I’m nearly at the end of my photo stories, except that there is just one more post I need to publish…. …to share all of those unusual and random sights and experiences from the trip. So, what follows is an eclectic collection of photos, all of which make me smile, as I create my final story. In Nome, there seemed to be something else to grab your attention everywhere you turned. These cute and colourful ravens are on the majority…
Even before the trip I was fascinated with the Native Alaskan Masks, which have been used for ceremonies and for celebration for centuries, accompanying dance rituals to honour the spirits. I knew that I would see lots of examples when visiting the museums and galleries in Alaska. But I confess that I was unprepared (and delighted!) by the sheer number of masks, both ancient and contemporary, which I discovered. So, below is a gallery of masks… in no particular order….
What is it about travelling to remote places which beckons me? It’s hard to believe that it’s been over eight years since I voyaged to the Ross Sea in the Antarctic. But that actually wasn’t the start of my holidays to out-of-the-way places. As a family we had been venturing out for many years. Mostly into outback Australia. And it’s when I think back to those trips that I realise what draws me to remote places. It’s not the peace,…
It was inevitable that we would encounter wildlife on this trip. So, it’s time to share some of my photos. I’m starting with the moose. And this is because we saw a moose literally the first day of the holiday…. It was in the car park of our hotel! Happily munching away at a tree. The taxi driver was hesitant about getting too close as they are known to be temperamental beasts, who can turn and charge at a moment’s…
Yes, the title of this post is a bit cheesy. However, I came across this catch phrase when I was there, and when I was trying to decide on a title which captured the uniqueness of Nome, I kept on returning to it. My stay in Nome will always be one of the high points of the trip. Before gold was discovered in the region in the late 1800s, Nome was a seasonal home for native Alaskans; its location on…
Of course I need to start this post with Denali. Denali is the highest mountain in North America, at 6,190 metres. Its name originates from the Koyokon word for “tall” or “high”, and is often referred to as the Great One. From the late 1800s onwards, the name Mount McKinley started being used in the newspapers, and finally in 1917 this name was formally adopted. Despite the fact that in 1975 the state of Alaska changed the name of the…
… the sled dogs, that is. There is no doubt that the highlights of my trip are all centred on the dogs; visiting them before the start of the Iditarod; watching them leap into action when it was their turn; being at a checkpoint when they arrived; witnessing the love and care given to them by their musher; and even having our own team when we ran dogs ourselves. Before the ceremonial start of the race in Anchorage, the mushers…
As with all my other trips, I have done extensive reading in preparation for my trip to Alaska. As the departure date approached, and the pile of books grew, I can reflect how the whole body of reading has developed my knowledge and understanding of what Alaska is about – its history, it’s people, its wonders and its challenges. So, I have decided to share my list, including a brief overview, plus my favourite quotes from some of the books….
I’m nearing the end of the research for my trip – and just as well as I leave in just a few days! So, it was great that another trip buddy ventured up some information on the trees we might encounter in Alaska. (Thanks, John!) This is not an area which would have normally beckoned me to write about. But as I started reading, I became intrigued about some of the snippets of information I was coming across. I still…
I realised that there was one more large animal of Alaska which I needed to include! Caribou are a medium-sized member of the deer family and stand about 3.5 feet tall at the shoulder. Females (cows) can weigh up to 300 pounds, while large males (bulls) are about twice that size. Most caribou are medium-brown or grey, but coloration varies widely from nearly black to almost white. Their winter coat is somewhat lighter than their summer coat. Caribou are the…