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A 3 week Vacation in ALASKA - by Vandana Rajagopalan
Anchorage - Anchorage Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier.
Floatplane flight over Kodiak.
Bear Watching in Kodiak Island
Alaska Marine Highway - Weeklong Cruise to Aleutian Islands on MV Tustumena - Cold Bay, Sand Point, Chignik, Akutan, Unalaska.
Bald Eagle viewing in Unalaska
Chiniak Bay in Kodiak
Anchorage & Palmer - Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass, Lazy Mountain.
Alaska Railroad train to Whittier and a Prince William Sound Cruise
Talkeetna, Camping in Fairbanks
Drive to the North Pole along the 414 mile gravel Dalton Highway - Arctic Circle, Coldfoot, Wiseman, Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay.
Dip in the Arctic Ocean.
Grizzlies at Denali National Park, Drive to Wonder Lake
Anchorage - Anchorage Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage Glacier.
Floatplane flight over Kodiak.
Bear Watching in Kodiak Island
Alaska Marine Highway - Weeklong Cruise to Aleutian Islands on MV Tustumena - Cold Bay, Sand Point, Chignik, Akutan, Unalaska.
Bald Eagle viewing in Unalaska
Chiniak Bay in Kodiak
Anchorage & Palmer - Independence Mine, Hatcher Pass, Lazy Mountain.
Alaska Railroad train to Whittier and a Prince William Sound Cruise
Talkeetna, Camping in Fairbanks
Drive to the North Pole along the 414 mile gravel Dalton Highway - Arctic Circle, Coldfoot, Wiseman, Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay.
Dip in the Arctic Ocean.
Grizzlies at Denali National Park, Drive to Wonder Lake
Tusty was behind schedule and sped through the return trip. Passengers were advised not to step off the ship as it docked for very limited time, 15 minutes, at each of the ports. This here's probably Akutan.
July 29, 2007 - Sunset at Sand Point
Tustumena docks at Sand Point.
Farewells at Sand Point. At each of these ports, new arrivals would bid an emotional farewell to their friends and significant others and get on board the ship. Sometimes the whole village would turn out to bid them goodbye, and it was a touching scene.
The return journey was far more relaxed, now that we had a cabin. We slept for long hours, occasionally venturing out into the Sun Deck to take a few pictures.
Here's a picture of Vandana & her dad through the window in our cabin!
Here's a picture of Vandana & her dad through the window in our cabin!
July 30, 3007 - From the upper bunkbed, Vandana uploads her daily into the Daily Pictures gallery.
The claustrophobic metal bunkbed arrangement did not suit her too well. She bumped her head quite a few times on the railings and we were quite scared and careful for her. If you aren't used to sleeping in tiny cabins, watch out! You will bump your head and it can be quite painful.
The claustrophobic metal bunkbed arrangement did not suit her too well. She bumped her head quite a few times on the railings and we were quite scared and careful for her. If you aren't used to sleeping in tiny cabins, watch out! You will bump your head and it can be quite painful.
Sunset on our last day on the Tustumena
July 31. Tuesday.
At 5am, Tustumena docks at Kodiak. We walk the few blocks to Russian Heritage Inn in the dark with our backpacks. All in all, a very enjoyable voyage on the Alaska Marine Highway.
Highly Recommended !!! We look forward to repeating this voyage the next time we're in Alaska. The memories on board MV Tustumena will last a lifetime. Adios, Tusty!!!
At 5am, Tustumena docks at Kodiak. We walk the few blocks to Russian Heritage Inn in the dark with our backpacks. All in all, a very enjoyable voyage on the Alaska Marine Highway.
Highly Recommended !!! We look forward to repeating this voyage the next time we're in Alaska. The memories on board MV Tustumena will last a lifetime. Adios, Tusty!!!
We had a bear watching trip scheduled at 9 in the morning. Never happened - too cloudy. Got postponed to 10. Then 11. Then noon. Then an hour after. Then ...
After what seemed like an eternity, the clouds finally cleared just enough so we could take off on the Kingfisher Airlines float-plane to a Bear Watching trip in Fraser Lake, Kodiak.
The pilot explained this is exactly why you can't day-trip these bear viewings flights from Anchorage - the weather changes so rapidly, it could be bright & sunny in Kodiak when you take off in Anchorage, but by the time you're actually down in Kodiak an hour later, it turns downright cloudy & float-planes aren't allowed to fly through cloud cover with poor visibility.
After what seemed like an eternity, the clouds finally cleared just enough so we could take off on the Kingfisher Airlines float-plane to a Bear Watching trip in Fraser Lake, Kodiak.
The pilot explained this is exactly why you can't day-trip these bear viewings flights from Anchorage - the weather changes so rapidly, it could be bright & sunny in Kodiak when you take off in Anchorage, but by the time you're actually down in Kodiak an hour later, it turns downright cloudy & float-planes aren't allowed to fly through cloud cover with poor visibility.
An aerial view of one of the several 100 islands that make up Kodiak.
The float-plane ride alone was more than worth the cost of the trip. Kodiak looks very pretty from the sky. The plane is never more than 500-1000 feet from the water, so you're actually flying close enough to spot wildlife in the bushes down below, & whales in the water too!
The float-plane ride alone was more than worth the cost of the trip. Kodiak looks very pretty from the sky. The plane is never more than 500-1000 feet from the water, so you're actually flying close enough to spot wildlife in the bushes down below, & whales in the water too!
