Alaska: The last frontier

One of the most uncontamined places of the world.

 

Vancouver - Seattle

This morning we leave Canada, there's a good move. Let's go by taxi (10 CAD) to the coach station, where at 9:30 the bus to <strong>Seattlestrong> (52 CAD for two people), after about 1 hour trip we arrive at the border of the USA where there is an incredible traffic. Waiting two hours before entering, came our turn we ask: who we are, we do, who we are, where we (1 guilder ... no this was a movie), take the imprint of the left index finger, the right There are a digital photo and we must complete two forms (however hard that enter the U.S.). After paying U.S. $ 9 (no CAD and then there is no ATM we need a credit card) go to our luggage x-ray .. we are finally in the United States. We had to get to the bus station at 13:05 arrive two hours later. From the bus station a few meters in the direction of West inn, where the bus goes direct to the airport (10.25 USD). Thirty minutes to the airport where we take a taxi to our hotel to the SeaTac Valu Inn which is located in the city of Des Moines along the international boulevard.

Seattle - Anchorage - Cantwell

For starters today are celebrating our first wedding anniversary. The flight will take us in Alaska is of the Continental, which in about 3 hours to arrive Anchoarage, where after having picked up our luggage we head to the desk of the Dollar rent a car. Our machine is a wonderful sport, the Dodge Neon, the small detail has automatic transmission. After a little practice we run the streets of <strong>Anchoragestrong>, now we have to do 280 miles (crazy not more). The weather is outstanding, makes a warm exaggerated even if the edges of the road is full of snow, we stop at different viewpoint of the Denali National Park to admire the beautiful Mount Mc Kinley. Healy, where we continue to have to sleep the first night, around 180 miles the sky was dark, it started to get up a breeze to drag the snow out to the edges of the road. The weather can change abruptly, the road suddenly becomes completely white, no longer sees the double yellow line, the snow falls abundantly, the visibility is reduced to about 50 meters ..... hell ... and to think that some hour first was a hot. After a good crush with the car we decide to stop at the first petrol station we Cantawell, even if we have the cappoto, scarf, gloves and running in the local T-shirt and short shorts (GULP !!!), within the station service and wonder if all this is normal (obviously) and if the weather is so up to Fairbanks (2nd course). Due to the tiredness of Deicide stop and not continue for Healy, ask if there are accommodation nearby, we refer to the Lazy J cabins, the first street on your left. Let's go back in the car, but what street?, We see the road ... barely turn a stada course covered in snow make a few tens of meters, are a couple of houses in the distance illuminated by a light fievole. I decide to stop the car because I can not keep the snow becomes increasingly high and if we remain locked want to see how its gets down on foot by a few meters in the direction of the house, your feet sink into the soft snow, the cold is biting hands quickly become blue ..... back in the car quickly, and can I reverse back to the station to ask for more information ... fortunately a nice girl decides to join, just follow his off-road ... Lazy J arrived at the cabin we go to the &quot;reception&quot; but there is none, are the seven, there is only a sign that says to go out and knock the house that is one hundred meters .... noooo. Fortunately, a &quot;passing&quot; which was in search of a drink, helps me to seek this type ..... mamma mia che ... tired and think that today was the anniversary of marriage.

Cantwell - Talkeetna

Needless to say that we wake up from a deep sleep, that is not personally have managed to sleep a great that (the remorse, the accumulated tension or light up to 22:30), obviously goes without saying that all night he continued to snow. ... what we do? for breakfast time because as they say a full stomach you think best. We load the backpacks in the car (we see that the bottle of water left the night before is completely frozen), and depart in the direction of Fairbanks ...... useless the way it is worse than yesterday, in an hour's journey to meet a dozen snowthrowers that seem to &quot;caress&quot; the blanket of snow on the road, go about 20 km / h and every time we meet a descent is a nightmare when the situation worsens we decide to make a nice reverse U-turn back and. At 16:30 (after 7 hours!) Arrive in Talkeetna always on the road at 20 km / h, first thing to do is find a place to sleep, choose the economic and very Spartan Roadhouse, meanwhile, continues always to snow. For the advance I recommend the excellent Latitude 68 (I think) we eat really well. find an internet point and we're at our site traffic (www.511.alaska.gov), we notice that the road in the direction of Fairbanks, after Healy was closed .... thank goodness we are back.

Talkeetna - Palmer

Since it has continued to snow this morning we have to shovel to &quot;liberate&quot; the car from snow, the road is not the highest compared to nothing yesterday, &quot;quickly&quot; come to Wasilla where we stop at a wonderful shop on the road (http:/ / www.whidbeystore.com) where a carving of the trunk, creating some beautiful pictures of animals ... unfortunately there is no one and we both want to buy a bear about 25 cm high (30 USD) ... we decide to take 'Following the money he nailed with punesse on the walls of the wood shop (not wanted to escape) ... while Manu is intent to pack the building check the type that we becca with hands &quot;in the bag &quot;.... obviously sees the money and thanks us. When we stop to Wasilla <strong>Palmerstrong>, our accommodation is pioner motel (spartano too, as everyone here in Alaska).

Palmer - Copper center

Today we go to Glennalen to ricogiungerci to your original. We highway No. 1, great, now the snow is no longer if the surrounding mountains, the sky finally opens ... we stop to take some photos of these breathtaking panoramas. Quickly arrive at <strong>Copper Centerstrong>, where to stay at the lodge <strong>Copper Centerstrong>, very nice although the rooms are quite small (all with bathroom). We decide to eat in the restaurant where for the first time taste of halibut, good if it were not for those horrible sauce that the submarine. In the afternoon we decide to make a bell &quot;walk&quot; in the direction of Valdez, on the way we admire the beauty of the Wrangell St. Elias national park. On the left at some point we see a huge lake (frozen of course), but there is something .... are a group of caribou that is going through ... on the shore there is a large group who might have expected identify the best way, because after all you just put in motion to achieve them. We agree with Manu back to back, climb into the machine and try a little road that will take us on the shores of the lake. Passing through several private properties and from there we return to the trees we have to look beautiful, to a certain point you aware of our presence and began to run away in the woods around them. Unfortunately we do not see more, we decide to restaurant on the street. We wait ten minutes and at one point we see them crossing, which occurs only at full speed a jeep, the caribou that are found in head back suddenly, as a group is compact and raising a fuss back in the woods. At this point we prepare with the photo equipment, we know that will pass here is only a matter of time .... to a certain point I feel a strange noise coming from my shoulders, I turn and look behind me, I say to Manu to turn around .... that show (and photos). Sure that the day has given us a nice surprise, we decide to continue our walk towards Valdez, at some point Manu (who throughout the trip kept saying only: I want to see a moose) screams, saying, &quot;looks a moose,&quot; unfortunately as happened in Norway can only see the bottom of the back ... what a pity, needless wait .. despite being a very big animal camouflage s&224; egreggiamente. Let us return indietroa make gasoline and we continue our trip (at this point becomes a safari) arrived at for chitin, we decide to change route and go in the direction of 's do ... well, after walking across a pair of elk (a mother with a small), Manuela is practically out of the car launches in the running to take pictures ... beautiful, just a machine comes in the opposite direction, the elk quickly push off.

Copper center - Anchorage

Today we go back, we stop along the road to Mendeltna creek lodge (mendeltnalodge@cvinternet.net), very nice to drink a delicious hot chocolate for only two dollars. To cushion the tiredness do many stops along the way, we come to <strong>Anchoragestrong> to 14:00, our hotel the Inlet Inn is practically in the center room is really hot, there will be about 4000 &176; C, an oven. Having come up with a system for Manu to get some fresh arietta in the room, we decide to take a walk around the city .... I must say quite disappointing, we see the first houses built here in <strong>Anchoragestrong> and the monument dedicated to the dog inspired the legendary Iditarod, as well as a number of tramps. Towards evening we decide to eat a delicious grilled salmon (which is not period) at the bearthoot, the space is carinissimo and good food.

Anchorage - Seward

Today we expect the Kenai penisula, a truly fascinating place that is only 125 miles from <strong>Anchoragestrong>. Once in <strong>Sewardstrong> we head to the desk of Keane fjord tours where we expect the gray whale whatch tour. The boat party 12, the sea is agitatissimo (flashbacks New Zealand), we in the four hours of navigation to see a beautiful bald eagle, a pair of marine sea-lions and a colony of sea lions .... unfortunately even gray whales l 'shadow. After the tour, still quite upset by seasickness we go to our hotel, the Van Gilder, for the excellent dinner Christo Palace.

Seward - Anchorage - Seattle

This morning we make a nice breakfast with the inevitable qusi cappuccino before returning to <strong>Anchoragestrong> we decide to go a few miles in the direction of glacier dell'exit unfortunately the road is closed. Let us return back and we stop along the way to Moose's pass all'Alaska bears a beautiful beetle &quot;store&quot; of craft ... I recommend that you stop. We arrive at the airport in <strong>Anchoragestrong> to return without too much difficulty our beautiful doodge. After the usual three hours of travel we arrive in <strong>Seattlestrong>, we are back to Sea-Tac valu inn.

Seattle - London - Naples

Having parked our luggage at the reception we go to the bus stop just outside our motel. The bus 174 in about 50 minutes it releases on 4th, today is Sunday to walk the beautiful streets of the city until you reach the tower, the symbol space needle located in a carinissimo playground, met at the airport go back to our part 17 flight London.