Sunday 27 September 2015

Wow Alaska!

Wow Alaska! (27 Aug- 9 Sep 2015)

A very blessed trip where we ogled at the amazing dancing northern lights on 4 consecutive nights!


 It was almost a decade ago when I first visited Alaska onboard a 7-day Princess Cruise after a very enjoyable self-drive tour of the Canadian Rockies .  While the cruise brings you in close proximity to the many glacier and provided a better chance of witnessing ice calvings, overall it was too relaxing and boring for me being a captive passenger onboard the cruise as I did not participate in any of the organized activities.  So it was just mindless feasting on the great food but you do get bored with the same food everyday no matter how good they are. It’s not surprising therefore that I looked forward to each port of call at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

What mesmerized me most were the 2 train rides that I took, in Skagway (White Pass & Yukon Summit) and from Anchorage southward to Seward, and the exciting zipline in Juneau.  I did not have time to experience the much raved about 12-hour scenic train ride from Anchorage to Denali and onwards to  Fairbanks.

The call to revisit Alaska has been growing louder with each passing year.  Coupled with the prospect of seeing the dancing Northern Lights in September, I finally put the plan into action this year with the fabulous company of 8 friends.  Thank God for a fantastic trip (at least for me) whereby we managed to see (orca, humpback, dolphin, eagle, moose, caribou, close encounter with a grizzly bear, dall sheep), do (zipline, ATV-all terrain vehicle ride, hiking, bicycling, and one even did kayaking, flightseeing, train and ferry rides)  and enjoy all that we wanted to do and see and best of all, wrapped up the trip with a grand finale of 4 nights of heavenly light show of the elusive aurora borealis and a bonus view of the celestial lights from my window seat onboard the flight from Fairbanks to Seattle!

The focus this time is on the land tour and via trains, flight and self drive.  To complete the Alaskan experience for my friends, I also included a round trip (6-hour 1-way) ferry ride onboard the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) from Juneau to Skagway.  The AMHS is a rare example (in the USA) of a shipping line that offers regularly scheduled service for the primary purpose of transportation rather than of leisure or entertainment. It has 11 different vessels, is colloquially known as the “blue canoe” and is 1 of only 27 US Highways that received the honour of  an All-American Road, National Scenic Byways.  Our route on the LeConte took us through the calm scenic Inside Passage that offers views of imposing mountains, majestic glaciers and fjords. Depending on the route chosen, some vessels also have cabins though customers are free to pitch their own tent on the open deck  ;)  There is a cafeteria that serves hot food and microwave oven for heating up your own food.



At the dock in Skagway

Scenic Train Ride 
Album on 3 scenic train rides

We took a total of 3 train rides including a 3.5-hour round trip to the White Pass & Yukon Summit that departed from Skagway.  The engineering feat of 65 miles of  iron road was completed in 26 months in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush.  To enjoy the best view one should sit on the left side of the train on the onward sector from Skagway.
On the tiny open platform where everyone jostled to take picture of the passing scenery

As we were not cruise passengers, our ride did not include a short bus ride at the summit to the Yukon Suspension Bridge (passport required for landing on the Canadian Yukon).  It’s a pity as I really enjoyed this on my previous trip, the panoramic view from the steel suspension bridge over the raging Tutshi River and the snow-capped mountains in the far yonder.  There’s also a nice cafeteria with alfresco sitting, a gift shop and interesting exhibits. 

The 6-hour, 183-km Coastal Classic train ride from Anchorage to Seward was equally scenic along the Turnagain Arm but due to flooding at one of the sections of the railroad, we had to transfer by coach to Seward.  However, we were compensated with a nice stop-cum-short hike at Grandview Whistle Stop, Chugach National Forest.  It seemed to me that the imposing Spencer Glacier had retreated much in the span of 10 years.  I remember the train passing very close to the edge of the glacier but this time round it was far away from the train. Some of us took the Gold Star during the forward journey while the rest took it on the return sector during dinner time.  The higher Gold Star price is the same for breakfast or dinner but it is definitely a better deal for the 3-course dinner versus the breakfast that comprises eggs, cheese, stuffed French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon and yoghurt. The Gold Star coach is located on the upper deck and has a see-through glass dome and large unobstructed glass windows for excellent view.  Passengers are also entitled to free-flow of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  There’s also a relatively big open viewing platform behind the bar counter for unobstructed photo taking of the captivating scenery. For non-Gold Star passengers, there’s a smaller glass-domed section that is shared by all passengers.  Hence, there are frequent announcements for passengers to be considerate and not hog the seat for more than 20 minutes at a time.

The Gold Star coach comes with breakfast or dinner and free flow drinks
If you could afford time for only one train ride, then opt for the 12-hour (1-way), 563-km Denali Star ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks, or at least to Denali.   The views are particularly awesome in Falls where gold shimmering leaves dominate the landscape,  accentuated by silvery barks and sporadic red shrubs. In all the train rides, passengers are allowed to roam freely except to the Gold Star section where customers there are issued a “gold” star brooch for easy distinction.  Nevertheless, it is not at all difficult to gain access to the private glass-dome coach and the large viewing platform just for a visit.  The washrooms there are definitely a class of its own, although strictly speaking it’s meant for use by Gold Star customers only.  I believe this may not be possible during the peak summer season when all trains are packed to capacity.



 





Awesome Flight
If you take the cruise, you will MISS this “million-dollar view” onboard the <2-hour flight from Juneau to Anchorage.  Make sure you choose the RIGHT WINDOW seat and sit as far away from the wings as possible as the views outside are jaw-dropping!  You can only ogle with your eyes as the double-paned window is not ideal for taking clear and sharp photos especially when it’s glaring and sunny outside unless you have a good SLR camera and with a polarizer lens.  Spectacular sights of powdery snow, snow-capped mountain range, massive glaciers,  floes,  meandering rivers, fjords and sea of clouds of various formation drifting above the lakes, glaciers and mountains that alternate between lush green, brown and snow white. Cross your fingers that the weather is perfect on the day of your flight as rain could mask the otherwise heavenly sights.



Glacier highway viewed from the plane from Juneau to Anchorage
Second to this is the optional flightseeing tours for those who cruise to anchorage instead.  They are very expensive and the view is dependent on the weather.  I was very blessed to enjoy the 3-hour return flight (US$450) from anchorage to Denali with a lake landing.  My friends were not as lucky having paid US$400 each (only an hour!) as the experience was somewhat marred by the dense clouds that day.

Denali National Park Shuttle Bus Ride to Wonder Lake
Denali means the “High One” or the “Great One” in the Athabaskan language of Alaska natives.  The mountain is coveted as a climbing haven for those preparing to scale Everest or simply to enjoy Mt Denali.  It is nicely located near the Arctic Circle, the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska,. During his visit to Alaska on 30th August 2015, President Obama announced that Mt McKinley will be renamed to Mt Denali to show honour and respect to the Alaska natives.

Denali National Park comprises 6 million acres and is bisected from East to West by the Alaska Range.  The Park Road is the only vehicle allowed access into the National Park. Mt Denali, towering 6,194m (20,237 feet), is the largest mountain on earth situated entirely above sea level and 5,000m above the Alaska Tundra. Its massive snow-capped peak basically crowns the 600-mile long Alaska Range.  The Denali terrain includes tundra and taiga zones where the former is differentiated by its treeless peak and the latter, by stubby evergreen, spruce and aspen which are found around the Arctic Circle.

Weather in Denali is extremely volatile and changes without warning.  Visitors are advised to be prepared for all weather by wearing layered clothing as one can expect the sun, wind, rain and clouds all on the same day. In summer, the mountain is at least partially shrouded in cloud but we were extremely blessed with clear and sunny skies, a rarity according to the shuttle bus driver.

This is one fabulous ride that I would strongly recommend.  It is 85miles (137km) and 11 hours long (round trip) but  time flew by with the endless awesome autumn hues and wild life sightings as the bus traversed across mountain passes and wetland tundra.  Depending on the weather and the capacity of the bus, some buses can only go as far as Eielson Visitor Centre which is a shorter 8-hour journey.  It was the cheapest and best value activity that we had in Alaska costing just US$58.25 (inclusive of tax and booking fees) each vs US$95 tour bus rate. The main difference is that drivers of the shuttle bus are not obliged to give narration whereas tour bus drivers are, and passengers of the shuttle bus can hop on and off any shuttle bus whereas tour bus passengers must stick to the same tour bus that they are booked on.  We were blessed with a female shuttle bus driver who provided very good narration at the appropriate juncture.  And there were numerous keen-eye passengers who helped to spot wild life in their natural habitat amidst the Alaska Tundra.

It is free seating onboard the green shuttle bus but do sit on the left side of the bus on the forward journey as most of the captivating views are on this side of the bus.  It was pretty amusing to observe how all the passengers would swerve towards the left side whenever wild animals were sighted or when there were post-card perfect views .  We were fortunate to see grizzly bear, moose, caribou, dall sheep and eagle with the exception of wolves. Be sure to bring all your food, drinks and necessary clothing with you on the long trip as there is no food once you leave the Wilderness Access Centre.

There are stops to answer nature call (about every 90 minutes and lasting 10-15 minutes each time) and numerous photo taking opportunities.  Hikers can opt to hop on and off the shuttle bus to enjoy the various hiking trails on the tundra but must be aware of the bus schedule and be prepared to wait at least an hour for a shuttle bus with available seat as it’s subject to space availability.


Juneau
It was a wet first few days in Juneau and Skagway.  Most of the shops/businesses are aligned with the cruise arrivals.  When no ship arrival is expected, almost all shops are closed and fewer restaurants are open.  Juneau is one of the busiest, if not the busiest city, it being the capital of Alaska. 

Our hotel was conveniently located in the city centre and hence we could walk to all the tourist spots, dock and even Mt Roberts Tramway.  Seafood is good and readily available, especially The Alaskan King Crab, Halibut and King Salmon.  Great eateries to savour the fresh, juicy seafood are Tracy’s King Crab Shack (BEST deal at US$24 per lb vs US$40 at other eateries), Hangar on the Wharf and supposedly Twisted Fish which we did not have time to sample.  A very interesting and reasonably priced restaurant is the popular Red Dog Saloon which has a retail outlet adjoining the restaurant.  The bustling place is adorned with “wild life” of all kinds and even has a singer to entertain the diners.   Alaska Crepe Escape, The Rookery Café and Heritage Coffee are other worthwhile stops.

Savouring the Alaskan King Crab at Olivia's Bistro
Red Dog Saloon restaurant 
Yummy seafood, especially Alaskan King Crab.  At The Fish Company
Only 3 of us braved the rain to take the Mt Roberts Tramway and did a 2-hour hike in the wet weather.  The rain was not heavy but it did make the hike tougher especially on the muddy trail to the summit.  It was a good workout nonetheless.
Mt Roberts Tramway, Juneau


On our last day in Juneau, the weather was perfect!  It was 1 of only 32 days in Juneau when the sky was sunny and clear.  We had prebooked our Zipline activity on this day and had been praying for good weather as it had been drizzling incessantly since our arrival.  


After an exhilarating experience “flying” through 10 ziplines and returning to the main island via a 4-wheel drive truck and speed boat, some of us continued our adventure onboard a whale watching ferry.  It was a guaranteed whale sighting trip or all $ refunded!  We were rewarded with sightings of orca leaping from the sea surface, humpback whales spewing water sprays and playful dolphins alongside the whales, all within reasonably close range.

We had a delightful hike to Mendenhall Glacier and waterfall.  We prepaid the round-trip Glacier Shuttle (20-minute ride) to Mendenhall Visitor Centre only to discover that it would start operating at 11am instead of from 8.30am at 30-minute interval.  Apparently their service is also aligned with the cruise arrival which is not reflected on their website.   We took a taxi there instead but managed to return via the Glacier Shuttle.  A great photo stop with the dual image of Mendenhall Glacier and the waterfall.  There were also drifting floes in the calm waters.  The group also had much fun attempting star jump with the waterfall-glacier as the backdrop. The wet weather however dampened our mood in exploring a few other trails in the vicinity, especially one which was lauded for its high chance of seeing bear catching salmon!

Signboard at the Glacier Express bus stop at Mendenhall Glacier





Skagway
We visited Skagway primarily to experience the White Pass & Yukon train ride and arrived via the AMHS.  However, we were forced to extend our visit by one more night because our original return ferry ride was cancelled and rescheduled to a day later. 

Skagway Visitor Information Centre
From the dock, we took the Smart Shuttle bus (US$2 flat rate) for the 10-minute ride to our hotel, aptly named The White House Hotel.  It’s actually a quaint B&B in a quiet residential area that is just minutes away from the historic Skagway city centre.  The rooms were cozy, nicely decorated and have large  bay windows that provide delightful views of the serene  mountain range and surroundings.  The muffins were excellent and there were free recipe cards for one and all who are interested in trying their hands at replicating the yummy treats.  In fact most of the muffins that we had in Alaska were exceptionally good and of generous serving size.

We savoured many good food in Skagway, especially at The Brewing Company, Olivia’s Bistro and The Fish Company.  The servings were generally gigantic and we frequently shared our food to avoid over-eating.  Even then, we tended to veer towards over indulging in the splendid seafood.  My friend who drinks enjoyed the many different brews of Alaskan beer.  However, one eatery to be avoided is the over-rated BBQ Shack in downtown Skagway.  The food is excessively salty and pricey!

We did 2 hikes in Skagway.  The first was a forest hike to Lower Dewey Lake.  It was generally easy except for the 1st 15-20 minutes of steep incline.  On the return route, we stopped by a river where wild salmons were spawning.  My friend braved the cold waters barefooted to attempt catching a wild salmon.  It looked deceptively easy with many hovering around rocks and other obstacles but she gave up after struggling for some 15 minutes with her bare hands and feet.  No free sashimi that we had hoped for.


View of Skagway port from the Lower Dewey  Lake hiking trail
Mushroom aplenty on the Lower Dewey Lake hiking trail, Skagway
Lower Dewey Lake
 
The 2nd hike was much longer but easier which involved passing through a small cemetery to reach the towering Reid Falls.  As we had much time to spare in Skagway, we did quite a lot of shopping here.  Amongst our hauls included watches, ear-rings, shoes, t-shirts, beanies, warm clothing and souvenir items.


Anchorage
After an eye-feast flight over the Alaskan Range from Juneau to Anchorage, we arrived early with ample time for some outdoor adventure.  There are courtesy call booths at the airport to selected hotels for free shuttle service which we took advantage of. 

Some of us had a pleasurable pursuit via 2 wheels along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail  (2 hours round trip) while others explored the town. 


 We later congregated at the hotel to await the pick-up service by the ATV company for a 3-hour ATV-cum-hiking trip.  It’s my 2nd time driving an ATV (all terrain vehicle) after an exciting ride in Iceland.  
Close view of the school of spawning salmon
During the forest hike with the 2 guides, I almost came face to face with a grizzly bear!  It was unbelievably fast and charging in my direction, just 2 trees away from me.  I screamed so loud that I actually startled the furry monster into fleeing off the opposite direction, much to the dismay and chagrin of my friends who missed it totally. Only me and a friend, we were the last 2 with the guide, witnessed the scary moment.  In fact our guide had his pistol drawn and ready to shoot at the bear!

Surprise stop-cum-short hike here due to flooding and the train could not go all the way to Seward.  We had to transfer to a 30-minute coach ride to Seward instead
Our 2nd day in Anchorage was spent travelling onboard the 6-hour (1-way) Classic Coastal train ride to Seward.  It was a wet wet day and I was glad that we had time in Anchorage for some home-cooked food; laksa for dinner and porridge with fermented tofu, salted egg and olive veg for breakfast. 
The train depot in Anchorage

Despite this being my 2nd visit to Anchorage, I still do not have a strong impression of the place other than the train depot, downtown restaurant for dinner and the coastal bike ride. 

Denali National Park
We took the 8.15am – 8pm Denali Star train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks and then transferred to the complimentary taxi ride to our hotel (paid by the hotel) in Fairbanks.  We spent a night here as it was too late to drive to Denali. It would have been ideal to end the train ride in Denali instead of further up north in Fairbanks but we were constrained by the car rental service in Denali.  There’s only one car hire company in Denali and it does not allow us to drop off the car in Fairbanks.  The lack of car rental company is largely due to the fact that there are very strict regulations on where you can drive to in the National Park and visitors have to take the Park Shuttle Bus to most places within the Park or hike on foot. 

That same evening, I was fortunate to see the promising signs of the Northern Lights just next to our hotel.  The sky was dark with some clouds and it was not bitingly cold as in severe winter in Scandinavia.  I spent some 30 minutes outdoor catching sight of the faint shimmering light against the ink black sky…My friends who were out chasing the lights earlier were not as lucky.

Early the next morning after breakfast, a few of us took the complimentary taxi service to Fairbanks Airport to pick up our 2 rental cars, a 7-seater and a regular saloon.   We had 5 pax in the 7-seater white Toyota Sienna and 4 pax in the grey Nissan Versa. All the big luggage were stowed in the larger car and just 3 pieces in the smaller car.  I drove the bigger car which was equipped with my own Garmin GPS navigator and hence the 2nd car was relegated to following me.  I also brought along 2 Motorola walkie talkies for ease of communication between the 2 vehicles which worked out very well for us.

Tanana Valley Visitor Centre
Our 2 rental cars, a 7-seater Toyota Sienna and a Nissan Versa saloon
The drive to our lovely lodge in Denali took almost 3 hours covering about 200km with a couple of breaks in between.  It was a pity that we did not have sufficient time to enjoy the homely and luxurious dome-shaped lodge and its amenities as we had to dash off to the meeting point for the Denali Flightseeing tour shortly after checking into the lodge. And we did not return till past 1am  after a 2-hour hike in addition to the flight, a late dinner and our 1st enjoyment of the awesome northern lights.
Denali Dome Home



Denali Visitor Centre
Healy Overlook Hiking Trail.  I did not have enough time to complete the strenuous 7.8km 4-5-hour round trip hike
Album on hiking in Alaska



BUT it couldn’t have been a more blissful night with our first sighting of the amazing arc of lights that donned the cloudless dark skies. I spotted it while approaching our lodge after dropping off our 3 friends in another accommodation a short distance from our lodge.  I decided to check it out by parking on the side of the solitary road and switched off all the lights emitting from the car.  Only 2 of us were in the vehicle while the others were resting in the lodge.  I decided to text them via SMS since wifi was not available in the open public area.  At this crucial moment I encountered intermittent drop calls via the walkie talkie and my friend at the receiving end had a fright thinking that we were involved in some serious car accident.  2 of them dashed out in the saloon car, thinly clothed without sufficient warm clothing and covered shoes and socks.  Perhaps the thrill and excitement of seeing the glorious lights made them less conscious of the cold.  After a while, I decided to sacrifice watching the elusive lights to drive back to the lodge to fetch the other 2 friends since this was my 6th time witnessing the aurora borealis. The 6 of us were mesmerized by the pulsating light show for almost 2 hours. Auroras are caused by the excitation of particles from the Sun spiralling in the geomagnetic field near the poles resulting in the release of energy in different forms, including light.  Album on northern lights







We were overcome by exhaustion after a long day and decided to return to the lodge as 2 of us had yet to take our shower. The 2 friends who had insufficient warm clothing on them quickly bundled up and ventured outside the lodge for a spectacular feast of the natural phenomenon for another hour or more.  It was a blessing indeed that at least one compact camera managed to capture the awesome spectacles…..so for those who would like to capture the dancing lights without having to lug around a heavy and expensive DSLR camera, do invest in a compact Sony RX100.

We left at around 6.15am the next morning with our luggage in both cars for the Wilderness Access Centre to join the 11-hour tour to Wonder Lake.  Our blessings continued in Denali with fabulous weather, awesome autumn colours and numerous sightings of dall sheep, grizzly bears, moose and caribou.  It was incredible that no one felt the strain of the long journey onboard a very basic vehicle. We were richly rewarded with another grand light show that same night..  There were shafts and curtains of light with the rare tinge of red.  What a blessed trip, with 2 more nights in Fairbanks and still hoping to be further entertained by the heavenly lights.  




Can U see what I see.....2 caribous!

The sure-footed Dall sheep

Frequent swerving to the left of the bus to capture the awesome sights




Grizzly bear

Distant view of a moose






Wonder Lake

Fairbanks is lauded as one of the best places to witness the mysterious lights and thus, our expectations and hopes were high, especially since we managed to check ourselves into the strategically but remotely located Mt Aurora Lodge which is situated directly below the auroral oval, an annular ring around each geomagnetic pole where auroras are most likely to occur.  It also helps that the staff also provides real time update on the aurora activity and intensity.

However, when we arrived at the accommodation in the day, we were all shaken by the sight of the lodge. It looks like some shanty town building hastily put together with wood and corrugated zinc sheet. Their website had provided no picture of the lodge but there were good reviews on the high chance of sighting the famous lights.
Mt Aurora Lodge is strategically located below the aurora oval hence has high chance of witnessing the elusive aurora borealis, which we enjoyed 4 nights in a row in Denali and Fairbanks. Picture of the owner of the popular lodge

Bumped into this gentleman gathering wild cranberries with a specially designed pan that I was holding


Wild cranberries
 



Fortunately, the interior was a total contrast to the exterior.  It was a commendable effort by the owner to assemble and recycle many old and discarded stuff thereby giving an eclectic yet homely feel to the spacious dining hall. The rooms are located on the 2nd floor and although it is not luxurious, it is comfortable with attached toilet and bathroom and hot water.  One can even look out for the northern lights from the comfort of the bed but the lodge does provide aurora wake up calls
Good breakfast at Mt Aurora Lodge
We had very good food here at Silver Gulch where the locals frequent
The Pump House where we indulged in 2 dinners here.  By far it served the best food that we had tried in Alaska
The Pump House also offers great view apart from the excellent food

Very fresh and good value food at The Pump House, Fairbanks

After dropping off our luggage at Mt Aurora Lodge, we made our way to Chena Hot Spring Resort for a relaxing dip in the natural hot spring.  It was a long abeit scenic drive (1.5- hour 1-way) to the resort that is located at the end of Chena Hot Spring Road but the soak in the nicely landscaped  rock-decked pool was heavenly.  










Perhaps due to the effect of the hot spring bath, we were all very tired and sleepy that evening.  So it was a blessing that the northern lights that night were not particularly spectacular. We had a good night rest and sleep, all charged up for our final night in wait of the stupendous light show.
Chena Hot Spring, Fairbanks




The next morning we headed for the nature trail to enjoy the outdoors after a relaxing breakfast. Compared to the 1st week of our hectic trip, the last few days were very relaxing.  A supposedly 30-minute hike took >2.5 hours with frequent photo stops along the peat covered trails that are soft and spongy.  There were more reddish tinge here amongst the dominant golden hues and abundant cranberry shrubs that cloaked almost the entire landscape.  We bumped into a gentleman and his dog, collecting the fresh cranberries with an unique tool that looks like a  handheld dust pan with a comb on top. He and his dog turned instant celebrity with request from all of us for separate individual shots  with them.




We later congregated at the lodge then set off for lunch and thereafter, to drop our 3 friends off at another magnificent lodge, A Taste of Alaska Lodge.  The popular Mt Auroa Lodge was fully booked and could only accommodate my last minute, 3 add-on friends for just one night the night before.  But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for though it took me many hours to find an alternative and nice lodge for their last night in Fairbanks, it was a gem of a find.  Compared to our shanty-looking lodge, this was heavenly!  We lingered in the lodge for a long while before 6 of us reluctantly made our return journey to our basic abode. 
Lovely A Taste of Alaska Lodge, Fairbanks.  Highly recommended





But our shanty lodge location is indeed THE ultimate place to view the heavenly splendours.  On our last night in Fairbanks, we gazed for hours at the skies directly above our head for the randomly appearing lights that magically appeared from various directions, despite the onset of clouds that threatened to shroud the amazing lights.  There were many customers checking into the lodge that night who were elated to be greeted by the alluring natural wonder.  The majority retired indoor and eventually to the warm and comfort of their bed after a light drizzle and the infrequent appearance of the lights.  Only my friend remained steadfast, and stayed up till the wee hours before day break and was rewarded with the last appearance of the magical light display…. Kudos to her steadfastness and perseverance. Our other 3 friends at the other lodge were fortunate to enjoy the dazzling light show from the comfort of reclining chairs in the vast garden and cuddled behind warm blankets.







Our final day in Fairbanks saw us spending leisurely time hiking in the large field and forest that encompass A Taste of Alaska Lodge.  While some simply took a long and leisurely breakfast and lazed around the lodge, the rest of us went exploring the rolling hills and shimmering forest enveloped in a myriad of colours.  The owners of the lodge are truly ardent fans of nature and are indeed very blessed to live in a gorgeous lodge a short distance from the visitor’s lodge, surrounded by nature, awesome autumn colours and serenity.










We also visited Walmart, the farmers market and the University of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks.



Really nice place to have a quick lunch at the farmers market in Fairbanks

I had a very good falafel for lunch at the farmers market
The famous University of Alaska Museum has one of the best selections of Alaskan artwork in the state.  We had a very hurried meal thereafter, a very quick Mexican dinner, before rushing to the airport to return our rental cars.






But there was a great parting surprise for me in Fairbanks, a grand finale to my Alaska trip. I had the bonus sighting of the northern lights from the window seat of our late night flight from Fairbanks to Seattle.  I was the only one assigned with a right window seat and hence was the only one amongst my friends to witness the magical spectacle while almost everyone else was asleep in their seat.

Thank God for granting us journeying mercies, good health and a most wonderful and enchanting experience feasting on 4 consecutive nights of the alluring northern light display in Denali and Fairbanks..


TIPS:

  • If you take the train to the White Pass & Yukon, and from Anchorage to Seward, ensure that you sit on the left side for the best view on the scenic train rides. Remember to visit the glass dome-shaped deck in the train for unparalled view of the beautiful landscape. If you visit on a cruise, make sure to continue by bus to the Yukon Steel Suspension Bridge
  • Similarly on the bus tour in Denali National Park, make sure you are seated on the left side of the bus for the most awesome views.  Opt for the Wonder Lake tour (11 hours Round Trip) or at least to Eielson Visitor Centre (8 hours RT) but if you would like to visit the iconic Reflection Pond where Mt Denali is famously pictured in most postcards, then go for the 13-hour Kantishna tour that takes you right to Reflection Pond. Bring all the food, beverage and warm clothing with you on the long trip as no food is available once you leave the departure point at Wilderness Access Centre
  • Early to mid-September is a good time to visit Denali if you enjoy autumn colours and hopefully to catch the awesome northern lights
  • Take a flight from Juneau to Anchorage or vice versa.  The view is worth a million dollars!
  • If you take a night flight out of Fairbanks or Anchorage, remember to choose a window seat and to look out for the aurora borealis
  • There is long daylight hours in summer and early falls.  The sky doesn’t get dark till almost 10pm in early September so you will have plenty of time to participate in some organized outdoor activities
  • Bring your swimming costume for a dip in one of the many natural hot springs.  Perhaps the most accessible, big and famous one is the Chena Hot Spring Retreat.  Admission is US$15.  Bring your own towel or you would have to pay US$5 to rent a towel
  • Organised activities are expensive in Alaska, averaging at least US$200 an activity with the flightseeing tour being the most expensive (from US$310 to US$700 depending on the duration, type of flight and whether you opt to land on the glacier or lake) but it is worthwhile to join some of these unique activities such as glacier hike/walk, ice cave exploration, dog sledding, ziplining, ATV ride, whale watching, etc. 
  • It is very enjoyable to go for long nature walks. Trail maps are readily available from the Tourist or Visitor Centre in each town.  However, if you are visiting in summer, it is absolutely important to bring insect repellant and loads of sunblock lotion.
  • It is a good idea to bring a pair of good binoculars that could help you sight wild life from the moving vehicles or while hiking. In fact the binoculars can also be used as a great aid for taking photos of animals from afar even with just your smartphone or compact camera!
  • The weather is very unpredictable in Alaska so layering is the way to go when it comes to clothing.  Always equip yourself with rain gear and warm clothing and bring lots of ziplog bags for waterproofing your prized belongings (eg passport, wallet, smartphone, etc)
  • The most promising period to coincide your trip with the aurora borealis is in Spring followed by Autumn, when the skies are clear and dark.  But beware that there is no guarantee in witnessing natural phenomenon.  Do look out for the amazing dancing lights in the dark skies especially between 10pm and 2am.  Check the relevant live webcam and aurora borealis forecasting websites (eg http://www.gi.alaska.edu/auroraforecast) for regular update on the probability and intensity of seeing the rare lights
  • It is customary at sit-down restaurants to give a 15%-20% tip of the total meal cost  and 10% on carry-out eateries  although it is not mandatory.  Mandatory gratuities are used by some restaurants on large group comprising 6- 8 or more customers.  Also to keep in mind the sale tax which varies with the state you are in that are included in your bill

From Tripadvisor:  For waiters at sit-down restaurants, bartenders, barbers/hairdressers/attendants at beauty salons, taxi drivers, tour guides, and food delivery folks, the tip should be calculated as a percentage of your total bill as follows: 10% usually means you aren't totally happy, 15% usually means all was acceptable, 20% for excellent, over 20% for outstanding.  15-20 percent is considered standard in most communities.  


Restaurants with table service: Tip 15% or more of the bill, based on the quality of service. If you receive exceptional service, 20-25% is customary.  In major cities of the U.S. however, 20% is considered to be a "good tip." Note: In most larger restaurants in the USA, the server has to pay back a portion of their tips to the bartender, busser, hostess, and food runners.  A good rule of thumb is if you see people other than your server helping maintain or clean tables, serve wine, or deliver food, those people are being tipped by your server for their work. Even if you do not see additional "support staff, it is vary likely that the server is paying a portion of their tips to other staff