Oxygen, Turbulence, and Glaciers… Oh My!

So, Alaska, huh? John, my boyfriend, accepted a year-long clerkship with the Alaska Supreme Court. I decided to join him and teach up in the great white yonder for a year. What an adventure!! I left Arizona this morning (6/21) and began my journey to Anchorage, Alaska.

My cat, Nelson, and I settled in for the flight from Phoenix to Minneapolis, then Minneapolis to Anchorage. Nelson sat quietly… and by quietly, I mean silently the WHOLE trip. What a trouper! And, he had a lot to sleep through. While the flight to Minneapolis was relatively calm and short, the trip to Anchorage was a bit more “exciting”. In earnest it was exciting because I was soon to be with John on my new adventure. However, the flight itself was a bit too unique. Ever wonder what happens if someone gets really sick on a flight? Well, I found out… apparently, they page in the cabin for a doctor. Working at a school, I immediately recognized the serene-plastered-over-terror look on the very hurried flight attendants swiftly pushing their way through the cabin. My neighbor on the aisle (no one in the middle—hooray!) reported back from a neighbor sitting further back. Apparently, there was a 10 year old girl who was having difficulty breathing. The doctors rushed back; she got Benadryl and oxygen and, as they had privately discussed an emergency landing and we didn’t land precipitously… I assume she got better. Then we had jumpy, bumpy turbulence for several minutes… the poor lady ahead of us had to get an air sick bag. Fortunately, there was a pilot in the seat in front of me. I figured, if he didn’t seem worried, it must not be that bad. Tonight John is picking me up. We’re going back to the apartment. I’ll get to explore a bit and then we’re off to Aleyeska for a tram ride and dinner at the top of a glacier… that’s the sweet John part :)

That’s it for now… looking forward to keeping everyone posted. Thanks so much for all your well wishes and support!