I'm Officially a Tent Person

During the first week of settling into the tent, there were several things about tent living that I vented to Val about, particularly having to sleep on the top bunk, and consequently not having anything to sit back against during my off time, and having to walk outside to go to the bathroom. I told her I dreamed of getting a bottom bunk so I could lean against the head rest, as well as being able to hang some poncho liners on the side of the bunk to make some privacy walls and that I was worried about it getting colder during the winter (it’s supposed to snow often) and it making the walk to the bathroom harder. Well yesterday the deputy commander told me there was a bottom bunk open in his bay-room dorm. It sounded great; a bottom bunk in the hard-site buildings, with an in-door bathroom. I went over to take a look before I made the move. I wasn’t that impressed.

They actually have less space per person than the tents. There are four bunk beds per bay-room, but zero storage. Everybody’s stuff is everywhere. It looked like the messiest frat house in America. Each person only has a small wall locker half the size of my current footlocker. There was only one electrical outlet with a power strip plugged in and literally a dozen plugs waiting their turn to be plugged in. In the tent, each bed has its own extension cord. That’s a big deal since everyone, myself included, has computers, iPods, and cell phones that they need to be charged. Yeah, the bathrooms are inside, but they’re not really better. I think the trailer bathrooms are actually better heated, since they’re “outside”. And their toilet stalls are ridiculous. The doors are so close to the toilet that your feet actually rest under the door. I’ll just have to rough the walk to the bathroom. I found a parka in the cold-weather gear they gave me at the Transit Center, so I’ll just use that as my overcoat to and from the bathroom.

So after complaining about living in a tent to Val, she thought I was crazy to turn down the hard-site dorm. It’s not as comfortable as home of course, but it could be worse. I guess I’ve adjusted enough…I’m not that afraid I’m going to fall out of bed anymore.

We don’t have wireless Internet yet, but I burned some pictures to a CD and was able to upload them to my work computer. Here are some pictures of the tent.

Across from the passenger terminal, 10 rows and 5 columns of Alaska tents form "Tent City."

Here's my home-away-from-home for at least the next few months, until the 2-to-3-man dorm rooms are finished.

You have to walk between the tents to get to the bathroom; that's the trailer in the background.

Here's the view from the front door. There are four bunk beds on either side of the tent. Right now, we are 13 of 16 occupied. Trust me, this in neat and orderly compared to the 8-man bay-style transit rooms.

I sleep on the top bunk, head towards the tent wall. I've hit my head on the light a few times, but I need to sleep that way so I can hang my watch near my head, so I can hear the alarm in the morning. A very nice Dutchman lets me step on his footlocker on the other side of the bunk, so I can get into bed easier.


And below, here's my storage space for all of my stuff. The open footlocker and bags to the right side is all mine.