibes - be kind to each other

---

Comments

[Patti]

Yay!
Sounds like your epic adventure is getting off to a pretty decent start!

[Snap, Roie and Wills]

Relieved.
Dearest Sister, relieved that you've made it thus far with out too many international or security related incidents. Olds are fine...not sure about the dog, but no news means he's probably asleep in the same spot you left him!

[Tania]

yeah baby!
I love how you roll! I love how your write too... I think you should seriously think of getting stuff published - very funny and informative at the same time! Enjoy! Love you, T xx

[Sandra Beecher]

Welcome!
Happy you made it safely. Forget the boarding pass gate and go right to the monitors. I've been caught in the switch before. Enjoy the delights of Alaska!

[Brendon]

Glad all is well, have a great trip! Just letting you know, Geelong beat Carlton. Thought you'd need that important piece of information.