Across Continents

Ken's Blog

Trials and tribulations

Frustrating. Tedious. A bit dull. Organising the on-move from Australia to Anchorage, Alaska. Melbourne, my final stop down under, three weeks away. But always best to plan ahead. Usually cheaper for one thing. Friends had very generously let me have use of their holiday home in Jervis Bay. Hundred miles or so south of Sydney. Ideal for knuckling down and putting the plan together.

I’d allowed a fairly generous margin for unexpected delays in reaching Melbourne. And time to locate a box to package Emma, my trusty steed, into. She’d need a good clean first, along with the rest of my kit, to get past US Customs and Border Protection. Straightforward enough. Had done this before. Back in Hong Kong.

Airlines a challenge. Three different carriers. Virgin Blue from Melbourne to Sydney. Then Hawaiian Air to Honolulu. I hope. Finally Air Alaska into Anchorage. Delving into the black arts of excess baggage and bicycles. Juggling metric and imperial. Confusing tariffs. In the end, reckoning on close on four hundred pounds to ship the bike over. Even then, that assumes I’m pretty much wearing my wardrobe. Hope it’s not too warm in Hawaii.

One unexpected hurdle. Hawaiian Airlines don’t accept UK credit cards. Online or otherwise. Period. Instead you have to use a UK agent. I’d been a bit suspicious. Was the one I’d found genuine? Waiting on direct confirmation from the airline. Keen to secure a seat as I’d flights already booked either side. Flying economy so changing them costs.

One little oversight. International Dateline. Hawaii is actually twenty hours behind Sydney. Which means you take off late evening and arrive late morning. The same day. Not the next as I’d thought. So. Got an unexpected day in Hawaii. Must remember to pack the bikini somewhere handy.

When I do eventually make it to Anchorage the plan is simple. Sleep. Then put Emma back together. Track down the Park Rangers. Advice on bears. Get my bearings. Then head off to Canada.

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