Sunday, February 5, 2017

"Summer Versus Winter Tourists"


My interpretative experiences in the visitor service industry, including being a waiter for many years has been great fodder for cartoons. Situational opportunity coupled with observational skills (ie people watching with a sketchbook) provides all the raw material one could possibly ever require.

A hallmark of Interior Alaska is the wide swings in seasonal climate variability. Nature versus nurture: one supposes such extremes are correspondingly mirrored in human behavior. Many folks are stressed out beyond belief during their "vacation of a lifetime," and adding to the extenuating factors like travel and logistical complications is the physicality of exhaustion due to either extreme - winter or summer - in environmental conditions. Unrealistic expectations compound the tensions, especially when the relative success of one's visit hinges on such transient, fleeting and unpredictable experiences like seeing either Denali and/or the aurora. I always recommend A) drink a lot of water (you'll be up all night peeing and will thus exponentially increase the chances of a sighting) and B) just move here.  

1 comment:

  1. Hydration is always a good idea. But you also have to remember to look outside. We have insulated shades that retain significant warmth at the cost of visibility.

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