Wed, 30 April 2003 Whitehorse, day 2

Yesterday ended with me writing my diary and doing some exercises – what has come over me?  I’m a new woman already!

 

Today’s plan was to go for a walk along one of the trails.  After breakfast I did my washing in the hotel laundry and activated my phone card – the one I got as part of my travel package.  Then went to put my walking boots on - being careful of the blister I’d worked up yesterday! - but I’d only one shoe lace.  I’d removed them to clean the boots before leaving and only put one back on.  The other must be in the garage at home.  (Am I really safe to be out here on my own do you suppose?)  So off to the shops where I struggled to find the right laces but eventually got some – green, for brown boots, but no others on offer – will be ok once I’ve been out in the muck and dust!  Also came back with a new pair of lightweight walking shoes in the sale for a decent discount.  Nice one!  Not much difference on the price from the UK but good quality and so-oo comfortable.

 

I went to Cheechakos Sourdough Steakhouse for lunch.  Cheechako is a newcomer to the Klondike and a Sourdough is an old-timer/experienced Klondiker.  The owner's a lovely lady, they run out a daily newsletter to customers giving weather reports and general chatty items.  Loved it.

 

After lunch I trotted off to look at more of Whitehorse centre – and had to trot back again ‘cos I left my new shoes under the table!

 

I visited the Yukon Gallery to view the work of Yukon artists.  Some great but over my price range, others...well...weird.

 

On the way a lady started talking to me while we were waiting for the lights to change.  She walks 5 miles a day to keep her bad ankle from seizing up; she broke it, got an infection that ate the bone, then arthritis.  Cheerful about it though.  People are just so friendly and open.

 

I went back to my room to change to boots for my walk and that's when a wall of tiredness hit me.  I slept for a couple of hours and then took a short walk along the Yukon River in my brand spanking new walking shoes.  I found some snow on the near bank so I wandered down and shoved my fingers in it just to say I had!  As it was my last night in Whitehorse I treated myself to a meal in the Edgwater Hotel; rack of ribs with garlic & honey, garlic potatoes & broccoli.  Any SARS germs will have a hard job getting foothold in me with all the garlic, Tea Tree Oil, Vit C & herbal tea drinks I've been having.

 

Ought to make a note of the food as I know mum will want to know about it.  Well it's good and everyone is so helpful about my no wheat/dairy diet; nothing is too much trouble.  Varied salads mostly so far.  Mexican and Chinese are the most prevalent.  Sam ‘n Andy’s is Mexican and I’ve been tucking into good crispy salads with tasty dressings and corn tortillas chicken and spicy sauces and Cheechakos does a great breakfast.  You'd be in your element here Mum.

 

Back at the hotel I packed ready for an early start next day and found the missing shoelace (tucked into the toe of the boot); just as well since by that time I'd lost the new ones!  I think maybe I’ve had a backlash of jetlag today, because as well as the shoelace debacle, crashing out this afternoon and leaving my bag at Cheechakos I did something strange to my telly and had to get it fixed (there is an all day weather channel that is useful to watch), and I couldn't get the washing machine to work so had to get help for that too.  I’m really glad I didn’t pick up the 4 x 4 the day I landed, or even the next day!

 

I’m heading for an early night because tomorrow I pick up the 4 x 4 and start up the Alaskan Highway.  First stop Burwash Landing 177 miles from Whitehorse.  I couldn't find it on the map before I left the UK but now know it's on the far end of Kluane Lake near Destruction Bay.  Another customer in the shoe shop was off to Beaver Creek today and said it would take her five and a half hours – I got confused and thought that was where I was going and would need a very early start.  So it’s a relief to know I won’t be going so far tomorrow, not yet anyway, I will on the way back as Beaver Creek is my last stop before returning to Whitehorse.

 

Fingers crossed for negotiating the Whitehorse roads on the way out tomorrow.