I made it to Alaska safe and sound! I left from Providence Saturday morning at 8:30 AM. After stops in Washington D.C. and Houston, I finally made it to Anchorage at about 8:30 PM Alaska time (midnight eastern time). It all adds up to 16 hours of travel and has left me catching up on sleep.
Anchorage is a beautiful place. It's got a lot of urban elements (big airport, lots of stores, big buildings) with mountains in the distance almost everywhere you look. Although it's a city, Anchorage's air just felt fresher to me as I walked out of the airport. It's also a hub for tourists this time of year. I felt out of place as I walked through the airport rubbing shoulders with bearded men in camouflage and large groups of fishermen labeled by personalized t-shirts. I realize as I walk around seeing the joy on these peoples faces that this is an absolute mecca for fishing and hunting. For someone that's never cut a fish or shot a gun, it's a place you quickly feel out of place.
Downtown Anchorage caters to these tourists. There are countless bars, restaurants, and gifts shops selling typical Alaska souvenirs. For every $50 you spend at one of these gift shops you get a free knife. I laughed inside every time I saw this promotion pasted on gift shop windows in big letters.
Anchorage is a fun place to be, but for me it's only another pit stop. I'm going to a forgotten part of Alaska in many ways. It's a place that has no bars, or gift shops, or restaurants. It's a small Native American village called Tuntutuliak. I'm still tired but I can't wait to keep moving.
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