I’m baaaaack! Dammit.
My Beloved and I had so much fun, so many new experiences I’m still processing them all. I’m almost certain I could spend huge chunks of my life just travelling, meanwhile spending money like water. It’s a helluva lot of fun - interspersed with moments of sheer terror - generally associated with making connections with planes, trains and buses.
The last few highlights? Taking a helicopter trip up to Mendenhall Glacier (near Juneau) and going out on a dog sled with real dog mushers. I know the photo isn’t easy to decipher, but do try. It really is like that - all white. So impressive to sub-tropical me and my thin blood! Those little dots are the tents for the humans and the smaller dots are the dog kennels. The big lumps in the background are mountains with snow on them. The dog trainers arrive in April and stay til mid-Sept and the they LIVE there in tents, the lunatics, training for races like the Iditarod. You can see the landscape is just like stepping into a humongous freezer.
We got so brave we even stood up on the back of the sled and pretended to be the real thing! The dogs themselves are amazing, nowhere near as big as I expected and not especially husky-like at all. In the photo some are actually howling because they’re ready to run and they want to go, go, GO! They were perfectly friendly too and really appreciated a nice scratch behind the ears. They have great names like Krypton and Mike and Hotfoot (the lead dog) and Hasty, who stood on top of his kennel and yelled so loud, the trainer finally relented and let him come along.
Then there was the trip on the Bering Strait crab boat. The crew were all former professional fishermen and the boat had been on the reality show, The Deadliest Catch. Needless to say, everyone on board had seen it, except us. The stories they told curled my hair and I believed every word - they had the scars to prove it. Here I am with some huge horrible spiny wiggly Alaskan crabs. Erk! As you see, I’m doing my best to avoid the beasties and cuddle up to the nice captain. *grin* And the less said about the octopus the better. It was huge too, a dark maroon colour! Apart from humans, it’s the only predator for the Alaskan crabs.
It seems incredible, but it was only a few days ago we spent our last morning at Vancouver’s Granville Markets, overlooking the rainy, but beautiful (and busy) harbour. We marvelled at the extraordinary range of food stuffs and ate big fat black cherries, meanwhile avoiding the salmon pepperoni and the salmon candy. Good heavens, there are limits!
What next?
Now I’m back in the swing, you can expect regular posts again. So watch for them and come talk to me - I’ve missed you!
And a heads-up - I got some nifty bits and pieces for contest prizes while I was away. Speaking of which… Guess what was waiting for me when I got home? The ARCs (Advanced Review Copies) for THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW. So think about that for a while. *chuckle*
In the very near future (as in NOW!) I have a book to write. Not my best thing, being creative under pressure. Luckily, I adore the characters. One big stubborn man and one small stubborn woman and - boom, fireworks! But more about Erik and Prue later.
Next week, I have to go back to work. I’m very determined not to think about that. *sigh* I’m definitely feeling flat, quite a let-down after so many weeks of excitement and indulgence.
So come and cheer me up. What’s the best, most exciting place you’ve been? My Beloved and I have rather been bitten by the travel bug, so I’d love to hear your recommendations. And do you get the “blahs” after it’s over, or are you just glad to be home? I must say, a real cup of tea (in a pot, with tea leaves) was simply wonderful!
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Welcome back, Denise. We missed you. Not to mention having a huge case of the green eyed monster
I know what you mean about travel. Oh to be able to go on an adventure somewhere in the world every year! Our recent trip to the US was fab but I have to say I think my heart belongs to Italy - must have been an ancient Roman goddess I think.
What I would love to do is all of the world’s great train journeys. I just loved watching the scenery go by and the clickety clack of wheels lulling you to sleep at night. Can you tell I’m a railwayman’s daughter???
BTW - that captain looks about as delicious as the crab he was holding. Did you try one of them? (the crab that is). They are way easier to de-shell than our muddies and really do have an exquisitely sweet flavour!
Welcome Back! It’s good to hear from you. My mother said the same things when she want to Alaska with my grandmas- the dogs didn’t look husky-like at all. Personally, I wonder why that is. As for those crabs… they are huge! Did you get to eat them?
Welcome back Denise!!! The pictures are beautiful. I have a feeling about why the dogs don’t look husky like and that’s because the ones you see on TV (in the dog shows and things like that) usually live a pampered lifestyle and have beautiful coats. Where as these guys live in the frozen North and work most of the time. They still seem to have a great time though and they love to run.
If you have cable or satellite telly and get the Discovery Channel, you’ll be able to see Deadliest Catch. That is one heck of a show and I have the upmost respect for those guys because it is a dangerous job. The crabs you have around you look like what we call the Alaskan Red King Crabs and it’s supposedly been named so because of the spikes on it’s body or at least that’s what I was told once when I was younger. LOL! And Amy is right, they have a very sweet flavor. It’s one of my favorite foods to eat.
One of my favorite places is Asheville, North Carolina to go to the Biltmore Mansion. That place is huge! Here’s a link to the website, so you can see it. http://www.biltmore.com. If you click on Our Story it will take you to a place that you can learn about the history of the mansion and it’s owners. There are areas that you can look at the grounds and other places on the property too (click on Visit Blitmore). I also have some pictures that I could send and show you.
Welcome Home Denise. I am so happy you enjoyed my end of the world, the Pacfic West Coast.
Will we be getting more pictures in the future? *hint, hint*
I can’t wait to be able to read your next book.
Write, write, write…
Welcome back Denise. Glad to hear that you had a wonderful trip. I’ve got a craving
for seafood now, those crabs look meaty
My favorite place to visit is Maui,HI. You can enjoy the island and enjoy the cities. The atmosphere is nice and relaxing.
Hugs, Danette
Hey there, AA. Yes, I loved Italy too, especially Tuscany and Florence. You realise we could hire a villa over there for a couple of months and go write? And do other things…
And couldn’t agree more about train travel. It’s wonderful. Love that rhythm. The crabs were yummy - very rich.
Hi Jen. The trainer said the dogs are bred very carefully, but for performance. There’s definitely a husky strain - some of them had very pale blue eyes, quite disconcerting. And they all have deep thick coats. Seemed to me quite a few had body types like kelpies. And the crab meat was very rich and sweet. I liked it, though I’m not a huge crab eater.
Dani, I’m going to try to get hold of The Deadliest Catch from the video store. I was completely enthralled by the crew’s stories. Biltmore Mansion reminds me of Hearst Castle near Cambria, California. We had a day there and it gave me a glimpse of what it must be like to have more money than God. It was stunning, amazing, mind-boggling. I’ll have to write a post on it. In my first spare moment…
Hey there, Pamela. I LOVED it - though we had such beautiful weather that it was freaky. I was quite relieved to see rain and clouds, so that I didn’t fall in love with the place quite so much!
And if you truly want more pics I might do a few more posts on the travels - Hearst Castle for sure. That was fascinating, from a few different points of view, especially for a writer.
And yes, slave driver, I’m writing!
Also trying to think of a contest for an ARC of THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW. Get ready! 
Danette, Hawaii is yet another place I haven’t been. Just between us, I’m hoping that the writing pays well enough so that I can visit the US every year or two for conferences, conventions etc. That way, I can work my way around. I have very tentative plans for RT in Orlando, Florida next year…
Welcome back. As for my favorite places, I loved Edinburgh Scotland outside of the US but at home, my heart belongs to the mountains and deserts of Arizona and Nevada. The red rocks in Sedona steal my breath away. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself and made it home safely.
Where-0-Where have my smily faces gone????
Hi Denise and welcome home.
I’ve only been all over OZ but I did go out of the country for a week to visit Son and G/F on Hamilton Island last year…(G) It was so amazing, I could have been anywhere in the world. The Daintree and Top of Qld is fantastic as is the south East of WA. And I LOVE travelling all over VIC.
When Relies came from Holland a few years ago they said that the little town of Copacabana on the Central CoastNSW was a duplicate of a town they’d visited in Portugal…
Funny how that can be true I guess of anywhere…
My first big trip to 6 countries on Europe is looming (dec08)Kinda excited kinda scared.
Same with the destination times and scheduals…I really hate that.
Cheers Maryde{:>}
Ah Clynax, I remember Edinburgh. Lovely, but very windy when we were there. I’d love to go back. And I’d love to see Arizona and Nevada. So many places to go, so little time…
Mary, I can actually say I’ve been to the Daintree and to WA, though it was the south west (I think?) - Margaret River area. Lovely. But not Copacabana, NSW. I’ll keep an eye out for it.
How I wish I could pack myself in your suitcase for Europe. It’s been decades since I was there, but there are parts I’ll never forget. Florence, Venice, Athens, Delphi, Salzburg, Rothenborg. We lived in London for a couple of years. Ah…
Have a wonderful time and enjoy all the excitement of the lead-up.
Denise - don’t tempt me…..
Hey Denise - gald to have you back. Looks like you had fun in the land of ice. It looks very cold - makes Canberra look posativley temperate.
AA, we should think about it, you know. Maybe a group of us, for 3 months, say. Aaaah… Lots of wine and the local cuisine and the Tuscany hills. People to talk about writing with. A room each. When I can give up work and your kids are old enough. Ohboy,ohboy,ohboy!!!
Erm, Tracey. I think Alaska has Canberra all beat in the chilly department!
Everyone, Tracey has just snagged a brilliant 3-book deal with Avon for her dark paranormals. Go Tracey girl!!! 
Welcome Back Denise
Glad you had such a wonderful time the best and really only trip we have been on was a cruise 6 years ago and loved it would go again tomorrow if I could
Sorry you have to go back to work thats one thing I don’t like about finishing a holiday but I need to work so as I can earn money to buy books to read LOL
Have Fun
Helen
Thanks, Helen. Do you know I heard a statistic that the average weight gain during a cruise is 7 to 10 lbs? I’m certainly testimony to that! A lot of the time I felt like a force-fed goose. You could make great pate out of my liver!
Unfortunately, I have to work too - unless you guys go out and buy and buy and BUY. And tell everyone you know in the whole world to BUY! I must admit, I love my colleagues and the work is congenial and only part-time and I’m pretty good at it. But it interferes with the stuff I really want to do - write and chat and eat fine foods and now, travel. *sigh*
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