Considering the heart of Asia

After conversing with a fellow traveler that I work with, I discovered his amazing ability to travel far cheaper than even I have in the past. By living out of old grocery bags, Willy the surfer has been able to work as a part time fisherman in Mexico and surf his days away on the beach, for next to nothing. Never traveling with a guidebook, rather dressing bummy and living like the locals, he has been able to travel for extended periods of time on next to nothing. His advice has been similar towards me. Live in total poverty.

The advice is legit. Most explorers through the 19th and 20th centuries did it to blend in, disappear, and gain access to the areas that were off limits.

Granted I have always traveled on the cheap. I only spent 5 grand the summer that I went to 8 countries in Asia, several thousand miles by rail. I keep thinking to myself as of late, that the working holiday visas in Australia aren't for me right now. I've already done that sorta thing, I want to really dive into a world that I can somewhat blend into, and yet get a true adventure out of. Central Asia seems to be calling me. Who goes to Uzbekistan for vacation? Turkmenistan? What about Kyrgyzstan? Can most people even find those countries on the map? They are in the old route of Marco Polo, so truthfully it cant be all that bad. Ah how I'd love to return to Mongolia!

Thats why that part of the world is appealing to me now. Its dangerous yes, blah blah State Department says dont go because of terrorists, dictators, and maybe one or two are at war. Theres bears in Alaska, they eat people sometimes. Everyplace has its downfall. Kansas had country music, which is dangerous too. So what. Who seriously goes to these places? They are not on the backpacker trail, thats for sure. If I avoid using a Lonely Planet, live and dress like the locales, and ditch most of my trendy backpacking gear, nobody will know. The giant beard will make me look more local than most. I'm now seriously considering this as my next destination. I dont know yet of course, I need to think about things and plan out. Should I go right after I leave Alaska, it'll be winter in central Asia, making for a frigid trip. Perhaps thats a good thing.

My mind plays games with my heart. Unknown areas on maps, areas that I know little about, areas that arent visited... they all draw me.

Whats Bishkek like? I'd sure like to find out.

Finding myself in the books I read

The time since my last post has been great. We finally started rafting down the Koyukuk River, which had previously been too high. The areas mountains surround in a canopy of green, rocky peaks which still have a slight dusting of snow. It wont be long before thats gone too. Glimpsed a moose this week, who had a puzzled look at us as we floated by on our blue contraption.

Finally saw a grizzly bear going for a jog next to a lake as I drove by. This was cool, although not an adventure by any means. You've got to be in their environment to really appreciate it, a drive by glimpse is only the beginning.

We also have the worst mosquitos I've ever seen. When I heard the "mozzies" were bad here, I figured yeah, just like the other 19 countries I've been to. Everybody says that. Huh. Not here, I've seen swarms into the hundreds over myself, not even in tropical jungles on the equator have I seen that sorta thing. Oh well. I wear a bug headnet/jacket combo religously now, it just goes with the terriotory I suppose.

I've found myself reading alot, more than I thought I would here. It wont be long and I'll need to order more books off Amazon. Until then I've got a few more expedition story kinda books, all feeding my desire to adventure. Although Alaska is prime for many such pursuits, I already find myself desiring whatever is over that next ridge, next hill, next border. I find my own feelings written in the memoirs of the explorers and adventurers who went before me, whether in the pages of T.E. Lawrence or Sven Hedin. Tristan in "Legends of the Fall" comes to mind. This is only a subtle sign to me that I will go galivanting off once more after Alaska, that a wild heart is a truely hard thing to tame.

Where that shall be, I know not, and that is the first step in any adventure... going into the unknown.

Adapting to my new Arctic home

Its been a while since I could blog, most days my gmail and blog site time out due to the satellite internet up here.

Anyways my first two weeks have been amazing. I've been fine tuning the details of my new job, its been going quite well. I've really enjoyed the job so far, and most of my co workers have been pretty cool. Its been nice to be away from the city, so peaceful as I think it should be. I'd had a fascination with Wiseman before I came to Alaska, and now I'm fully in love with it. Its a town captured in the late 1800s in many respects, people living in log cabins doing the subsistence living thing- hunting and growing all their own food. Sourdoughs as they're called up here are the kinda people I want to hang out with. I have profound respect for them and a desire to learn their skills, if not else casually, but perhaps to use on my own one day. Who knows? (They did call me "mountain man Norris" at Washburn)

I've also gotten to go on a few little trips up to Atigun pass and Anituvik village inside Gates of the Arctic National Park. They were alot of fun, and for "touristy" things to do, alot of fun. Pictures will be up on facebook soon I hope.

I've done some hiking, seen a little game but not much. I took my shotgun along which was extra weight, but then again, had I needed it, it would have proved its worth. Naturally I will keep taking it along. The quiet satisfaction of climbing mountains around here has been profound, the area's scenery is simply epic. I cant express in words the natural beauty of this area, so free of the outside world and far removed from the hassles and business of the outside. Its great. I hadnt realized how much I enjoy, and missed camp life until I got here. Rustic Pathways in Fiji didnt count, it was so loud and packed with little retreat into the wild. Alaska is so refreshingly different, I'm in a sea of wilderness, just prime for the hiking, fishing, mountain climbing, and more importantly meditating on the deeper nature of all that there is in life. My heart is so alive in this place, just as it was meant to, simply living out the next epic story in this journey...