August 20-30, 2004 a trip to Alaska; for me, truly the trip of a lifetime. This was the carrot that dangled before me during my cancer treatment - I had to get get well for my planned trip to Alaska.

Landing in Anchorage, we rented a car and drove to first to Healy and then Denali, about 4 hours to the north. We stayed in the heart of Denali in a private cabin, in an all inclusive resort called Camp Denali where we were led on several incredible hikes by the staff.

Leaving Denali we re-explored Anchorage on the way to Seward heading further south. The beautiful coastal drive hugged Turnagain Arm, an extension of Cook Inlet. We included a stop at Portage Glacier and the funky port town of Whittier.

In Seward we visited Exit Glacier, and took an all-day excursion on a small boat exploring the Northwest Fjords - which was one of the highlights of our Alaska experience.