Alaskan Adventure Day One - The Arrival

Day One:
Ok, the Ajak parking lot is kind of scary at 6:00 in the morning when you’re the only one there on a pretty dark lot. I punched in all of my license plate info, parked my car and the prepay electronic terminal automatically dispatched the shuttle. At least I hoped it had.OK, the Ajak parking lot is kind of scary at 6:00 in the morning "Crap its cold out here!" I thought to myself waiting patiently on the lone little warped wooden bench under the leaking and drippy canopy cover. I was secretly wishing I had not packed my warm winter coat into my suitcase to conserve carry on space. Oh Well, there is nothing like starting a little adventure by waking your senses with wet slush blowing you in the face. nothing, and I mean NOTHING was going to damper my excitement. Small adventure as this may be it was the only one on my immediate horizon and I was buzzing with anticipation. My stomach was also buzzing but from severely different reasons. Why is it that I will never learn that coffee at three in the morning on an empty stomach is NEVER a good travel idea? I will never know the answer to that, I just keep doing it over and over again. There is something about the anticipation of air flight that always seems to turn my stomach upside down. I would hate to see what would happen if I were scared of flying. I love to fly. My stomach just doesn’t seem to know that.

Traffic was pretty good this morning. It started snowing as soon as I got out of town and continued for about thirty miles. No road problems though. Normally with no traffic it takes about an hour and ten minutes to get from my house to the airport. It took two hours but in midweek work traffic with light snow it really wasn’t that bad. The express lanes were open and I always get a little thrill going into the yellow tunnels. Why this thrills me is anyone’s guess. It just does.

I have not flown for quite some time. Several years actually. The carry on security procedures have changed a little (OK, a lot) from the last time I flew. Word to the wise. Don’t decide to go barefoot. I saw some pretty nasty feet walking through the security checkpoint on the bare floor and was happy that I had on some very thick socks. I think my germaphobe gene was having a moment. Eww, is all I have to say.

Oh my goodness and I can’t forget to mention this! To the middle aged woman who decided to wear a torture device disguised as a girdle (and a toooo small one at that) on a plane ride, you utterly shocked and flabbergasted me. I love to people watch but this was something else. What she was thinking I have no idea. I was embarrassed for her through my shocked, dumb-founded, open and gaped mouth. She got irritated at several beeping passes through the security arch and must have been annoyed at the security guard for being asked to stand aside with an included pat-down because she decided to flash the WAY to tight underwires of her girdle to God and everyone. Seriously, flipped her black sweater right up to her chin and believe me it was NOT a Kodak moment. I am so glad my mother taught me better. Always wear clean undewear and never go through a security checkpoint with anything on that would embarrassed you to be seen in. OK, so she never said that second half but it sounds like good advice to me.

I am here almost three hours early, yes, a little paranoid of possible traffic accidents and delays. Plenty of prime opportunity time to people watch and make completely useless observations. And oh man, do I have a lot of them. I can see whole stories unfold in front of me by one interesting piece of clothing, a sharp look, or a stupid comment. I have such an active imagination. Just now, I remember what is what like to travel with children. It is not something you can easily forget. I wish there was something I could offer the mother that just went by me with two sets of twins in the biggest stroller ever made. I would offer to help her but she was buzzing through here at light speed with utter determination creased on her face. She gets all of my mommy points this morning for simply attempting it. I have, personally, always favored leashes. Oh stop. I don’t care what anyone says. My kids could bend themselves out of a stroller no matter how they were duct taped in. It was much easier to let them run on a short tether attached directly to me. They were happier and I just had to keep me and everyone else from getting tangled up together.

DARN, I did lose my water bottle on the way here some how. I know I left the house with it and I am pretty sure it left the car with me but now I can not find it. It was my nice fancy REI water bottle. Double drat! So I shall pause here and go in search of needed fluids to take my morning vitamins. Hydration is key for me when it comes to flying. Oh wait..... I have to watch something unfold for a moment. I love the ability to type by touch. It makes these play-by-play commentaries so much easier. Little Missy Miss in huge four inch spiked white fur boots with little leather pants and the biggest white puffy jacket you have ever seen is simultaneously trying to talk on the phone (ear to shoulder) text message on her blackberry type thing and this very yuppie man (very nice looking yuppyish man) in a long blond wool overcoat is following behind with her big pink leather bag, another trendy leather pink and black bag, a briefcase, two coffees and a scrowly look of defeat trying to get her attention. Poor man, the coffee seems to be burning his hands…. Oh look, she pauses, turns, kind of nods her head to tell him to set it down (he looks around like where? The floor?) and she flips her long blond ponytail as she dismisses him and continues to walk and talk and text… Oh man, he sets them down on the floor rubs his hands on his pants a couple of times (see I knew it was burning him) picks it all up and he is now power walking to catch back up with her with an even scrowlier look on his face. Yes, in my dictionary scrowlier is a word. (As is lambies, cowies, horsies and such.) I wonder if he is contemplating the meaning of his harried life at this moment. I wonder if he thinks his very pretty and amazingly high maintenance woman is worth it? I have a feeling he is silently wishing her four-inch high heeled fur cuffed boots would snap! OK, a hunting water I will go.
I went on a little field trip. My derriere was getting cranky and after walking though a particularly interesting gift shop called fireworks and carousing the isles of boarders books I made the decision to have a small bite to eat before boarding. They are offering a $5.00 meal on the plane if I should so choose but I decided that a real flaked salmon and cream cheese bagel with a Bloody Mary on the side at the ALASKA LODGE sounded like a much better idea. Oh quite, I don’t have any children with me and it’s only an hour until noon so that means in most of the United States that it’s past noon. (Whoever came up with the “its 5:00 somewhere” thing was not a mom on the loose without children. There was no way I was waiting for 5:00 even on east coast time. Have you guessed yet that this running commentary about almost nothing is a nice diversionary tactic to keep myself amused AND perhaps half tipsy by the time I get to the plane. Oh my, I should have decided on the Bloody Mary when I first got here….. This is GOOD!!!!! THIS IS BETTER THAN GOOD!!!! Oh yea, the salmon cream cheese and bagel aren’t bad either. The waiter just smirked at me, I wonder if I had a look of bliss on my face as I sat down my drink?

I don't remember the last time that I was free with no one and no thing to keep track of. No dinner plans or who forgot what at school that day. Although I miss Shad and wish he were here having a beer with me and eating scrumptious salmon and cream cheese bagels, my children will have to pardon me but I don’t think I am going to miss them until it gets closer to bed time. I feel so totally and utterly relaxed. I wish my hubby were here. We would be chatting or playing a hand of rummy and possibly be ordering another drink.

So a dangerously handsome little businessman has just sat down at the table across from me and keeps smiling at me and it’s making it difficult to dive into my salmon spread. When people are looking it's always better manors to eat daintily. I am sure that’s another one of my mother’s adages... Don’t worry, Shad is the only one for me and he has no fears of my EVER being tempted to stray or even flirt heavily (as long as a long legged, tight jean cowboy should walk by in a black stetson OR Mike Rowe) Just kidding, at least about the cowboy, I have a serious crush on Mike Rowe. He is such a manly man with a wicked sense of humor and the prized attribute of being able to laugh at himself AND sing opera. Le SWOON... I have to finish my bagel now, I have a half hour until my flight and think eating my bagel is going to take a little extra time between the typing and the smiling business man. I do need to get going though...
Thank you Leslie for your Alaskan Air MVP status. It was nice to board the plane early and not deal with everyone pushing you around to put their bags in the overhead bin. I even got a pillow and a blanket this time. After I LOOKED at the pillow and blanket I put them back but it was nice to have the option since they were there. I had the most amazing window seat. I sat between the engine and the wings and although it was a little noisy that was easily remedied by my noise canceling headphones. I just adore that roller coaster feeling when the plane lifts from the runway. It’s my favorite part. It just makes me feel all giddy and happy and childlike. It was overcast leaving Washington but we quickly popped out of the clouds and it was crystal clear and blue. Most of northern Washington, all of Canada and a bit of Alaska stayed blanketed in a layer of soft rolling clouds. I was able to photograph some amazing shots of the engine and wing tips, as a side note and a word of warning, for those that don’t like to fly, never sit in the window seat between the engine and the wing. You are able to see things move and flex and shake and bend that would do nothing to steady your nerves. I know enough from my plane enthusiast hubby to know that all was normal but it certainly did not SEEM normal.

About thirty minutes before we landed I had a life altering moment of clarity. Suddenly before me was the most awe inspiring vision I have ever seen. I was simply brought to tears, literally, by the mountain range that had appeared out of the dissipating clouds. I don’t know how to explain it other than to say that I felt humbled by the vision before me. The mountains were so large, so fast, so never ending that it felt as if human hands had never touched it. Pure geological wonder. Humanity had not managed to corrupt these majestic snow peaks. Have you ever run your fingers over the raised white ridges of the Himalayas on a globe? That is what it looked like. Ribbons of ice and mountain and clouds rolling in the valleys with the sun glistening off the snow capped peaks. I don’t have the words to do it justice. The pictures that I took out of the plane window cannot do it justice. There have been four times when I have been instantly moved to tears. My wedding, the birth of my children, and when I found out my sister was not going to die from malaria and now this. Nature at its most splendid is all I can say. I was in a nation geographic documentary. I expected that I could look down and see the dog sled team racing across the ice or a beluga wale jump up through a break in the flowing sea ice. I also had the rare privilege of seeing mount McKinley in the distance, towering over the already impressive mountain range. I am told that it is rare (only a few times a year) that you are able to see Mt. Mckinley since it is usually hidden under cloud cover. It was in the distance but clearly distinguishable. It will be interesting to see if I can pick it up on the picture I attempted to take.

My sister told me she and Tony feel that "awed" way each and every time they fly home. I have a new found awe of the beauty that she has surrounding her all the time. I cannot even imagine biking to the top of these peaks and kayaking the impressive glacier fed lakes the way she has. I have a better appreciation for the pictures she has taken. My very handsome and charismatic soon-to-be brother in law was kind enough to pick me up from the airport. I had to refrain and not drool on his Iphone on the dash and ask like a child to play with it. I am such a techno geek at heart. Tony deposited me to the splendid comfort of their three story condo and a nice hot shower. My sister was at work for another four hours and Tony had to return to his office so I was left alone to take a sinfully long shower, lay in the B&B comfort of my room and read. Quiet, peaceful and utterly relaxing. There is something different in relaxing with guilt (because there are a million other things you should be doing) and relaxing in true relaxed calm and peace. No never ending laundry calling your name or unwashed dishes at the end of the chapter. This was a good way to start a mini vacation. I even sat myself down and watched a little CNN, a rare privilege indeed, after I spent an hour wandering through there home looking at the amazing artifacts that they have brought home from their travels around the world. I had so many questions for Leslie when she got home!

Leslie got home and we had a joy-filled reunion after way too many months of not seeing each other. We talk or text chat every day but its just not the same as seeing her in the flesh. I think I may have hugged and squeezed her to death. Kissed the top of her cute little head and twirled her around like when she was little even. OK, so I didn’t twirl her around, kissing the top of her head repeatedly, but I wanted too. A few glasses of wine, some nice snuggly pj’s and the feeding of Miss Turtle Queen (Buster) her much adored turkey and a yummy round of snacks and it was shaping up to be a pretty nice and mellow evening. My brother in law came home and had to pack up and leave for the airport. He was flying out that same evening to the east coast. I really wish there had been more opportunity to visit with him and just all hang out together but that’s the way the turtle swims. Leslie has a fab extra firm mattress that was calling my name and since Leslie had to work in the morning we actually hit the sheets relatively early. I slept SOOOO well, spread eagle, corner to corner taking up the ENTIRE bed. I was TTT - tired, tipsy and terrific!

End of Day One.