50 lbs of apparel: Check
30 lbs of dry goods: Check
20 lbs of produce: Check
20 lbs of electronics: Check
Getting it all to St. Paul: ?

Packing for a three week trip is no easy task (especially when you over pack even your daily lunch). But it is really important to be sure that I have all of the essentials. St. Paul is a 40 sq. mile island with a population of less than 400 people. That, combined with difficult weather conditions, makes it difficult to rely on the store for fresh food stuffs. So it is often times better to send dry goods ahead of time and bring your produce, or "freshies" as they call it, with you on the plane. Also, if I forget something in Boston, it could take more than a week for it to arrive in St. Paul so I need to think carefully about the items I want to bring. I definitely have to pack cameras to record all of the amazing things I hope to see, enough gear to keep me warm and dry while we are out doing the field research, and... and... this is going to be a problem.


Lots of luggage

Well, I am finally packed and ready to go. I have sent my dry goods off ahead of time and now have to drag 90 lbs of luggage with me to the airport. First stop Anchorage, AK. I am on a US Air flight that is packed but have a pleasant person to talk with next to me, which really helps when the flight is 7 ½ hours long!


Heading to Anchorage, AK

The view is beautiful along the way. Blue sky above and, towards the end of the flight, snow-capped mountain tops below.


Blue skies and...


Snow-capped mountains

Two movies, two meals and one nap later I have finally made it across the country to Anchorage. There is a four hour time difference and we land at 8 p.m. when in Boston it is actually midnight.

It is an amazing drive to the hotel with mountains replacing the Boston skyline.


Anchorage skyline

By the time I check in it and get to my hotel room it is almost 9:30 but there is no sign of the sun going down. During this time of year, Alaska has almost 24 hours of sunlight. Better try to get some shut eye though because tomorrow is the big day... I'm off to St. Paul!

~Patty