Whitehorse

On our way to Whitehorse.  After a coffee with our personal taxi drivers, we went to security.  The officer said "follow me, we will take you on the fast track".  After walking through a maze of corridors we looked at the locals who said "this isn't a fast track". We agreed.  It took about 30 minutes to get through security (and we were in the middle of the queue). Harry had to go through the scanner three times (probably because his trousers were heavily zippered), but I escaped with my usual "one" scan. 

The aeroplane was a narrow and low bombardier. Harry looked at me with a "what do you expect?" look when  I bumped my head on the overhead locker (yes that's right).  I then proceeded to tell him not to try going to the loo as I doubted he would be able to shut the door. He decided to leave it to the airport and thankfully it was only the ladies that was out of order (yes all of them). 

The view was spectacular.  Snowy mountains and rivers all around, and even at 35,000 or so feet we could make out the glaciers cascading down the sides of mountains into the rivers and lakes below.

Our bag came off the conveyor belt quite quickly as we were the only plane arriving at that time.  In a small airport, people left quickly - some picked up and others hiring cars. A family was in a turmoil as their rental car reservation somehow had gone wrong and the company wanted to charge them an extra $1000 for an over the counter sale. I kept taking pamphlets from the stand while admiring the man's stubborn patient refusal to pay more.

Off to the bus that didn't come. Somehow we were expecting one to be there - ie the timetable to be scheduled with the few flights that land in Whitehorse every day.  But it didn't and just as we had decided to walk a taxi turned up. $18 later we were outside our apartment. Central, clean and spacious and one block away from a fairly big supermarket where we bought dinner, breakfast and nibbles. 

After a cup of tea (decaf tea bags are round here, but square at home!!) I went for a walk. Whitehorse sits alongside the fast flowing Yukon river. So fast, in fact, I decided I wouldn't go kayaking and I found it difficult to imagine the river frozen in winter, and the annual break up of the ice flow. I found the town centre, the eating street and decided to explore more when Harry was with me. It felt a tad lonely, very wide streets with a few people who look as though they are finding life a bit rough. 

Our apartment is close to town but in the poorer part. Across the road is an alpine bakery and beside that cheaper accommodation. A waft of smoke (not tobacco) drifts past and as I sit on the balcony I am asked by a local if I have any weed. My "no" got the response "Pity. You look like an elder and all elders have weed".  I think I am pleased we are on the first floor - the early evening "perfume" did begin to water my eyes and I went inside to watch a movie.

The town (or small city ie 30,000 people) is the capital of the Yukon, and looks as though it is trying to reclaim its history. The streets are peppered with statues of early settlers and indigenous leaders, and history boards (the dark history of the indigenous people and their resettlements, gold rush, telegraph, railway, Alaskan highway). It will be a fascinating place to explore and has far more to offer than that portrayed in the "Amazing Race across Canada".  Over time, we began to realise that exploring on google did not provide a good overview of all the activities available nor the rich history of the region.  

Looking forward to tomorrow.