Continuing Chaos in Alaska
The second full day of our land tour in Alaska was chaotic. Options at our lodgings were limited, so we settled on the buffet. Buffets aren’t my favorite, but our group decided it would give us the best chance to eat, get back to our rooms, and set out our luggage for pick-up. Man, were we wrong!
Our family ate quickly, but it took forever to get our bill. We asked our server several times, but it never showed up. A few of us ran back to the room to take care of our luggage while the rest stayed to pay. However, we were late. Thankfully, everyone was really understanding, but I wanted to crawl in a hole as we boarded the bus. I know it was just in my head, but I was convinced everyone was staring at me š¬
Exploring Alaska’s Wilderness
After boarding our school-style bus, we headed into Denali National Park. Our first stop was the Denali Bus Depot, where we watched āAcross Time and Tundra,ā which was about the history and establishment of Denali National Park. I am not a huge history buff, but I found the film to be informative and interesting, which is saying a lot for me. We then took a brief tour of the gift shop; there is always a gift shop, and proceeded back to the bus.
The next stop was a hunterās shelter, where we learned more about living in the Alaskan wilderness. It was a beautiful and serene setting with some of the freshest air. My smog-ridden lungs practically protested. Our tour guide, Brian, also collected a few plants for us to smell and taste while back on the bus. I did not partake in the tasting because everyone was touching it š¤¢. More power to those who did.
Our Photography Improves… Sort Of
The bus made several stops along the way to take in the sights and capture plenty of photographs. I am getting better at taking those. We saw waterfalls, valleys, rivers, and even some wildlife. The largest was a caribou. Our tour guide explained that caribou and reindeer are the same animal. Reindeer are just domesticated. Who knew?
I canāt really describe everything we saw, so I am putting together all of the images I captured in a Google photo album, which I will share when itās ready.
Our tour ended at the Denali visitor’s Center where we had lunch, toured the museum, and of course, visited a gift shop. The food was not good. It is always hard for me when traveling as a vegetarian. In remote locations, it is even worse. Luckily, we always have snacks and protein bars to nosh on.
To Talkeetna We Will go
After lunch, we joined up with our tour guide, Ben, and headed towards Talkeetna. On the way, we spotted another moose, munching on the roadside vegetation. I canāt even begin to express how difficult it is to capture a photo of a wild animal on a moving bus, especially for a wannabe photographer (see more here). Let’s just say I failed! I wish I had an image to share with you, but I am happy that I experienced it in person.
Our tour group was supposed to arrive in Talkeetna in time to explore the town, but disappointingly, we were too late. We hopped on the shuttle into town from our hotel, but most of the shops were closing as we arrived. Luckily, there were plenty of restaurants in town, so we grabbed a scrumptious dinner before heading back and trying to get a little sleep. I will admit it is quite difficult when the sun is still up at 11 p.m.
The Interior of Alaska Hurt My Posterior
The following morning we put our luggage out as soon as we were ready for breakfast. We had learned our lesson from the day before. Iāll admit, I did not like changing hotels every night. Living out of our luggage and getting up every morning to pack it all up again was a nightmare. Not to mention the toll on my backside from sitting most of the day. If I did go to the interior of Alaska again, I would definitely spend more time in each location. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the coffee shop to prevent delays. Then it was back on the bus to head into Anchorage.
In Anchorage, we had a little time for sightseeing, shopping, and grabbing a quick lunch. My brother was excited because we found a little sandwich shop where he could try reindeer sausage. Something he had wanted to do the last time we were in Alaska. Before we knew it, we were back on the bus heading toward our cruise ship.
We were all excited that our time aboard a bus was ending. We really enjoyed seeing the interior of Alaska, but it was a grind spending a single night in different cities and on a bus.
And Bears, Oh My!
Our last stop was the Wildlife Conservation Center. I wasnāt thrilled about this stop since it was basically the equivalent of a zoo, but the resident Alaskan Brown bears had eluded me in the wild, and this was my only opportunity to see them. Those pesky bears are the one thing that has eluded me on every Alaskan vacation.
Unfortunately, we were traveling on the 4th of July weekend, which meant we got stuck in traffic on our way to the Conservation Center from Anchorage. We went from a four-lane highway to a single lane. It was pure torture for people who had spent the last three days sitting on a bus or train.
Look Baby Beluga!
The only bonus was driving by Beluga Bay, which is aptly named for the beluga whales that often travel through the bay. As luck would have it, we spotted a few while slowly making our way down the highway. I have seen beluga whales before but never in the wild. It made the torture of traffic worth it š
We finally made it to the conservation center and had a little time to explore. I, however, left my camera on the bus and did not get a single picture of those pesky bears. Luckily, my PopPop did, and he shared a few with me. Not as good as seeing a bear in the wild, from a distance, of course, but nice nonetheless.
After the conservation center, we made our way to Seward, Alaska, to board our cruise ship. I was just grateful for the opportunity to unpack my luggage and stay put, so to speak, for seven glorious days. Even though that didnāt go as planned either. But more on that next week.
Join me then for more Nauti Adventures as we set sail on the Oasis of the Seas and continue our trip to Alaska.
