A Floridian heads north - onward to Alaska - Complete! About This Page:

[pamcarey]

Getting the laundry done is more than half the battle! Good luck with the packing!

[DrDolphin]

Update!!
My to do list has continued to grown and grown and grown in prep for this trip. I have two full suitcases of stuff - since I need business clothes for five days, field clothes for 3 days and seven days of relaxing run around clothes - that means two suitcases. Instead of two laptop cases (my airport express one and the backpack one) I am taking on roller bag/laptop case and putting both laptops in it - as well as a regular backpack with the video camera, my camera and my purse in it.

The things I had to do today:
1.Pick up rxn
2.Buy brown socks (I can’t find mine...)
3.get gas
4.vacuum upstairs
5.finish all laundry
6.pack both suitcases
7.pack laptop case
8.pack back pack
9.unload dishwasher
10.load dishwasher & run it
11.clean all dishes in the sink
12.take trash to compactor

I feel pretty good with all I’ve accomplished today!

Things I didn’t get done -

1.I didn’t make it to AAA to get a guide to Anchorage and AK maps. of course I should be able to do that in Anchorage.

2.I didn’t get a rental car... but that appears not to be an issue. Jodie and his wife Christine are leaving tomorrow morning by train to Denali - and they won’t be using their rental car for three days - so he is leaving the keys at the front desk and I will pick them up on Monday morning. Thanks Jodie and Christine!

Tonight we are headed out to a friend of Chris’ for a 4th of July BBQ and some fireworks - which should be nice and relaxing. My fight leaves JAX at 1130am and after an hour lay over in Atlanta - I have about an 8 hour flight to Anchorage. I have packed Netflix DVDs to watch - in case I don’t like the movies they offer onboard.

I checked in for both my flights - and moved my seat on the ATL-ANC flight so that I have a window and can put my head against the window if I want to take a nap.

On thing I need to make sure I do when I get to the airport and through security is to pick up at least 2 bottles of water (maybe three) given the length of the flight to Anchorage.

[Grammy Grumpy]

Safe travels and have a great time! Can't wait to hear all about your adventures!

[pamcarey]

Good luck with the packing! Have a safe flight and a wonderful trip!

[Bob's sister]

I know you'll have a great time - we spent 2 weeks at the end of June in Alaska last summer and it was truly a once in a lifetime trip. In Seward, we did a Kenai Fjords boat trip which was magnificent! Lots of beautiful scenery and wornderful wildlife viewing. I'd highly recommend it. Homer is like no place else I've ever visited. The spit is a great place for shopping, people watching and getting to experience some locals "hanging out." Have fun!

[lablady]

How exciting! Another PPer stepping foot in AK! The weather has been beautiful the last few days, you may want to throw in a couple short sleeve shirts, but being from FL you may not think it's that warm. It was 75 degrees at my house today! LOVE IT!

Seward is always nice, though there's not alot there, we just like it cause it's a relatively short drive (about 3 hours from my house). We went on a glacier cruise for the first time 3 weeks ago (took the Major Marine half-day trip and it was great). The SeaLife Center is cool, but I'm sure that you've seen better!

I love Homer! It's so quaint, and it's fun to visit the various shops on the spit. We usually take halibut charters out of there. It a longish drive from home, so I'm lucky if I get down there once a year.

When you drive south out of Anchorage along Tournagain Arm, keep your eyes open for beluga whales, mountain goats (or are they Dall Sheep, I never remember) and crazy tourists who love to slam their brakes on whenever they see one of the above. I almost hit a guy when we were coming home from Seward! He basically stopped in the middle of my lane to check out a goat/sheep next to the road!!! What a way to die.....

Have you been up here before? I'll keep my fingers crossed that the weather stays nice for you, we had a terrible summer last year, but it's been wonderful this year! (Hope you don't have trouble going to sleep when it's still light, because the sun is still up quite late right now. )

I don't envy your long plane trips. That's the only thing that I HATE about our trips to FL. We find that it takes at least a day to recuperate each way.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions! Hope you have a great trip! (stay away from the whale blubber....yech!)

[lauriep]

Have a great trip!

[Starla4436]

Have a great time in Alaska...I can't wait to hear what a traditional Alaskan feast is.

[DrDolphin]

Not exactly like the James Mitchner book - but it will have to do. Chris got up and moving this morning about 530am - and I will admit to having mixed emotions about this trip. I am excited to be going back to Alaska (the last time I went there - I didn’t see much other than the airport and Barrow), and not wanting to leave Chris since it seemed we were apart so much for the last three weeks due to more travel and his work schedule. He left the house at 630am and I will admit to many tears being shed. It is going to be a long two weeks.

I finally got up and moving about 730am. Took a shower, made the bed and finished packing all the stuff (we’ll see what I forgot when I really unpack on Tuesday). Was in the car at 900am and at the airport parking and shuttle place at 930am. Made it through security without issue - and am now at my gate - with the free Jacksonville International Airport Wi-Fi - which I won’t have for my two hour lay over in Atlanta - however, I might very well have paid internet access on the flight to Alaska. Not sure if I would actually sign on to use it though. Anyone out there want to chat for approximately SEVEN hours??? I have three netflix DVDs as well as the entire second season of Diagnosis Murder that I borrowed from a friend and just found in my roller laptop case - meaning I forgot to return it to her and she probably forgot that I have it... so I can watch that and get it back to her on the 20th!

I bought two bottles of water for the flight - and if I finish this one before/while in Atlanta - I will get another one so that I have two full bottles for the flight to Anchorage. I talked to Chris when I got here, and promised to call from Atlanta. No breakfast this morning - but I will get something while I am in Atlanta for my two hour lay over.

One small annoyance - I didn’t print my receipt for my checked baggage last night - I had it emailed to me at home and work - guess what - NO RECEIPT - and Delta can not reprint it from the airport people - only the website - which is what started this whole mess to begin with ..... now to figure out how to get one so that I can claim that $40.00 on my travel voucher.

Ok - enough rambling - doubt I will check in with you before I land in Anchorage - but who knows. Depends on how bored I get....

[Colexis Mom]

Safe travels Terri!! I hope the baggage thing works out!!

[pamcarey]

Good luck with the baggage receipt!

[chezp]

Great updates Terri - have a great time!

[lauren-roxy]

Have a great time Terri!!!

[DrDolphin]

Instead of cutting and pasting from my blog - I will just put links to my updates here and let you access it that way (like all my family and friends do).

musings - Flight to Alaska

musings - in Anchorage (includes links to photos)

[chezp]

Great updates Terri - that must've been freaky to arrive so late and for it to still be so light.