Sooooo...you wanted to hear more about life in Whittier, huh? Well, one of the quirks about living in Whittier is the one-way dual-use tunnel that we have to use to access the outside world (for more about the tunnel visit here). The tunnel toll is $12 cash, or you can purchase a booklet of 30 tickets which brings the price down to $7.50 per trip. Leaving town is free--you pay to come back! The toll combined with the weather have made leaving town just for the heck of it pretty unattractive. We're saving up our trips for the summer when we can travel around Alaska more!
As a result of all of this, we've been going to Anchorage monthly to do ALL of our shopping. Yup, ALL of it! Well, except that part which I do on Amazon!! :-) So this weekend we found ourselves due for one of those marathon trips.
We took the first tunnel out of town at 7am. In a stroke of what turned out to be genius, I packed "Grandpa O's" (honey nut Cheerios) in baggies for the girls to have for breakfast in the car. This turned out to be great entertainment for at least half of the drive. Since it's over an hour in the dark it's pretty boring for the girls.
We arrived safely in Anchorage after a very foggy drive. Between 8:30 and 1pm we went to Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, B&Js, REI, JoAnn Fabrics, Costco, and Home Depot. Not bad, huh? We like to be driving home at nap time, so we caught the 2:30 tunnel back into town and the commenced all of the unloading and putting away. Thankfully the BTI is equipped with 2 loading docks and flat wheeled carts to facilitate unloading all that stuff and getting it up to your apartment. Good foresight on the part of the army, who originally built the building!
The girls spent the afternoon playing and then we had some friends come over for dinner with their 6 month old son. The girls always love a fresh audience and a baby!!
As a result of all of this, we've been going to Anchorage monthly to do ALL of our shopping. Yup, ALL of it! Well, except that part which I do on Amazon!! :-) So this weekend we found ourselves due for one of those marathon trips.
We took the first tunnel out of town at 7am. In a stroke of what turned out to be genius, I packed "Grandpa O's" (honey nut Cheerios) in baggies for the girls to have for breakfast in the car. This turned out to be great entertainment for at least half of the drive. Since it's over an hour in the dark it's pretty boring for the girls.
We arrived safely in Anchorage after a very foggy drive. Between 8:30 and 1pm we went to Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, B&Js, REI, JoAnn Fabrics, Costco, and Home Depot. Not bad, huh? We like to be driving home at nap time, so we caught the 2:30 tunnel back into town and the commenced all of the unloading and putting away. Thankfully the BTI is equipped with 2 loading docks and flat wheeled carts to facilitate unloading all that stuff and getting it up to your apartment. Good foresight on the part of the army, who originally built the building!
The girls spent the afternoon playing and then we had some friends come over for dinner with their 6 month old son. The girls always love a fresh audience and a baby!!
On one hand it is nice to get all your errands-running around done in one day rather then two, plus it is easier to have two adults for two children shopping.:-)not to say the cost of the tunnel & time it takes to go do something or go somewhere. Good experience for all living in Whittier & having to use a tunnel :-)
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