Why is it that I only hear Katrina and the Waves doing "Walking on Sunshine" when I am in SLC, and I do hear it within an hour of arrival every single damned time? Is it some sort of cosmic retribution for my departure? Is it a running citywide joke? Urrgh, travel.

So finally on my way to NZ, via a bit of a roundabout route. Nome to Anchorage, where Richard and I stashed the last of our apparently immensely valuable swag in a rundown storage shed for which we will pay nearly 2 grand a year. Weird, the contents probably wouldn't fetch the 6 grand we will pay in storage if I auctioned them off. Yet we pay to ship them, spend time and money to box them, and engage in lots of otherwise unreasonable behaviors. Lots of good research on this topic recently, the human tendency to see what we already own as more valuable than a similar item we don't own. Worth checking out. Nice to spend the day with Rich, regardless. He has a hell of a mind, and is well grounded. Glad our relationship is strong.

But first, the Nome sendoff. I have raved about the people before and they did me right in the farewell. 30 people crammed into a small house (which Karen and I owned a few years back), 14 of them with instruments. New Couchsurfing friends to introduce and good wine to consume. More fun than I can describe. There is nothing like a house full of music and pleasure on a arctic winter night. If you don't have enough of such things in your life up north you end up like Russian literature. Introspection has its place, but is pathological in excess, or in winter. Best done while fishing on a warm day. Thanks to Kristine and Ian for the use of their place and to everyone for showing up to see me off. Love you all.

Then the family goodbyes. This hurt. Karen is incredibly understanding, but we both know this will be hard. She isn't ready to leave Nome and I have to...despite the great people I seem to be unable to sit still for more than a few years. So while I am confident that it will work out, it will be a long stretch until we see each other again. Webcams or no. But while I am sad leaving Karen I am guilty as well leaving Kenai. He has been at my side for 15 years, but he simply would not survive the trip over and the quarantine. When making plans a year ago I assumed he would be gone and I'd be taking Cassidy. Surprise, surprise. Glad he is still with us, and I know Karen and Pat will take good care of him, but still. Hope he hangs on until I get home in June for a bit.

So a night in a tourist box in Anchorage. Saw Coraline, which was incredibly psychedelic in parts, and hung with Rich. Then off to SLC for goodbyes with the other family and a reunion with Miles and James. Been 15 years since we were in the same room. Should be interesting. But now it is time for bed. Tired boy.