Friday 3 September 2010.
Kingaroy – Brisbane – Auckland – Los Angeles – Seattle – Anchorage = 37 hours
4.00am bolt out of Kingaroy, then being the first on the scene of a traffic accident at the Esk turn off at 5.00am between two builders (both utes and trailers written off), gear, screws and pop rivets strewn all over the road put that instant conflict of mind when on a schedule to be on an international flight, but, with no injuries, and dodging a flat tyre, saw us in Brisbane on schedule. Some mix up with seating, turns out we booked too early, and we should have re-checked our seating, but all was good, but ended up the back with all the other families, bugger.
Exiting Brisbane, Customs fails to have reasonable logistics, Transit in Auckland was OK, a couple of shops to look at, clearing customs in the US was again stagnant with logistics, the Tom Bradley Building LAX has a suitable area to kill 3 hours, transit in Seattle, lovely pizza place gave us a ‘pick-me-up’. The flight to Anchorage, having sorted out our seating again, had us on the starboard side so we had the views of the ice capped ranges. It wasn’t until the Seattle – Anchorage leg that I noted the Cabin Crew briefing did not include “how to use the life vest”. Upon closer inspection of the Safety Card, I discovered this airline does not have Life Vests, they use the seat cushion of your seat as your life raft. Flying across the gulf of Alaska and no life vest, I suppose they figure it wouldn’t help much anyway.
The taxi driver en-route to the Great Alaskan Holidays RV Rental place, where our keys were hidden for us to O/N that first night, informed us that the Cruise Ships were down some 140,000 passengers for this year, and many tourist businesses were suffering. He hadn’t heard of ‘independent travellers’ when I ask how their numbers were doing, they seem to forget us independent travellers, everyone always says, “are you going on a cruise?” The bed was welcomed, but the excitement and sleeping beside a highway had its impact on sleep.
37 Hours straight through, a tough one on the kids, but I must say, they kept in great spirits throughout, and the trip went rather well, considering “cattle class” lacks some comfort. Welcomed sleep. Arrived 11.00pm, Friday 3 Sept (Local Time)
Weather: Showers and rain periods.
Low 40’s F
Wildlife: Red Squirrels, Loons.
O/N : N61.13169
W149.86496
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