A deadline is looming.

I've wanted to go to Alaska for years and years and years and years. Have I mentioned that I've wanted to go to Alaska for A LONG TIME?!
I 've been saying for the past two years that I want to go to Alaska for my 30th birthday. It'd be my birthday present. Heck-- it can be my birthday present for the next five years as long as I get to go! I've been checking ticket prices religiously for about a year, and watching the prices rise, much to my dismay. I want to go at the end of June so I can be there on my birthday, but that's when the prices of everything travel-related are the most expensive. Flights, hotels, attractions. Everything.
Mike has a really good friend living in Anchorage right now. They've been there for about  a year and a half. So, we'd be getting all the best inside information if we traveled up there this summer because they know where to go and what to do. All we have to do is get there. Direct flights are about $800 per person. Yikes. Mike and I both have a few thousand miles to use with Delta, but they'd only get us about a one way flight each.
I'm just waiting to win the lottery (can't win if you don't play, though!) so I can take a month-long vacation up there. Two weeks of cruising at sea and two weeks of inland tours. PERFECT! I'll either be complaining when we can't go or you'll be hearing my rejoicing in the coming months.