Sat. 14th June

Flew to Fairbanks from Boston. Fairbanks is about 80 miles from the Artic Circle and didn't have time to get north of the Artic Circle but other things await. I would like to report that my first night in the great wilderness that is Alaska was spent in a tent in the middle of nowhere fending of bears and wolves. I could say that but it's not quite correct. Spent the night in the Hilton, a nice hotel with all mod cons - but not quite up to its European counterparts but at least I could see the mountains from my window.

Sun. 15th.

Boarded the McKinley Explorer train to go down to Denali National Park. The train was superb with wonderful vista dome windows, super seats and waiter service. The scenery was awesome as were the moose we passed along the way. Saw a baby and her mum swimming across a river - magic! After four hours we arrived at McKinley Chalet resort. Took a white water rafting trip down the river. Great fun but glad I did not fall in the river as it was a very cool 37 degrees. The ice only melted on 6th May. There is an annual competition entered by people all over the world who try to predict the day, hour, minute and second that the first crack appears in the ice. It is measured by a pole balanced on some logs on the river. When the ice cracks the pole moves and as it does so pulls on a rope to which it is attached,. This rope stops a clock. This year a single mum with several children won in excess of $300,000. Might have a go next year as you can enter on line. Because there is twenty one hours of daylight it is very strange. Tiredness is never a factor although I guess it would be much different in the winter.

Monday 16th

Took a seven hour bus trip into the Denali National Park. There is only one ninety mile road in the park. Private cars are only allowed on the first fourteen miles, thereafter it is transport on foot or by park bus. Because of this very strict policy wild life abounds and the park truly is a wilderness. Vast stretches of mountains, tundra and magnificent views of mountains, water falls and snow still lying on the ground. Saw a grizzly bear eating berries as though his life depended on them, which of course it does. Grizzlies in the mountain areas eat thousands of berries to build up enough weight to get them through the winter whilst their counterparts near the coast eat salmon to build up fat reserves. The summer season is only four months long, starting mid-May and starting to become colder by mid-September so they don't have a lot of time to eat. The moose are magnificient. Their antlers are wonderful at the moment, a deep red in colour and just like velvet. There are some calves out with their mothers. Out in the wilderness one has to be more aware of moose than bears. Moose can apparently be very aggresive particularly when they have young around. In the evening went on a fixed wing flight in a tiny plane over the Alaska range of mountains. The weather was appalling as we took off, rain and mist and I thought it would be a pretty poor trip. How wrong was I? Mt McKinley or Denali as it is now called is the highest mountain in the USA. It was an incredible flight. Just as we approached the mountain through a rain storm the sun came out and bathed the mountain in gold and pink light, there was a double rainbow as well. It was so beautiful. The pilot tipped the plane sideways when we got to Denali so we could see tiny specks in the snow. They were climbers on their way down from the summit who had just made a successful climb. We could also see their base camps and other camps on the way up to the summit - incredible. We were the only plane that day to see the mountain because of mist and rain and we were so privileged.

Tuesday 17th

Caught the train again to go down to Anchorage. Yet more fabulous scenery that was mind blowing. Anchorage is not very awe inspiring. Of the 300000 people that live in Alaska, 200,000 live in Anchorage.

Wednesday 18th

Coach down to Portage Lake then cruise to the face of Portage Glacier. Everyone waited for ice falls but of course they never happen when you are around. Had a bit of spare time so decided to go off on one of the trails for half an hour. Not a good idea on your own. We had beeen told about the bears and that they were around. Went around the corner on this trail and saw a big pile what looked like black horse poo. The theory is if it is cold, OK; if it is warm, take care and if it is steaming, back up quickly making a lot of noise. I didn't get close enough or stay long enough to make a judgement on any of this. To say I retreated fairly quickly is an understatement. I was quite glad to get back to the coach......Back on the coach and on to Girdwood to stay at Aleyesky Ski Resort.

Thursday 19th

Walked with some friends to a gold mine up in the mountains. Saw bear prints and moose prints but not the real thing. Came back on another route - a total of seven miles in all but through outstanding scenery. Quite magical.

Friday. 20th

Should have boarded the ship today in Seward but we were told last night that there had been a bad outbreak of a Nova virus (that's what is sounded like even if it's not quite right). About 75% of the passengers had been ill. The options were to take another cruise, take our money back or go on the ship once it had been disinfected. I choose to wait in Seward for two days (courtesy of the shipping line) and will board tomorrow - Sunday - to cruise to Vancouver. As I had a spare day I have today been into the wilderness to a sledge dog kennel and had a ride on a summer sledge. The kennel we visited is where some of the competitors for the Ididarod race come from. The owner and dad of the people that run it now has won it twice. It has also been won by a lady who lived in the wilderness on her own. Rather her than me. I then visited another glacier and walked to the face, watched salmon jumping upstream into a lake. It was a brilliant day out and great fun. Have to see what the cruise brings........