Initial Reactions

When getting this blog ready, one of the questions you have to answer in your profile is the country of residence.  I found it funny that 2 options exist for living in the US: United States and Outlying islands of the United States.  I wish I could put Alaska (and probably Hawaii) in that category sometimes.  For instance, shipping anything here costs an arm and a leg.  Sometimes I don't even get the opportunity to send it USPS and must have a package sent 2 Day Air and pay the added cost.  Another argument for consideration into the "Outlying" parts of the US club would be the fact that some people don't even know where Alaska really is.  If it hadn't have been for Sarah Palin, I don't know that a lot of people would have even known Alaska was actually part of the country.  True Story:
Alan and I were in the middle of our annual Hawaiian vacation when we came across an American citizen who did not know that Alaska was part of the union.  A Canadian couple, who happened to be listening in on the conversation, chimed in that Alaska was "on loan" to the US and that the 2 countries should be renegotiating the lease soon.  Are you kidding?!
So, I hope anyone who reads this will be able to appreciate the stories, get a few laughs, and maybe learn a trick or 2 through our travels and explorations.