Finally Not Tired

It has taken me two weeks to get adjusted to the Holland America (HAL) way of life. I figured I had done a pretty good job preparing myself, working as much as possible and staying busy on my days off, so that the pace wouldn't get to me. Apparently there is no way to prepare other then to just jump in and do it. In the first two weeks I worked more then one hundred hours and there were many more hours that were almost impossible to clock. I slept in 10 different beds and an air mattress in my apartment in Anchorage, including moving hotels 3 times in 3 days while staying in the same town. I have had a 1:30 am and a 4:30 am wake call, the norm is about 6:00 am and the lights out is usually about 11:00 though more often then not it is earlier. I have heard complaints about dust in the hotel room in Denali (duh, you're in the wilderness,) having to use an outhouse (aka long drop) in a place that doesn't even have running water, the lack of animals outside the train, coach, hotel room, etc., long days on the coach (look at a map, Alaska is really big,) and many other wonderful comments. The best one was the guy that told me on the first day of the 12 land tour following his 7 day cruise that he just wanted to go home. I am sure there are more wonderful quips but let me stop while I am ahead.

Now don't think for a second that I don't love doing it or being in Alaska, let me tell you those reasons too. Seeing Mt. Healy rising up with the 5 am sun on it, riding the train over Hurricane Gulch and along the Indian River, being on the Taylor Highway for the first time, seeing 1898 come to life in Dawson City, following the mighty Yukon River through the wilderness, eating fresh caught salmon, seeing a cruise ship docked in Skagway with the mountains seemingly rising up on all sides, following the White Pass trail on a narrow gauge train, getting to know people from all over the world, hanging out with old friends and making a few new ones. Those are just a few of the amazing things I have done in my two weeks. Oh yeah, no longer being exhausted at the beginning and end of every day. Stay tuned for more.

Thanks for reading.