Thursday, June 14, 2012

Alaska -- Day 29

We are still in Prince George, the first stop since leaving Banff and Jasper National Parks. Most of the people coming and going from this RV park are from the US, seniors like us. For folks like us, there isn't much reason to be here unless we are headed to Alaska. Those we have talked to are going the same place we are. We may very well see them again in the next few months. There aren't many roads to choose from up here.

John is feeling better. I'm not sure yet if I have escaped the bug. We'll see. Tomorrow we leave for Dawson Creek.

Daylight is very different here than where we spent the winter. I don't like to get up in the morning before it is light. Much of February and March I set my alarm for 5:30 am and it was still dark. Yuck. In fact, the sun was barely up when we left for our refuge duties at 7:45. I was so glad when we finished our volunteer assignment and I could wake up at 6 or 6:30 and it was light.

But here, the sun comes up before 4:45 am and sets after 9:30 pm. John finds it difficult to go to sleep when it is light (except when he takes a nap), so he has resorted to the kind of mask you can buy to sleep on an airplane. I don't have trouble going to sleep when it is light. My problem is, I don't get sleepy when it is light. I have a hard time realizing it is bed time. I could easily stay up till 10:30 or later. However, it is now light before 4 am. I have finally gotten to the point I wake up then, but can go back to sleep till 5:30 or 6.

I have read that Alaskans get very little sleep in the summer, choosing to stay up and enjoy the daylight. I understand that. But I would hate spending the winter far to the north. I enjoy sunlight. So I think I will stick with living most of the time in the lower 48 where the sun behaves in a way I consider "normal."

1 comment:

  1. Our daughter lives in Atqasuk, Alaska - 60 miles south of Barrow. She is a school teacher in a very small village. Stays dark there for at least 5 months. She has a "happy lamp" and takes a lot of vitamins. This was her biggest problem. The temps of neg 30 or neg 40 with windchill in the neg 70 F weren't a problem for her. She is home for a few weeks this summer and took a huge road trip from Oklahoma to California and back enjoying the weather and especially the sun! Enjoy your trip!

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