1: Trip

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What was the best trip of 2009?

For me, 2009 was full of amazing trips. In February, my mom and I embarked on a 2,600 mile road trip from Vancouver, BC down through Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and New Mexico before arriving back in Texas. We saw two national parks (Giant Sequoia and the Grand Canyon) and I completed two items on my life list (#64 and #26). It was definitely one of the greatest adventures.

Prior to that great journey, I had flown to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and there I took a 43 hour train ride to Churchill, on the Southern bank of Hudson Bay. In Churchill, it was -20 degrees celsius--by far the coldest weather I've ever been in-- and was the farthest north I've made it so far. At 58N, the town of about 100 is located on the Artic Tundra and can only be reached by rail or air. In the fall you can see polar bears and in the summer beluga whales.

I didn't get to see either, but I got to knock 3 items of my life list (#24, #36, and #63). Dogsledding across the tundra/borealis forest was an incredible experience. I got to see an inukshuk on the shore of the Bay and on the last night the sky was full of dancing Aurora Borealis. We made friends with the locals, attending a "meat draw" with some local researchers and drinking tea with the owners of the only true B&B in town and our dog sledders, where we met Isobel, the blind sled dog.

I'm thrilled I took the chance to go up there, because I doubt I will have the opportunity to again. With global warming, the winter is shorter, the polar bears are hungrier and the entire town's livlihood is threatened.