Boardwalks!

Bethel has a network of boardwalks set up across the tundra which you can use to walk around town. It's a very nice system because walking on the tundra itself requires great ankle strength as the ground is marshy and uneven and you invariably turn your ankle and your foot plops into a hidden mud puddle. And walking next to the roads is not very fun as there are a lot of cars in Bethel...all trying to navigate the pot-holed dirt roads at mock-Bethel speed (about 35-45 mph!). The number of cars here was one of the most surprising things about Bethel. The town is very spread out and everybody seems to have a car. Or take a taxi. They are 3 taxi cab companies in town and they run a very profitable business. More on the taxis later, but it costs $4 to get around town and $6 to go to the airport. The boardwalks are really the way to go, however. They are also susceptible to the heaving of the tundra and sometimes have a roller coaster feel to them, but they are really nice to walk on. There is one that takes me about 1/2 way to my work. And we're discovering some more as we weave our way through the maze of Bethel.