SCHOLARSHIP DAY 7: Last day in Girdwood

I must just say before I go on to talking about today's adventures, it's great hearing from you on the email, on facebook and on the blog. I've been doing some rather successful Skype calls to my family over the week, and did a half-successful call to Mum and Dad last night.

I woke up to expect a tree protruding through the roof of the hostel, after last night's storm, but it seems that it avoided Girdwood. Walking to the 'Bake House Cafe' for breakfast, I didn't notice anything out of line as a result of the high winds. Leaves had fallen prematurely, and a few branches were scattered over the road, and I did spot a basket-ball net that must have fallen over, but other than that, Girdwood was looking it's usual self! I talk like I've been here all my life don't I?!

Having done the 'ordering breakfast' routine a few times now, I entered the cafe confidently and ordered the '76 special' (see yesterday's post for details on that) and told them exactly how I liked my eggs; sunny side up! It was, as usual, delicious and fit for a traveller. Flicking through the 'Coast' magazine, which is a local magazine for Alaska, I happened to stumble across several articles about being bear aware. It seems each day I read and hear more about these bears, but I still haven't stumbled across one. Now, I've said that, they're all likely to parade outside the hostel!

I proceeded next door, to the Alaskan Art Gallery. They have some really lovely paintings and photographs, along with different wooden crafts. It wasn't long before I met the shopkeeper, Nancy, and had a quick chat. She lives in Anchorage, and tells me that Anchorage was affected quite badly by the strong winds; trees had blown over and the electricity was off all night. School today for everyone has been cancelled, which isn't something that happens much here in Alaska following a storm event. Nancy also told me that trees in Alaska have small root systems and so it doesn't take much wind to bring them down; the small roots, obviously, because of the freezing and thawing ground. My chat with her ended with yet another warning about bears; it seems she has been affected by them badly, seeing a Black bear in her back garden and apparently her neighbour's dog was nearly attacked by two Grizzilies.

I then went on to take the shuttle to the hotel and the tram, and just before catching the shuttle bus, noticed this low lying cloud passing over the roofs of the Bake Shop and the Art Gallery. It's a stratus cloud, just if you're wondering.

As this was my last day in Girdwood, I planned to make use of most of the afternoon for hiking in the mountains. Just before I set off on my adventures amongst the glaciers, I decided to visit the 'Roundhouse Musuem' that perches on the mountain-top. It was built in 1960, and is distinctively octagonal. Once used as a meeting place, it is now used to present artefacts from Girdwood's past, including newspaper articles, hiking equipment and old photographs. I got speaking with the lady behind the counter and she seems to have her day planned out rather nicely: a complimentary tram ride to the musuem, great views all day, everyday, and then a lovely hike down the mountain after she finishes work.

 

I left the musuem to start what would be my last hike in Girdwood. The hike trail I took was nearly the same as yesterdays, but this time I proceeded precariously over an area of relatively deep ice, but it turned out that the area I wanted to walk on was actually a ski slope! Back I went!

I keep finding large clusters of what I believe to be White Quartz. In some areas of the mountain, these clusters are quite common. In actual fact, it's called Milk or Milky Quartz; the white appearance is caused when solid, liquid or gas gets trapped during crystallisation. I've picked a small 'nugget sized' one for my own collection but here's a much larger sample I picked up for a photo.

Another thing that is quite common on the trail are signs about 'artillery' shells on the mountain sides, and it was only until the Roundhouse Musuem that I learnt why there are shells scattered randomly around. Apparently, they're used for avalanche mitigation, which in Girdwood is very important.

The journey across the arete was lovely, and probably would have been even better had the stratus clouds disappeared. However, over the last couple of days I have come to the conclusion that the clouds are part of the mountains; it's part of the experience. So yes, it did bother me at first, but now, it makes the whole hike much more real. That should be the philosophy of every explorer in my opinion.

I returned to the cafe for some dinner, and to review my journal since I arrived. It's now been nearly a week since my landing here, but review my notes (or look at the blog) and it seems like a month! Making my way back to the hostel, I passed a family building a garage out of timber. As I promised yesterday, I did ask them whether timber buildings are better structually than concrete; the man answered me with a rather open answer: "it comes with its advantages and disadvantages". I did learn, however, that concrete has to be placed underneath foundations, otherwise buildings can literally slip and slide. This once again is to do with ground freezing and thawing processes. How more convinced I am over wooden buildings is questionable!

Girdwood has been quite different than Anchorage, in all sorts of ways. The lifestyle in Girdwood is primitive; the town relies fundamentally on tourism, particularly from the Ayleska Resort. It's mountain range hiking opportunities would keep every geographer thrilled; I've enjoyed my time here, but I'm also looking forward to Seward where I'm heading tommorow.

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 6: A wet day...and a strong storm coming!

I woke up to hear a fellow guest talking about a possible hurricane that would hit Alaska at about 4:00pm this afternoon. Well, I'm writing now at just gone 6:00pm, and despite the fact it may be a little windy, there is certainly no hurricane. Nevertheless, it wasn't the most re-assuring thing to wake up to considering that the hostel isn't built to withstand major storms; it's built amongst a forest and it doesn't take a geographer to understand why wind and trees might lead to property damage. The transport out of Girdwood isn't the best either. Shuttle buses go round the town every 30 minutes, but there's only three trains a day to another town (Anchorage or my next location, Seward).

My spirits were lifted slightly when I noticed a large stash of National Geographic Magazines tucked underneath a bench in the corner of the hostel. By army crawling underneath the table, I had a quick peek at them, but decided that I would investigate them later on. I left the hostel in the hope of another great breakfast. Today, I decided I would take the left turning out of the hostel to see if it would cut the journey time. Perhaps it did, but if it did, it only saved me maybe a few minutes. The houses I passed were once again made out of timber, some of them with very imaginative designs, and in contrast to the huts on my usual route downtown, they were built in a space of forest clearing, which allowed for a greater garden.

I ordered a 'Summer of 76' special at the Bake House for Breakfast. It's basically three sourdough pancakes, with bacon and egg; the man on the counter asked how I liked my eggs- sunny side up or sunny side down. Recalling a conversation with Dad about this a few months ago, I went for 'Sunny Side Up' which meant the yolk faced upwards and didn't spread all over the pancakes, which I think would have spoilt the taste of the pancakes. I did however decide to put some pure maple syrup on them, and perhaps went over the top in terms of the pouring! Why it was called the 'Summer of 76 Special' I didn't know. I was going to ask the man behind the counter but he was having difficulty in finding the 'Hot Chocolate' button on the till. A little bit of internet research has told me that Camille Seibert first created the special in 1976, and it was served to commemorate the bicentennial of the nation- so now both you and I know!

With every last pancake crumb eaten- yes, they're that good- I proceeded first to investigate 'New Girdwood Town'. In the 1964 earthquake, most of the old town was destroyed so a new one was built. On the way there, I noticed some very large Shasta daisy flowers.

A little further on my trip, I crossed a bridge over Glacier River. Glacier River eventually flows to the Turnagain Arm, and for the geographers, it is a 3rd order river, fed by the Winner Creek, the Crow Creek and another creek that isn't named on my map. The view from the bridge shows the river in turbulant flow, with several ripples, and an eyot, most probably made up of outwash glacial materials from the summer ablation.

Eventually the path meets the start of Girdwood New Town, if you can call it a town. By definition, it should really only be a village, and I noticed the amount of services (shops, cafes, restaurants and the post office) were quite high considering the small population of Girdwood and the fact that most of the population would cook for themselves anyway. I made my way through the town, firstly to see the school, which turned out to be a pretty long walk. I did, with perserverance, find it and went into the front reception to have a quick chat with an available member of staff. I did ask about how safe children were from bears and moose, and I was reassured that the fence surrounding the playing grounds was adequate yet sometimes in the winter, the occasional moose would be seen on the playground, as it would be easier to walk on. I was very kindly invited to take a walk along their 'Physics Trail' beside the 'Beaver Pond'; I decided to pass this up, and walk back to the town.

The New Girdwood Town is having quite a makeover at present, and no doubt the noise is having an effect on local wildlife. A six block and a four block house is being built out of timber. Alaska is on a fault line, and earthquakes are frequent, and I would have thought timber not to be the best material. Surely it doesn't insulate well as concrete either and it surely gets damp during the winter. I may be wrong, but it's something that I might well ask before I leave. Resurfacing roads is another part of the revampment at the moment. I asked a worker in the 'Greengoods Girdwood Pet Store' (a tongue twister) and apparently it's been happening all summer. I know that in some parts of Alaska, the thawing permafrost makes this an annual task but in Girdwood, it seems like this is just for aesthetics. I came out the shop with a bottle of Kombucha. Apparently, it's "Living food for the Living body" and is full to the brim with enzymes, probiotics and detoxifiers. To me, it tastes and smells like medicine.

The second half of the day I devoted to more hiking in the Chugach Mountains. Despite the adverse weather conditions, a walk in the mountains isn't something that people of my age have the opportunity to do everyday so I wanted to make use of every available minute of the day. I took a shuttle to the tram and proceeded up 2000 feet, to the start of the trail.

It must have been the windiest and wettest of all the days I've spent in Girdwood. Hiking up the trail certainly was tough on the legs, but it was well worth it when I reached the top.

I remember something that someone on the tram said; in the grim weather, you certainly do recognise the brightest of flowers. I couldn't identify the particular type of heather on the hill top, but it was very bright and contrasted the mist very nicely in my photographs. I headed back along an arete, very carefully too, as one loose footing would mean a fall of about 2000 feet. I safely made it back and dried off at the Glacier Express Restaurant with a meal and a hot chocolate, overlooking the mountain range.

NEWS ON THE STORM:

As I write this, a storm is brewing. It seems the hurricane that I mentioned earlier might have some truth, although I wouldn't class it as a hurricane- more like a winter storm. A major low pressure system is making its way down the coast; it's already hit Anchorage and is making its way down to the Turnagain Arm (where I'm staying). Gusts of up to 100mph are scheduled, and people living near rivers should watch out for raising river levels. I doubt it will affect me, but I may well see some damage tomorrow when I venture out. I shall let you know the latest, as and when.

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 5: Hike in the mountains of Girdwood

In the local newspaper, the first sentence reads: "Summer is upon us..." Well, you can't believe everything you read in the newspaper! I woke up to what would be my 5th day here in Alaska, and my 5th rainy day in Alaska too! Not feeling the urge to get out quickly, I slept in and made use of the comfy bed that Girdwood Hostel provides. It's not pocketspring like mine at home, but it doesn't squeak as badly as Anchorage Hostel beds, and doesn't therefore wake you up every 15 minutes.

I spent most of the morning at the hostel, doing some much needed admin on the computer. Emails to reply to; virus scans to run; blog updates. As I was sitting there, I did get the feeling that I was the most cheerful man in the hostel, as the other guests were crashing out on the sofa or their own bunks, frowning and not replying to my message of "Good Morning". Maybe it's just me.

I left the hostel and made way to breakfast at the 'Bake Shop'; a small little eaterie that I visited yesterday for dinner. It was on the way that I started to feel a little emotional; as if the whole scholarship had suddenly became reality. I've been away now for less than a week, but am still getting used to it like any traveller, and on the whole, it's all going great!

Breakfast was slightly special this morning; my very first American pancakes, with egg and bacon. With a hot chocolate, the whole meal went down a treat, and I'm sure I'll be going back there tomorrow. During breakfast, I got talking to a couple who had spent a night at the hostel I'm staying at. I caught 'Laura' as one of the names, and unfortunately didn't catch the second, but both were extremely nice. They come from Southern California and were suggesting loads of brilliant places to visit, and one of the things that I noticed was how proud they were of their own country. It's a rare thing these days to find people proud of the place they live in, but this made a welcomed change. Their off to Fiji to live soon; lucky people!

I set off after breakfast in what could only be described as manageable drizzle; (I could still take photos and stop at information points without being blown away!) One of the first stops I made was a gift shop called Jade House, and outside I noticed some large Jade boulders. Jade is used to describe two metamorphic rocks that are composed of silicate materials. Amongst the Jade, the other interesting photo opportunity were the hand crafted statues that apparently were crafted from eskimos themselves. I didn't call this phase of the gap year 'The Cultural Tour' for nothing!

Onwards, towards the Ayleska Hotel and Tram, I came across a familiar name. Here it's just the name of a road; back home, it means quite a lot to me!

I took the back entrance to the hotel and tram this time, although there wasn't anything particularly special about this new route. It turned out the hotel has quite an extended car park and I am sure, in the heart of the tourist season, this large parking facility is very much needed. What struck me, by this point, is how Girdwood wasn't affected by Labour Day. I know it would have in Anchorage but here in Girdwood, the shops were open, restaurants were serving, buses were travelling and the hotel was very much alive.

Inside the lobby, is a very large (possible life-size) model of a black bear. I noticed a man taking a photo for two ladies who desperately wanted a photo with both of them in it, and so I politely asked him if he would do the same for me. Luckily, he said yes!

I spent about an hour trying to dry off in the hotel cafe, and it gave time to browse through the Turnagain Times for information about Girdwood. It turned out to be a very educational spot; I never knew that Girdwood was once called Glacier City, but only renamed Girdwood to honour James Girdwood who arrived around 1900 and became a top prospector. With the drink finished and the reading complete, I decided to go to the gift shop before heading outside again. The shop holds some lovely stuff; great to see my Osprey Bag is being sold. The lady on the counter, Donnazasue, comes from Japan, grew up in Canada and visited Alaska on a holiday for two weeks. The holiday turned out to extend to 14 years and she now lives quite happily in Girdwood. She, along with everyone else, was very knowledgeable about the local area and offered me maps and suggestions for my couple of days left here.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon hiking; firstly taking a tram towards the top of the Chugach Mountains and I decided to do the trail that eases its way down the 2000ft mountain. What a trail! It offers great views, every minute, and also some great geography. A slate outcrop was the fist thing I noticed, and later a storm channel. The trail gives really good views of the surrounding town and the Turnagain Arm, and I think I may be right in saying that today was much clearer than yesterday which helped photo production. I met a lady on the way down who was holding some cow bells; a lot of hikers use these to alert bears of their presence. I, unfortunately didn't have them, but I think my singing was enough to make any bear run away!

 Upon reaching base level, I made my way to the 'Bake Shop' again and was planning on a sandwich of some sort. I was eventually tempted into the 'Sweet Roll and Butter' which was much more interesting than it sounds! The main ingredients are cinammon, raspberry sauce and raisens. There comes that point when you know you can't eat anymore, and I'm afraid it happened to me!

Making my way back to the hostel, I discovered my phone wasn't in its usual place and so made a quick dash to the Hiking Day Centre Toilets, and after 2 hours of it being there by the sink, it was still there! I only assume that there weren't many male hikers today, or at least, male hikers who badly wanted a phone!

Back at the hostel, this evening, I've become acquainted with two new guests and it just so happened that they were staying at the Anchorage Hostel and was on the bike trail a couple of days ago! What a small world. Tonight has been quite a night; I've watched illegal drug dealing taking place and discovered the man who sleeps on the bunk above me was once in jail for 19 months! Whatever next?

DAN'S WEEKLY VIDEO DIARY: Week 1 in Girdwood

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 4: Beluga Whales, Mountains and Glaciers

I was quite surprised- pleasantly surprised- when I peered out my hostel windows this morning. Blue sky was hovering over Anchorage, and the sun was peeking through some early morning cloud. Over the mountains, it still looked quite thundery, and I was pretty sure that the raincoat would make an afternoon appearance at some point.

I awoke pretty early, and checked out the hostel in Anchorage in good time to walk to the train station. My next location, Girdwood, is best accessed by the Glacier Discovery Train and it was scheduled to leave at 9:45am. The journey towards the train station took me through the market place where market traders were unloading and unpacking, ready for another day; I presume, Sunday markets are just as successful as Saturday ones. Outside the train station was a photo opportunity: the Alaska Railroad Engine #1 which was originally used in Panama, before it was refurbished in 1995 and brought to Alaska.

The ticket station was built in 1942 and maybe there are signs of wear and tear, but on the whole, it serves as a good waiting spot. I had the opportunity to buy a hot chocolate there, and the lady serving me recommended Girdwood as her mum often takes tours to see the mountains; it's always good to hear positive things about your next location!

 

Once again, I was lucky with the seating on the train; 19A was a window seat, and on the west side of the train where the best views were supposed to be, according to my 'Ride Guide' that I bought at a reasonable price of $5. The conductor, Harry Ross, apparently is the top dog when it comes to railway conducting in Alaska, although I never got a chance to chat to him and test his knowledge of the railroad. Although I had my Ride Guide, the journey had complimentary commentary by Dan, although on the 'mic' it sounded like Stan. With everyone seated, we left dead on time at 9:45am and immediately were given the safety announcements which I thought went on a bit, but I'm sure it gave commentator Dan some enjoyment.

The journey from Anchorage to Girdwood takes a coastal route, exiting south of the city and onto Turnagain Arm and Cook Inlet. As we left the city, I noticed gravel pits, and I'm told, gravel is very important for Alaska. It is placed underneath building foundations to prevent problems with thawing permafrost, although Anchorage itself isn't affected by permafrost. The gravel also is put along the train track and so mass production is significant, especially during the summer months.


Turnagain Arm is the name of the large water mass that accompanied most of the journey. It isn't deep, but it is very silty (something that Captain James Cook noticed when he made the discovery here). The muddy appearance is because this is an outwash plane from nearby glaciers. Geography students will know what I mean. We were passing it at mid-tide, but bore tides (a 15mph break at shallow water) have been seen here.

Beluga Whales are commonly sighted here, especially when salmon are running which is this time of year. The train came to a halt at one particular part of the route allowing me to get a photo. It would be my very first beluga whale sighting, and after the moose yesterday, I wondered what would be next!

Evetually, we arrived at Girdwood. Unlike Anchorage, there is no train station, just a shelter, emphasising the importance of pre-booking! Six people got off with me at Girdwood; two from Switzerland on a holiday, and four from the 'lower 48' or the rest of the USA. I became acquainted with two; a couple by the name of Farkas Worthy who are from West Virgnia, booked at a conservation conference in Girdwood. They were impressed, I think, with my itenary and when I mentioned L.A, they immediately gave me details of their son, who is a designer and artist but also very keen surfer there. A possible meet up later in the year?

The shuttle bus arrived later than scheduled, and it was nice to see transportation 'on the house' for once. It's radio was tuned into 88.9; back in England, it would be radio 2, but still the music coming from this one wasn't all that bad. Not that I had much time to listen to it; within minutes, I was being dropped off at the junction to Timberline. You can see why they call it Timberline; all the houses are made out of wood, and are mostly on stilts; the reason, as yet, I am not sure. Many of the residents were coming out to greet me and to offer help in finding the hostel.

I did eventually find it. The Hostel opens out to woodland and wilderness; it is, I suppose, very much like a small hut. All I can report from my welcoming here is a certain unheimlich atmosphere; one man was certainly not all there, asking if there was a koala bear in my rucksack. Payment was made; I was shown to my bed and I made a quick escape, and proceeded back to the town for a look around.

Girdwood used to be a mining town, but now it homes the Ayleska Resort; a large tourist destination, although I wouldn't say the town is structured very well for the visitor. There are little provisions in the way of food and drink, no shops at all, although I did find a cafe and had a smartie cookie. Nearby, I noticed a rock outcrop and a sign that Girdwood is very tectonically dynamic.

My next goal was to ride the tram to the mountains and a short walk through the forest led me there. On the way, I was greeted by a forest worker who informed me the trees were mostly Hemlock, White and Black Spruce. The tram is set amongst the Hotel Ayleska with a model moose and bear outside, along with a fountain and garden area. A student ticket for a tram is $17 but apparently this lasts all day.

The tram ride takes you up to about 2000 feet and it would be the first time I had ever seen a kettle hole in the landscape. The ride takes you to the base of quite a lot of hiking trails across the mountains and I proceeded up one, which offered me very good photo opportunities of glaciers, and the local Chugach Mountain Range, along with the Turnagain Arm in the distance. I was pleased to spot striation marks in the rocks, telling me which way the glacier was creeping, and was also very pleased to get up close to a glacial lip! More of this tomorrow I think!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 3: First Moose confrontation!

I forgot to mention yesterday, that on the way back from the Captain James Cook Monument, I found a $1,000,000 note on the ground, and for about an hour, I felt very excited. What would I do with the money; maybe I could extend the Scholarship and travel all over every state in the US? When I 'google searched' whether there was such a note, it turned out to be a fake. Apparently, it is legal to print such notes, but illegal to use them in a 'transaction'. All my hopes and dreams were shattered!

I awoke, today, to what I would describe persistant rain. There was no rush to get out, though, so I decided to take a shower and re-organise my bags. Waiting for an available bathroom at the hostel took longer than expected, and so I only managed to leave at just after 10:15am. My first job was to find the railroad station for tomorrow's train journey to Girdwood. I was surprised to find en route and quite near to the hostel, a man worse for wears, who had quite clearly slept outside in the cold all night. It was quite hard to believe as the hostel I'm staying at has available beds, at quite good prices. Oh well, you can't win them all.

The Train Station was very easy to find and so I proceeded to the next port of call for this morning; the Market Place. According to my guidebook, a Saturday Morning Market is something to see, and whilst my breath wasn't necessarily taken away by it, I did find some of the stalls quite interesting. There were about 3 or 4 aisles of market traders and one of these was clearly devoted to those who were peckish. People like me, as it happened!

It was all there; freshly squeezed lemonade, giant cookies for $3, reindeer hotdogs and Alaska fudge. I did, however, manage to resist the temptation of visiting and purchasing from each one, until the stall entitled: "All things Banana". I was very curious as to what was on the menu, and so I enquired. Essentially, a banana is clamped under two belts, and is made hollow by forcing a tube down the centre. Then, a sauce of your choice is pumped into the cut out tunnel in the middle of the banana, the banana is removed from the clamp, and one peels and eats this modified banana as they usually would do. I thought it quite an ingenious idea, and went for a strawberry sauce, although while eating considered whether nutella chocolate would have been even better!

After the excitement of 'All things Banana' I realised that it was lunchtime, and so proceeded to the mall on 5th avenue for lunch. On Floor 4 , there are fast food outlets galore, but the first that caught my eye when the lift doors opened was 'Subway'. I went for their 3 inch grilled flatbread egg, veg and cheese meal. Incidentally, the man serving me was then grilled himself by the manager as to why my meal was placed in the wrong bag, and memories of being a waiter and being grilled by restaurant managers returned. It was a pleasant surprise, however, to see 'Dr Pepper' on tap; not something I see often in the UK, although I'm not a regular visitor to the fast food outlet, let it be known now!

I wrote up my notes after my 'sub' and continued down 5th avenue to Pablo's Cycle Hire, to do the Tony Knowles 11 mile cycle trail. Tony Knowles, if I'm not mistaken, is the mayor (or was the mayor) of Anchorage and so a cycle path that follows the coastline south of the city for 11 miles is named after him. Pablo's Cycle Hire unfortunately wasn't open but there was an alternative across the road. For 3 hours, a bike was mine. (No helmet as I was advised the trail was on a safe marked out concrete path, although I was also advised that my bike was particularly comfy, and let's just say I wouldn't have wanted to try an uncomfortable one!)

The Tony Knowles Cycle Trail, as I said, runs for 11 miles, but it isn't a circular trail so those who dare go 11 miles, must also dare doing another 11 back! The path meanders mostly around a deciduous woodland, with dense vegetation, red-berried plants, and some of it edges very near to a vertical drop of about 15 feet. It's popular with walkers and runners, cyclists and simply those who want to get out the hustle and the bustle of the city. Through the trees, on a clear day, the views of the mountain ranges would be enough to do all 11 miles and back; today though, the raincoat hood was on, and my view was restricted to what lay straight ahead of me.

Along the trail, is Alaska's Earthquake Park; a park devoted to explaining to visitors about the 1964 Earthquake, which left many injured, if not dead, buildings shattered, roads twisted and vehicles leaking oil into precious ecosystems. The information boards really did cover the earthquake well and warned of the dangers of a repeat in the future. The only criticism I would have is it's explanation on the Richter Magnitude Scale where it states "5.0 Richter is 30x greater than 4.0" Well, the shaking amplitude as it is known is only 10x greater, but the energy released is 30x greater. Not of massive significance, but inaccurate and annoying to any geologist!

Following the Earthquake Park, the numbers of joggers, walkers and cyclists decreased, and I suspect many just use the trail to visit the earthquake park, before returning back to the city. The vegetation gets more dense and the paths are more sinuous; surface run off loaded with humus makes the paths quite dirty, and eventually my jeans were very muddy. It was about 8 miles along the trail that I had my very first moose confrontation. I was coming round a corner, and all of a sudden, there it was in the middle of the path. I am not joking when I say it was my height, with antlers. I quickly remembered the procedure mentioned in my guidebook; stay still and let it pass. I did, and it did eventually pass me; obviously well tamed by the numbers of cyclists it has probably seen. Deciding it was safe enough to do so, I cycled on but turned back to try and see the moose again, this time armed with my camera. Well, I did pass it again, but it was quickly making its way into the woodland and so I never got my photo. Having said that, my moose encounter was enough for one bike ride and I returned back to the city. On my way, I passed a man who is a keen photographer of Alaskan Wildlife, and apparently has seen quite a few moose in his time! His company is Freeze Alaska and from his website, I think his name is Shane. Apparently, if a moose's antlers are propped back, they are angry and might charge. I shall remember that!

I returned back to the hostel to get clean, and to write up my notes. Getting into my room however proved difficult, and it appears that over the course of the day, my key card had lost its magnetism, which meant a bit of a wait in the queue at the hostel office, over the road.

The next and last on my itenary today was to watch the 'Aurora Documentary' at the Anchorage Theatre. I just made the 5:00pm performance, and managed once again to get a student price without ID and also an extra $1 off by being a resident of the Alaska Backpackers Hostel! The film was very good; featuring collections of some of the most wonderful auroras since 1981. It's a project that has been managed by Dave Parkhurst and I do recommend checking out his website: www.TheAlaskaCollection.com . There is also some wonderful music playing in the background that sent many of the audience asleep- but not me, surprisingly! It has certainly made me more excited to see the auroras for myself, when I get to Fairbanks in a few weeks time.

It was a nice way to end my few days here in Anchorage. One more night at the Backpackers Inn, and then tomorrow, I'm off to Girdwood!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 2: Exploring Anchorage

For my first night in Alaska, and indeed my first night at a hostel, I am pleased to say I had a good night's sleep, only waking up once at about 5:45am. Over the road, there seemed to be a crowd of young people shouting; it's not all rosy in Alaska! Since my last entry, I have met the second of my two present room-mates. Victor works considerably in Alaska, although at present I'm not sure what in, but he finishes at about 10:00pm so I'm assuming maybe a shift-based job, possibly at a local cafe or restaurant. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough!

I stepped out the hostel this morning to a cold breeze, and light intermittant rain. Not enough to stop and put on the large waterproof coat that I spent most of last night trying to dry! My hostel has self catering facilities when it comes to breakfast, and although there is a stock of some food and drink, I decided to explore what the rest of Anchorage had to offer. My quick search of 4th Avenue was not successful; most cafes were open from 11am, not 9:00am unfortunately, so I had no choice but to settle for Starbucks. Reading that back, it sounds like I would have preferred not to have dined in Starbucks if I could avoid it; thr truth is, from experience, they always charge more than what you actually get. Knowing this, I made my order carefully, although there wasn't much selection in the way of food. A pumpkin muffin was there at $2.25; instead, I went for a croissant. More bland, yes, but also more cheap! It went down well with a hot chocolate.

My day from there would be in two halves. From looking at the local weather forecast the night before, I predicted rain in the morning more likely than the afternoon, so it was off to the Anchorage Musuem. The musuem is set in a very nice location, with a large green and decorative flower displays. Upon my journey towards the entrance, I saw a group of young people with bags; they were picking up rubbish and I presumed community service. They were my age, and I decided not to question further!

The Anchorage Musuem is a must see. An adult's ticket is $12 but at the desk the lady was kind enough to offer me a student ticket, without asking for ID. For $9, I thought it very very good value. It was also nice that they provided lockers, so that I could take the weight off my back and give my rucksack a break. The musuem has many levels; on ground floor is the art gallery and I proceeded there first. Not being a massive art lover, I didn't know what to expect, but I came out very moved by some of the paintings. Among the great names the gallery is honoured to present is the world famous Sydney Lawrence; (1865-1940 if my memory serves me correctly). Seeing his paintings of Venice (St. Mark's Square to be precise) brought back lovely memories of a family holiday I had there. There amony his collection, too, was a painting of St. Ives, in Cornwall. I later found out that he had visited St. Ives and had done some art work in Britain as well as Alaska. Perhaps the most grand of paintings was Mount McKinley. Its the highest mountain range in North America, and Lawrence painted it very well. It was popular with people with cameras; people like myself!

The next room was most certainly my cup of tea: the Discovery Centre, split into two further rooms. The first was very much geographically themed, with a lot of hands- on artefacts. I was able to listen to glaciers creeping, thanks to someone who had taken a geologists microphone to one nearby. A water cyclinder demonstrated the differences between laminar and turbulant flow, and there was also a wave machine. Earlier last year on this blog I reported on a programme about waves; there was a wave generator very similar to the one I had seen in the programme. As Alaska is on the Pacific Ring of Fire, there were a lot of 'earthquake' machines where you could build a house and test it's strength against different sized earthquakes. A liquefaction machine also gave me a chance to test whether my house would survive a common Alaskan earthquake; unfortunately, not! The next room was the 'Physics' centre, where one could play with a cosmic ray machine and the electromagentic spectrum. There was a 'rocket launcher machine' where I tried to launch a plastic bottle into the air, but the instructions for the different buttons got all too much for me! I did, however, manage to observe myself under a heat-absorbance camera. The only area I am essentially losing heat is my face, which proves my specialised insulative clothing actually works!
Upstairs, was the 'Alaskan History Gallery'; ample with artefacts from the recent and historic past. I happened to approach it backwards as it turned out, but still a very informative room. There was a great deal of information regarding oil extraction and indeed, the pipeline. I happened to walk into a guided tour group at the 'pipeline' artefects and so listened intently to the lady doing the tour. I was excited to hear mentionings of permafrost, and the complicated system the pipeline has to prevent the thawing of it. There was no actual description of permafrost though, and so I assumed it was just common knowledge! 
The last set of artefacts were all about Mount McKinley, and I spent a while gazing at the instruments used from the early expeditions, and comparing them with modern tools. A wall asking visitors "Why do you climb mountains?" was also interesting. A lot of people had written something very inspiring; the fact that mountain climbing helps you to find your inner self, although you sometimes came across a very clever comment like "Because the bus never takes you up there". Pondering why I would ever climb one, I bought a latte and wrote up my notes. Very happily bought by the way, because the latte was made properly, unlike the machines I saw at Starbucks!

The second half of the day was spent doing a self guided city walk, around many of Anchorage's most famous landmarks. I started at the city cemetry on 9th Avenue; a vast space devoted to remembering those who had once lived in Anchorage. I am told that Sydney Lawrence is buried here, although my quick walk around to find the tomb, proved unsuccessful! The city tour took me to see Delaney Park; a strip of land devoted to recreation. The USA Flag was flying away, although when I got to it to take a photo, it had been cast down. No one around the area was available to tell me why though. I made my way to the old city hall, the centre for Performing Arts, and the Whale Wall Murals. It wasn't the first time I had seen these whales; I passed them yesterday. I read from my information sheets that these were painted by Robert Wyland; apparently, he has done this type of thing all over the world!






Building design is something of interest here; even the car parks are asthetically pleasing! (See below whale photo)

 

 

My city tour continued and I saw the Wendler Building (the oldest building in Anchorage) and also the Egan Convention Center. I didn't go in these, but I did go in the Anchorage Mall. It wasn't on the list of 'things to see' but I was curious as to what shops were in there. Quite a few, in actual fact, spread over 5 levels. I was wandering around, and got talking to a lady who offered me some flavoured tea. Her company is TeaVana and are spreading their branches all across the country! The samples I tried made a refreshing change. I asked about how popular teat was, and she replied that coffee was much more popular. She was very interested in Yorkshire Tea, and what England generally did 'tea-wise'. It seems the American's aren't one for adding sugar and sweetners! She asked me to talk more, but I soon found out that she enjoyed my accent just as much as I had enjoyed the tea samples; "Talk some more; your voice is cute." The conversation then went on to talking about regional accents, rather than regional tea.

The last part of my city tour was at the Captain James Cook Monument, in the Discovery Park, on the coast. I found myself reading about Yorkshire and Whitby and so memories of good ol' Britain returned. Behind the monument were grand views of the coast. I've noticed that Sea-planes are very popular here; I saw five at a time from this monument! In the distance I thought I saw what would have been my very first bear sighting, although when brought up thanks to the aid of my digital camera, it turned out to be a buoy. Oh well, maybe another day!  

 

 

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 1: Arriving into Anchorage, Alaska

I have to admit, it felt a little weird, as I arrived with my parents at Heathrow this morning. I say "this morning" but I'm sitting here writing this under the influence of jet lag, so it might be more accurate if I said 28 hours ago. Heathrow Terminal One, proud to be known as one of the most busiest and vibrant city airports the UK has, was uncharacteristically quiet. I noted a very 'dead' atmosphere from what would, later on in the day, be a very busy terminal. This point aside, typical airport behaviour was still evident: one person outstretched on a row of 5 or 6 seats, a group of very tired tourists wandering aimlessly around, and security personnel standing and supposedly looking tough! I enjoyed a 'last drink' with my parents; a medium hot chocolate at Costa Coffee, which was doing good business for 1:00am. I thought £2.60 a little overpriced for a hot chocolate, but I realised this was to be expected.

Sitting there and sipping away, I suddenly became very tired. The larger bag I have out of the two I'm taking is not easy to hold, so I was pleased to say "goodbye" to the 10.3 kg when the baggage disposal counter became available. After saying my final farewells to Mum and Dad, the next job was passing security, and I must say how surprised  I was at the sure speed of the security process. One conveyor belt; one screening monitor; a couple of staff and no questions asked. I was told to expect long question and answer sessions and individual baggage checks, but this wasn't the case, fortunately.

To get to America, I had to travel firstly to Frankfurt, Germany. I have tried for a couple of days now to find out why, in particular, Frankfurt but all I have come up with is the fact that Condor Airlines- the company I am using to reach the states- is a German based company and only operates from a German airport. The flight to Frankfurt was just as quick as the Heathrow security checks! I was unfortunately dozing in and out, and I reckon a more alert passenger would have wanted my window seat.

Frankfurt International Airport's system is very different to that of the UK's, and it took a few minutes to get my head around it. It wasn't just me either; a young man- slightly older than myself- was asking around, and getting, what it seemed, little in the way of answers. To reach America, I would be taking the DE 4066 Condor flight which meant a long walk to gate 19, although when I got there, there seemed to be little urgency. A couple of the terminal personnel were having a right ol' laugh at some of the passengers names; I thought this a little unprofessional, but after a long morning already, and the thought of a long flight coming, I enjoyed sharing a chuckle.

So, the actual flight to Anchorage took a surprising route. I imagined it would have either gone east over China, or west over the Atlantic, but in actual fact, the plane took what now seems to be the most efficient route; over Scandinavia and the Arctic, over Greenland and into Alaska that way. Travelling at 33395 feet, and again next to a window, the views out of my little shade of glass were quite popular with the other passengers who all seemed to be using my window to take photos out of. We went at about 579mph, although you wouldn't have thought it, because the flight was very long.

For my first trans-Atlantic flight (although we weren't going over the Atlantic as I said) I was a little disappointed with the dinner; I woke up from a nap, looking at a vegetarian dish. Potato and Vegetable bake, accompanied by lemon cheesecake, and what I thought was a flapjack, although it soon turned out to be two very tightly squeezed pieces of bread. Two words about the bread: not eaten!

We arrived at Anchorage, ahead of schedule, at about 10:48am. The views immediately prior to landing were stunning; the meandering Yukon river was reflecting the low morning sun, and as we got closer to Anchorage airport, a number of different geographical landforms could be identified- well, if you knew what they were, that is. Deltas, eyots, mudflats- they were all there, and I noted a large proportion of land being managed carefully for farming. Giant box-shaped farms surrounded by conifer-like trees. Little was being grown though, and I suspect the discontinuous permafrost might have a part to play in that.

The views upon arrival of the majestic mountain ranges were stunning; what wasn't so stunning was the weather, which had decided to open the heavens as soon as we touched down. It wasn't reassuring to see one of the ladies, unloading baggage from the plane, literally throw people's things through the air, but this in comparison to the long wait I had to come would be fine.

The 'customs' queue cancelled out Heathrow's quick and easy process very easily. When I eventually reached one of the armed and uniformed guards behind the counter, it turned out I needed to have filled out a form, so back to the end of the queue I went. What annoyed me slightly after this was the fact that apparently I actually didn't have to fill this out after all, and to top my first US Customs experience off, I was sent into a special room where my bag was searched religiously, and questions were asked. "What's the difference between college and university" was one of them, as was "What jobs can you get with a degree in Physical Geography" and "Why are you so interested in Permafrost?" The whole experience for a while did dis-motivate me a tiny bit, but I proceeded to the tourist information desk where there, in contrast, I had a lovely conversation. The lady, whose name looked like Trudy on her ID, apparently once worked at the Alaska Backpackers Inn, 25 years ago; my residence for the next couple of days. She was working right next to the giant Polar Bear that many guide books refer to as the first in a long line of bears one will see when they enter Alaska.

A quick phone call home, and then I was on my way again; this time, into Downtown by shuttle. The shuttle buses are somewhat different to UK buses. Firstly, the conductor doesn't provide change- "We can't magic change!"- so I ended up unfortunately paying $2 for a $1.75 ticket. Secondly, you don't actually receive a ticket as such after paying. Thirdly, when the bus enters different streets or a different road, an automatic voice naming the street or road can be heard; very useful for the tourist!

I entered Downtown with the mission of firstly finding my hostel, which turned out to be a longer walk than I expected. In any case, I was far too early for checking in, so I decided to do a small tour of 4th Avenue; the avenue that I'm staying on for the next few days. It was doing this tour that I happened to be acquainted with US Road Crossing Procedures, which are very much different to the UK's. You have to cross the road in a certain time, and a sign counts down how long you have to cross; an idea that was on the UK news a few months ago.

Deciding that I would have my main meal on this tour, as opposed to later on, I found a nice cafe which doubled up as a convenience store. I had the Halibut and Fries and a Dr Pepper, and I must stress that I'm on a budget! Incidentally, all that came to $15 which I'm still working out whether it was a rip off or not. I left the cafe, to greet more rain, but I decided to walk on and continue to explore more of 4th Avenue. There's all sorts down here; many different restaurants and it's refreshing not to see someone outside trying to tempt you with deals, as is so often the case.

Picking up a few leaflets from the tourist information desk, it started to rain more persistently, and at last, I could make use of the 'Bag Waterproofing Material' I had bought. I'm not so sure I should be happy to be using it or not, on my first day.

By the time I had returned to the hostel, it was 4:00pm and time for me to check in. The rooms are wonderful for the price, and are decorated with motivational graffiti such as "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose the shore". I have just been speaking to my room-mate Kevin. He's here in Alaska working in the cement trade at present, but he loves photography and more importantly, he loves exploration. Sounds like we could get on! I better Skype my family now. Until tomorrow, goodbye from Anchorage!

DAN'S AMERICA TRAVEL DIARY- Pre Departure

Well, time just flies by doesn't it! I'm almost ready to go on the biggest experience of my life so far! Here's my 'Pre-departure arrangements video' to start off my series of weekly video diaries.

A Message from Dan...

 

Not very long now before I head off- here's a little message for you!

 



 

The Best of Norfolk- PART FOUR

Dan leaves the country in less than a week, to go to America on a Gap Scholarship he received from the Royal Geographical Society. In this, his latest four-part series, he celebrates the aspects of Norfolk he will most certainly miss. To conclude the series, in this programme, Dan takes a look at some of his Norfolk memories and visits the places that made them.

A LEVEL RESULTS DAY- Dan's reaction

I would like to say a big "congratulations" to all those who received results from their A Level Examinations yesterday, and a further "well done" to those who managed to secure a place at their chosen university. I, for one, am celebrating the opportunity I will have to read Physical Geography at the Royal Holloway, in Surrey. It is, arguably, the best university, I think, for this particular strand of Geographical Higher Education and I am looking forward to working amongst fellow keen geographers like myself!

From what I understand from a report released from the Royal Geographical Society, Geography seems to be getting more popular; great news for people like me who are continually promoting the subject. There was an increase in the number of students sitting Geography A levels this year; 32,005 students across England, Northern Ireland and Wales took their A2 exams this year and 45,923 sat AS Exams. Collectively, that is 3.9% higher than 2011.

One of the things that was going through my mind yesterday was whether academic excellence and high level attainment are any substitute for subject passion. Are they compactible? Does one naturally get top results if they are 100% passionate about the subject?

Not for me, and maybe not for you either. I have 200+% passion for Geography; the subject and the way it is delivered. I put in hundreds of extra hours into it; well, 'Geography with Dan' is just one example. But, I certainly don't receive the highest results all the time. Flip the coin, and let's consider someone who actually does get the top grades. Not just in a few exams, but in every exam. This person will most likely to have read the textbook inside and out, learning it by rote, so that no question can stumble him or her on the exam day. Does he have time to explore around the subject? Does he find time just to sit there, sipping on a latte, cruising through undergraduate papers and professional journals? Probably not.

So what's my point here? Well, academic excellence is to be encouraged, without a shadow of a doubt. But a strict, military-like approach to learning the information for the exam, I don't think, is always the way to go. We want and, more importantly, need people to think outside the box. The world requires those who can think just as broad as they do deep, and not those who knows what colour the sub-heading is on page 34 of their textbook.

In short, to those going to study at universities in September, high grades are most certainly significant but shouldn't be a substitute for passion. Explore the subject. Ask questions. Debate answers. Have passion.

My very best wishes to all those going to a university of their choice, particularly those who are going on to further explore the wonderful world of Geography.

The Best of Norfolk- PART THREE

Dan leaves the country in less than a month, to go to America on a Gap Scholarship he received from the Royal Geographical Society. In this, his latest four-part series, he celebrates the aspects of Norfolk he will most certainly miss. In Part Three, he selects three things that he will be sad to part with. Next week, in Part 4, he selects photos from his childhood and revisits the sites where they were taken.

Three weeks to go!! AND COUNTING...

There's a great sense of anticipation at the moment in the Evans household! It's now just over two weeks before I get dropped off at Heathrow Airport, and start my 5 month Royal Geographical Society Scholarship. Yes, five months- split into what I am calling the 'Three Phases'. By this, I mean 3 months in Alaska, 2 months travelling down the West Coast of the USA, and 1 week in Toronto, Canada! Why so little time in Canada? Well, it's not that I dislike the Canadians; in fact, I originally planned to spend at least a month there. Since my original plans were made, (some time ago now), money has been spent, cuts to the plans have been made, and ultimately, savings too!

A lot of money! I am writing ahead of what will be, no doubt, the biggest and greatest experience of my life. Having said that, trips cost and due to the fact that some of the areas I am visiting are classed as 'Cold Environments', the equipment we have had to get are built for purpose, or in other words, specialist. Knowing the extent of the expenditure, would I go back in time and change things? Cut a few months out? Stay in Europe?

Of course not! The 5 months, as they are currently set out, are all very important. In Alaska, I will be living in a Cold Environment and as a keen geographer, I am looking forward to comparing the primitive lifestyles of the typical Alaskan community against the capital intensive, sophisticated lifestyes of a Seattle resident. Indeed, how does Seattle compare with Los Angeles? (If you're a bit rusty on your maps, Seattle is about 1140 miles North of Los Angeles!) My first impressions of Toronto will perhaps be my only impressions in this trip, because of the short length of stay I have there. However, I do hope to make some observations and assess these against the other two 'phases'.

So, in three weeks time, expect BIG changes to 'Geography with Dan'. I know many will not get the opportunity to do a trip of this nature at my age, so I do hope my blog will be a virtual guide around some of the Americas. Expect daily reports! Expect photos! Expect a weekly video diary! Oh, and I think I might add a weekly quiz question in there for good measure! So, add 'Geography with Dan' to your favourites. Tell your friends! Even if you're not a keen geographer, I do hope that my experience will inspire you to explore more of this wonderful planet!

A different kind of Olympics

I had a 3 hour trip earlier this week, to West Sussex for a filming shoot and, as often is the case, I killed the time by reading some of my National Geographic Magazines. It felt fitting to browse my 500+ magazines for articles on past Olympic Games. The October 1964 article offered information regarding the 'modern games' and the July 1996 article celebrated 100 years of the modern Olympic sports. May 2008 focused on the Beijing Olympics whilst the August 2000 issue provided a glimpse at the Sydney Games.

The May 1984 issue, however, I brought with me by accident. It did not contain an article which reviewed past, present or future games, nor did it offer any sport-related article. My database was right in selecting this magazine to go with me on my travels, as I soon realised when I started searching the journal. It featured an article on The Olympic Peninsula.

Excited about the prospect of having a break from sport related reading, I continued to explore the article. I must say although I will be about 40 miles East of the National Park later this year (when I   enter Seattle) I have to admit my lack of knowledge for this landmass. From reading the 80s article, I got the first impression that despite it being geographically close to a highly developed and sophisticated culture,  the Olympic Peninsula is strictly in-keeping with its old cultural traditions. It's inhabitants follow nature's calendar, living to the rhythms of flora and fauna, as if animal-like themselves.

Geologically, the World Heritage Site was born as part of an offshore oceanic ridge, "swivelled to its present position during a massive tectonic shift". There's no doubt about its tectonic dynamics; it's "jagged peaks" that form Mount Olympus demonstrate the power of Physical Geography, and the inability of human control. The glaciers carve channels and cut off the migrationary path of snakes, bears, and wolves; all of which are common in parts of Alaska and Canada. (Don't remind me!)

It was through reading this article that I realised there were a lot of interconnections between the sport related Olympics and the National Park; it's not a coincidence that the park is named the 'Olympic' Peninsula. The Olympic Peninsula contains the "pounding surf of Pacific beaches to lush rainforests" for which there is "profound respect for nature's reign". Only this last week, billions have looked up and respected the reign of Bolt in the 100m Sprint, Murray in the Tennis, Hoy in the Cycling. The public, as ever, are proud to be part of their own country and respect the sports-men and sports-women who make life long sacrifices to win gold, just as the small communities of the Olympic Peninsula respect and are proud to be part of such an untouched wilderness.

We're only halfway through the 2012 Games, and already it is clear from watching the TV coverage and scanning the newspapers, that the younger generation are becoming more and more inspired by the efforts of the athletes, the swimmers, the rowers, the jumpers; the sportspeople. They will fuel themselves with motivation and determination by watching this older generation aspire for excellence, much like how the moss and the saplings feed off the nourishment from centuries old wind toppled trees in the Olympic Peninsula.

In all aspects of life, we can make interconnections between the physical and human environment; it's what Geography is all about. The Olympic Peninsula was never named after the Olympic Games, to my knowledge, nor vice versa, but the fact still remains; there are many similarities between the two; the person who can identify this, I think, is a true geographer.

The Games might be classed as the 'Greatest Show on Earth', but I would be hard pressed to make a decision between a seat at the 100m final and a seat on the summit of Mount Olympus.

The Best of Norfolk- PART TWO

I leave the country in less than a month, to go to America on a Gap Scholarship I received from the Royal Geographical Society. In this, my latest four-part series, I celebrate the aspects of Norfolk I will most certainly miss. In Part Two, I select three things that I will be sad to part with. Parts 3 and 4 will follow on every Wednesday in this month.

THE BEST OF NORFOLK: Part One

Watch Part One of Dan's Brand New Four-Part Series, 'The Best of Norfolk' right here.

With just 30 days to go before Dan leaves the country, he celebrates aspects of Norfolk life that he will most certainly miss. Parts 2 will be released next Wednesday!

Dan's NEW four-part series: 'The Best of Norfolk'

It's official! It's about a month now before I go to America for my 5 month Gap Scholarship around Alaska, Western USA and Canada. Despite the fact that I am very excited to be going on what will be a 'trip of a lifetime', I will be sad to leave such a wonderful and varied country, and even more sad to leave Norfolk; the county that has been my home for the last 18 years.

So, every Wednesday in August, join me to celebrate the aspects of Norfolk that I will miss the most. There'll be some obvious choices, and some not so obvious, but all are undoubtedly the things that I associate with Norfolk.

Join me then, tomorrow (Wednesday 1st August 2012), for the start of my latest Four-Part Series, 'The Best of Norfolk'. You can watch by viewing my blog, or my you tube channel 'TV Geog', and if you're a Facebook friend, then check my wall out tomorrow as well.

Geography with Dan: An 'Olympic Special' Feature

Today is a historic day for Great Britain, as the most popular international sporting event officially begins. The 2012 Olympics is finally here after years of planning, building and organisation and I must say I'm getting pretty excited about it all. Billions of pounds have been spent to make sure the next two weeks go off without a hitch, making it a safe and secure games, whilst ensuring it can be enjoyed and accessed by everyone.

It's not just a fantastic time for promoting Sport and Fitness, but I think, a brilliant moment to reflect on how important the Olympics are for Geography. Millions of people around the planet have travelled thousands of miles to join those living in the UK in order to share a sporting event that will leave a legacy not just for the athletes, but for everyone who has been a part of it.

The Olympic Torch Relay has put the 'United' into 'United Kingdom', because eventhough the games are concentrated in London, the relay has travelled across the country ensuring those in the highest and the remotest parts of this wonderful group of islands, are able to be part of it.

Now the day of the opening ceremony has arrived, seven years after the bid was won, the Olympic Symbol will most probably mean something different to the 7 billion people on the planet. For the athletes, it will mean a life long journey of hard work, commitment and dedication to their chosen sport. For those watching on TV sets all around the world, it will mean an opportunity to be inspired to get out and take part in a sport themselves.

For me, it means so many things, but I think the symbol in some ways represents what Geography is all about. A range of different cultures, traditions, peoples and communities from all around the world demonstrating unity and togetherness; 7 billion sharing and being part of Earth's biggest international event; a time to put conflicts and political arguments aside and enjoy what will be one year to remember.

So, when you're next watching the games either on the TV or, if you've been lucky to get a seat in the venue, take a moment to pause and reflect on the 'Geography of the Olympics'. And hopefully it will inspire you, not just to take up and continue a sport of your own, but to consider just how important Geography is in all our lives.

Virtually follow me...All Around America!

Well, not long now until I venture off to America. Remember you can read all about my experiences daily on this blog, and here's a little preview to my weekly video updates!



Geography is everywhere! And here's how!

It's the Summer Holidays; it must be, as the other day, I found that I was walking aimlessly around the local library. I don't usually have time for such things, unfortunately, but I must admit throughout my aimless 'browsing', I stumbled on a whole section of Geography books I hadn't previously seen. Not my fault either, as the label above the stand read "History"! Well, if you're a budding geography reader and like just picking a spine or two, then investigate other sections of the library. You never know, there could be hydrology in 'Crafts and Arts', geology in 'Poetry' and climatology in 'Psychology'.

It got me thinking though. Despite the fact that there is a clear section devoted to Geography, every subject has got, in varying degrees, an embellishment of Geography in them. I decided to prove this, so I went to random aisles and picked up three random books.

The first was a short little book by John H Arnold, called History: A Very Special Introduction. I didn't read all of it, but just a few pages; just enough to be satisfied that History had some connection and relevance to Geography. Indeed, it seems to! Arnold describes History to "begin and end with questions" and classifies the subject therefore as "a process". Well, Geography is very similar. Geographers come up with processes (like longshore drift, stoping, and isostatic adjustment) by asking questions: how, when, where and why? When their theories are accepted, peer geographers continue to delve deeper into the subject asking further questions: "so why does this happen here and not there?" or "is it sustainable?" Geography therefore could likewise be called a process, as Arnold believes History to be.

The next book I randomly selected was a  Philip Swindells work called Formal Ponds and Water Gardens. I was very pleased to stumble across some geographical references in his Introduction. Did you know that water gardens have had a very long and fascinating history? They developed "out of the need to bring irrigation to crops" in the "Middle and Far East" in "warm or mild climates". In other words, they developed originally to combat the particularly difficult climate that the Middle and Far East is well known for; climatology is a branch underneath the hierarchy that is Geography.

I decided to finish this rather unscientific study of the literary interconnections between Geography and the rest of the world with a look at Fiction. By no means a classic, but the book I randomly selected was Saki's A Shot in the Dark. In the first chapter, one of the characters buys a couple of paintings; "two views from Durham Cathedral". I had only been filming at Durham's Cathedral last week, so I instantly made the geographical link. Durham Cathedral was built around an incised meander, on a hill which, back in the day, provided good views of invasions in the surrounding area, and the river provided defence. It's not surprising therefore that the paintings came from Durham Cathedral and no surprise that one of the characters in the text bought two of them.

So, my little experiment has proven to some extent that Geography is literally everywhere; read between the lines in nearly any book, and you'll find some sort of Geographical references. It passed the time for me, anyway! Try it yourself!

44 DAYS TO GO...FOLLOW ME EVERYWHERE I GO...

So, you've probably been wondering what had happened to me these last few months! Indeed, 'Geography with Dan' hasn't been updated for quite a while, but prepare...

Soon, in 44 days time in fact, I will be starting my Gap Year Scholarship to America. Travelling through Alaska, the Western Strip of USA and Canada, I will be investigating the melting of Permafrost, and also sight-seeing in some of the most famous cities of the world.

At present, I am really busy in getting things ready for this trip. I've purchased the boots already- they're great- and I'm currently typing on my brand spanking new laptop, which I shall be taking to the states with me to update this blog, (more on that in a sec!) I am yet to buy a camera and, probably most significantly, a pair of gloves and a jolly good ol' hat!

What's probably most exciting of all is the fact that throughout the 5 months, I will be updating this blog every night. So what can you expect from Geography With Dan from the 30th August 2012?

• DAY TO DAY LIVE UPDATES OF MY LOCATION AND ACTIVITIES
• INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOS AND COMMENTS
• A WEEKLY VIDEO DIARY

You can literally follow me everywhere I go. And please do email on daniel.evans994@yahoo.co.uk .
Finally, why not make it easier to get to Geography with Dan? Make it one of your favourites!

We'll wear the weather, whatever the weather...

For those who are surprised about the weather the UK has experienced in the last few months, it seems a percentage of the population have forgotten their first school Geography lesson. The UK has a temperate climate.

It is part of this planet's make-up that makes us decide what to wear in the mornings. Yesterday, Norfolk experienced a period of high pressure; I dressed accordingly with a thin top and shirt. It was so hot that I even managed to slip in a sunbathing session in at lunch. Today, as I write this, my bus is dodging the pond-like puddles, formed from a night of constant wet weather. I am back to woollen jumpers and jeans!

The UK is situated in a temperate climate zone and should experience a wide range of weather. It is due to this meteorological diversity that we get such a vast array of wildlife. If anything, we should feel lucky to experience the odd shower or two.

But I do, in some ways, understand the anxiety. Predicting the long term weather in the UK is becoming difficult what with 'erratic' weather patterns. I've always agreed with the notion that the seasons in a temperate climate are constantly shifting. Maybe the rain that the country is experiencing currently will turn into an annual event. How long will it be before sunglasses and ice creams are sold in November, and umbrellas and gloves are the ‘norm’ for July?