On another note...

I was really getting to enjoy Anchorage until last night.

Being without my laptop (and thus an easy portal to the outside world) makes me feel really isolated and dependant again. Plus I have not much to do when I go out for the day and sit around in cafes or whatever.
The newspapers here are a good read though, but not fat like Aussie papers are.

I went to see a screening of two short documentaries on Saturday afternoon, as part of the Anchorage International Film Festival. The two I saw were: Polarized, by Amu Berg; and Moose on the Loose, by the BBC.
They were both great-Polarized only went for 10min but it was a very touching mini-doco about a town on a small island in the Arctic sea called Shishmaref. Due to global warming the permafrost the island is built on is melting, and leaving the island vulnerable to erosion by the sea. They are losing their home and hearing their stories was really sad. When the director included facts like how the US government has spent $400b on the War in Iraq (war ON Iraq?) but nothing has been allocated to relocating the 40-odd Eskimo communities who will or are affected by gloal warming, it's pretty sobering.

After the 'serious' doco, there was a BBC one about two Dept of Fish & Game officers who run aroudn Anchorage responding to calls about wildlife that come into the town. Most notably moose and bears. The two human stars were really funny and great TV personalities, and it was also great to see a documentary *about* Anchorage, across the seasons too so at the end of it I was left hoping to spot a moose about town because that's what they say happens in winter here!
The two stars (Jessie and Rick) were in the audience so they stayed for a q&a after the showing.

Next up for the night was an ice hockey game!
It was awesome-I really like watching live sports and the game was really enjoyable. Even though I knew nothing about ice hockey and I was there by myself. I asked the guy next to me about some of the rules but he looked too interested in the game (or interested in avoiding me?) so I left him alone after a while.
The home team lost, but it was still fun to watch. There was a punch up in the last minute of the game (man I had been waiting the whole game to see fisticuffs) and the whole experience was something else.
They bought out the flag with full military regalia (sorry, the 'colours') and everybody stood up with their hands on their hearts to sing the national anthem. About half way through the game the commentator announced that there were some recently returned servicemen in the audience so everybody stood up and applauded them.
This country is so proud of it's men and women that go to war for them-everywhere there are signs saying 'Welcome Home' to those who have served overseas and come home. But on the other hand, all the people I've talked to have said how ridiculous the war is and what's even more interesting is the amount of people that have actually *been* themselves or been in the military at some point.
Back to the hockey, though. They played a song 'I wanna drive the Zamboni' and the Zambonis came out and swished over the ice-and the crowd went NUTS when the home team came out. I liked #21, Josh Lunden:

He's better in person, believe me.
Anyway he got sent off for 2min for 'slashing' or something (anybody else get images of a player just taking a piss on the ice?) and in that time out the opposition scored so I shouldn't like him after that.
The crowd dutifully boo-urnsed the away team (way to go, sportsmanship!) when they came on.

Lisha's Guide to Hockey:
The players can catch the puck in their hands and put it on the ice in front of their stick in a place that is convenient for them.
Players can hit the puck into the air. I think there is a rule where it can't go too far without being touched though.
Players can rebound the puck off the walls or plexiglass to make it go further or get it away from the opposition.
You're only allowed to smash into the guy who is in control of the puck.
Always boo the other team...unless your team is losing and then you pretend you aren't even paying attention.
Yelling at the ref from the audience is mandatory.

Ice Hockey is like modern art...fucked if I understand it, but you *know* what they are doing takes alot of skill, even if it does look like a big old mess.

In all seriousness, it was really fun, and seeing them zip around the ice like they do was pretty awesome. I wish I could skate like that...and then bash into people!!!

SHIT it's 7pm...I was supposed to go to a talk tonight at the University about this dog mushing guy who was talking about climate change. It would have been really good I think :(
Poo...

I've been taking some more photos...just of stuff. I went out with damp hair this afternoon and it froze. I know not to do that again!!! It was like icicles were hanging off my head.

Far out I wish I had my laptop.
I've cancelled my passport so that's dead and buried. Need to wait until I get to NYC to get an emergency one. That will take two days if I'm snappy about it, but I'm not sure how long after I get to NYC I am due to go to Niagara Falls. More than two days I think (luckily).
Need to find my laptop serial number-hopefully I still have the paperwork I got from it and it says it on there somewhere! I got a copy of the receipt of it, at least, so that's something.

I'm eating a 'grapple' right now (grape-l), it's an apple that smells like a grape and is supposed to taste like a grape. One grape dispersed throughout the whole apple, maybe, otherwise it just tastes like an apple. It smells pretty cool though. Don't know if it was worth $5 for a pack of 4 though. Should have gotten them in Seattle when I saw them for cheaper. Fresh produce is really expensive up here. But I did buy a steamer pack of broccoli last night and ate the whole thing. I have been craving green veges for a while now and it was soooooooo good to get some broccoli action.

Went into a fur shop today (there are stacks of them here) and the guy tried to sell me a beaver pelt. BEAVER?!?!?! NOOOOoooooOOOOoo they are too cute! They had an otter one as well, I almost cried. But the attitude to fur up here is so different, because it's a largely subsistence lifestyle they think nothing of trapping their own animals and skinning them. Afterall, fur is the warmest you can get...
But they sell the hats that are made out of entire foxes with the head above your forehead and the legs and tail hanging down around your shoulders. Gross.
They sell the skin from the head just by itself, too...and the tails. Fluffy fox tails on keyrings.

I bought some new gloves (not fur) because whilst they are great, my leather/cashmere ones aren't cutting it here. And if they don't cut it here at 20F, then they certainly won't cut it in Fairbanks where it's already below 0F.
I think it's around -2 to -12F there at the moment...so what's that? Like...-15C to -20C?
Cold. Damn cold.

The part I'm finding gets coldest is my chin...my chin will go numb with cold. I wish I could grow a beard, it would be so handy. My feet are fine now-I've finally cracked out my Sorels. Them's arse-kicking boots! I feel like a robot in them they are so fat and clunky.

OK got to stop crapping on. Plan for tomorrow is get my travel insurance sorted, call the police back and give them any serial numbers I have, and probably call back the airline to see if my flight is good or not. If I have time I'll check out the Alaskan Native Heritage Centre.

One of the guys here told me the hostel I had planned to stay at next, the Arctic Adventure, was crap and instead recommended the Alaskan Backpackers. So I called and changed my accommodation around for that. They have a much better location (in downtown) anyway and it's close to the train *and* the bus which is very convenient for me. The guy sounded like a real character on the phone so I'm hoping it's good like this guy said it is.

I need a new book. If I had my laptop I'd hang out on the wireless at Barnes & Noble and buy a book or something. I can still buy a book though. Any suggestions?
Stephen Colbert will be pretty hard to top I think...

Aaaaaanyway, good luck to me getting my stuff back!
Take care and keep hold of your valuables...
-Lisha