Alaska, bucket list it!
Alaska is a whole different kettle of fish from the lower 48 states, is varied itself, from the capitol of Anchorage to Fairbanks & the other communities at the top of the world.
The mountain scenery is fantastic, the people are great, the train ride, while it’s billing as the best in the world might be a tad optimistic (too short), it sure ranks up there near the top.
Anchorage is fine, pretty spread out but easy to get around in & touristy. However being on the coast is kind of damp & cooler than further inland. While there is a good highway through the mountains, past Denali to Fairbanks. An 8 hr drive, our driver to Dawson was saying when trying to persuade myself & another train buff in the van that was a better option than the train.
He was NOT successful! As how can being cooped up in a bus for 8 hrs begin to compare with meeting new people on the 12 hr train ride, sitting in the economy class dome car listening to stories told by a couple train crew & locals, after most got off at Denali & they had time to kill.
Fairbanks turned out to be a great place to spend a day between the displays at the visitor centre, museum, university & just wandering around town in the much nicer + warmer weather than down on the coast.
Leaving town on the Richardson Highway, one comes to Delta & start of the 1400+ mile Alaska Highway. Then an hour or so down the road comes the turnoff for the metropolis of Chicken Alaska (pop 69 if I remember correctly) & The Top of the World Highway which winds it’s way up above the tree line to the Yukon border.
All in all a great experience, & one that should be on every travelers bucket list IMHO!
Tags: Travel
busman7