Alaska - there are Polar Bears there!

It was my last day at Harvey Norman today and I have to admit, it made me quite sad but I guess that is the life of a temp, you grow attached and then you have to leave, just like that show Renegade with Lorenzo Lamas, he drove in on his Harley, saved the girl from the bad guys then rode off into the sunset.


So I'm still waiting to hear when my interview for the job on the Gold Coast is, I had hoped it would be this week, it would have been so much less awkward but what can you do?

I thought I would use this blog to talk a bit more about my plans. It has been a dream of mine to do a road trip of the States since I was about 15 and my best friend, Sally and I wanted to sell our kidneys to fund a trip to LA to see Alanis Morissette in concert. I still want to see Alanis but I know that I need both my kidneys.

So here it goes, my list, State by State, in roughly the order I plan to travel.

ALASKA!!!


Alaska is one of the states I am most excited about because it looks so beautiful and I don't know of anyone who has been there.

Some towns I would like to visit:

Juneau - like the movie only spelt different. State capital of Alaska


Barrow - the US's northern-most city.

Eek - like the cat, apparently there is a place in Alaska called Eek, how could I not go to a place with such a cool name?

Mount McKinley - the highest point in the US.

Wildlife

I recently had a debate with somebody about whether there are polar bears in Alaska, I am sure there are, if so, I want to see one. I also want to see (if I can)a moose and a bowhead whale (the state marine mammal).

I would like to watch dog mushing (the state sport).

Food!!!

Food features a lot on my list. Here are some consumables, specific to Alaska:

Conecuh Ridge Whiskey - the state spirit, in some little bar somewhere (think Men In Trees)

Akutaq (Eskimo ice cream) - made from reindeer fat, seal oil & berries, although I am told they substitute the reindeer fat and seal oil, I don't want to eat endangered species. How gross does that sound?

I would like to take some New Zealand pounamu with me as gifts because jade is the state mineral in Alaska and I think that would be a nice thing to do.

That is my Alaska list so far. Any suggestions.

Random note - The Nalgene

Around Dunedin there are many students, you can always spot an American student by the fact that they carry a Nalgene and it is usually covered in stickers. My flatmate from Colorado lost her Nalgene and it was like she lost her identity as an American. My friend Emily left hers in NZ and I had to post it back to her, she sent me money from the airport before she left specially. I must get a Nalgene and a sticker from every state.