The Walkabout: Alaska Marine Highway: Whittier? I Barely Know Her!

Oh I crack myself up. No seriously. I sometime do. Alone. I think my laughter scares off the bears. So its really a survival technique.

Anyway, so the last few days on the ship I kinda just left the camera tucked away in the sleeping bag and just enjoyed the ride. New friends, Gene'o and Marie, made the far-from-"3-hour-tour" ride go by swimmingly. Yay word play! Gene'o on the ship to embark on yet another adventure into the wild frontier and Marie returning to Alaska to move into its interior - Fairbanks. Thinking of Marie right now, I'm guessing she is probably buried in snow right now. Eh, Marie? Feel free to comment to let everyone know how the middle of Alaska is in mid-November. Well I'm not too worried about her, they build Alaska girls tough. Us sissy Lower 48ers would surely surrender to the bitter cold long before Marie.

The days rolled on and the three amigos - later known as the Toothpick Trio - enjoyed the swapping of stories and trials of the voyage. Before long however, we arrived early to the small coastal town of Whittier. Coulda fooled me though...it was basically covered in a cloud. Could barely see my hand in front of my face. Before disembarking, The Toothpick Trio said their goodbyes though this would certainly not be the last time they see each other...they assured each other of that! In fact, Gene'o and already have plans to meet up again in Florida when I set off southbound in January. Looking forward to that exclusive VIP tour of the Kennedy Center ala The Great Gene'o. What a social butterfly this guy is! And Marie...someday I'm gonna get up to Fairbanks! Mark my words!

Though I have only hinted at it...Randy and his sister Gillian had previously offered to let me accompany them in their car rental up to Denali! Yup! I was officially going to hitchhike in Alaska! Check that surprise box! Little did I know, that that would only be the beginning...but more on that later.

This post really only shows the final moments on the ship and the last few pictures were my last ditch effort to literally run around the ship after everyone left to grab a photo of various points within the vessel (for memento's sake) - hence why they are haphazardly blurry. I was essentially a near-stowaway at this point.

Farewell, M/V Ketchikan, Gene'o, Marie, Al, Sam, my two guardian angel sisters, and the rest of the characters of this Great Alaskan Voyage. Don't worry...I have not forgotten all of you...you'll have your. Details to follow...one day.