Today we are heading south back to Anchorage where we will lose some of our fellow travellers who are not joining us on the cruise, then on to Seward to board our ship MS Zaandam. On the way we called in at the Iditarod Headquarters and had a dog-sled ride. Of course, there is no snow, so it's a 4 wheeled affair. I fell in love with a puppy who seemed to like snuggling with me too! After spending an hour at the market in Anchorage we set off on the 3 hour journe...

Can this holiday get any better? Today started with a lovely lie-in. First time we have slept until 7.00am. We took the shuttle bus down to the town to get, breakfast and browse the boardwalk. We were collected from our hotel to embark on our Tundra Wilderness Tour. We were given a little lunch box and George, our guide proceeded to give us the 'does and don'ts' in the wilderness. I suspect that George may have been a teacher in a past life as he used all the f...

Today we made the four hour trip through beautiful landscapes on the Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park. The trains run to schedule all summer but in the winter, it is the last remaining flagstop railway in the USA. People who live in remote areas can come to the line and flag down the train. The conductor will charge per mile and take them to their requested destination. The train, McKinley Explorer, was a peaceful and relaxing way to travel. Some people ...

We managed to stay awake last night until about 10.30pm, nighttime creeps up on you in this land of the midnight sun. I was still awake at 4.45am but I am beginning to feel normal again. After breakfast we set off for the Riverboat Discovery. On arrival, we wander round the obligatory gift shop where they have a -40c degree experience. Steve is wearing only a t-shirt but at least i have a jacket on. I was mainly aware of how cold my clothes had become and that m...

Taken from a little booklet picked up in our hotel called, "Staying Alive in the Arctic - A Collection of Anecdotes, Facts and Lies about life in Alaska!" Exhaust from cars, even though it is 250 degrees when it comes out of a vehicle, cools to -40 in less than 10 seconds. (Exhaust is a major contributor to "ice fog"). Dry snow, at 40 below is cold enough to prevent skis from gliding. (The air is so cold it prevents friction between the ski and the snow, thus e...