the back. I expect there may be other versions.
It's been Sydney hot in downtown Nome – locals shirtless and pink – I
was talking to one of the construction guys down near the harbour (the
whole harbour is a construction site) and he said he's been in Alaska
for 26 years and you never get used to the extremes – over time you
just learn to tolerate them. I can relate to that – same happens in
little boats!
Yesterday after we had done some boat jobs, I set off to walk/run up
Anvil Peak behind the town. The microwave antennae on the top are
probably visible on g earth. Long, hot dusty walk in the sun with a
heavyish backpack. There was a strong northerly wind blowing,
surprisingly warm and humid, and I decided at the base of the hill
that I had not left myself enough time so turned back. Found some old
WW2 8 inch naval gun barrels and a howitzer which might have been
Japanese, plus a couple of derelict landing barges. McQ and K are
going to try a second summit attempt today – I think I'll try to
borrow a bicycle…
They love the wind here in summer – it keeps the mossies away. I
wonder where they go – do lots of them get blown out to sea, never to
return? Here, mosquitos are bugs and you need bug dope to get rid of
them.
Bizarre – I bought a salad from the store for my dinner on the 4th
because everywhere else was closed. So, not far from the heart of the
king crab industry, I sat in my room eating crab stick – almost
certainly denatured Pollock surimi with added flavour, texture and
pink dye and probably from Dutch Harbour via China in a process they
call the double freeze.
Steve J and Kris – I was trying to find someone with influence to get
me an entry into the July 4th mountain run here – which, in the end, I
missed by half an hour or so because the start was at the same time as
the store that sells shoes and shorts opened. Undoubtedly a good
thing, because yesterday's walk showed just how much the once mighty
leg muscles have atrophied since, I suppose, I took the year off to go
around with Pete. One marathon in the Falklands does not a runner
make!
I'm now in the Polaris Hotel – much cheaper and definitely more down
market that the Aurora – has wifi but very spotty and I have to take
the laptop to the bar to get a signal. And no coffee – awful though it
was up the road, it was better than nowt – so I'm off to find some
after sending this.
Sadly, I think we're going to be too late for the eclipse – we might
just make Cambridge Bay by Aug 1 but I doubt it looking at the ice
reports. Eleanor, take a good camera!
