Chapter 3 - Alaska
Long weekend October 2024 – Fairbanks: Viewing the Northern Lights
"The kids have a long weekend around the middle of October," Ziva noted to Tony. She had downloaded the new school year calendar that afternoon. "We could take a trip for the five days and maybe knock another state off our list."
"Alaska is up next," he replied. "What could we go see there in October?" He typed into the search engine on his laptop, and clicked a few possible events of interest.
Ziva also started searching on her tablet. "It says here that one can view the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis in Fairbanks in October. Perhaps that is the place to go?"
"I just found that same information," Tony grinned at his better half. "Let's check flights and see if this is doable…"
Ziva had already pulled up some flight information, "That is the weekend of LJ's birthday. We could celebrate his birthday in Alaska! Do you think he is too young to remember that in the future?"
"He'll be three, Ziva. I remember events from when I was three; you do as well."
Ziva nodded as she frowned at the pages of flight information. "If we leave on Thursday evening, that will give us a better deal on the round-trip airfare. To account for the time differences, though, we would probably need to leave Fairbanks early on Tuesday morning."
Tony pulled up details about a flight on his laptop, "We could leave around 1830 from Dulles and arrive in Fairbanks in about twelve hours with the connecting flight from Seattle. Only three hundred eighty-two per person for coach…"
Ziva scooted over to look at the information, "The time difference is only four hours. If we can get the children to sleep on the flights, that will help. Total in-air flight time is about nine and one-half hours. That is certainly doable in my opinion."
"Book it?" Tony queried.
"Yes! An adventure awaits once we find a hotel," Ziva navigated to a hotel-booking website to find accommodations for her family. She found a deal for a suite that slept eight and a rental mini-van that was less money than she expected. "Booked our lodging and a rental vehicle in one deal."
Tony grinned, "What a birthday our little boy is going to have! Do we tell them now or wait?"
~Alaska~
The weekend before LJ's birthday, Ziva and Tony told the kids about the upcoming trip to Alaska at dinner on Sunday. Tony pulled up some pictures of the aurora borealis on his phone to show the family.
"We will have a good chance to see these Northern Lights while we are in Fairbanks," Ziva explained. "This year, 2024, and next, are at the peak of the eleven-year cycle for aurora activity. The weather is not too cold yet, so we can sightsee during the day and go out at night to try to see the Lights."
LJ thought about the information that his parents just relayed to the siblings. "Wait, isn't my birthday coming up? How am I going to have a birthday if we aren't home?"
Tony ruffled the little boy's hair, "This is your big birthday present, kiddo. A trip with all of us to see Alaska, and the Northern Lights if we're lucky. We can have birthday dinner and cake in Fairbanks just like we would at home."
"Not just like home," Rivka had to point out. "Grandpa, and cousins and aunts and uncles won't be in Alaska."
At LJ's worried look, Ziva quickly spoke up, "We can do a separate celebration with extended family on the following weekend. So, LJ, it will be like celebrating your birthday twice instead of one time."
"TWO birthdays?" the look of surprise on her baby's face nearly had Ziva laughing out loud. She quickly bit the inside of her lip to try to maintain a serious demeanor. "Does that mean I will be…" the child paused to count on his fingers. "Four?"
"Good try, but you'll still be three come Friday," Tony chuckled. "But you'll turn three in Alaska, or… now that I think about it, when we are in the air overnight. Remember that you were born in the early morning hours our time. So…" he did some quick mental arithmetic. "We should be either boarding the plane or in the air from Seattle to Fairbanks at the actual time of your birth."
"Hopefully asleep," Ziva added with a smile.
~Alaska~
"Now boarding for those needing assistance, families with children, and passengers with a military ID," the announce came over the P.A. system by the gate for the flight to Seattle.
"Let's go!" Tony made sure he had LJ's boarding pass along with his own. Each of the children over three had his or her own boarding pass as per the latest regulations. He held LJ's hand as the little boy chattered with excitement.
"Is this our plane, Abba? Do we get to sit by a window? Will you sit with me or will Ima?"
"Boarding passes please," the attendant held out a hand to take the documents from Tony.
LJ watched wide-eyed, "I get to have my birthday on the plane to Alaska."
The attendant smiled at the boy, "Well, then, happy birthday! How old are you?"
"I will be three!" the youngest DiNozzo puffed up a bit and grinned as he held up three fingers.
"That means that you can show your own boarding pass when you come home," she informed him.
His mouth fell open into an o-shape. "Oh… cool! Abba, Ima, I get to carry my own boarding pass!"
The woman handed the two stubs back to Tony; Anthony followed his father and brother. Riv and Beth were behind their older brother, with Tali the last of the offspring to provide her pass. Ziva was the final DiNozzo in line.
"Enjoy your trip, ma'am. And I hope your little boy has a fantastic birthday," the attendant handed Ziva her stub. "I do have to say that your children are very well-behaved; thank you."
Ziva smiled, "No, thank you." She followed the rest of her family onto the ramp to board. Tony led the family to their group of seats in the first three rows of the main cabin; they were just in front of the wing on the right side of the aircraft. He helped the kids stow their backpacks under the seats, and shoved the two carry-on bags into the overhead compartment.
Anthony and Tali had the first row, facing the bulkhead. Anthony had the window seat, but both could see out the window if anything interesting appeared. Rivka, Beth, and Ziva were in the next row with Ziva on the aisle seat. Behind them, LJ had the window seat with his Abba next to him.
After take-off, Tali grabbed a book from her backpack and settled in her seat to read. Anthony watched out the window for a while, then found a book to read as well. Riv and Beth took coloring books and colored pencils from their packs. Ziva read for a bit and then planned the family's activities for the long weekend from some information she'd printed out about kid-friendly things to do in Fairbanks and nearby.
LJ was fascinated with the lights on the ground below the aircraft. He and Tony used some maps that LJ had put in his backpack to guess what cities they flew over. After about two hours in the air, the little boy fell asleep. Tony quietly repacked the maps, pencils, and paper back in the child's backpack.
By three hours into the almost six-hour flight to Seattle, all of the children were asleep except Tali. She was engrossed in her book, so Ziva let her keep reading. Other passengers also started sleeping so the cabin lights were dimmed; Tali put her book away and settled back to nap in her seat.
~Alaska~
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to make our final approach to SEA-TAC. Please assure that your seats are in an upright position, all items are stowed safely, and tray tables are secured. Local time is eight forty-three; air temperature is forty-nine degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks for flying with us tonight," the captain's voice accompanied the brightening of the cabin lighting to prepare the passengers for the landing.
"Are we there Abba? Are we in Alaska?' LJ stretched and yawned as he looked out the window.
"We're about to land in Seattle. We'll get on the plane to Fairbanks in about two hours," Tony replied to the curious little boy. "Right now, we have to get ready to get off this plane after it lands and taxis to the gate. We'll get everyone something for a snack, find our gate for the next flight, and settle in to wait for boarding. You can go back to sleep in the waiting area if you want."
Riv overheard her father and brother talking, "I wanna see everything! I'm to excited to sleep. Maybe when we are on the next plane, but not on the ground."
"If we were at home, you would be in bed," Ziva teased her middle child. "And I would bet you would be asleep as well."
Once the jet had reached the concourse for boarding and deplaning, the family gathered their carry-on luggage and followed the other passengers into the terminal. Ziva herded them towards the restrooms across from the gate. After bathroom breaks, Tony found a fast-food restaurant that was open and purchased beverages and food for his family.
Ziva located the information on the departure gate for the next leg of the journey; it was on the same concourse as the gate they arrived, but on the opposite side. At the waiting area, the kids watched out the windows, played games on their tablets, or read.
Tali looked up from her tablet, "Technically, we can knock Washington State off our list since we are here."
"True, but we will come back to see the sights in this state at some time in the future," Ziva smiled at her eldest. "If we count airports and military bases with airfields, Abba and I have probably been in at least one-third more countries than we count."
Tony looked over at his wife, "Although there are a few that I would rather forget…" One of the refueling stops on the return from Somalia so long ago came to mind. The NCIS group had remained on the C-130 as the crew changed out and the ground workers filled the fuel tanks. He doubted that Ziva even remembered that stop as she had been given some powerful sedatives in the field hospital before departing Camp Lemonnier.
Ziva noted the flash of pain in her husband's eyes and put a hand on his arm. She spoke to him quietly, "Let us think of better times, neshama. Leave the past in the past."
He nodded, put his hand on hers, and whispered, "Toda."
LJ was watching out the windows and noticed the approaching aircraft coming into the gate where they were going to depart. "Look! Look! Is that our plane, Ima? Are we going on that one, Abba?" The other kids moved over by the little boy and watched the ground workers guide the jet to the gate.
An airline employee heard the child's questions and replied to the children, "If you are flying to Fairbanks, Alaska, that is your plane. The flight coming in left there earlier tonight. After a crew cleans the plane, we will begin boarding in about forty minutes."
"Cool," Beth remarked to her siblings.
Ziva glanced at her watch, the flight was scheduled to leave at 2315 or in about ninety minutes. She did some quick arithmetic to calculate the time at home. Currently at home, it was 0048; LJ would officially be three years old when they boarded the flight to Fairbanks.
Tali glanced at the time on her tablet, which was still on DC time. "Ima, what time was LJ born? I remember seeing him in the early morning before you and Abba went to the birthing center to get checked over by your doctor and our pediatrician."
"0138," Tony replied. "Couldn't wait to get himself into the world that night." He reached into his pocket and drew out the boarding passes. "LJ, you get to present your own pass this time, if you want."
The little boy's eyes widened and his mouth formed an 'O' shape. "Really? I want!" he grinned a huge grin at his Abba and jumped up and down excitedly. Ziva and Tony exchanged a smile and a gaze at the youngest DiNozzo's enthusiasm.
At the gate at boarding time, Tony handed the pass to LJ to present to the attendant. The little boy practically strutted with the paper in his hand and grinned his biggest, best DiNozzo grin.
"Hi," he greeted the gate attendant. "I'm three! Today is my birthday, and I get to give you this!" He handed the boarding pass to the young man.
"Well, thank you," the attendant glanced at the pass, "Mr. DiNozzo. Have a good flight and happy birthday." He smiled at the thumbs' up from Tony and Ziva and continued boarding the family.
When Tony handed his boarding pass, as the last of the DiNozzos in the line, he grinned again at the attendant. "Thanks for making my son's day. He literally just turned three years old; he was born at one-thirty-eight a.m. Eastern time on the eleventh."
"My pleasure, sir. Enjoy your flight."
The three hour and fifteen-minute flight to Fairbanks was uneventful and all seven DiNozzos dozed in-flight. The two boys sat side-by-side across from the three girls in the same row. Ziva and Tony were in the row behind the boys; they were the last to nod off after the kids were asleep.
"Sleep for a bit, neshama," Ziva leaned over and kissed Tony before settling back with a neck pillow and closing her eyes. He interlaced their hands as he also closed his eyes and smiled.
~Alaska~
"Ima, it's cold!" Beth reached for her jacket in her backpack. "Did we fly to winter?"
Rivka zipped her jacket, "Ima told you to put on your jacket inside when we were waiting for our suitcases. Abba said that we should have heat in the van that we are going to be using while we are here."
Anthony turned to Tali, "Geez, you'd think we flew to the North Pole the way they are talking. We knew the temperatures would be a lot colder than at home. Some people's little sisters…"
Tali grinned, "You used to be that way, you know…"
The rental mini-van arrived at the curb and the car rental company employee handed Tony a second set of keys, "I left it running so the interior warms up for your family. Have fun while you visit us!"
"Are we gonna see the Northern Lights tonight?" LJ gazed upward while waiting for his turn to climb in the back of the van. "I wanna see them every night we are here."
"If you get your aaz… butt in the van, we can drive to where there are less lights and maybe we can see them," Anthony half joked. "From what Tali and I read, some nights they are very faint or you can't see them at all. Other nights, there are all sorts of bright colors."
Tony finished loading the last of the luggage in the rear area and closed the rear gate. He walked past Anthony, who was just climbing in behind the driver's seat. "Language, kiddo," he spoke softly to the boy. "Next stop is our hotel," he announced to his family as he shut the driver's door. "Everyone buckled in?"
As he drove to the lodging, Ziva pulled up the hotel's website and completed most of the check-in process before they arrived, hoping to make it easier to get the family into the suite and into bed until morning.
The kids watched out the windows and noticed the faint white flashes of the aurora in the northern skies. They were excited and also a little disappointed that there wasn't much to see that night. Ziva reminded them that this was the first of five nights, so there would be plenty of opportunities to see a spectacular show with many colors.
The night clerk finished the check-in and handed three room key-cards to Ziva, "Enjoy your stay, ma'am. Do you want a wake-up call?"
"Thank you and no thank you. With five children, we have our own wake-up system built in," she replied. She led the family to the elevators; Tony had unloaded their luggage while she finished the registration process.
As the elevator carried the family to their floor, she reminded the kids that once in the suite, they would need to get into pajamas and then to bed as quickly as possible. "It is 0230 local time, so we need to sleep for a few more hours, even though at home it is 0630."
The kids managed to fall asleep for a few hours and all were awake by 0615 local time. As the family waited for the hotel's free continental breakfast to open they discussed the various sights to see in and around Fairbanks. After reviewing several websites and links to the actual attractions, the seven DiNozzos put the University of Alaska Museum of the North, the Running Reindeer Ranch, the Fairbanks Children's Museum, and Aurora Pointe Activity Center on the top of the list.
At breakfast, Ziva contacted the Reindeer Ranch to see if they had any open times during the family's stay. Luckily, Monday was not booked, so she immediately reserved the tour for the seven DiNozzos to get to learn about the reindeer, hike in the fields with them, pet the animals and help feed them, get pictures with the reindeer, and have a hot snack and beverage afterwards. Since Aurora Pointe was a night-time activity, from 2200 to 0200, to see the Northern Lights, Tony checked the weather forecasts and the aurora forecasts for the best night to see the natural light show. From what information he found, Friday night looked to be the best opportunity, so he pre-purchased tickets for his family online.
The Children's Museum listed a "Super Saturday" program, so they planned to spend the entire day at the museum. Ziva also thought that they would probably crash early Saturday night, since the family would be out late the previous night. Sunday would be the day to explore the Museum of the North.
Anthony expressed an interest in the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, so they decided to head that way after breakfast. The family wandered among the old autos, the period displays, and then to the wildlife reservation next door. Mid-afternoon, they headed back to the hotel to rest and have dinner in the suite before the late-night excursion to see the Northern Lights. The dinner included a birthday cake for LJ and chocolate ice cream.
Mother Nature did not disappoint; the lights display that night was much more impressive than the little bit they'd seen coming in to the hotel from the airport the night before. Tony almost nodded off during the indoor presentation about the aurorae and how they occurred. When the show started, the cold air outside woke him up – as if his excited kids didn't – and he, Ziva, and Tali got some great pictures with their cell phones, as well as Tony and Anthony getting pictures with the digital SLR cameras. The Northern Lights awed the spectators with hues of greens, blues, violets, whites, and a touch of pink in swirling and dancing patterns. One of the center staff remarked that it was the most impressive show so far that season. LJ was thrilled to have it be on his birthday.
They all crashed and slept when the family returned to their suite; everyone slept in on Saturday until almost 0900. The Children's Museum opened at 0900 until 1700; the DiNozzos spent almost the entire time having fun with the various activities. Ziva joked that her big kid had more fun than the actual children. Tony quipped that he would always be a kid at heart.
At the Museum of the North, they learned about the history of the area, viewed artifacts from the native cultures, dinosaur skeletons, taxidermy of the native animal species, art works and crafts of the area and state, and clothing made from animal hides.
The Running Reindeer Ranch was by far the second favorite activity, only bested by the Northern Lights. The kids loved petting the reindeer and helping feed them. Ziva figured they took over two hundred pictures at with the reindeer and was glad she'd remembered to bring extra SD cards for the cameras.
As the DiNozzos drove home from Dulles on Tuesday evening, Tony listened to his kids comparing what they liked best about the Alaska adventure. LJ and Tali chose the Northern Lights; Rivka and Beth had a hard time deciding between the aurora and the reindeer.
Anthony summed it up for all of them, "My favorite part is that we did this as a family and we will have memories for a lifetime. Thanks, Ima and Abba!"
