Today I'm...

thinking of warmer places as we try to choose a place for our honeymoon.


Photo: Flickr

Cabin in the woods...

When we were in Alaska we stayed in the cabin pictured above. It was located back from the beach perched on a little hill so you couldn't see it from the shoreline. It had no electricity, the lights ran off of a solar panel and the water that came through the kitchen sink was collected from rain water.

I loved every minute of it, it was glorified camping but it was so much fun. Our guide who stayed across the island from us in an abandoned cannery built the entire cabin himself with wood scraps from the cannery. The cabin also had a banya, which we used every day when we came back from fishing.

Ever since Mike and I have been back from Alaska we have been dreaming about having a little cabin in the woods like the one we stayed at in Alaska. I've been browsing Sunset Magazine online, they have an amazing resource of cabin retreats that are off the grid.

Photos

Here are the photos from our Alaska trip. We started with close to 1,000 photos and scaled them down to 172. The pictures don't even do this place justice, it really is one of the most amazing places on earth. There is so much untouched beauty here. In a world full of over consumption and over population it is reassuring to know there is still a portion of the planet that seems relatively untouched by humans. There is no litter or smog or crowds here, just nature, beautiful and preserved nature.

The highlite of our trip was Amook Island where we spent three days in a primitive cabin where we washed dishes and took showers with rain water and took banyas every day. There were no cell phones, internet, or televisions. Mike and I were the only people for miles. Our guides stayed across the way on a separate island which was a 10 minute boat ride to our island. It was so peaceful. One morning we woke up to find 5 dear outside the cabin eating salmon berries. Even looking at the pictures now, I want to be back there setting up a camp fire or walking on the beach checking out the tide pools. It is one of the best trips I have ever taken!

I'm back!!!

Alaska was amazing!!! It was hard to leave but at the same time, it feels good to be back in the same time zone! We took LOTS of photos...I will load them all up on flickr soon but here are a few for now!






Oh and one more thing...we got engaged!!!!



I'll share all the stories soon...for now I am just trying to play catch up and get situated with normal life again. It's a bit of culture shock coming back to NYC!

Leaving on a jet plane...

We are leaving VERY early tomorrow morning for our trip. We are almost all packed, just a few last minute details to deal with. I should be back with normal postings on Monday, September 8th with lots of pics to post! Have a great holiday weekend everyone!


Flickr photo: Rob Millenaar

3 days and counting...

There is so much anticipation of our trip on Friday but Mike and I still managed to have an amazing weekend. I planned a special day for him on Saturday to celebrate his birthday since we will be on a remote island with no tv, internet, phones, stores, restaurants, or other such luxuries on his actual birthday!

Sunday was spent running around doing last minute errands before our trip. We managed to get almost everything packed. Of course the apartment is a mess, the laundry needs to be done, the fridge needs to be cleaned out, recycling taken downstairs but ahh, the moment I set foot on the plane and the captain turns on the fasten seat belt signs, there will be no more worrying, stress, or tension. No blackberry to check, no tv's, no crowded streets or subways...3 days and counting!


Flickr photo: drurydrama

Is it wrong...

that I am leaving for Alaska in 9 days and I am already thinking about where I want to go next?! I have a tendency to do that. I was doing some research for our trip to Alaska and stumbled upon this blog, Where2Next, about this couple who traveled around Asia. Cambodia looks so beautiful...




Flickr photos: taraksharvari

Preparation

Wow! I never thought there would be so much to do to get ready for one trip! Our Alaska trip is two weeks from Friday and I am seriously bouncing off the walls with excitement!

We realized over the weekend that the single backpack we wanted to bring was not going to be enough to hold all our gear so I ordered a backpack yesterday. Mike already had one from his youthful days of backpacking through Europe! I found a great deal on this bag (Thank you Amazon!) We also ordered rain shoes and sleeping bags and Mike's parents are sending our tent up to us from Florida. I ordered a ton of books for the loooong plane ride (think 12 hours and 3 change of planes!)

Plus there is the gear we have to get while we are in Alaska, the fillet knife (sorry fishies!) and the wax boxes and vacuum sealer bags to ship our catch back to NY in. The flint I think we need but Mike says we don't! (But Mike, they come in all these pretty colors!!) If a flint is the only thing they drop Bear Grylls off in the wilderness with then I want one too!

All this preparation and I am sure we will forget something but if we do, who cares...we are going to Alaska! I can't wait!


Flickr photo: Whistling Train