Anchorage to the UK.... The End of Our Journey....

Lucy's friend Beth offered me a ride to Anchorage airport I grabbed at her kind offer saving me over an hour on having to get there by bus.

Condor airlines although flashy good looking aeroplanes only offered one film and one half hour sitcom for free. If Ryanair were running an international airline it would be this one! Access to other films with ear phones cost an additional $15.00. I'd half wished they'd charged for the food to also deter me from scoffing down some soggy pasta dish for lunch and a white bread roll with plasticy cheese for breakfast. As one of the stewardesses pushed her trolley by loaded with a 'secret' stash of croissants, I asked 'Who are they for?' I with a cheeky smile. 'Business class passengers.' she said, quickly grabbing one in the metal tongs and placing it on my tray. Nice touch! Her kindness certainly made the breakfast far more enjoyable.

We landed the following day in Frankfurt ahead of the time we departed Anchorage by 3 hours. Time travel at it's best. I needed to find a bus to take me to Frankfurt Hahn Airport two hours away. Whilst waiting an additional two hours for said transport I spotted a young girl (19 years old-ish) crying as she waited at the stand. No one bothered to speak to her so I approached and asked if she was okay and if there was anything I could do to help.... It turned out she may miss her adjoining flight due to the infrequency of buses.... I consoled her for a while explaining no amount of tears or worry would alter the situation. I suggested she to call the airline. She did. There was a later flight which she was able to change on to. Tears all done.

I arrived at Franfurt Hahn with seven hours to spare before my Ryanair flight.

A few hours later a real thirst got hold of me. Whilst I sat there wishing I had something to drink a lady walked over and spoke to me in German.... 'English, English.' I said.

'Oh sorry, I've just bought this big bottle of apple juice and my flight has been called. It's unopened but I can't take it with me, would you like it?' She said.

How very kind of her to support this homeless looking airport hobo!

I thanked her kindly then gulped down the sweet, cool juice.

At 8pm I decided to check in for my 9.35pm flight.

I was told to bring my backpack to oversized baggage, due to the tripod, camping chair and roll mat wedged in under the frame. I delivered to a chap who didn't seem overly interested in my luggage asking me leave it on the plastic chair. I did so thinking to myself I wonder will that bag make the aircraft?

At 10.45pm as I stood by the empty conveyor belt in Stanstead airport it was clear my bag hadn't made the flight..... Inconvenient, but not a big issue. I reported the situation and headed for my bus in to 'The Big Smoke' to find my friend Stuart who was kindly agreed to meet me in London town at the ungodly hours of midnight gone.

The next day Ryanair said they could have the bag to me on Tuesday, but I was leaving London on Monday. I was also unsure how many days I would be in Cornwall. This was an issue. I told them to send it to the Isle of Man knowing anything I needed could be forwarded by my folks.

I had a great Saturday night with Stu where we put the world to rights and showed more tearful emotions than either of us had expected. And on Sunday I even managed to meet up with our daughter Robyn who has a placement in London for the next couple of months. Myself, Stu, Robyn and a few of his pals watched the World Cup final in one of London's Sports Bars. It was great to be able to treat Rob to a night out, I haven't seen her in almost 6 months and although we've chatted plenty via Facebook and a couple of times via Skype I've missed talking to her in the natural form.

I grabbed the Megabus on Monday at 11.30am towards Plymouth. Megabus Gold, which cost only £10.00 from London to Plymouth a five hour journey, provided me with comfortable tables, chairs and free wifi! Nice! I worked until 3pm then rested for the remainder of the journey. At Plymouth I flapped my way around until I reached the train station. I was headed for Redruth to meet Clive another great friend. Clive, Abi and their beautiful little blue eyed daughter Willow would host me in Porthtowan for a few nights. The following evening was the Elbow gig at The Eden Project. I couldn't wait. Clive and his friend Jason would join me.

Peregrine swoops along cliff....

On Tuesday morning I walked the headland path from Porthtowan to St Agnes, a 10 mile round journey. The weather was absolutely stunning, and hot! On reaching St Agnes I enjoyed a Rattler, a local Cornish Cider, and what a fine cider it is! So much so I enjoyed another for my main course.

Porthtowan Beach and Headland.

St Agnes.... Quaint.

Cider in the Sun

Had Amanda still been here with us she would certainly have purchased the Elbow tickets as a surprise.... and even though they were far from her

McCarthy, Independence Day and Anchorage.

I well and truly landed on my feet yet again, and this time I landed on a Kashmir rug.

Here I was expecting to be camping and cooking oats each morning and munching on spinach leaves and peanut butter during the day.....  but instead I woke to a cooked breakfast from Mike and then Julie making sandwiches for us all.  

It was the 4^th July and there was a parade to attend.

Peter and I cycled on ahead bumping our way down the hill towards McCarthy. The sky was blue and the views were stunning. As we arrived the parade was just getting started. Stars & stripes, cowboy outfits, folks dressed as salmon along with many other costumes and vehicles crawled through the tiny community of McCarthy under the blazing sun.

Patriotic...

The temperature was over 80 degrees which is hot for Alaskan standards. Water was being sprayed and sweets were being scattered by the parade goers.

Gay Pride?
No, Independence Day

After the parade games ensued.

The slow bike ride, the egg toss and the pie eating contest being my personal favourites.

As Peter and I watched the slow bike ride race we picked out our winners.

I was watching a young guy in a off white t shirt. He seemed to be

Arriving in McCarthy

It had been a tough days cycling.

Ten and a half hours with a two and a half thousand foot climb around midday to be exact. I was fairly bushed!

Top of Thompson Pass

Thompson Pass and the Glacier

Roadside Waterfall.

I'd reached where I wanted to get to and had slept fairly well.

At 6.30am the following morning I smeared myself in mosquito repellent and packed down my frost covered canvas. It was July 3^rd!!

My morning began with a steep climb which warmed my bones. An hour later I was turning on to the Chitna Road towards

The Ferry to Whittier then Valdez....

I love travelling on the Alaskan Ferries. So much of the time there are small tree smothered islands on view. There also seems to be a steady supply of puffins, gulls and jaegers to watch. I stand at the front of the viewing lounge, fix my eyes on the sea and wait.

Having sat back down to do some writing glancing through the front window from time to time I thought I spotted something large in the distance. I huge fin maybe? Then again.... Oh wow, had I spotted some distant orcas (killer whales)... I ran out on to deck. The 10 or so people in the large viewing

A little story....

It was my final evening at Celtic Mist B&B on Kodiak. Rowland had offered to drive me the 11 miles to the ferry dock. I suggested I take him for a beer before hand. We headed to a bar 3 minutes cycle from the ferry.

We enjoyed a couple of bottles of dark Alaskan stout as Rowland regaled more stories whilst introducing me to a few of the locals. Two real characters were Ginger & Stan who are in the process of setting up a sustainable ecological village on the North East of Kodiak. It sounds awesome...

We knocked back our beers, it was already 9.40pm then Rowland took me over to the ferry on his way home.

'Where do I pick up my ticket' I asked the Jerri, the lady in the orange reflexive jacket.

'Oh, you need to head back to the visitors centre in town.' she said screwing her face up apologetically.

As she quickly gave me directions I realised it was almost next to the bar we'd just been drinking in. It was 9.45pm and the ferry was set to depart at 10.45pm The guy standing alongside Jerri assured me I had plenty of time.... I joked with her about not allowing the ferry to leave without me, and left my back pack in the hold.

I cycled back to the Visitors Centre picked up my ticket and decided with it only being 9.55pm that there was plenty of time for another swift beer. My favourite stout was on offer for $2.00, it would be rude not to indulge myself especially as I'd been so restrained over recent months on my consumption of alcohol. After buying Rowland and myself a couple of beers plus the one I'd just ordered I had eight dollars remaining for my 19 hour ferry ride. I'd decided the day before I may shoot for a cleansing two day fast, and what better place to do it than on the ferry. I got chatting with Geoff (or Jeff) the barman and asked him about the beers. As I swigged my cold dark ale I asked did they do a taster tray? They did. 'How much is it?' I enquired.

'Fifteen dollars Geoff replied.'

'Ah well, no worries.'

Then Dylan (or Dylin) the young front of house manager asked if I'd like a tray of 9 tasters (which amounted to two and a half pints of delicious beer), asking if I'd score them on their special 'score sheet. I only have eight dollars until I reach Valdez (19 hours to Whittier, one night camping, then the ferry at 2pm the next day arriving in Valdez at 6pm). I told him I was doing a two day fast. 

Booze Hound.

He said the taster tray would be on him if I'd rate them for him. Wow! Of course I'll rate them. It was already 10.15pm. I had 25 minutes before I had to be at the ferry. Dylan and I chatted for the full half hour. He was already deep, wise and worldly at the tender age of 21. He shared that he'd love to travel, and one day intends to. He was born on Kodiak. I believe Dylan will travel. As I enjoyed and rated the fine ales I shared with him the story behind my travels. This has been