Adventure to Alaska

Monday, March 22, 2010 – 10 am – Waiting in Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Today is the day, we leave for Alaska at 11:40am. Holden wakes up at his usual time o’dark 6am and climbs into bed with Mom-Mom and Diddy. Everything was packed last night so, it is a relaxing morning – as relaxing as Monday’s can be. Holden is getting ready for school and decides that he is going to get dressed all by HISELF – no help for anyone. Mom-Mom and Diddy get the Blue Giraffe drop-of 101 lesson and Holden could care less that Mommy is leaving. He has his Alaska Airline plane and helicopters. Mommy was a little tearful, Mom-Mom was worse. Kyle and I get to the airport, luggage is checked and we are sitting at our gate at 10:22am. It feels weird to be sitting at the gate not having to worry about packing enough toys, books, planes, snacks. It also is weird that I am not saying “Holden this… Holden that…” We will miss Holden, but are excited about our adventure. I am sure Mom-Mom and Diddy are excited about theirs too.

We landed in Chicago on time and had lunch at a burger joint. I just could not go to Macaroni Grill in the airport - that is wrong, just wrong. The flight from Chicago to Seattle was LONG and a little bumpy, but nothing like I prepped myself for. I got to see the "needle" in Seattle, and Pugent sound. We only had 50 minutes in Seattle and really not that long since we had to get off the plane (17 rows in) and find our gate.... well someone above must be looking out for us, because when we got into the terminal, we had just gotten off of the plane we were to get back on. Go figure. so, we went to get a quick bite, since they do not serve food on the plane.

The flight from Seattle to Fairbanks was also smooth. I got the window seat and was able to see the mountains and terrain below the entire flight. I did not see any aurora borealis, but I had the most beautiful sunset on the horizon the entire time. We landed in Fairbanks at 9:30pm which is really 1:30 am our time. I was tired, but also very excited.

The hotel is nice, we look out on to the Chena River. Birds were singing this morning. What a way to wake up..