Anchorage

Hooray! I made it to Alaska. Over the weekend, I started getting sick, which is not so good. I'm still a little low. Sore throat, headache, a touch of malaise. But I made it and I'm happy about that. I'll hang in there for as much of the running around as I can but go back to the hotel and rest as necessary. Today is the day before the meeting and we're supposed to get a tour. The tour is arguably the most interesting part of this trip. I wish I weren't so beat or I would have taken a much longer walk this morning. Instead, I made a couple block turn right near the hotel and stumbled upon a popular indie coffee shop (Kaladi Brothers Coffee) that even has free wifi.

The downtown of Anchorage is not very dense. I see a handful of highrises, parking garages and parking lots interspersed with small wood frame houses. Occasionally there is a small café or restaurant. Our hotel is right near the bus station and seems to be directly next door to the youth hostel.

I was a master light packer for this trip. In the suitcase: one pair of pants, three shirts, pjs, underwear, computer, toiletries, camera, a few papers, small knitting project, a hat and a vest. I was wearing my Alaska sweater, more pants (heh), shirt, shoes, etc. I was carrying my parka and a very warm, long cowl. At the airport, I managed to squeeze the parka and the scarf into the suitcase. I also carried a small bag with a bunch of magazines (New Yorkers), another small knitting project, notepad and work papers, snacks, mini-kit (hairbrush, hand lotion, chapstick, pills for headache, glass cleaning cloth, gum), mini-air travel kit (Dramamine, ear plugs). I only have the one pair of shoes for this trip, which is a bit of a gamble, but I did it one other time and it worked out fine. Hopefully this will be one of those times too. I also didn't bring a suit jacket. I usually do and wear it on the first day. This time, I decided the sweater was nice enough and I'm hoping that Alaska is casual enough that no one will be offended that I'm not wearing business-type clothing. If I still had a suit that fit, I might have brought it, but none of my suits fit and I don't wear them enough to bother to buy a new one. Though I should probably do something about that. It's not a bad idea to have one black suit, just in case (the jacket still fits, the trousers, not so much).

On the flight, I half watched one of the movies, read a magazine and knit. I'd seen the second movie, so I listened to music, read a magazine and knit. I did a great job of catching up on my back-issue New Yorkers. I think I finished three out of five, though I didn't read and of the fiction.

I'm sitting among some of the downtrodden youth of Alaska. A dude is having a long conversation about how he goes to school to eat. About how he is embarrassed to eat at his girlfriend's house. About one girl who was a better friend than a girlfriend. A young woman was excited because her case was dropped. I guess we must be near the courthouse.

And, now I'm off, to my good government job. Let's hope I make it and my cold doesn't get worse.

Grateful for: Alaska.