Alaska (7/18/08-7/28/08)

Re-cap of 10-day camping trip around south-central Alaska with Andrey.

The first and last days of the trip were sunny, but the days in
between were often filled with clouds, drizzle or rain. On the bright
side, sun light was potentially visible until around 11pm, so we had
extra long days for activities... like hiking and moose-stalking
around Denali parks, kayaking and cruising around Prince William
Sound, fishing in the Kenai and Russian rivers, and a flight tour
around Mt. McKinley. We were lucky to have dry pockets every now and
then, but often, we just threw on rain boots and jackets and braved
the elements and wilderness.

We made good use of our rental car, covering a spectacular amount of
distance and admired the changing scenery along the way – stopping for
photos&video, making meals and mini-hikes. It sometimes felt like we
were on the run, as if trying to escape the rain. Luckily it didn't
rain as we crossed the awe-inspiring 135-mile Denali (dirt) hwy, which
was essentially an Alaskan safari… traveling along a simple dirt road
surrounded by wilderness and wildlife. We spotted moose, caribou and a
fox family. And since car rental agencies generally prohibit driving
on this road, there were very few other tourists.

We encountered a lot of other Alaskan animals as well – like a bear
cub fishing in Valdez, Denali hares showing off by hopping over each
other, shrews absentmindedly crossing our paths… in the sea waters
were sea lions and otters, humpback and killer whales… and flying
overhead were ravens, hawks, swallows, regal eagles, quirky puffins,
robust seagulls and a mass of kittiwakes.

The one thing I could have done without were the campsite mosquitoes,
which covered our tent every night, except when we slept by glacier
streams, when it was too cold. The people we met along the way were
extremely friendly and open, helpful, laid-back and trustful. We were
always allowed to return rental equipment after business hours on
front and back porches.