We had a great drive from Tok, our last overnight stop, before arriving in
Anchorage mid-afternoon on Saturday 1st September, 99 days out of
Vladivostok.
The drive yielded more magnificent scenery, three glaciers reasonably
close up, the spectacular Matanuska Valley and many small lakes with the
last of the birdlife getting ready for their migration to the south.
Today is Labour Day here in North America, and it seems this is regarded
as the end of summer. A lot of shops and attractions close in the next few
weeks for the long winter period.
Anchorage is quite an expensive place and some of the motels we first
checkedt, didn't quite live up to the description in our travel book. We
luckily happened on a very nice apartment that had changed to winter rates
and we feel we are in a home away from home, and a far nicer way to end
the trip.
Now to the star of our trip, our Bambino.
The smallest car to ever go around the world.
The cutest car imaginable (actually voted the sexiest car ever, last year).
The car that has put a smile (or even an outright laugh) on so many
peoples' faces.
The car that has introduced us to so many wonderful people in so many
countries whether we had a common language or not.
We have had some other assistance on this trip. As a radiographer I have
had to upgrade my skills regularly as technology races along, but this
trip has seen quite a steep learning curve. Unlike many of our previous
trips we went hi tech this time. With us we had a lap top fitted with WiFi
, Skype phone and the ability to download onto a flash drive. We also had
an I Pod which we could plug into the car radio so we could both listen to
our downloaded music. Along with cameras and phones all this required a
huge bag of connections to keep everything fully charged.
Our greatest assistance though came from Penelope (she is of British
heritage). Lang calls her the best marriage guidance councilor of all
time. She remained unruffled while being abused, for she did have her
failings, but she had the ability to remain calm at all time and just tell
us she is recalculating or alternatively she could be turned off at the
press of a button. We have become very fond of our companion and I am not
the least bit jealous, I would strongly recommend a similar GPS to all
travelling couples.
I must admit home is beckoning, but we have a few administrative things to
attend to regarding the shipping of the Bambino back home and also
returning ourselves, hopefully by the end of the week.
The trip I guess is not complete until we drive the Fiat back into the
driveway at home, but that could be almost another two months. For Lang
and I though, psychologically we have cleared the final hurdle.
Einstein posed the question
"Is it a Friendly Universe?" and our trip has definitely enforced the
answer as ,YES.
He also said "All time is now" and I believe that is what travel is all
about. It takes you out of the everyday routine – the leaden weight of
routine, the fetters of habit, the cloak of cares and slavery of home. It
allows you to experience the here and now, whether that is the people or
the experiences of Siberia, Europe, or Northern America.
I have just finished reading "The Secret" by Australian author Rhonda
Byrne. What a powerful but very simple message it portrays. Something that
I have heard Lang express for the whole 39yrs we have been together –
always be positive, there is always a way to make things happen.
And while into the quotations I will end with one of Lang's favorites from
Robert Louis Stevenson
I travel not to go anywhere
But to go
I travel for travel's sake
The great affair is to move.
Bev
