Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Of course, Jessica knows the whole truth. She was ecstatic when I told her. She wants full details of everything that happens on this trip. I don’t know if I’ll go that far, but I’ll share enough to keep her satisfied.
The plane starts to descend. The change in motion makes my head feel weird, but at least I don’t feel sick anymore. I grip the armrests. Mark and John each take one of my hands so I can squeeze them.
“How was your sleep?” Mark asks.
“It was nice. Thanks for the pillow. I hope I didn’t drool on you.”
“I wouldn’t mind if you did.”
I laugh. “Good. What did I miss? Anything interesting?”
“I slept for a bit and then read; John watched a couple of movies. Nothing exciting happened.”
“Good. I’d hate to miss out on any fun.”
“We’d never let that happen,” Mark assures me. The easy banter between us keeps my mind off of the end of the flight. Before I know it, the wheels are bouncing on the runway, and we’re pulling into our gate.
My legs are jelly when I stand to get off of the plane. Another perk of business class is that we get off first. I’m eager to get this trip started.
Once we’ve gathered our carry-on bags and gotten off the plane, I follow Mark and John through the airport. Instead of going toward baggage claim, they head for the car rental place.
“What about our luggage?” I ask.
“I hired a service to grab it and deliver it to the hotel. I hate waiting at those conveyor belts for my suitcase.”
John isn’t the most patient person. In this case, though, I’m grateful. The less time we spend in the airport, the better. I want to be out in Alaska, exploring!
John rents a car and takes us to the hotel. My eyes are trained on the window during the drive. The landscape looks nothing like what I’m used to. The roads are lined with deep green trees. I even see a moose as we’re driving!
About an hour later, we arrive at our hotel. The place is huge! And this isn’t even where the conference is happening. John mentioned this hotel is about a forty-five-minute drive away from the convention center.
I wasn’t expecting such a luxurious place! I thought John would get a regular hotel. This building is huge! With its stone exterior, it looks more like a castle than a hotel! I have no idea how much a place like this costs, but it can’t be cheap. I feel guilty for letting John pay for everything. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t have been able to come if Mark and John hadn’t paid for me. I decide I’ll make it up to them, and I know exactly the way to do so.
All around us, there are trees as far as I can see. The scenery is beautiful – nothing like New York City, where you have to go to the park to even see any real trees, and even those don’t feel like nature because of the huge buildings all around. I love Central Park, but it feels so manufactured. Nothing about Alaska feels that way to me. It’s all natural and beautiful.
“Welcome to Creekside Hotel. What brings you to Alaska?”
The young man working behind the counter looks genuinely excited to see us. The parking lot outside was relatively empty. I suppose tourism in Alaska isn’t as major as it is in New York.
“We’re here for a conference,” John explains.
“Oh? Is it nearby?”
“No. We wanted to be more secluded.”
“Well, we’re glad you chose our hotel! Can I get your name?”
John gives his name while I take in the interior of the hotel. The exterior may resemble a castle, but the inside is more like a log cabin. There’s even a fire going in the lobby. All of the furniture and décor is made of wood. It feels like the outdoors have been brought inside.
“Excellent!” the concierge announces. “You’re in room 900. That’s on the top floor. Do you need help with your bags?”
“No, thank you. There will be a delivery service dropping off our luggage for us. Can you send them to our room?”
“Of course, sir. I’ll get that taken care of. Here are your room keys. Thank you again for choosing Creekside Hotel. If you need anything during your stay, don’t hesitate to call or stop by the desk.”
John takes the keys, thanks the concierge, and leads us to the elevator. When we arrive at our room, I’m even more in awe. It’s a massive suite with a full kitchen, a nice living room, and two bedrooms with California King-size beds. I’m tempted to flop down on one right now, but if I do that, I’ll definitely fall asleep. Traveling has exhausted me.
Just like the lobby, the room itself has a rustic feel. The bed frames are made of twisted wood. The kitchen table looks like it’s made from a huge tree, and the coffee table appears to be from a smaller tree. When I have a house of my own, I want to decorate just like this. I love the aesthetic.