Picture the scene. 

Remote Alaska. 

Against a backdrop of glacial mountains and thick forests, I pan for gold. 

Feet freezing, hands even colder. Hands so cold I can barely hold the pan I’m panning with. Hands so cold I will not be able to defend myself should a bear launch out from amongst the birch trees. This is, possibly unjustifiably, a great fear of mine. Hands so cold that should I actually find any gold, I’m not sure I will be able to remove it from the pan. 

 That fear was also unjustifiable. 

 As, for the past two weeks, the most interesting thing I had dredged from the Alaskan water has been a chocolate bar wrapper. Apparently, pollution is still quite rare in remote Alaska. 

 But then, on that cold, crisp morning in March, two weeks after I had touched down in Alaska, I find something. 

Gold. 

Just like that. 

A four-pound nugget. 

Although it wasn't 'just like that.' It had been a real saga. 

Let's start at the beginning.