Last Post From USA

Greetings from Aleyska, Alaska. We've been in Alaska for the past week and will be heading to LA to catch our flight to Japan tonight,transiting at Seattle. It's been a fun week with awesome sights from all angles. Thick white sparkly snow makes all our pictures turn out perfect. We had tons of fun with the winter activites; dog sledding, building snowmans, soaking in the open-air hot springs at -30 degree celsius, etc. Yes u read right, freaking minus 30 degree celsius! The harsh bitter cold was pretty much unbearable, and that is my only complain. Tears & mucus froze instantly and we could feel our nostril hair freezing upon the 3rd breaths we took once we hit outdoors. It was totally insane and we weren't able to remain out in the open for long. Layerings and heat packs were insufficient to keep us warm, as our toes & fingers were constantly numb from the cold.

I'm utterly glad that we'll be bidding goodbye to the intense winter and saying hello to the sashimis and ramens waiting for us in Japan. Goodbye to pizzas and burgers too. I'm not despairing from my departure from STL yet, and I contribute that to the fact that I am still enjoying my 16-day long holidays. There were nights when I laid on my hotel bed and think of those days when I head out with TWC though. The good times we had in STL, the tranquil surroundings in WH and all the nice people I've met. Perhaps the real forlorness hasnt hit me hard yet. I'll emo-check myself again come mid jan. Tsk tsk...

As the guys are skiing down the scary snow-capped mountains now, this is where I'm blogging this particular entry; by the fireplace in the resort's lobby. Nice warm place to chill with an iced-cold sierra mist I must say. Anyway Anchorage is far less colder than Fairbanks, which is up nearer to the Artic Circle and where we experienced the bizzare -30 deg c. Thus, the temperature at where I am now is much more bearable than what I'd gone through the past few days.

Snow skiing has never been my cup my tea, after a bad experience trying to get back to base during my virgin trial in Korea 10 years back. Contradictorily, hubby is a snow-skiing fan, having gone to the extend of buying his own Oakley ski mask and ski pants, and seizing all opportunities to glide down the white mountains. I hope he doesn't come back with bruises and complains of aches. Heh...

After this winter adventure in Alaska, we'll be greeted by kawaii chicks in Tokyo & more snow in Hokkaido, before we head back home for good. I'm looking forward to the fresh sashimis and dinner with my dearest in Thai Village & Chong Qing Hotpot thereafter! Slurpz...