SCHOLARSHIP DAY 19: Musk Ox and Reindeer, Downtown Market, Earthquake Lecture and Sea Otters!

Yesterday's 'alto-stratus' gloom moved on throughout the night, and I woke up to a bright and sunny day. There was a small cool northerly breeze, but other than that, it was a fine day and I even had to remove my outer shell coat! Not something I thought I would have to do in Fairbanks.

There was a time throughout my spell at college where I could walk into the cafe and ask for 'the usual'. It seems like I have reached that stage in Sam's Sourdough Cafe too, as the waitress guessed my order correctly without me having to move my lips. I'm not sure whether eating three pancakes a day is making me put on weight; I do walk quite a bit throughout the course of the day so I think I'm safe- for now. The documentary I watched a couple of days ago about surviving winters here in Interior Alaska talked about Cabin Fever- where it's too cold to venture outside, forcing you to stay inside and consequently, eat more than usual.

Today, in contrast, was a fine day for walking and my first task after Breakfast was to visit the Musk Ox Farm that I was told was quite good. The trek to it took me through some of the university grounds and woodland, where students were hurrying around with their books, supposedly trying to reach their morning lectures in time. Once again, the carpet of leaves from the white birch trees was more dense than yesterday and there were a few birches with no leaves left at all. I observed that these trees were much younger than the ones still with leaves to fall.

Without a suitable map showing the actual location of the musk ox farm, I wasn't sure whether I had walked too far (and missed it) or whether there was still more mileage to be done. One of the things I've noticed with American road signs, is that they very rarely state what's coming up (with a mileage) and instead, they just name the current street or avenue, making navigation difficult for the innocent traveller. I got to a point where I could see a long and steep climb and wondered whether it was worth the effort. I continued and gladly so, as at the top was the musk ox farm I had walked so far to see.

The farm, closed now for the winter season, was a bit of an anticlimax at the end of my walk; the only viewing points were around the periphery of the farm, through two layers of wire meshing. From what I gather, the farm homes not only Musk Ox, but also Caribou and Reindeer. The Reindeer were very easy to identify from a distance, and the Ox similarily. Musk Ox do not, like some of Alaska's wildlife, hibernate or migrate in the winter; they remain active and have to live off snow (for water) and whatever substance they can find for survival. During the summer, the farm's interior is open to the public, and the ox are tame so viewers can achieve some good shots. I only managed this today. Reindeer are in the foreground, with Musk Ox on the field behind.

On my way back to the hostel, I decided to experiment more with this 'macro' feature that I discovered yesterday and was pleased to get snaps like the following. For years, I have wondered just how photographers achieve some of their shots; by having the right camera and knowing the right camera angles, I assume, even the amateur can get something they can really be happy about.

The next item on the itenary was to visit the Downtown Plaza Market, but I managed to conveniently squeeze in a cup of tea back at the hostel before getting the bus. The journey towards the heart of Fairbanks takes you through some parts of Fairbanks University and it's quite clear I have a lot more trails to explore beyond the university. I reached Downtown practically dead on 4:00pm, the time scheduled for the market traders to start, well, trading. Despite the good weather, the traders didn't seem that motivated; most of them still setting up at 4:15pm; maybe most of their trading is with tourists, most of whom have left now that the fall is here.

I made my way around the market, which was surprisingly small for a city market, although I am reliably informed that there are usually many more traders in the summer. From going round, it was quite clear that fruit and vegetable harvesting is still in operation and some very good harvesting at that. I commented to one stall at the size of the radishes, tomatoes and sprouts. I got an expected answer: the sunlight is almost continuous during the summer allowing for maximum photosynthesis to take place, and the soil is good too. One problem, however, are sewage wells that can cause problems for tomatoes; these have to be, if necessarily, removed from the soil and treated in a controlled growing environment. I managed to resist the urge to buy a crepe from the stall freshly making and cooking them, although the urge was too great by the end, and I treated myself to one with maple syrup. I asked the difference between a crepe and a pancake, and it seems the biggest difference is that the pancake uses raising agents, suggesting why pancakes are usually more thick (and I think much better).

Having thoroughly explored the market, I proceeded to have some dinner. On the way, I stumbled upon the 'Norm Phillips' campaigning group and Mr Norm Phillips himself, who is currently campaigning for Fairbanks mayor. I crossed to talk to him, especially after he advertised free hot dogs for visitors. I asked why he wanted to be mayor, and the answer centered a lot around the cost of energy and fuel. Apparently, Alaska sells oil to the public at the same price as it exports it. After that, he went on using all sorts of financial terminology that I unfortunately didn't understand, and requesting further clarification, I felt, would be more perplexing. (And I never got the hot-dog either!)

Airport Way offers food outlets on both sides, but I opted for Pizza Hut. From suffering a minor stomache ache this evening, I don't think I should have gone for an additional topping of Jalapenos. The last event on my itenary today was to go to a lecture in the Pioneer Park Theatre, about 'slow and fast earthquakes', hosted by a Dr Gregory Beroza. It was fairly well attended by many age groups; the lecture itself was very infomative. It was probably more aimed at PHD and graduate students taking seismology. From years of background reading, the concepts the doctor mentioned made sense, but for members of the community without an academic background, I assume it would have been quite difficult. Slow earthquakes are a recent concept; they are not high in magnitude (maybe only a R1 or a R2) and the fault slip can be quite lengthy and so less detectable on a seismogram. Currently, it is thought on a subduction margin, slow earthquakes occur at about 25km below the locked zone, and set off higher magnitude earthquakes along the Benioff, but research is still being carried out. In the 'questions' slot, I posed a question about collaboration and asked Dr Beroza whether there was as much collaboration as he would like to see between the physical seismic sciences and the social/political world in order for his knowledge to become effective in saving lives. He responded saying "I hope so-saving lives is what we all want". Yes, we all want it, but not every country employs the right methods. Enough on earthquakes.

I returned home from the lecture theatre, on foot, and managed to witness the last 10 minutes or so of a wonderful sunset.

To round off the day, swimming around happily in the Chena, were four otters. It was getting dark and getting a great photo was difficult; however, I think this is my best. A great way to round off a very packed day here in Fairbanks.

DANIEL'S WEEKLY VIDEO DIARIES: Fairbanks, Alaska on the 16/9/2012

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 18: Walking along the Chena River

It wasn't particularly windy last night- and I would know because I spent 45 minutes outside the hostel on the phone to the ol' folks- but it must have been pretty breezy throughout the early morning, as I left the hostel onto a carpet of crunchy golden coloured leaves. After much anticipation, Autumn I think, is finally here. The fallen leaves on the peat field across the road from the hostel caught my eye and I fought my way through bushes and branches to get this snap.

It didn't necessarily feel colder than yesterday; in fact, I reckon it was hotter today, with average temperatures reaching about 60 degrees F (15 degrees C). But it was certainly gloomy, with nearly the whole sky being covered by alto-stratus clouds. (Google this if you're not a cloud-geek!) In fact, I think it was the first time cars had their lights on at midday! All of these observations will become normality in a month or two.

Today, I set myself the challenge of walking as much of the Chena River as I could; the Chena is Fairbank's largest river, and like the Thames, was very important for industry transport in the early 20th century. Also, like the Thames, the Chena meanders through the city, and the walker who follows it on its course is likely to come across a whole array of fauna and flora. I discovered where the macro button on my camera was today, and had a good little play around with it. Professional photographers will probably glance at these and tut, but I didn't spend hours composing them, as I imagine some 'in the know' do.

The Chena River starts and ends beyond walkable distance so my walk had no official mapped beginning. I started it, just behind Pioneer Park; a section of the river which is used by kayakers I believe. The river is wide enough and deep enough to support this kind of activity, but not too deep as one can often see the bed through the translucent water, and is in laminar (streamline) flow, unlike some of the glacial rivers I've seen on this scholarship. The majority of the bank is not steep, but is composed of sorted layers of sand and silt, which support a variety of grasses and shrubs, and occasionally the view of the water is completly obscured by large spruce trees and white birch.

It was along this stretch of the Chena, that I came across a 'Dog Park' and I have to say it was pretty busy with at least 20 dogs playing, whilst the bunch of owners had a chat. It seemed to me like this was a weekly event for these dogs, as the owners seemed to know each other fairly well, and I guess this basic and free activity is a treat for all the dogs who get the chance to play around in it. I did spend quite a while watching beyond the gates, and at one point, two dogs had a long and thrilling chase, dodging in and out trees, over and under benches, and skirting here and there amongst the group of chatting owners. I remember a time, not so long ago, when I would have wanted to place myself as far away as possible from any dog, but I actually quite enjoyed watching them, and it made me chuckle a bit as I left them to it, and continued my walk along the river.
 The light manufacturing industry I commented on yesterday was certainly present, expectedly so, along the Chena. The 'Aurora Energy' Factory and the 'Golden Heart Water Treatment Plant' were causing a lot of air pollution I felt, and to add to this, a large truck pulled out the entrance, releasing black fumes that actually made my eyes water a bit. I continued along the river until the central business district was in full view. Here, I noticed a series of garbage bags leaning against the hedge. This is something you wouldn't see in Anchorage because the bags are literally invitations to bears; here in Fairbanks, it doesn't seem to be a problem. A couple of the bags had split, releasing some of the garbage across the pavement, and whilst this isn't something I encourage, it certainly was a relief to see that bears aren't a major problem in these parts.

I had to leave the river walk trail for about half a mile, as road construction was blocking access, but I returned to it and stumbled upon this very cleverly designed arch. It's constructed out of about 100 moose antlers; the artist wants everyone who walks through it, to imagine the lives of all the hunters and the moose, as each does indeed have their individual story to tell.

The river's wetted perimeter increased as I made my way through the city and it also seemed to be getting much deeper. At one point a bridge's pillar was causing the flow to divide into two separate current systems, one of which was flowing with a greater velocity than the other, and so the common feature of an eyot was seen. I even spotted two dogs playing fetch with a stick that their owner was throwing out. They seemed to be working together; the first fetching it and then giving it to the other one to paddle back with it to the owner. I continued the walk, making my way out of downtown, and along a very well maintained tarmac path, with seating available for those who wanted a moment's tranquility. This path sustained all the way until I met the entrance of the Fort Wainwright Army Base, where all pedestrians would have to be searched before continuing their journey. Not wanting to go through more security, I decided to turn back and start what would be a long trek to the hostel.

When I look at the map and see how far I walked today, I appreciate the length of the Chena. I probably did about 7 or 8 miles of it today, and yet the Chena is 100 miles long, and its regime must meander through a whole variety of different landscapes, supporting a whole range of life. The Chena is just a tributary to the much more major Yukon; a 2300 mile river which by area is larger than Texas. In the time of the US Elections, two men are competing to govern 49 states; every man and every woman, every business and every building- but not nature. It's studying the magnitude of a river that really does put man in his place.

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 17: The Fairbanks Marathon

I remember the times when getting up at 7:00am was easy; recently, the early starts have proved difficult. Today was no different. The main item on the itenary today was to watch the Fairbanks Equinox Marathon which was scheduled to start at 8:00am. This particular marathon would also mark 50 years of this yearly event, so I liked to think I was a small part of Fairbank's history. My slow and sluggish movement out of bed meant I was late out the hostel and had to powerwalk to the starting point on the soccer field at the University campus.

I arrived dead on 8:00am, with just seconds left before the crowd of both young and mature athletes were set to leave on their 26 mile journey. The event's layout and structure reminded me a bit of the Thetford Forest 'EACH' Cycle Ride events that Dad and I took part in a couple of years: some partipants could choose to do a shorter route, or a less challenging one, and there would be a series of water stops and checkpoints every couple of miles or so. The race started this morning at about -1 degrees celcius; I was wrapped up and still quite cold, so I can't for a minute imagine how cold it was to stand at the start line in just t-shirts and shorts!

My decision to have breakfast and then to wait at the finish line for the runners to return was hindered by a full cafe and a long queue filing out the doors. This maybe normal for Sam's Sourdough Cafe, but I got the feeling that many parents today were dining whilst their sons or daughters were running. I decided not to wait in the long queue, but to return to the university. I just happened to find myself walking around the university; down corridors, through doors, in and out the endless maze that was just one of the buildings. I gathered not long in, on my unauthorised expedition, that it was the sports building; young university students playing basketball, the sign saying 'Men's Changing Rooms and Lockers' and the distinctive smell of sweat were all give-aways. Eventually, I found the way out and back to the finish line, where bread and water (and powerade) were awaiting the athletes.

The record for the 26 mile Equinox marathon was set in 1984 by a guy called Stan Justice; a time of 2 hours 41 minutes and 30 seconds. Well, the record wasn't broken today, so Stan holds it for another year. The winner for this year was a young athlete called Eric Strabel who crossed the line at the 2.45.15 and he was most certainly well in the lead; 6 minutes in fact before second place was grabbed. He didn't even look puffed out!

I got chatting to a guy- another Dan actually- who is a post-doc student, teaching Spanish here in Fairbanks. His wife is a glaciologist and is taking a tour north in a few days, and there might be a chance of me just tagging on that. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! He ran a shorter course today, and complained about the amount of tree roots that were hindering some of the route. I gather from my research that tree roots are short in length and they have a horizontal architecture to avoid the permafrost, so no wonder runners were having difficulties through the forests today. We waited to watch his son cross the line, contact details were shared and we parted. I returned to the cafe, only to be confronted with yet another queue, but I decided to wait outside. It was whilst waiting that I saw a land rover start all by itself, but I gather that some cars do this to prevent the possibility of failing to start later on; understandably so, the temperature was only 4 degrees by midday today!

 

Fuelled on yet more pancakes, (oh I do feel guilty), I proceeded downtown to watch a couple of documentaries about Alaska in the visitors centre, but I arrived too early and so took an unplanned walk through some of Downtown Fairbanks I hadn't explored yet. The city was, once again, very quiet and was not acting very city-like at all. My little walk was very educating; I learnt that Fairbanks doesn't follow Burgess in all of its aspects. (Remember the Burgess Model from school?) Athough there's evidence of a light manufacturing zone, it seems that the service sector has took over most of the factories. In terms of housing, terraced housing is absent, and instead the CBD borders detached wooden huts, with ample garden spaces and car parking spaces. What was interesting was that there was no monotomy in the building design; each had it's own take, its own patterns. Probably most of these houses have been decorated by the inhabitants- as that seems to be the way here- and so it wasn't a surprise to see houses in dis-repair. Others, on the other hand, were very aesthetically pleasing. Take a look at this one.

Street art is everywhere here in Fairbanks. The painting of the pipes I mentioned everyday is something unique for this city, but large scale wall painting is common everywhere. I've seen this kind of thing in Anchorage, Seward but Fairbanks must have the most examples. Here's one I quite enjoyed; the focal point is quite clearly the mountain, not necessarily the action on the ground.

 I completed this little walk, had a BLT, and approached the visitor centre again to watch the two scheduled documentaries. The first was specifically on the tsunamis that Alaska has experienced in recent times; the last one being initated by the 1964 earthquake, and certainly the most damaging. Others have been caused by ground subsidence and avalanches, both of which make Alaska's coast a high risk zone. The second of the two documentaries was about the benefits and costs of living through an Alaskan winter, with a focus on the city of Fairbanks. Whether the benefits outweigh the costs, I haven't made my midn up yet. Whilst there are plenty of outdoor and fun things to spend time doing, the winter is a depressing season; with no more than about 2 or 3 hours of light during December and January. Roads are treacherous and effort must be made on ensuring you have the right clothes. I was quite pleased that despite this was a 1986 production, there was a lot of emphasis on permafrost, and the subject was explored quite deeply. Most of the information was not new except from the fact that a core sample is dug from the ground before any building construction, to ensure it is free from permafrost. Geologists and permafrost specialists are on call to test these at the site, so there are jobs within the permafrost world after all!

I proceeded back to the hotel, this time by bus, and will opt for a slightly later waking up time tomorrow, to compensate for the valuable time lost this morning. I have just had a very successful phone conversation with my parents, and have just played a couple of games of 'Uno'; the first I lost, and the second wasn't too good either. Better not go to any Casinos when I'm in Los Angeles later this year, I think!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 16: Eating Moose, Pioneer Park, and the northern most 'Dennys' in the world!

Writing up the blog last night took some time, as the internet connection was cutting in and out, but Joe (a hosteller), Chris (another one) and myself were treated to some late night nibbles; in fact, Joe's special moose and onion spicy pate. It would be the first time I have ever eaten moose; my first impression was that it was like sausage meat. Certainly something to try again!

Our late night feast and the painfully slow uploading of yesterday's photos meant it was another late night for me, so I slept in a bit. I woke, in contrary to yesterday, to a cloudy day with hazy sunshine, and it turned out to stay that way for the majority of the day. My first job of the day was actually to go through the hundreds of leaflets (well, maybe not hundreds) that I had picked up from the visitor centre yesterday. Nearly every day between now and the 18th November is planned, and I reckon I have a few days to hire one of Billie's bikes and just go off exploring!

I also attempted to make my own pancakes for Breakfast; I wanted to try again after last night's failures. It turned out to be a bad decision; they didn't burn, but instead got stuck to the pan and all I achieved were 'bits here' and 'bits there' prompting me to make a quick walk to Sam's Sourdough Cafe and contrary to the name, order a stack of proper buttermilk pancakes. It turned out that one of them had burned, so my question is "Who can cook properly?"

I haven't yet commented on the prices of fuel, quite possibly because it hasn't seemed appropiate in the blog thus far. Today's diesel price in a local 'Tesoro' garage- a name I'm not familiar with in England- was $4.17, which is about £2.57. An extraordinary price, compared with the UK. The petrol is no better- $3.89, or £2.39. Fuel has always been expensive here in Alaska, because it's economy relies so much on it.

Feeling slightly tired from yesterday's long walk, I aimed to explore Pioneer Park today; a green space on the edge of the CBD. The walk to it was mainly along highways that seemed a little more busy and 'city-like' than yesterday. Golden and very crisp were my thoughts on the alpine trees that decorate the edges of the highways and offer walkers a chance to turn their heads away from the monotomy of vechicles. Despite the fact I was wrapped up in all three layers, I was generating quite a lot of body heat and soon the outer shell as it is called wasn't needed.

I entered Pioneer Park with an immediate feeling of completion and finality. In the summer season, the park offers temporary residencies for businesses, and also in operation are fairgrounds, mini-railway tours, and outdoor play equipment. My visit today was too late to see all this activity, so it seemed a little like a ghost town. It was nice, however, to stroll around without worrying if you're getting in people's photos or whether you're bumping into young children. On display still, were inuit artwork, very similar to the ones I saw outside the Jade Shop in Girdwood.

I was pleased to see at least one musuem still open; the Pioneer Air Musuem. My first thoughts that it was going to be a tiresome collection of aviation equipment were proved wrong; they had slate boards and other historic school equipment, a display of historic house-hold items and a rather extensive display on Alaska's popular gold mining. The lady on the desk knew some parts of England; she has recently visited Malham- where I was filming a couple of months ago- and took note of Yorkshire's pastoral farming industries. On my way out, I noticed a rather interesting vechicle: an early 1900s Ford. I know a couple of people who might know a lot more about this than me!

The rest of the park, I thought, was designed a little like the 'Pop Eye Village' that I visited when I was in Malta. Multicoloured wooden log huts, small little windows with wooden slats, and wooden walkways. Each one had been previously occupied in the early 1900s and then brought to the park to continue it's owner's legacy. Apart from these small huts, was the 'Nenana' - quite a large vessel on display- and just outside the aviation musuem, quite a large plane. Amongst these boats, huts and planes, were large green spaces for recreation including outdoor play equipment for the young children. And indeed, despite the 'closed' signs, there was a family or two also enjoying the tranquility.

I ventured up 'Airport Way' in search for a bite to eat, but McDonalds and Pizza Hut weren't appetizing for me. Across the road was Denny's; a family restaurant chain that operates 1600 outlets across the US, Mexico, New Zealand and Japan, amongst others. The one I dined in actually was the nothern most Denny's in the world. I just happened to order before rush hour; Benjamin had just took my order for a turkey/tomato burger when a table of 10 arrived and several couples. Having worked in a similar environment for a year, I know how the staff must have been feeling, but I was a bit surprised to see that not one of them at anytime in my field of vision was smiling. (The golden rule of waitoring?) Maybe competing opposite a rather busy McDonalds Drive-Thru is tough on the self motivation. The meal was nice and I treated myself, for the first time I reckon on this scholarship, to a milkshake. It seems that milkshakes have to include icecream over here!

On my way back- I noticed this sign. I wouldn't agree- not yet, anyway. It's not been awfully cold, even as I've popped out the hostel in the evenings. But my gloves and hat are on standby!
It's an early night for me tonight, as I'm up early to watch the start of the Equinox Marathon tomorrow- a big day for Fairbanks' sporting community.

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 15: A stroll around Fairbanks as the next phase of the scholarship begins

The last couple of weeks has seen me taking a trip through some of the more popular towns and cities in Alaska, in what I called 'The Cultural Tour'. From exploring Alaska's most popular city, Anchorage, and hiking the mountains of Girdwood, to strolling across the beach in Seward and investigating the spit of Homer, I have already in two weeks got a glimpse of how varied Alaska is; it's physical geography, it's wildlife, and the people that live in harmony with their environment are all fascinating. I have only scraped a thin layer of Alaska's culture, I know, but that concludes my cultural tour. Between now and the 18th November, I am based in Fairbanks, where I will be seeing what an Alaskan winter is like both on people's lives and the environment. I will also be starting a project to explore the permafrost that Alaska is famous for, and as always, I will be updating you daily with what I've done and what I've found out.

 

Last night, Joe -a hosteller- told me the Northern Lights were going to be out as the sky was pretty clear. Excited by the prospect of seeing an aurora on my first night here in Fairbanks, I stocked myself up on coffee and waited up. It was about 1:15am when he headed out, across the road, to a peat field. The field is in full operation in the summer period, but during the winter the great mounds of peat offer aurora spotters a good spot to chill out while they wait for them. I use the word "chill" deliberately; we set off in 30 degrees F, which equates to -1 degrees Celcius. My gloves made an outing as I'm sure will be the case for the considerable future.

We waited for what seemed hours, but actually only 15 minutes, and then I got a glimpse of a very faint green light, in the distance. Usually it would get much brighter, but unfortunately a low lying cloud prevented this, and I was unable to get a good photo. I have got plenty more opportunities, however!

 

After emerging from the duvet with little more than 6 hours sleep, I was immediately moved to my more permanent room; a lovely little room fitted with a bathroom and a kitchen. I'm only in it though until the 1st October, and then I have to move back to a bunk again.

 

Today I decided I would explore the city I will be calling 'home' for the next few months. It was a glorious day, sun shining, and one can really detect a sense of autumn here now; there is a cool breeze in the air and the foliage is turning crisp and golden. I proceeded first on College Road, and it seems to live up to its name, with services dedicated to university students: a bookshop, cheap food outlets, laundry facilties etc. From visiting one or two, I got the feeling these were being managed with the philosophy of 'Run BY the students, FOR the students' in mind. My quest to find somewhere to have breakfast ended when I eventually found the 'Sourdough Cafe'. I've had sourdough pancakes before, in Girdwood, but these were too sour for me, even when drenched in maple syrup; something I've become accustomed to I think.

I was perhaps a little too confident with my own instincts in trying to locate 'downtown' and I didn't hold a map, but time standing by roads looking at signs passed by, and I eventually gave in and got the map out. I wasn't too far out. As I headed further into what can be classed as the CBD, housing became noticeably more dense, and I managed to spot a cinema and a shopping mall, though not as grand as some I've seen. A newly built concrete retirement home on the edge of the city didn't fit in at all with the surrounding building materials, and I wondered just how accesible these storeys were to the aged.

 

 

I entered into Downtown through a city green space, which doubled up as a small cemetry. Upon exiting, I passed a small school group; each clasping a clipboard and quite possibly doing a biological survey. City wildlife, to me, didn't appear present but there were the usual alpine trees in attendance. Moose are supposed to be popular here, but as yet, I have not set eyes on one.
Downtown Fairbanks was unusually quiet for one of Alaska's major cities, but numbers may be a reflection in the types of services the city provides. Tourists' needs seem to have been put behind the needs of the locals; there is a lack of gift shops and craft shops that I saw in Seward especially, and the types of restaurants available offer food that would be more suitable to a local population, not a visiting tour group. Passing by, from street to street, and it's hard to miss these decorated pipes. I asked a girl painting one what they were; apparently, Fairbanks city re-heats waste water and sends the heat underground through pipes, the excess gets pumped out the pipes. It's a great way of combating the problems associated with buiding on a periglacial landscape, with permafrost a major problem for building structure.

I made my way to the plaza, but it seems that this is an area populated by people without jobs; a rather mature lady approached me, drunk and smoking, and I made a quick retreat back to the streets. My last task was to go and check out the visitor information centre, to collect leaflets and event guides so I can plan the next few months more structually. Kristen was very keen to hear about my journey and plans, and attempted to tell me the quickest way of accessing the hostel from Downtown. Unfortunately, her map reading skills were, like many people's, quite bad. These days it seems the GPS and Google Directions has made the art of map reading an endangered skill, soon to become extinct I fear. The visitor centre extends to a musuem aswell, and I took some time exploring that. The main theme was the different tribal communities of Alaska although there was a section mentioning permafrost and coping with the winter. I am going to go back soon to watch a few free films about Alaska and it's glacial history.

The walk back to the hostel was much longer than I expected, though I did prolong it a little by having to go shopping. I figure that I can make my own pancakes quite easily, and save $10 a day for a while. All the shops I tried I felt were like Macro- multipackets of everything, bulk items, and nothing on it's own. Lidl has the same problem, I feel. I finally managed to find the pancake powder and with the extra baggage, my long trek to the hostel was not as easy as I would have hoped. I did attempt a pancake or two when I arrived back- unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to prevent them burning! I do have some considerable time to practice though!

By the way, the UK is never far away, as I found out on my journey back to the hostel!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 14: In the air again...Hello Fairbanks!

My early start (6:30am) this morning was not helped by an unusual late night last night. But I took full advantage of the television in my Homer hotel room, and I'm very ashamed to say I got caught onto this american soap drama: 'General Hospital.' Up to then, I had managed to survive without the TV! Hopping from channel to channel, here in Alaska it seems that there is no 'main channel' like BBC1- in fact, channel 1 took me to a shopping channel. Having said that, there's hundreds of them- the TV guides must get rather thick! 'General Hospital' concluded at midnight, and that was enough for me.

I woke up to another cloudy day, not that I cared much though, as most of today would be dedicated to flying to Fairbanks, and as ever, it's never direct. Although the total flying time would amount to about an hour, I had a total of about 5 hours of waiting at airports. My plan was to get a taxi to Homer airport at 7:45am, and although I made this clear on the phone, it still arrived a little after 7:00am. Quickly picking up all my bags, I made a speedy exit out the hotel, and into the taxi.

The journey to Homer Airport was a depressing one, as nimbus clouds were once again hovering over the town making the streets seem very bleak, but the young male taxi driver tried to lighten the spirits:

Taxi Driver: "Where are you from?"... Me: "I'm from the UK"... Taxi Driver: "Yeah, I'm OK too!"

I was slow getting it, but the lack of sleep made it understandably slow. The journey rounded up to $8 (maybe the joke was included) and I was left MEGA early at Homer Airport. For a 11:10am local flight, arriving 4 hours early wasn't such a good idea. The airport was about as big as a primary school, and therefore without amenities like cafe's, so I was left sitting there with the 'Homer Times' newspaper. Eventually, 9:10am came around- my checking in time- and this was done without a problem, so I was very quickly back to my seat. The situation only worsened when my flight was delayed, but it's all part of the experience isn't it?!

The actual aeroplane taking me to Anchorage sustained the 'small' theme, and probably took it to the limits. I have never seen such a small aircraft and I was very capable of reaching the opposite window from my seat. Getting down the aisle meant ducking, and unfortunately I chose the 'Exit Door' seat, which meant I had to learn the protocol for removing it in case of emergency. When I said that I "hopefully won't have to do it," the air hostess (too large for the aisle by far) said "probably not." It wasn't as reassuring as I had hoped. Luckily the flight wasn't too long, as the engine noise got a bit much for me by the end.

There I was, at Anchorage Airport again; this time to catch a connecting flight to Fairbanks. I was anxious as to whether my large bag would reach Fairbanks, but I was assured by Customer Services that it would be! The process of getting to the gate through more security went very quickly again; it seems that the British make too much of a hype over it, and feeling peckish, I bought a 'Bear's Claw'. It's a hazelnut based pastry; crumby is an understatement, but very nice, all the same. I sat, waiting once again, at Gate C9 for a couple of hours, watching unavoidably I must say, the CNN News Channel. Yes, more television! The main news stories were the Obama/Romney row over Libya protests, Chicago Teachers Protests, and Britney Spears' new role on the X Factor: a slow news day it seems.

Eventually, and I'm aware I'm using that word a lot, but eventually I was on the second flight to Fairbanks; fortunately, a much larger plane. The flight was once again short, but I got some great views of Alaska, thanks to a rather clear day further north. From the mountainous snow-capped terrain, we made a slow descent over a vegetated floodplain, covered mostly by alpine trees like Spruce; some turning to a golden colour. The highlight, I thought, was the very sinuous river, meandering it's way through the foliage, and from the aeroplane, I saw very clear evidence of oxbow lakes and meander scars, highlighted mostly by the lighter coloured silt, that meander scars commonly have. Further on, it seemed like these meander scars were becoming the areas for new alpine tree growth, and so I could see a long sinuous line of green, meandering its way -just like the river- over the floodplain.

 

 

I arrived at Fairbanks airport, and my worries were relieved when my larger bag was making its way on the Baggage Collection conveyor belt. After sorting myself out, I went to fetch a taxi, although it seemed it fetched me, calling me over. She very confidently knew where Billies Hostel was, so I was on the road, in a flash. The taxi driver-whose name I never got- loves Fairbanks and was keen to point out where things were, but was also quick to let me know how cold it gets!

Billie's Hostel is set just outside downtown with good access to the CBD. It was Billie's daughter who showed me to my room, although it wasn't long before Billie herself greeted me and asked me to move to another room. It seems that my bed is only temporary, and that she will show me to a more permanent position tomorrow!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 13: The Homer Spit and my closest encounter with a Bald Eagle!

You know that feeling when you just don't want to get up because the bed is so comfy! My night's sleep at the Homer Heritage Hotel was not interrupted at all, and the experience was made better by the fact it was a proper double bed with proper pillows and proper quilts! You can tell I'm from Norfolk! Compared to the other three hostels I have used up to now, I had the best night's sleep by far, which put me in a good mood for the day ahead, exploring this fishing town.

Even the dark grey and usually depressing nimbus clouds lingering over Homer when I left the hotel wasn't enough to wipe the smile off my face, and I proceeded firstly to get some breakfast. It's hard to say where 'downtown' is in Homer, but Pioneer Avenue where the hotel is based, could be classed as part of it. Along both sides of the street are numerous shops, but most of them are actually photo studios/art galleries/craft shops. It seems art and craft is very important to Homer; the streetlamps are even decorated and I think the town holds some local artists. The monotomy of art was broken by 'Cosmic Kitchen', the first cafe serving breakfast I had set eyes upon, so I thought it was best to check out the menu. 3 buttermilk pancakes and syrup- that would do for me nicely! On the table was 'American's Most Favourite Syrup- 'Aunt Jemima', although it tasted just as nice as the others I have tried!

Fuelled once again by a very unhealthy breakfast- it'll all end when I return to the UK- I proceeded out the 'Cosmic Kitchen'. As this would be my only day in Homer, my mission was to walk the spit, which according the Stageline driver yesterday was 6 miles in length, so I put my best foot forward and followed my instinct on what road would lead me to it! From walking around, you could clearly see Homer was considerably more flat than towns like Girdwood and Seward. In the distance, a chain of mountains, yes, but the town itself at the end of this peninsula was particularly flat and therefore easy to walk through. I passed 30 USA Flags on a patch of grass on the way; there was no explanation as to why 30, or indeed, why they were there at all, but the 9/11 anniversary had passed my mind.

Homer's spit, from my research, was built out of glacial material, but the 'spit-forming process' in terms of hydrology was the same as any other spits. Characteristically, the sheltered part included a salt marsh, home to a range of birds, and vegetation. I could identify Fireweed too.

I met a lady with two big buckets of sea-weed and a shovel down on the spit's marsh, and I politely asked to be enlightened. Apparently, she collects 'Eels Grass' from the salt marsh and 'Seaweed' from the other side of the spit, and uses them in her garden. I always knew Seaweed was good for water retention and for the micro-nutrients it adds to the soil, but I never knew Eels Grass was just as good. The amount she had collected prompted me to ask whether she was planning to sell any, but apparently she doesn't, despite the fact she is the only lady in Homer every morning to collect it!

My walk along the spit continued, and as it was curving round, I noticed the spit's slopes were being managed, firstly by boulders, and later by gabions. I understand the spit is prone to storm surge, activated sometimes by the surrounding volcanoes.

I devoted all my efforts to reach the end. About 1/2 a mile before the end was the start of the boat mooring facilities, fishing filleting tents, gift-shops and restaurants. There was even a theatre! Unlike Blakeney Spit, in Norfolk, Homer spit has a fully functioning road network- in fact, it's the longest road into ocean waters in the entire world! Being near the end of the fishing season, it was certainly very busy traffic-wise. I eventually reached the end and was possibly disappointed by a lack of a sign saying 'This is the end'; after all, it is an internationally listed spit! There was a hotel called 'Land's End' and I'm hard pressed to compare the surrounding beauty of the coastline with 'Land's End' down in England!

I returned back to a Fish and Chip restaurant, overlooking the sea-views, and appropiately had 'Cod and Chips', before making my way back to Homer town. On the way, around where the fishing carcass station was, I had my closest encounter with the 'Bald Eagle' yet! It allowed me to get within just a couple of meters away, and didn't seem intimidated by my Lumix Camera. As you can imagine, I was taking photo after photo!

It was during this very exciting moment, that another amateur photographer, Lee, came out his campervan and started snapping away. We eventually got talking and eventually both went to his rather cosy campervan where he introduced me to his wife, Susan. Quite a long conversation was had; mostly regarding the fight against winter snowfall in Alaska. They showed me photos of their Alaskan house- the snow was easily reaching their top floor windows! I did bring up permafrost, and their underground pipes have to be at least 8 or 9 feet below the ground! It seems they are well travelled people, and enterprising ones, building and selling their own houses, and they suggested many locations for me to visit along the west coast!

With a 2 hour walk ahead of me, back to the hotel, I had to close up the conversation but unfortunately hit the rain, almost immediately after departing their campervan. It was a very wet journey all the way back, and it seemed that the rain was getting harder, the further I travelled. I returned to the hotel literally dripping- the big smile I had from the morning had most certainly gone! I think I need the luxury of the Heritage Hotel even more than last night!

Tomorrow, my cultural tour ends as I get a flight to Fairbanks, where the 'Permafrost Phase' begins.

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 12: It's a long way to Homer!

I've used planes. I've used trains. So, it was about time to use automobiles aswell! The majority of today would be spent travelling to Homer. Geographically, Seward and Homer are quite close together, but because of the terrain of the area, and the public transportation networks (or the lack of them) the only way for me to get to Homer from Seward is by going to Anchorage first, and getting a connecting bus from there. (The other option that a lady told me a few days ago: "rent a car" is sadly not possible. I can't drive in England, let alone in America!)

The trip from Seward to Homer, via Anchorage is about 349 miles so I was quite looking forward to seeing a range of landscapes. The coach taking me to Anchorage firstly, the 'Park Connection', would depart Seward at 10:30am, leavng me just enough time to pack, leave the Moby Dick Hostel, have some breakfast, and get to the coach. Packing was sorted fairly quickly, with the aid of my checklist, although it seems I left my Shampoo/Shower Gel in the shower the other day and someone (probably the cleaner) has taken it. It's not a massive problem, though.

Fuelled from the 'Full Stack' -three pancakes if you haven't been catching up- and a hot chocolate, I arrived in very good time at the coach stop. The lady driving didn't have a name badge, and her microphone was a bit dodgy so I never caught it, but having said that, the journey I felt didn't need commentary she decided to give. The first segment of the trip was entertained with a video, showing various aspects of Alaska, including it's fishing industry, the last ice age's mark on the landscape, and the species of animals that live in the 49th state. Although distracting my views of outside, I learnt that there are actually 440 species of birds from all 7 continents living here, and 17 species of whales! The video ended, and so did we! We hit a queue of traffic that had stopped because of resurfacing roadworks on the highway; in addition to that, I think they're also installing new drainage pipes into ditches to deal with meltwater after the fall. I suspect these have to periodically maintained because of the freeze thaw action that takes place in the ground, especially in permafrost lain areas.

The journey amongst mountainous terrain on both sides of the road continued until Anchorage, but what did dramatically change, is the vegetation. The dense deciduous temperate rainforest of just a few species (Hemlock and Spruce) gradually changed to a less dense covering, and I was able to spot a variety of species and colours! Land clearing areas providing wildlife corridors offered passengers including me some lovely photo opportunities, although shooting through glass isn't always the best.

We soon reached the 'Turnagain Arm'; mountainous terrain continued on the right hand side of the bus, whilst on the left, a panorama of mudflats, created from glacial silt. I've passed these before at high tide,  but this was my first view at low tide, which looked even more stunning. Where water was still deep, further up North, I even managed to spot a couple of whales!

Without much trouble, the Park Connection bus dropped me off at the Anchorage Airport and I proceeded to find a taxi. It seems all the taxis are yellow! It would be my very first trip in a yellow cab, and my next location was the StageLine Depot, where I was to pick up my next bus to Homer. The driver, who made it known to me just how gutted he was to be driving cabs on such a lovely day- but not necessarily in those words- hadn't heard of StageLine, which wasn't reassuring! However, with an aid of a SatNav, we were there. Not a bad fare; $10 in the kitty for the Yellow Cab company, although I do imagine he wouldn't be earning that much himself! I was too early for StageLine, so I decided to get a bite to eat across the road. It was a rather large cafe, empty though, and I sat staring at an empty aquarium and a Christmas tree.

StageLine's office, when I arrived just before 3:00pm, was a rather spacious room. The seats for waiting passengers were obviously taken from an old bus, as the seat-belts had been left on. No, I did not put my seat-belt on in the office! After a few phonecalls were made, the driver led me to the vechicle that would take me to Homer. An old Ford Van, with the appropiate registration initals 'DLE'. It reminded me a bit like the van's my high school used to have, to take athletes to cross country meetings; clanging here, rattling there! Would it last the whole journey? As we left the depot, the thought had passed my mind.

The four hour journey to Homer from Anchorage was one that showed me just how varied the landscape is in Alaska. It seemed like the further we went, the flatter the terrain seemed to be getting; the towns of Seldovia and Homer are certainly quite flat, and a bit like Norfolk in that respect! The journey was punctuated with five stops; a few too many, I thought!  The first gave me the chance to stretch my legs and buy some sweets for the remainder of the journey: trust me, Spice Gums aren't the best sweets in the world, but I managed to ration them to last the whole four hour journey! (Can you believe that Mum and Dad?!) The second stop was at a Drive-Thru 'Tobacco Express' where the lady driver bought three packets of filters! Not soon after that, was the third stop, at the Kenai River. The driver had to pick up a parcel, and suggested I went down to the Kenai River and check out the scenery. I did, and very gladly so, as fishermen were down there, catching successfully, and the colours of the surrounding foliage were lovely, I just had to take a photo!

The fourth and fifth stop were quick; the driver just wanted to make sure I had noticed the volcanoes on the other side of the island. Indeed, I had! She told me it was the start of the Pacific Ring of Fire, although I'm not sure how you can have a 'start' (or a 'finish' for that matter) in a ring. Smiling and nodding though did the trick. It wasn't long before we had arrived in Homer.

Homer would be the only place in this whole scholarship where I'm actually staying in an ACTUAL HOTEL! The Heritage Hotel, and I have to say, what a change from the hostels! My own double bed, my own desk; even my own bathroom! Shame I'm not here for longer!

DAN'S WEEKLY VIDEO DIARIES: Seward, Alaska on 9/9/2012

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 11: The Boat Trip- Lots of Geography with Sea Otters and Whales

My last day in Seward before I move on to Homer would be a pretty special one; it would be my first Alaskan boat tour, and I was very lucky to have sunshine predicted all day. Indeed, I woke up to glorious sunshine, although perhaps still slightly windy. Last night's Beaufort 7 had died down to 3 or 4, so walking to breakfast was not too much trouble. The 'Mariner Restaurant' was pretty busy for a Sunday although a large proportion of the dining area was taken up by one 'motorbike' party; expectedly loud! Suspiciously, my pancakes were served before I had sat down, but I had a bit of a wait for the hot chocolate.

As I said, my day would be largely dedicated to the boat tour. I did have a choice with the tour company; three or four companies align themselves next to the harbour and competitive prices are very much the way here. The 'Major' Tour company would take me out for five hours around the peninsula and would offer quite a range of scenery and plenty of wildlife. For $79, I thought it pretty good value although I did turn down the 'add a lunch' option, which didn't sound very appetising! Ticket in hand, and wrapped up ready for a breezy journey, I made my way to the boat: the 'Star of the Northwest'.

The 'Major Tours' lady representitive for another boat (not the 'Star of the Northwest') was too busy asking me where I was from that she accidentally tore my ticket, and I had to carefully hold two small pieces of card until the right lady approached. Without too much of wait, I was on the boat, and was ready for the adventure. The ranger and commentator would be Lari; she has had four years experience on this particular boat so I was expecting good things! I wasn't let down!

On my table was a 'Trip Guide' with information on the journey, but also information on the glacial history. It proved interesting reading! A glacier was classified as a metamorphic rock, which by definition, is acceptable. Also, the sheet tried to classify glaciers in four subsections: cirque, valley, tidewater and piedmont. It didn't, however, include 'outlet' glaciers or 'polar/sub-polar' glaciers. The problems with classification in Geography!

The trip, overall, was fantastic; just right for a geographer. In fact, the commentary seemed aimed at geologists and biologists! Heaven! We started by passing the Resurrection Bay coastline, where it was very easy to see the treeline and the shrubline. I did find the treeline changing altitude on different mountain flanks, but I put it down to other factors like aspect and light intensity, rather than just tempertaure.

The hard rock coastline that makes up the Resurrection Bay coastline has been affected a great deal by geological activity. Classic 'school-boy/textbook' formations could be easily spotted: stacks, blowholes, caves and headlands. Some of them were disguised by alpine vegetation: hemlock and spruce.

Something Lari pointed out which I unfortunately missed myself was the fact that the mountains in the foreground were more rounded than the more jagged ones in the background. Glacial erosion obviously smoothens some of the mountains (and ultimately makes them less great in altitude) creating a contrast to the ones not affected by glacial activity. We soon passed several corries or cirques!

Later on, but not very far from the cirques, was our first wildlife sighting: a sea otter carrying an octopus! It passed the boat quickly, not making a fuss, which was unfortunate because getting a good photo whilst it was on the move was pretty difficult. Following the sea-otter viewings, the biologists had a rest and the geologists of the boat got their cameras out, as we passed the 2nd best 'Basalt Lava Pillows' in the world! Oman seems to have better ones, but these were pretty good. For those who don't know, these pillows of basalt were formed underwater millions of years ago from lava that upwelled from the mantle; it solidified and over millions of years, it was uplifted above the sea.

Within half an hour, we were at the whale spotting spot! And yes, success! To be specific, the whales were Orcas or Killer Whales, and occasionally their fin would emerge from the wave crests. To get a photo, you had to predict where it would rise, judging its speed through the water. Technical stuff,  but I did get one good photo.

Later on, a very different scene. Apart from puffins and a bald eagle, there wasn't much wildlife to get excited about here, but the highlight was most certainly 'Bear Glacier'. Bear Glacier is one of the 34 glaciers to originate from the Harding Ice Field, and is in 'steady state' at present or in other words, it isn't getting larger or retreating. It has a large outwash plain in front of it,and a medial moraine but interestingly, glacial flour has made quite a lot of the ocean seem lighter in colour. Glacial Flour is the name given to the powder that is created after the mechanical grinding of the bedrock. It is carried in meltwater to the ocean and either settles or stays in suspension where it is sometimes known as glacial milk! I know, I know!

Bear Glacier would lead us back to port. On her closing speech, Lari used a quotation that I once used in a speech earlier this year: Exploration is not necessarily going to different places, but to see the same places with different eyes, paraphrased from Marcel Proust. I have to say I've been in and around Seward for a few days now, but today's boat trip really did make me appreciate how extraordinary the Geography is, here in Alaska.

Tomorrow, a long trek to Homer!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 10: My first injury, finding the Seward Lagoon and a late night walk to view the stars!

Tomorrow, I have a really big day coming up; I'm not going to reveal my plans just yet! Today, however, would be a pretty chilled out day with a relaxed itenary. I certainly needed it!

It must have rained overnight because I woke up to the 'pitter patter' of raindrops falling from the hostel rooftops. By the time I got out and started to walk to the 'Mariner Restaurant' for breakfast, it was starting to clear up and the waterproofs were not needed, fortunately! Breakfast was the 'usual'- I think I can call that now- pancakes, maple syrup and a hot chocolate. The waitress after yesterday's silent treatment, asked me where I was from, but apart from that, the whole experience was once again, slightly awkward!

I decided to spend the morning actually visiting the many gift shops that the town offers the tourist, and it's quite clearly a town that relies heavily on tourism. (A couple of days ago, I asked the ice-cream shop about his opening times, and apparently eventhough Alaskans like ice-cream in the winter, it's not in demand enough, so the shop is shut.) I visited a few shops across the road from the harbour; one called Summerbreeze and one called the 'Breeze Inn' which connects to a small hotel. The lady in Summerbreeze lived in Fairbanks for two winters and warned me over the extremely low temperatures in the winter time. Gloves and a good hat are very much needed, and a thick coat!

The topic of conversation in the second shop, The Breeze Inn, was 'bear' themed, probably sparked by the full size brown bear from Kodiak Island that stands next to the drinks machine in the entrance. I can't express through a photo or through words the size of this bear. The lady behind the counter told me what everyone else tells me here in Alaska: Bears are everywhere!

My trip around the gift shops paused there, whilst I made my way along the beach to the southern tip. I have been using the concrete coastal trail since I arrived, but today I decided it was pleasant enough to walk along the beach. Their coastal protection scheme consists of large boulders, but I did spot some matting being used to support the unconsolidated cliff. The beach is boulder-based, which doesn't support much ocean life, but a lot of sea-weed! I also found another piece of milky quartz; the same rock that I was stumbling upon when I was hiking through the Girdwood mountains. Climbing the larger rocks brought back memories of walking in West Bay, Dorset, and I was thinking just how good my boots were at gripping the rocks, when suddenly...down I go! I inspected the rock which caused me to fall and it was covered with algae. Maybe it was my fault for not looking where I was going?! I climbed myself to a safe bench, and it turned out I was bleeding, so lucky for me I had my first aid kit! It would be my first Alaskan injury; let's hope it isn't a recurring thing!

At the south of the town are the rest of the gift shops, but please note, I wasn't here to buy- just to sink myself into Alaskan culture. Some of the hand made gifts are exceptional- from wood to jade stone, it was all there! The book shop turned out to be a great resource, but they didn't have 'The Great Gatsby'; a book that I want to read whilst on my travels because of the American references. I did stumble across a lovely little shop with some lovely music playing in the background. I did ask what it was, but apparently the CD was a gift from Japan, with no particular well known artist.

Amongst the shops and the houses, was a lovely little coffee house and gallery. As is usual for me, I ordered a hot chocolate but I did have to ask what a 'Bianca Coffee' was, since my year working at Filby Bridge Restaurant never delved into such an interesting coffee selection. (I do hope they're not reading this!) A Bianca Coffee, if you didn't know, is like a mocha I'm told, but uses white chocolate. Or so I'm told! I think the young girl who served me is called Savannah and when she isn't making the hundred types of coffee that are on offer, she's an amateur photographer. Some of her works are on display; her ambition, though, is to travel and take photos.

I wanted to spend the afternoon at the Seward Musuem but after my efforts on opening the door, decided that they were closed. I fairly quickly decided to do my own self guided tour around the back of the town; the periphery of it which borders the forest and Mount Marathon. The houses here are perhaps less grand, and are more like the ones I saw in Girdwood; wooden and more basic, with larger gardens than downtown. It was around the back of the town that I found a lagoon that I never knew existed, and on a good day I'm told there are otters and kingfishers, but my quick scan wasn't that lucky. I did spend some time there, and for the first time, got my ipod out and relaxed.

North of the lagoon is the Benny Benson memorial; Benny was only four years old when his mother died and his father sent him to a home in Seward. It was at this home that Benny designed a flag; little did he know it would be a very significant emblem for Alaska.

The way back to the hostel was a windy one, athough probably only a Beaufort 3 or 4. I was relieved to return to the hostel to a lovely smell of cooking; Helen was in the kitchen again! Tonight we were delighted to have the rest of the halibut from yesterday, together with a lovely pasta dish and some lovely sauce. I have to say I don't think I will be treated this good in my future hostels!

 

The evening was enlivened by Flann, a hosteller, saying "Bear" outside on the patio. We all ran out to see it with our cameras, but alas, he meant the star constellation. The same thing happened later on when he shouted "Northern Lights" but it seemed that I mis-heard him say "Milky Way!" The wind had picked up by this point, blowing now at Beaufort 7. We all wrapped up warm and did a night walk down to the harbour, where Flann and others observed more stars. The whole experience for me was a little pointless as I couldn't make out one constellation, but it certainly gave me a chance to see Seward  by night. A few of the clubs and bars were thriving, and young people were making their way to them from across the street. Fighting the northerly wind, we safely returned back to the hostel!

Roll on tomorrow- which promises to be a very rewarding day!

SCHOLARSHIP DAY 9: Taste of the Sea!

Last night at the Seward Hostel was a great laugh. Being amongst strangers from all over the world, one might expect lots of awkward moments, but actually the experience was pretty interesting. There was a swiss couple that had cycled all the way from Los Angeles to Alaska since April, a japanese man who studied for a year doing molecular biology in Cambridge University, two ladies from Paris travelling through Alaska, a young girl from Hong Kong, and a rather mature gentleman who is a bee keeper in New Zealand. I was actually meant to be spending the day with him, cycling to Exit Glacier, but I woke up to problems regarding transport and after several phone calls to a number of different companies, it was too late to go with him.

Breakfast, for me nowadays, has to be 'pancake' based, or something that goes well with Maple Syrup. My days of cereals have gone! I had the 'Full Load' (Three pancakes) and a hot chocolate with cream and eventhough the price was a little high, the 'Seward Mariner' offers great views of the Small Boat Harbour. It had obviously rained last night, but I was breakfasting in the sunshine once again. Afterwards, I took a small walk along the coast and unavoidably saw a large cruise liner in the harbour.

The tide was very much in, but I sensed it was going out as I walked down the coastline. I also sensed my wallet was getting a little empty and so my very first experience in an American bank was inevitable. Withdrawing money over the counter can only be done with a passport apparently, and so I was stuck with using the ATMs. Unlike the UK, you have to insert and pull out your card before progressing further with transactions. I, being me, didn't read all the instructions before going ahead and learnt the hard way!

The rest of my day I had scheduled for a visit to the Alaskan Sea Life Centre; the most northerly centre in America. It was starting to cloud over so I think my itenary was well timed. The SeaLife centre is an amazing place, with all sorts of wonderful but different fish that I'd never seen before, and so I left with a mind full of knowledge.



There's a lot of geography even in the Sea Life Centre. For instance, the only reason that there is so much algae to support 474 different species of fish in the Bering Sea, is because the continental shelf is shallow, and allows maximum light to reach plants for photsynthesis. The centre has a great viewing gallery, offering great views of puffins and seals entering and exiting the water, but also it concentrates on the less well known of fish species; those in disguise most of the time. I learnt about the life cycle of salmon and watched a very good documentary on climate change's effect on the oceans. It was all there- you just have to read the information, and it was a shame to see so many people doing the whole thing in 1/2 an hour; you wonder why they've come in the first place!

It is very ironic but I had dinner in Terry's Fish and Chips Restaurant, but after hearing about all the endangered fish, I couldn't bring myself to choosing anything 'fishy'. Instead, I found myself a Chili Burger with Chips. It would be my first chilli in America. Up to now, you see, I have seen 'Chili' (with one 'L') on the menus and have wondered if it was different to the 'Chilli' (with two L's) that I love. I made enquiries and apparently they're the same. Well, now I know!

After the unheimlich experience of the Girdwood Hostel, it's lovely to be part of Seward's 'family-style' atmosphere. Despite the fact I couldn't eat fish for dinner after visiting the SeaLife centre, I couldn't turn down an offer from Helen at the hostel this evening. She had been fishing all day and had caught two large halibut fish. They're massive! Tonight, she cooked up some for us, and made a rather smashing garlic butter dip for it. I have to say it comes close to the quality of meals I have at home, back in the UK. Cheers Helen!