Since we had upgraded our Natural Wilderness Tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour yesterday, we had a free morning til our departure at 2:15. It was nice to have our luggage out at 8 and a leisurely breakfast that followed. The Denali Lodge complex is a bit more compact than the McKinley one was and had a variety of shops to visit. We walked around a bit and then settled in the lodge where I was able to post a couple of updates to the blog. The Internet has been a major stumbling block on this trip even when wireless WiFi is promised. It's just another misleading promise from Princess.
We left Denali and headed toward Fairbanks. The smoke and haze masked any scenery other than what was relatively close in front of us.
We had a rest stop about halfway through our 3 hour journey at Nenana, a tiny village on the the river that bears its name. There was a cultural center there as well as rest rooms. Nenana's claim to fame is the lottery that it sponsers each year. A tripod with a clock is suspended in the ice and lottery participants try to guess the exact day, date, and minute that the ice will break up in the spring. Half of the winnings go to the winner and the other half to the foundation that supports educational funds. Last year over $300k was wagered.
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| Retired tripod for the ice break-up wager |
Arrived at our hotel, Bear Lodge, in Fairbanks around 5:30. Found all of our luggage in the room and that was a relief. We had sent one bag from the ship that was delivered directly to Fairbanks and we were glad to be finally reunited.
Finished listening to the Bucs' come from behind win in the room before we headed out for dinner. Great win with two stellar innings pitched by Watson and Melancon!
Dinner at an Italian restaurant, Geraldo's, around the corner from the hotel. Food was very good, but incredibly slow service.
Back to the hotel for a nightcap and then bed.
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