Disclaimer: This blog will contain loads of sarcastic comments. Some will be about my family while some will feature random people I see. I will make comments about my surroundings and even make fun of myself periodically. Please don't take much of it seriously. I lace the truth with sarcasm because my livelihood depends upon making all of you laugh. Please don't believe that I despise my parents or hate the world. I discriminate all - no one is safe from my stinging wit. All in good fun. All harmless. I'd rather not get sued for anything I say here. I am incapable of keeping my opinion to myself so get used to it. :0)
Let me preface this blog by informing you all that I am writing this while on the plane. Alaska Air has free WiFi in the air. It's amazing. Technology is both amazing and yet horrendously frustrating. At 34,000 ft. in the air I can surf the web but I seem to have difficulties getting good cell service in my house. Go figure.
Anyways, we are off. My parents finally got around to packing...slackers. And much to her chagrin, my mom forgot her book. She begged and pleaded (asked once) to use my Kindle to buy the book. Now she's happy. Crisis averted.
We left the house at 5 am. It really is a lovely hour to be alive. A cool breeze and a beautiful sunrise welcomed us as we drove the New Jersey Turnpike towards Newark Airport. Such a picturesque drive....I must try to do it more often.
We boarded the plane by 715. We are sitting in separate seats on this leg of the trip. I'm in row 21 and my parents are in row 23. They seem to have semi-respectable row mates. I, however, got stuck with some rather ridiculous characters. To my right is a woman who seemed a bit uptight about traveling. She was on the phone with her daughter before we left the gate. Definitely told her she loved her about five times in a five minute conversation. Then she proceeded to take a bunch of pills. I didn't pay attention to what they were but I'll assume that they are anti-anxiety pills and make her out to be crazy. The truth has no basis in this blog.
And to my left is the character that could be up for the "buy an extra seat" award. She was right behind me when we boarded the plane and she hardly let me sit before plopping down herself. (plopping is the key word here). She had to request for a seat belt extender and has been sleeping on and off for the past hour and a half. I was forced to climb over her to use the bathroom. My long legs saved me the hardship endured had I awoken the sleeping giant - now if only the Japanese had thought along the same lines...
We are due to land in Seattle at 10:40 a.m. PST. So that would be 1:40 p.m. EST We will be there for three hours do to a layover. Then we take a 2-hour flight to Fairbanks. I'll post some pictures of the Seattle airport later on. Til then...
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Defeating the Urge to Overpack
If you are like me, the timetable to pack depends upon the length of the trip. If it's a weekend away, I'll pack roughly an hour before I leave. If the trip is for a week, then I'll pack the day before. When I went to Egypt for month, I began my packing a week in advance.
However, this trip is different from all others I've taken. Reasons being:
1. It's Alaska. This is explanation enough for those who have been there but I'll divulge for those who haven't had the opportunity. Alaska is unpredictable. Yes it's the middle of the summer. And yes it is light out for most of the day. However, the temperatures can fluctuate rapidly. It might be 75 and sunny one day and the next day it's 60 and rainy. We cannot rule out the possibility of snow either. Often it is warmer in Fairbanks than it is in Anchorage . So you see the dilemma. We have to pack for all seasons.
2. It's Alaska. Yea I know, same as the first one but for another reason. No one goes to Alaska to tan on the beach, drink your face off, and flirt with the bartenders. Well, I might end up doing two of those things *see future blogs ;)* Anyways, we will be hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, etc. These activities demand a certain dress code. Hiking boots, hiking pants, wool socks, foul-weather gear, etc. Things like this take up a lot of space in suitcases so it's been a bit of a challenge.
3. The Cruise. This trip encompasses a lot. We fly to Alaska, spend a week doing crazy things with Tim and Jackie, and THEN get on a cruise ship. So we also have to pack for the cruise. Bring nicer items for dinner. Bathing suits. Maybe some clothes for warmer weather.
For these reasons, packing has become an art form. We cannot overpack. There is no leeway. You must only pack what you need and what you will wear. Very militaristic in a certain way. (Side note: I must add that we do have the luxury of washing facilities at Tim and Jackie's place as well as on the cruise ship. So maybe this isn't that bad).
Mid Pack
All done!
Well I'm all packed. My parents aren't. They have some lame excuse about work but I'm not buying it. Just pure laziness.
Less than 48 hours til we leave. Stay tuned for more posts.
However, this trip is different from all others I've taken. Reasons being:
1. It's Alaska. This is explanation enough for those who have been there but I'll divulge for those who haven't had the opportunity. Alaska is unpredictable. Yes it's the middle of the summer. And yes it is light out for most of the day. However, the temperatures can fluctuate rapidly. It might be 75 and sunny one day and the next day it's 60 and rainy. We cannot rule out the possibility of snow either. Often it is warmer in Fairbanks than it is in Anchorage . So you see the dilemma. We have to pack for all seasons.
2. It's Alaska. Yea I know, same as the first one but for another reason. No one goes to Alaska to tan on the beach, drink your face off, and flirt with the bartenders. Well, I might end up doing two of those things *see future blogs ;)* Anyways, we will be hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting, etc. These activities demand a certain dress code. Hiking boots, hiking pants, wool socks, foul-weather gear, etc. Things like this take up a lot of space in suitcases so it's been a bit of a challenge.
3. The Cruise. This trip encompasses a lot. We fly to Alaska, spend a week doing crazy things with Tim and Jackie, and THEN get on a cruise ship. So we also have to pack for the cruise. Bring nicer items for dinner. Bathing suits. Maybe some clothes for warmer weather.
For these reasons, packing has become an art form. We cannot overpack. There is no leeway. You must only pack what you need and what you will wear. Very militaristic in a certain way. (Side note: I must add that we do have the luxury of washing facilities at Tim and Jackie's place as well as on the cruise ship. So maybe this isn't that bad).
Mid Pack
All done!
Well I'm all packed. My parents aren't. They have some lame excuse about work but I'm not buying it. Just pure laziness.
Less than 48 hours til we leave. Stay tuned for more posts.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
New Name, New Blog, Same Blogger
Hello,
I formed this blog many months ago. I wrote about three posts in three days and haven't been back since. Obviously, I haven't had much to say and had no real reason to have a blog. I don't live with this false sense of entitlement, believing that people really care what I have to say and I'd like to believe that I am not pretentious.
That being said, I have finally found a reason to blog. This blog will become my travel blog. Reasons being:
1. I love to travel. Easily my favorite thing to do.
2. I have traveled a lot in the past year. I should've started this blog back in October when I went of my first of three cruises this year. Alas, I didn't, so I'm going to start it now.
3. I like to talk about traveling. I definitely do different things when I travel. I like to eat odd foods and take risks that I never do when I'm home. I'll try to keep it lively.
4. I can post pictures! Modern technology has blessed me with this ability. I can dazzle you with my witty comments and then hit you with some Pulitzer-prize winning photographs taken on my 7.1 megapixel Canon camera. (Note: There are cell phones with better cameras)
Those are probably the main reasons why I am "re-starting" this blog. I did blog when I went to Egypt two years ago and that seemed to go over rather well. Let's hope this one is as enjoyable, albeit I'd rather not get any offers of marriage this time.
This first segment of the blog will deal with our next trip to Alaska. In two weeks time, my parents and I will be traveling to "Seward's Folly." We will be visiting my brother Tim and his wife, Jackie, who live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I won't give away too many details about the trip itself but it will include fishing, hiking, snorkeling, whitewater rafting, eating, sleeping and cruising.
So I hope you all enjoy it. I will be back soon for some pre-trip updates.
I formed this blog many months ago. I wrote about three posts in three days and haven't been back since. Obviously, I haven't had much to say and had no real reason to have a blog. I don't live with this false sense of entitlement, believing that people really care what I have to say and I'd like to believe that I am not pretentious.
That being said, I have finally found a reason to blog. This blog will become my travel blog. Reasons being:
1. I love to travel. Easily my favorite thing to do.
2. I have traveled a lot in the past year. I should've started this blog back in October when I went of my first of three cruises this year. Alas, I didn't, so I'm going to start it now.
3. I like to talk about traveling. I definitely do different things when I travel. I like to eat odd foods and take risks that I never do when I'm home. I'll try to keep it lively.
4. I can post pictures! Modern technology has blessed me with this ability. I can dazzle you with my witty comments and then hit you with some Pulitzer-prize winning photographs taken on my 7.1 megapixel Canon camera. (Note: There are cell phones with better cameras)
Those are probably the main reasons why I am "re-starting" this blog. I did blog when I went to Egypt two years ago and that seemed to go over rather well. Let's hope this one is as enjoyable, albeit I'd rather not get any offers of marriage this time.
This first segment of the blog will deal with our next trip to Alaska. In two weeks time, my parents and I will be traveling to "Seward's Folly." We will be visiting my brother Tim and his wife, Jackie, who live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I won't give away too many details about the trip itself but it will include fishing, hiking, snorkeling, whitewater rafting, eating, sleeping and cruising.
So I hope you all enjoy it. I will be back soon for some pre-trip updates.
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