Off Aurora Blvd and other stories

Off Aurora Blvd as you turn from College Road, is where I've been staying for the past few days in Fairbanks, Alaska.

I've been hosted by Linds and Mowgs, shortnames that I've learned to call them since I've arrived.

Linds moved to Alaska 7 years ago, when she started as an English teacher in a remote village in the Yukon. That's where she met her now husband, John. They've been hosting couch surfers since, if I remember right, November of last year.

Who's Mowgs on the other hand? He's lovely and has this weird personality but we'd say, it's a funny one. He's got a mix of white and brown hair and when he gives you the look, he can stare you straight in the eyes. And when you say Woof....he'd say Woof back at you...... He's Linds dog. I'll post photos soon.

Linds picked me up at the Fairbanks airport last 27th of March, holding on to a sign that said "JOWE". There in the car was Mowgs, all hyped up with his new guest. We got along pretty well although often times he likes to get into my bedroom. haha. cute though coz today he knew I was still home at lunchtime, he barged his way in even though I already barricaded it with my bag. Even now as I write this down, he's looking at me as if wanting to know what I'm doing. And for some reason, he finds comfort in sitting on my foot. As much as I think I'm allergic to him, I can't help but adore his lovely face.

Linds is now a teacher in the locality of Fairbanks and also doing some studies on the side. We've had good conversations on the society, in Alaska life, the why's of moving, etc. At her age she's very matured and responsible.

The other day we took Mowgs for a walk at the Creamers Field State Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. It was really pretty and we took a stroll around while chit chatting. After that we went to Hoodo Brewery, one of the local ones. It was really cool hanging out with the locals, who after a long day's work would go straight there for a beer. I also met her close mates Erika and Jason who were fun to talk to as well. The night ended up moving to another pub, couldn't remember the name, but all because of Jason's wanting to see Jeopardy. hehe hilarious. He's one funny character.

When we went home, I cooked Linds my special couscous recipe :) and was glad she really liked all of the natural herbs and spices I've put. After which I played her a few of my songs on her guitar. Mowgs was "trying" to listen in the background hehe.

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I've met a lot of people here who actually moved to Alaska carrying with them different stories. I could count only a few locals who I've really met along the way. A lot of the characters in my every day encounters would be of people somewhere from the US who found Alaska appealing to them..more so, Fairbanks rather than Anchorage.

I loved it, asking people Why Alaska, Why Fairbanks, What made you come here, What makes Alaska appealing to you and so on and so forth. And even travellers alike who even dare fly to Barrow, to ends of this state....

Part of me wants to stay and wait for spring and summer, then brave it and go even further than the Arctic Circle, maybe Prudhoe Bay where Oil was discovered and for had it not been for that they say, maybe this state wouldn't have been developed as much as it is now. Or perhaps go to the Aleutian Islands...

But maybe another time.....