Arriving at Anchorage, Alaska Chapter 1 This will be the start of my stories. I am about ready to place my first story up. The time line will be divided into years. I hope to start with the first time I sat foot in Alaska. This would be back in 1974 about June. I was in the Army back then working as a dental assistant. I spent over five years in the Women's Army Corps. My rank was spec E-5. My field was 91E20, dental specialist. Boy there are some stories in those five years, but that will have to be another spot to do later on. Landing at the Anchorage Airport was an experience in itself. This was about the second time I had ever flown. Not my favorite way to get around. hehe So, ok. I am here, what next? Where do I go, better yet, where am I? Being a rather sheltered country gal, I knew nothing of city life. This would become apparent when I tried to find out where to go and how to get there. I wondered around until I spied another Army uniform. I asked him if he knew where we were to go in order to get to the base. He said, "No, I don't know. I was hoping you knew". This was no help hehe. I finally found some others in uniform and they said we were to wait outside and someone would pick us up and take us to the base. We waited for a while and a limo showed up for all of us. We all piled into this car and the driver (we hoped) headed for the Army base. As we pulled away from the air port, I remember thinking, "What happened to the trees?" I had left country that had normal looking trees, you know what I mean, shade makers. I felt like I was in a different world. Everything looked strange to me. First, let me say when I received orders to go to Alaska for my next tour of duty, This country girl sold her new car, cause everybody knows there are no roads up here and there is nothing but snow and igloos. hehe Dumb! What a surprise to me, not only were there roads, but stop lights, cars and people everywhere, and houses. Well, after what seemed like a long ride, the driver pulled up to this long white building which looked like it might have a second level. He stopped, and said this is where you (meaning me) get out. I just looked at him and then the building. One end of it looked just like the other, no doors, only windows. I got out and gathered my duffel bag and stuff, and looked up, the driver was standing there with his hand out. So I thought "shake hands", ok, It was nice meeting you to. So I grabbed his hand and shook it. He looked at me and said, "I don't know where you come from, but up here you "tip" the driver." Well, this set me back just a bit. I just looked at him and said, "Well, not where I come from." All the guys in the car were laughing. The somewhat steamy driver left. I walked to the other side of the building and discovered the driver had dropped me at the back side of the building. Boy, this was an old building, and looked like nothing I wanted to stay in. I had just left Arlington, Virginia, where I was stationed at Ft. Myers. Now, that was a very nice modern building. Man, where had the Army sent me? This old ratty looking building was something from a nightmare.hehe I found the offices were down stairs, so after getting checked in and assigned a room, I went to check it out. My room was upstairs. Just a long hallway with many doors on the sides. I found the right one and entered. The first thing to greet me was the bathroom. To my right and left were more doors, I entered mine. This is where I learned that you shared a bathroom with another roommate. Rank does have its privileges, being an E-5 meant that I was in a room by my self, the other door was to my room mates room, and the bath was inbetween. It was nice to have a room by yourself. The rest of the day and evening was spent putting things up the Army way, and cleaning. When it come time to hit the bed, I was having trouble going to sleep. Although it was 11:00 PM. I could not sleep, the sun was shining in my window, this I was NOT use to. So I ended up taking an extra Army blanket and covering the window to make the room dark. Thus ending my first day in Alaska. Back toThe Start Go toChapter 2 Go toTundra Rose Kid FastCounter by bCentral