Alaska is not for everyone. Alaska will take all your top of the line hiking gear, Canadian goose jacket, and Sorrels for a beat down. Diva Empire Travel will give you the warnings for this “Last Frontier” so you can prepare for the ruggedness while still being Diva’s on top of the mountain. You may think you know Alaska, but Alaska will change that. If a city girl like me with hair and nail appointments can do it, so can you. Now for the challenges of this great Northern state.
1.Wilderness: One fact to be aware is there is 1 bear for every 21 people. Moose out number bears 3 to 1, while wounding people more than bears. Most people don’t realize that nature is in charge here. Alaska is a wild frontier. You are dealing with moose, caribou, bison, three species of bears and wolves. Traveling to places like Colorado or Tennessee you can not compare the overwhelming nature here. Diva Empire travel had witnessed a bear just 20 yards away while having a simple BBQ. This was not a Yogi bear or Whinnie the Pooh situation, if you have something the bear wants or you pose a danger, the animal will make a picnic out of you.
2.Weather: Winds can reach to 100 mph and extreme tempartures can reach -80. Diva Empire travel is not here do yoga and drink tea. Changes can happen abruptly and you will you be changing cloths more than a host at the oscars. The far north dips between -19 to -8 in August being the warmest of 40 degrees. The Interior is more pleasant with mid 60s to low 20s. Southwest near the sea is equally nice from 20- 60. Point being you are not bringing just a small suitcase, you will get wet, your toes will freeze, do what you can do so nothing falls off. The weather here will give you trust issues, so trust in what clothes you bring with you.
3.Roads: The roads in Alaska are not easy to traverse most of the year. Its not exactly like in The Fate of the Furious, you wont be speeding on the icy tundra with ice breaking underneath, but the roads do have many dangers. On top of ice, snow, winds and broken roads from earthquakes, you will have to watch out for wild life. Have you ever seen the size of a moose? Hitting one in a speeding car would leave barely any chance of survival because most of that moose would be inside your windshield due to its height on impact. Unlike other parts of the country there are very few main highways, there is only one that connects north and south. So again most of the adventure will be off road.
4.Cruise verse land travel. If youre an old soul and enjoy playing bingo take the cruise ship. You will probably meet many old couples finishing off their bucket lists and their stories of how they wish they did the land trip in their younger years. Thats the real question here of what is worth more with your time. Many people enjoy the cruise aspect of visiting Alaska because its a lot more comfortable with less worries. Traveling by land opens up a lot more adventure and epic stories of bravery. You will be seeing all the wildlife, forests, and gorgeous inland scenes. Getting the full Alaskan experience, you will have your bear stories and seeing the Northern Lights. Its your choice on how to visit but remember cruises are like Mcdonalds while while real adventure is a three course meal, like how Diva Empire Travel enjoys to indulge.
5.Alaskan People. For such a land mass there is not many people at all. Most live on the coast and are friendly to outsiders. Just remember to respect and their ways. Alaska does not feel like the rest of the continental US. It gets cold and dark very fast and people will help you, but expect you to help yourself. If you find yourself in an igloo, consider yourself lucky.
6.Alaskan Suprising facts you didn’t know:
*5% of the state is covered in glaciers
* 17 out of 20 of the hightest mountain peaks in the US can be found in Alaska
* More than 3,000 lakes and rivers
* Northern Lights can be seen 243 days out of the year in Fairbanks
* Anchorages Lake Hood is the largest seaplane base in the world
* Barrow Alaska has the longest and shortest day. May 10th the sun is out for 3 months, November 18th sun is gone for 2 months
* More than 100 Volcanoes
* More coastline than the United States combined
* Dog mushing offical state sport ( also if you are over 220lbs you pay more for rental)
* Its against the Law the push a moose from a plane, view a moose on a plane or give it a beer.
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