Friday, July 11, 2008

I Need a Vacation

from my vacation
Hatcher Pass
Willow, AK side

9:00 AM

12:00 MIDNIGHT


It’s a beautiful place, and I haven’t experienced enough of it yet. I hate to be home already, yet I need to refuel. I’ve never been so exhausted while on vacation.

It’s surreal, the daylight in Alaska. Everyone said to manage time there not by visual clues but by the clock. Eat at supper time, not when dusk hits. Get up at 6:00, not at sunrise. Go to bed by the clock, not by the dark.

Because dark doesn’t happen this time of year in Alaska.

I tried, I really did, but I just couldn’t get the hang of it. I even wore a watch for the first time in years so I could more easily keep myself on track. Didn't work. The Logic of the Clock was lost on me.

Sunrise is around 3:45 AM.

5 PM in Alaska is mid-afternoon coffee and dessert time, according to my eyes and brain.

9 PM AK looks like 5:00. 5:00 = early supper, to me.

The picture to the right? MIDNIGHT, for God's sake!

Between the constant daylight and my body still fighting Central Daylight Time I was a zombie after two weeks...and if you've never been a zombie movie fan, they don't have especially good verbal or navigation skills. Putting together a string of thoughts was especially tough. Walking in a relatively straight line, not as difficult. Turning corners? Laborious.

We got off the plane back in Minneapolis last Saturday night at 9:30. By the time we were dropped off at the house, the street was dark and porch lights had popped-on.

I'm home.

- OB

4 comments:

Vito said...

What an awesome trip. Welcome back and thanks for sharing.

Groover said...

I spent a few days in North Sweden a few years ago ... same story. It's an amazing experience playing golf at 2AM ... Wouldn't want to live there in winter though!!!

Welcome back home.

Vito said...

I want to travel to Iceland. Preferably in the summer also.

Had a friend in the service years back. Did something naughty and ended up spending a year in Greenland. He still will not talk much about it.

brother yam said...

Damn, girl. I thought my ride was epic, but y'all beat the pants offa me. Looks like you had a ball. Gotta get me Mrs on a dirt bike and soon...