We got up at 3:45 am this morning to get to the airport for our early morning flight. It was already quite busy at 5:00 am. We got checked in, went through security and I got a quick bite to eat.
We are now on the plane. Wifi on board. We are scheduled to land at DFW at 1:00 pm. I will be so glad to be home!
Kotor, Montenegro
Kotor, Montenegro
Monday, June 27, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Well the cruise came to an end this morning. We said our goodbyes to Chase and Lauren. They went to the Vancouver airport for their flight home and Krista and I had transfers to the Seattle airport.
We had to meet up in the show lounge by 8:00 am. They finally loaded us on the bus around 8:30 am. We were all set to go we thought. We left the parking garage and they just made a circle and pulled in on the other side. None of us knew what was going on. We set there forever and then they started loading more people onto the bus. They ran out of space under the bus for luggage and had to put the last of it on the last row of the bus. We were finally full with 44 passengers and then we were off to Seattle. It was about 9:45 am by this time.
We arrived at the US Border about 10:30 am or so. From what I have been told this is a very easy process. The bus was sealed when we left Vancouver and the Border Patrol officers usually just step on the bus, look at passports and take up our immigration forms. Well it seems they weren't busy so they decided to make all of us on the bus get off with all of our carry on items and go inside the building to be screened. Well let me tell you, this was a pain.
Our bus driver was new and drove so slow. At one point I wanted to go up to the front and tell him to move over and let me drive. We finally arrived at Seattle airport around 1:30 pm or so. When I thought transfer to airport I thought they would let us off at the terminal. They took us to some remote parking lot and unloaded our luggage. We were not flying out but taking a hotel shuttle. We then had to walk down the sidewalk to the black building on the right and go in the first door. Take the elevator down to 2 and go across a skybridge into the parking garage and then take the elevator up to 3 go across the street and wait for the hotel shuttle. I was exhausted when we got to the hotel.
Once we got checked in, we took the Light Rail into downtown Seattle. We both love Seattle so were excited to be there. The first thing we saw when we got off the train were all these porta potties. We started looking around and figured out they were having some sort of gay pride celebration. Lots of crazy looking people walking around town.
We immediately went to Palace Kitchen to eat since we had eaten breakfast at 5:45 am and were very hungry. It was 3:30 pm at this point. We got to the restaurant and it didn't open until 5:00 pm. We went down the street to Top Pot Donuts but decided we didn't want to stay there an hour and a half so we treked off to REI. It was a difficult walk for me because part of it was straight up a hill but I made it. When we finished there we walked back to Top Pot and got our donuts and then on to Palace Kitchen to eat a delicious meal. After that it was time to take the light rail back to the airport along with all of our gay pride friends.
Once back at the hotel it wasn't long until it was time to go to bed because we had an early morning in the morning.
We had to meet up in the show lounge by 8:00 am. They finally loaded us on the bus around 8:30 am. We were all set to go we thought. We left the parking garage and they just made a circle and pulled in on the other side. None of us knew what was going on. We set there forever and then they started loading more people onto the bus. They ran out of space under the bus for luggage and had to put the last of it on the last row of the bus. We were finally full with 44 passengers and then we were off to Seattle. It was about 9:45 am by this time.
We arrived at the US Border about 10:30 am or so. From what I have been told this is a very easy process. The bus was sealed when we left Vancouver and the Border Patrol officers usually just step on the bus, look at passports and take up our immigration forms. Well it seems they weren't busy so they decided to make all of us on the bus get off with all of our carry on items and go inside the building to be screened. Well let me tell you, this was a pain.
Our bus driver was new and drove so slow. At one point I wanted to go up to the front and tell him to move over and let me drive. We finally arrived at Seattle airport around 1:30 pm or so. When I thought transfer to airport I thought they would let us off at the terminal. They took us to some remote parking lot and unloaded our luggage. We were not flying out but taking a hotel shuttle. We then had to walk down the sidewalk to the black building on the right and go in the first door. Take the elevator down to 2 and go across a skybridge into the parking garage and then take the elevator up to 3 go across the street and wait for the hotel shuttle. I was exhausted when we got to the hotel.
Once we got checked in, we took the Light Rail into downtown Seattle. We both love Seattle so were excited to be there. The first thing we saw when we got off the train were all these porta potties. We started looking around and figured out they were having some sort of gay pride celebration. Lots of crazy looking people walking around town.
We immediately went to Palace Kitchen to eat since we had eaten breakfast at 5:45 am and were very hungry. It was 3:30 pm at this point. We got to the restaurant and it didn't open until 5:00 pm. We went down the street to Top Pot Donuts but decided we didn't want to stay there an hour and a half so we treked off to REI. It was a difficult walk for me because part of it was straight up a hill but I made it. When we finished there we walked back to Top Pot and got our donuts and then on to Palace Kitchen to eat a delicious meal. After that it was time to take the light rail back to the airport along with all of our gay pride friends.
Once back at the hotel it wasn't long until it was time to go to bed because we had an early morning in the morning.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Today is our last day on the ship. We woke up to room service which was early as always. This morning we had the debarkation talk at 10:00 am to go listen to. When we got back to our rooms we had our packets with luggage tags and our final instructions for tomorrow morning. We are taking a transfer from Vancouver port to Seattle airport. We will be spending the night at the Seattle Hilton at the airport. We plan on taking the train into town to visit Krista's favorite -- Top Pot Donuts. We are also going to go to REI and grab something to eat. Our flight leaves early Monday morning 7:05 am.
Today was the Mariner's luncheon. I was invited to special reception before the luncheon. I thought maybe I might have my medallion presented to me since it was never officially presented. After I complained last cruise about not getting it I found it laying on the bed one day when I came in the cabin. Well no such luck today either. They presented 2 medallions to a couple that had 100 sailing days and another couple with 500 sailing days. It was a short ceremony where they were presented their medallions and had their pictures taken with the Captain and Hotel Manager.
After the reception we were escorted to our assigned tables at the luncheon. There was an empty seat next to me and here walks in the Hotel Manager and plops himself down next to me. Thankfully the couple on the other side were the ones with 500 sailing days so they carried on the conversation with him. He did ask me a couple of questions which I quickly answered. That was the longest luncheon I had ever been to.
We played bingo for the final time this afternoon but no luck again. There was a woman that came in to play and Krista made a comment about her and I thought to myself -- oh no. Well you guessed it, the woman won bingo. Any time Mary P and I go play bingo and make a comment about somebody they always end up winning so we try to remember our comments and say them after bingo is over. LOL
We had the final Master Chef's dinner tonight which the wait staff seem to enjoy. They did a good job serving us. I am so sick of ship food that I will be glad to get home and have some real food.
We are just about finished up packing our suitcases so we can set them out in the hall. We are supposed to be getting off the ship around 8:00 am in the morning. Chase and Lauren will also be getting off about the same time. They will be riding the train to the airport and flying back home tomorrow so they can get back to the real world and start back to work on Monday.
This has been a good trip. I enjoyed the land portion much more than the cruise portion. Alaska is a beautiful state and if you haven't been you really need to go check it out.
Today was the Mariner's luncheon. I was invited to special reception before the luncheon. I thought maybe I might have my medallion presented to me since it was never officially presented. After I complained last cruise about not getting it I found it laying on the bed one day when I came in the cabin. Well no such luck today either. They presented 2 medallions to a couple that had 100 sailing days and another couple with 500 sailing days. It was a short ceremony where they were presented their medallions and had their pictures taken with the Captain and Hotel Manager.
After the reception we were escorted to our assigned tables at the luncheon. There was an empty seat next to me and here walks in the Hotel Manager and plops himself down next to me. Thankfully the couple on the other side were the ones with 500 sailing days so they carried on the conversation with him. He did ask me a couple of questions which I quickly answered. That was the longest luncheon I had ever been to.
We played bingo for the final time this afternoon but no luck again. There was a woman that came in to play and Krista made a comment about her and I thought to myself -- oh no. Well you guessed it, the woman won bingo. Any time Mary P and I go play bingo and make a comment about somebody they always end up winning so we try to remember our comments and say them after bingo is over. LOL
We had the final Master Chef's dinner tonight which the wait staff seem to enjoy. They did a good job serving us. I am so sick of ship food that I will be glad to get home and have some real food.
We are just about finished up packing our suitcases so we can set them out in the hall. We are supposed to be getting off the ship around 8:00 am in the morning. Chase and Lauren will also be getting off about the same time. They will be riding the train to the airport and flying back home tomorrow so they can get back to the real world and start back to work on Monday.
This has been a good trip. I enjoyed the land portion much more than the cruise portion. Alaska is a beautiful state and if you haven't been you really need to go check it out.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
This morning we started out with breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill. Service was very slow. I am beginning to think the problem is not with the servers but there is a backup in the kitchen. All of our meals seem to be very slow except for the nights that we eat in the Pinnacle Grill.
We didn't arrive into Ketchikan until 11:00 am so we went to play bingo at 10:00 am. We didn't win anything but at least we tried. As soon as bingo was over we were in port and cleared to get off the ship. This is my 4th time to Ketchikan and each time we have always been right across the street from the Lumberjack Show. This time we were down at the far end of the pier. I had never seen this part of the city before. We probably would have been closer walking from Juneau! The following ships were in port -- Regent Navigator, HAL Ooosterdam, NCL Pearl, Celebrity Century, HAL Zaandam. The NCL Pearl was a huge ship.
Krista and I went into town and walked in a few shops. There were a few that I wanted to visit that I had been to before. The rest of the time we just took a leisurely stroll through the town. We had tickets to see the Lumberjack Show. I had seen it before and thought it was a lot of fun so we all went to see it. After the show was over we walked back to the ship. There was a food stand by the ship that had Reindeer Hotdogs so Krista got one of those to eat. I just went to the grill by the pool and got a hamburger followed by cookies from the Neptune Lounge.
We rested the rest of the afternoon. I still wasn't feeling good with my cold. It was soon time for dinner. I wasn't hungry at all. I ordered food and just pushed it around on my plate. We had traded our bottle of champagne that the Captain gave us for a bottle of wine so they served it to us tonight. I didn't even eat any dessert.
After dinner, Chase and Lauren went to the show and Krista and I went to the spa. When we finished at the spa we went down to the casino. I didn't do any good and Krista held her own. This is the first time I had been down there since the beginning of the cruise. We went ahead and cashed our cards in so we won't have to go back tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be the last full day of the cruise and there are lots of activities planned. We also lose an hour of sleep tonight. I guess it won't be long until I am back to reality for a while.
We didn't arrive into Ketchikan until 11:00 am so we went to play bingo at 10:00 am. We didn't win anything but at least we tried. As soon as bingo was over we were in port and cleared to get off the ship. This is my 4th time to Ketchikan and each time we have always been right across the street from the Lumberjack Show. This time we were down at the far end of the pier. I had never seen this part of the city before. We probably would have been closer walking from Juneau! The following ships were in port -- Regent Navigator, HAL Ooosterdam, NCL Pearl, Celebrity Century, HAL Zaandam. The NCL Pearl was a huge ship.
Krista and I went into town and walked in a few shops. There were a few that I wanted to visit that I had been to before. The rest of the time we just took a leisurely stroll through the town. We had tickets to see the Lumberjack Show. I had seen it before and thought it was a lot of fun so we all went to see it. After the show was over we walked back to the ship. There was a food stand by the ship that had Reindeer Hotdogs so Krista got one of those to eat. I just went to the grill by the pool and got a hamburger followed by cookies from the Neptune Lounge.
We rested the rest of the afternoon. I still wasn't feeling good with my cold. It was soon time for dinner. I wasn't hungry at all. I ordered food and just pushed it around on my plate. We had traded our bottle of champagne that the Captain gave us for a bottle of wine so they served it to us tonight. I didn't even eat any dessert.
After dinner, Chase and Lauren went to the show and Krista and I went to the spa. When we finished at the spa we went down to the casino. I didn't do any good and Krista held her own. This is the first time I had been down there since the beginning of the cruise. We went ahead and cashed our cards in so we won't have to go back tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be the last full day of the cruise and there are lots of activities planned. We also lose an hour of sleep tonight. I guess it won't be long until I am back to reality for a while.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
This morning we started out with room service -- 10 minutes early as usual.
We were in Juneau today and had booked an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier and Gardens. This is the 4th time I have been to Juneau and had never been to Mendenhall Glacier so we finally decided to go this time. The part of the tour that I really enjoyed was the visit to the Gardens. This is some land that some people bought and turned it into the most beautiful gardens. It is really hard to describe but I will try to post pictures later. After about an hour at the gardens we went on to Mendenhall Glacier where we went into the Visitors Center. It was really crowded so we didn't stay in there long. There was a walk to a really pretty waterfall that Krista walked out to. I woke up with a head cold this morning and didn't feel like walking that far so I took a short walk to a lookout point and then found a bench to rest on until she got back. They told us the walk to the waterfall was about 45 minutes round trip but she walked it much faster than that.
When we arrived back at the ship after the excursion I went to the drug store in town and bought some medicine and then we went back to the ship. It was really hot outside today. We went in and got a quick bite to eat and then went to the room. Krista went to the spa and had her free massage that she had won. When she got back I told her she should walk to the Mt Roberts Tram and ride up to the top. I had never been up there because it had always been yucky weather when i had been in town and the weather was perfect for it today. She stopped by Chase and Lauren's cabin to see if they wanted to join her but they weren't there so she went by herself. Soon after she left Chase and Lauren came to my room and kept me company. We had a nice visit.
Tonight we had reservations at the Pinnacle Grill for the special Le Cirque dinner. Everyone enjoyed the meal and said it was good (I couldn't taste mine).
Tomorrow will be our last port day and we will be in Ketchikan. We are going to see the Lumberjack Show. That is always fun. I hope to feel like going into the shops. This is such a fun town.
We were in Juneau today and had booked an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier and Gardens. This is the 4th time I have been to Juneau and had never been to Mendenhall Glacier so we finally decided to go this time. The part of the tour that I really enjoyed was the visit to the Gardens. This is some land that some people bought and turned it into the most beautiful gardens. It is really hard to describe but I will try to post pictures later. After about an hour at the gardens we went on to Mendenhall Glacier where we went into the Visitors Center. It was really crowded so we didn't stay in there long. There was a walk to a really pretty waterfall that Krista walked out to. I woke up with a head cold this morning and didn't feel like walking that far so I took a short walk to a lookout point and then found a bench to rest on until she got back. They told us the walk to the waterfall was about 45 minutes round trip but she walked it much faster than that.
When we arrived back at the ship after the excursion I went to the drug store in town and bought some medicine and then we went back to the ship. It was really hot outside today. We went in and got a quick bite to eat and then went to the room. Krista went to the spa and had her free massage that she had won. When she got back I told her she should walk to the Mt Roberts Tram and ride up to the top. I had never been up there because it had always been yucky weather when i had been in town and the weather was perfect for it today. She stopped by Chase and Lauren's cabin to see if they wanted to join her but they weren't there so she went by herself. Soon after she left Chase and Lauren came to my room and kept me company. We had a nice visit.
Tonight we had reservations at the Pinnacle Grill for the special Le Cirque dinner. Everyone enjoyed the meal and said it was good (I couldn't taste mine).
Tomorrow will be our last port day and we will be in Ketchikan. We are going to see the Lumberjack Show. That is always fun. I hope to feel like going into the shops. This is such a fun town.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
This morning was our first port day of the cruise portion of the trip. We were in Haines, Alaska. I had never been here before so didn't know what to expect. A lot of the excursions were based out of Skagway. To get to Skagway you had to take a fast ferry which took about 45 minutes for the ride and cost $68 round trip if you booked it on your own through the ferry company. The main excursions they had which included the fast ferry were going to Skagway to ride the White Pass Railway. Krista and I rode this last year and we didn't really want to do it again. We decided just to spend our day in Haines. Well let me tell you, there isn't much here but it is a very pretty town.
We ordered room service this morning and it was 10 minutes early. Chase called me about 7:30 am and said he and Lauren were going to walk into town. Krista wanted to go back to sleep so I walked into town with them. A few stores were open but things were priced pretty high I thought. I did find a grocery store and they had Diet Dr Peppers. I was one happy camper. As soon as I purchased these I told Chase and Lauren I was going back to the ship. They continued to walk around town a little more before heading back. It was really hot outside so I was glad to get back to the coolness of our cabin.
Krista and I had an excursion booked for noon. It was riding around town in an old car being shown the sites. It only lasted about an hour which was plenty long enough. The last stop was the Hammer Museum. Some guy had all sorts of hammers in there ad he was telling about all of them. It was crowded in there so we told our guide we were walking back to town.
Once we got back to the ship we saw Chase and Lauren leaving for their tour. We went on back in and got a quick bite to eat and then went back to the room where I took a nap until Chase called and woke me up.
At 5:00 pm they had a drawing in the spa. They usually have this on the first night but for some reason they decided to have it today. Not really sure why. We were still in port with all aboard time at 8:30 pm so there was hardly anyone there. That was good for us because Krista won one of the drawings for a head, neck and shoulder massage.
It was then time for dinner. Nothing on the menu really sounded good but what I picked did turn out to be good. The service was really slow tonight and i don't know why because nobody was there.
Tomorrow we will be in Juneau which should be better because there is much more to do there. Krista and I are planning on going to Mendenhall Glacier.
We ordered room service this morning and it was 10 minutes early. Chase called me about 7:30 am and said he and Lauren were going to walk into town. Krista wanted to go back to sleep so I walked into town with them. A few stores were open but things were priced pretty high I thought. I did find a grocery store and they had Diet Dr Peppers. I was one happy camper. As soon as I purchased these I told Chase and Lauren I was going back to the ship. They continued to walk around town a little more before heading back. It was really hot outside so I was glad to get back to the coolness of our cabin.
Krista and I had an excursion booked for noon. It was riding around town in an old car being shown the sites. It only lasted about an hour which was plenty long enough. The last stop was the Hammer Museum. Some guy had all sorts of hammers in there ad he was telling about all of them. It was crowded in there so we told our guide we were walking back to town.
Once we got back to the ship we saw Chase and Lauren leaving for their tour. We went on back in and got a quick bite to eat and then went back to the room where I took a nap until Chase called and woke me up.
At 5:00 pm they had a drawing in the spa. They usually have this on the first night but for some reason they decided to have it today. Not really sure why. We were still in port with all aboard time at 8:30 pm so there was hardly anyone there. That was good for us because Krista won one of the drawings for a head, neck and shoulder massage.
It was then time for dinner. Nothing on the menu really sounded good but what I picked did turn out to be good. The service was really slow tonight and i don't know why because nobody was there.
Tomorrow we will be in Juneau which should be better because there is much more to do there. Krista and I are planning on going to Mendenhall Glacier.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
This morning was another leisurely day as we sailed through Glacier Bay National Park. After breakfast we decided to go out on the bow of the ship to see what was going on. We hadn't arrived at the glaciers yet but there was some very pretty scenery. They were serving Pea Soup which is always a favorite. The Park Ranger was giving her talk in the showroom but we didn't go in to listen to it because we wanted to be outdoors. They did have some narration going on outdoors as well.
For lunch we decided to go to the Lido and grab a quick bite. It wasn't too crowded and we were able to find a table. After lunch we had arrived to the glaciers so we went back to the bow of the ship to watch and take pictures. We had beautiful weather for it. It was rather chilly so we did have to wear our heavy coats. After staying out on deck for a while Krista and I decided to go back to our room because our balcony was facing the glacier. As soon as we got back the ship started turning so it was no longer on our side. We went back inside and Lauren called and told us to look out on their balcony (they are 3 rooms down from us). There were some birds sitting on the rail making lots of noise. It seems Chase is a trouble maker and walked out on their balcony with a cookie in his hand and they saw it and flew in. Lauren made him go back in the cabin but the birds still stayed there for a while.
It was time for the cupcake tea at 3:00 pm so we all went and had several cupcakes. My favorite was red velvet with chocolate icing.
Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill compliments of Pammy. It was good but way too much food. None of us could eat everything but of course we still had room for dessert.
They had karaoke and Chase and Lauren were brave and got up and sang. Then Chase was getting started good and got up and sang by himself. I guess they didn't like them because they weren't invited to be in the Superstars competition. I thought they were a lot better than some of the ones that were invited. They held karaoke up in the Crow's Nest which in my opinion wasn't a very good place. People were loud and talking and it was hard to hear what was going on. After Karaoke we called it a night. Since we were sailing along the coastline we were able to get sporadic AT&T phone service but it never lasted very long.
For lunch we decided to go to the Lido and grab a quick bite. It wasn't too crowded and we were able to find a table. After lunch we had arrived to the glaciers so we went back to the bow of the ship to watch and take pictures. We had beautiful weather for it. It was rather chilly so we did have to wear our heavy coats. After staying out on deck for a while Krista and I decided to go back to our room because our balcony was facing the glacier. As soon as we got back the ship started turning so it was no longer on our side. We went back inside and Lauren called and told us to look out on their balcony (they are 3 rooms down from us). There were some birds sitting on the rail making lots of noise. It seems Chase is a trouble maker and walked out on their balcony with a cookie in his hand and they saw it and flew in. Lauren made him go back in the cabin but the birds still stayed there for a while.
It was time for the cupcake tea at 3:00 pm so we all went and had several cupcakes. My favorite was red velvet with chocolate icing.
Dinner was in the Pinnacle Grill compliments of Pammy. It was good but way too much food. None of us could eat everything but of course we still had room for dessert.
They had karaoke and Chase and Lauren were brave and got up and sang. Then Chase was getting started good and got up and sang by himself. I guess they didn't like them because they weren't invited to be in the Superstars competition. I thought they were a lot better than some of the ones that were invited. They held karaoke up in the Crow's Nest which in my opinion wasn't a very good place. People were loud and talking and it was hard to hear what was going on. After Karaoke we called it a night. Since we were sailing along the coastline we were able to get sporadic AT&T phone service but it never lasted very long.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Today was our chance to sleep in. It was a sea day and we were going through College Fjord. Krista and I were both sound asleep and the phone rang before 7:00 am. It was Chase. He was so excited and said are you all seeing all of this. I asked him what it was and he said ice bergs and glaciers. Well that started my day. I got up and looked to see what he was seeing. I had seen scenery like this before but it was still nice to see it again. I was just glad that he was enjoying the cruise and taking it all in. He takes after his Dad. I can't tell you how many times he went to the Neptune Lounge today to get coffee and snacks.
I decided I need to get my shower and get dressed so we could get breakfast. Krista and I had decided to eat in the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast. Just as I got out of the shower I woke Krista up and told her she needed to get ready. It was about 7:30 am by that time. The phone rang and it was Chase again. He wanted to know when we were going to eat breakfast. They had already eaten a lite breakfast in the Neptune but wanted more. Krista and I hurried up and got ready and we all went to the Pinnacle Grill and ate. We had a leisurely breakfast and planned our day.
We went and listened to the presentation on shopping in port. The guy went on and on and it lasted an hour. We were just there for the giveaways. He threw a Del Sol t-shirt in the audience and Chase caught it and gave it to Krista. We didn't win the drawings that were done at the end. There was a suite luncheon at 11:30 am in the Crow's Nest that we went to. They just came around and served us finger foods. It wasn't like the suite luncheons that they usually have but it was enough to hold us over. At 2:00 pm they were having wine tasting. I got an invitation to go free since I am now a 4 star Mariner. I didn't want to go alone so Chase, Lauren and Krista signed up and went with me. It is always interesting to taste the different wines. There was only 1 that I cared anything about. The others were just ok to me.
At 4:00 pm I went to play bingo while Krista napped. There was a group of people that had been on my land tour so I sat with them. None of us won anything but it was fun.
It was formal night tonight so we got all dressed up and went to dinner. Of course the photographers came around and took our pictures and they wanted to know if the 4 of us wanted a picture together. We didn't want one because that meant 2 of us would have to get out of our seats and nobody wanted to do that. The picture they took of us getting on board made me look like I didn't have any bottom teeth. Now when I have my picture taken, I keep my mouth shut so it looks like I have no teeth. Ha!
The Captain had his little Welcome Aboard speech that we went and listened to. We didn't stay for the show. Krista and I went to the Thermal Suite and Chase and Lauren went back to their room. Tomorrow we will be in Glacier Bay. This is where the Park Rangers come on board and narrate what we see. This is always a good day.
I decided I need to get my shower and get dressed so we could get breakfast. Krista and I had decided to eat in the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast. Just as I got out of the shower I woke Krista up and told her she needed to get ready. It was about 7:30 am by that time. The phone rang and it was Chase again. He wanted to know when we were going to eat breakfast. They had already eaten a lite breakfast in the Neptune but wanted more. Krista and I hurried up and got ready and we all went to the Pinnacle Grill and ate. We had a leisurely breakfast and planned our day.
We went and listened to the presentation on shopping in port. The guy went on and on and it lasted an hour. We were just there for the giveaways. He threw a Del Sol t-shirt in the audience and Chase caught it and gave it to Krista. We didn't win the drawings that were done at the end. There was a suite luncheon at 11:30 am in the Crow's Nest that we went to. They just came around and served us finger foods. It wasn't like the suite luncheons that they usually have but it was enough to hold us over. At 2:00 pm they were having wine tasting. I got an invitation to go free since I am now a 4 star Mariner. I didn't want to go alone so Chase, Lauren and Krista signed up and went with me. It is always interesting to taste the different wines. There was only 1 that I cared anything about. The others were just ok to me.
At 4:00 pm I went to play bingo while Krista napped. There was a group of people that had been on my land tour so I sat with them. None of us won anything but it was fun.
It was formal night tonight so we got all dressed up and went to dinner. Of course the photographers came around and took our pictures and they wanted to know if the 4 of us wanted a picture together. We didn't want one because that meant 2 of us would have to get out of our seats and nobody wanted to do that. The picture they took of us getting on board made me look like I didn't have any bottom teeth. Now when I have my picture taken, I keep my mouth shut so it looks like I have no teeth. Ha!
The Captain had his little Welcome Aboard speech that we went and listened to. We didn't stay for the show. Krista and I went to the Thermal Suite and Chase and Lauren went back to their room. Tomorrow we will be in Glacier Bay. This is where the Park Rangers come on board and narrate what we see. This is always a good day.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Sunday was the last early day. We had to have our bags out by 8:00 am and we were also leaving for our transport to our excursion and eventually the ship at 8:00 am. We got up and had breakfast and it was soon time to board our coach. The ride was not on one of the roomy coaches we had been in for the rest of the trip. It was just a regular bus. The ride was about 3 hours. We saw really pretty scenery along the way. Upon arrival in Seward we went straight to our excursion boat for a Kenai Fjord tour. We saw humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, sea otters, puffins, and a variety of other things. The tour was 6 hours which was really too long since we could see our ship when we got there and really wanted to get on it.
Chase and Lauren arrived by the Cruise Train. Their train got there just as we were pulling back into the dock from our excursion. However, we had to wait for them to get a bus load of people before they would transport us. It was 5:30 pm and I thought that was when our dinner was for. However when we finally got to the checkin line our card key said dinner was at 5:45 pm. We quickly went through security, dropped our things off in our cabin, poked our head in the Neptune Lounge and told them we needed our beds separated and went straight to the dining room. Chase and Lauren were already there. The dining room seemed empty as people were still arriving to the ship. As we were finishing up our meal, they announced that the life boat drill would be at 7:30 pm so we headed straight out there to participate in that. Krista and I were in Lifeboat Station 14 and Chase and Lauren were in Lifeboat Station 4 -- opposite ends of the deck. This seemed strange to me since we are only 3 doors down from each other.
After lifeboat drill it was time for FREE bingo. We walked in at the last minute and picked up our cards. The prize was $250. Guess what! I won! That was a nice way to start out the cruise. We were going to stay for the welcome aboard show and they actually had chosen Chase and Lauren to participate. However, somehow they got too many couples so Chase and Lauren didn't get to participate so we all went back to our rooms. Everyone was pretty tired. I did go back down to the casino for a short time but didn't do any good.
Chase and Lauren arrived by the Cruise Train. Their train got there just as we were pulling back into the dock from our excursion. However, we had to wait for them to get a bus load of people before they would transport us. It was 5:30 pm and I thought that was when our dinner was for. However when we finally got to the checkin line our card key said dinner was at 5:45 pm. We quickly went through security, dropped our things off in our cabin, poked our head in the Neptune Lounge and told them we needed our beds separated and went straight to the dining room. Chase and Lauren were already there. The dining room seemed empty as people were still arriving to the ship. As we were finishing up our meal, they announced that the life boat drill would be at 7:30 pm so we headed straight out there to participate in that. Krista and I were in Lifeboat Station 14 and Chase and Lauren were in Lifeboat Station 4 -- opposite ends of the deck. This seemed strange to me since we are only 3 doors down from each other.
After lifeboat drill it was time for FREE bingo. We walked in at the last minute and picked up our cards. The prize was $250. Guess what! I won! That was a nice way to start out the cruise. We were going to stay for the welcome aboard show and they actually had chosen Chase and Lauren to participate. However, somehow they got too many couples so Chase and Lauren didn't get to participate so we all went back to our rooms. Everyone was pretty tired. I did go back down to the casino for a short time but didn't do any good.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
This morning wasn't quite as early as others. Krista went rafting and had to be there at 7:30 am but I didn't have anything planned so I got to have a leisurely morning. Our bags had to be out by 9:00 am and checkout was at 10:00 am. I rode the shuttle up to the main building around 10:15 am to wait for Krista returning from her rafting trip. She got back about 10:45 am and we had a shuttle to the train station around 11:30 am. The train pulled in right at Noon and we got to board immediately.
The train ride from Denali to Anchorage was about 8 hours but there was the most amazing scenery all the way. The time passed quickly. We had 2 meals included -- lunch and dinner so we spent some of the time in the dining car eating. Krista spent about half the trip on the platform outdoors taking pictures.
We pulled into Anchorage right at 8:00 pm and Chase and Lauren had just landed at the Anchorage airport. We got on a bus to go the hotel and for some reason they drove us around Anchorage. All we wanted to do was just go to the hotel. It was close to 9:00 pm before we got to our room. We then went down to the lobby and got them to add my hilton honors number to my room so we could get free internet and breakfast in the executive lounge. We then went and found out where Chase and Lauren would be coming in and waited on them.
Our Tour Director celebrates his 31st birthday tomorrow so our group got together to wish him a happy birthday and Chase and Lauren joined us. We stayed together for a while before we went our separate ways.
They are having a solstice celebration in Anchorage this weekend and it is really loud outside our window. I am not sure what time the celebration will be over but they need to stop soon so we can go to sleep.
Krista and I leave at 8:00 am in the morning for our bus transfer to Seward. We then have a tour that will last 6 hours. I am not sure if we will get to the ship in time for dinner or not but I am sure we can find something to eat. Chase and Lauren are taking the train to the cruise tomorrow and they may get there late as well since their train doesn't leave until 1:00 pm.
Tomorrow the land tour is over and our cruise will begin.
The train ride from Denali to Anchorage was about 8 hours but there was the most amazing scenery all the way. The time passed quickly. We had 2 meals included -- lunch and dinner so we spent some of the time in the dining car eating. Krista spent about half the trip on the platform outdoors taking pictures.
We pulled into Anchorage right at 8:00 pm and Chase and Lauren had just landed at the Anchorage airport. We got on a bus to go the hotel and for some reason they drove us around Anchorage. All we wanted to do was just go to the hotel. It was close to 9:00 pm before we got to our room. We then went down to the lobby and got them to add my hilton honors number to my room so we could get free internet and breakfast in the executive lounge. We then went and found out where Chase and Lauren would be coming in and waited on them.
Our Tour Director celebrates his 31st birthday tomorrow so our group got together to wish him a happy birthday and Chase and Lauren joined us. We stayed together for a while before we went our separate ways.
They are having a solstice celebration in Anchorage this weekend and it is really loud outside our window. I am not sure what time the celebration will be over but they need to stop soon so we can go to sleep.
Krista and I leave at 8:00 am in the morning for our bus transfer to Seward. We then have a tour that will last 6 hours. I am not sure if we will get to the ship in time for dinner or not but I am sure we can find something to eat. Chase and Lauren are taking the train to the cruise tomorrow and they may get there late as well since their train doesn't leave until 1:00 pm.
Tomorrow the land tour is over and our cruise will begin.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Today was another early day. We got up at 4:00 am so we would have time to eat breakfast before our 6:10 am tour. We had breakfast at the buffet here at the lodge and it was one of the best buffets we have had so far.
Our tour started on time this morning. It was the Tundra Wilderness Tour. It lasted about 8 hours and went 67 miles into Denali Park. Our guide was really good with lots of good information. We saw lots of wildlife. Carribou, Dall Sheep, Moose Calf and most exciting of all 4 grizzly bears. One of them was right on the side of the road on our side of the bus and Krista got some really good pictures of them. I will try to post them later.
The weather was amazing today. The skies were clear and it got quite warm outside. We got to see Mt McKinley. They said only about 10% of the people that visit the park get to see it because a lot of times it is covered up by the clouds. We got wonderful pictures of it also.
I have been resting since we got back to the lodge but it will soon be time to go get our jeep that we rented so we can go see what else is out there. We are supposed to be picked up at 5:45 pm and it is for 4 hours so I probably won't get a chance to post again from Denali.
Tomorrow morning at 7:30 am Krista is going River Rafting. I am sitting this one out. I am sure she will have fun.
We are supposed to get on the train tomorrow at noon for an 8 hour ride into Anchorage. We will be meeting up with Chase and Lauren in Anchorage.
Saturday night will be the last night until we get on the cruise ship and I am so ready to be on the ship so I can rest up.
Our tour started on time this morning. It was the Tundra Wilderness Tour. It lasted about 8 hours and went 67 miles into Denali Park. Our guide was really good with lots of good information. We saw lots of wildlife. Carribou, Dall Sheep, Moose Calf and most exciting of all 4 grizzly bears. One of them was right on the side of the road on our side of the bus and Krista got some really good pictures of them. I will try to post them later.
The weather was amazing today. The skies were clear and it got quite warm outside. We got to see Mt McKinley. They said only about 10% of the people that visit the park get to see it because a lot of times it is covered up by the clouds. We got wonderful pictures of it also.
I have been resting since we got back to the lodge but it will soon be time to go get our jeep that we rented so we can go see what else is out there. We are supposed to be picked up at 5:45 pm and it is for 4 hours so I probably won't get a chance to post again from Denali.
Tomorrow morning at 7:30 am Krista is going River Rafting. I am sitting this one out. I am sure she will have fun.
We are supposed to get on the train tomorrow at noon for an 8 hour ride into Anchorage. We will be meeting up with Chase and Lauren in Anchorage.
Saturday night will be the last night until we get on the cruise ship and I am so ready to be on the ship so I can rest up.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
This morning came very early. We got in at 2:00 am, in bed by 2:30 am and up at 5:00 am. Bags had to be in the hall by 6:00 am. As soon as we put the bags in the hall off we went for breakfast. Since all they served for breakfast was a buffet which wasn't very good, it didn't take us very long to eat so we had time to rest a little bit before having to be downstairs to catch a bus to the train at 7:20 am.
The train left a little after 8:00 am and the ride lasted a little more than 4 hours. It was a nice peaceful ride. Holland America has dome rail cars for their land tour passengers. We were up high where we could see all around. Our car seated 88 people and downstairs was a dining car that seated 44 people. Since we had already eaten breakfast we didn't eat. We will have an 8 hour train ride on Saturday morning and we have both lunch and dinner included on that ride. I heard people saying that the food was very good. Krista got some really good pictures.
We got to our hotel at Denali around 1:00 pm. We were in our room waiting for our luggage to arrive. We had a jet boat tour scheduled for what I thought was 2:30 pm. I decided to double check the time and it was at 2:00 pm. Our room is in a separate building from where the tours depart. We took off walking and they told us the shuttle going to the main building had just passed and they pass every 15 minutes so we had to walk UPHILL almost the whole way. I was huffing and puffing the whole way. Oh and we hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast so we went in the little store and I got a Dr Pepper. They didn't have any diet ones. I was looking for something to snack on. I wanted peanut butter crackers or something like that. I didn't see any so I asked and they told me they had been on back order for some time. Not really sure where they get their supplies from but oh well. I just purchased a package of cookies.
A bus picked us up and it was about a 30 minute ride. About half of the bus were going on a Dog Sled Tour and the others on the Jet Boat. When we got there they sent 9 to the jet boat and took all of the rest of us in a little building and gave us a snack and then told us about how it is to live up there. It takes a special person to be able to do all that they do. After that they had us pan for gold. I really don't like doing that so I just kind of stood there and acted like I was doing it and when Krista finished hers I got her to finish mine and then I gave her my gold.
After that panning for gold they had some reindeer for us to look at and feed. By that time it was our turn to ride the jet boat. We didn't see any wildlife but it was fun. The ride lasted about an hour. After the ride it was time for us to head on back to our hotel. We did see several moose and Krista was able to get pictures.
When we got back to the hotel we immediately walked across the highway and looked in a few shops, bought some peanut butter crackers and then found someplace to eat. There was a little fish place and I had a hamburger. It was so good. A real homemade burger.
We then walked back to our hotel. It was downhill this time so that was much easier. When we came in the lobby there was a man there on his computer. After we went to our room to make sure our luggage had arrived, I came back to the lobby to see if he was getting wifi and he was so here I am. I thought I was going to have to go to the main building to get wifi so this is much better.
Tomorrow morning we have a Denali Wilderness Tour that leaves at 6:10 am which means we need to be at the main building by around 6:00 am. The tour is supposed to last 8 hours. After that tomorrow afternoon Krista and I are renting a car to drive around and look on our own. When we reserved it we didn't realize there was going to be a wilderness tour that was included in our landtour. We tried to cancel the car rental but they told us it was too close for cancellation so we will get our car and go see what we can see. I told her we should just go find a good restaurant and eat.
Since I have had very little sleep the past 2 nights I am sure I will go to bed very early tonight.
The train left a little after 8:00 am and the ride lasted a little more than 4 hours. It was a nice peaceful ride. Holland America has dome rail cars for their land tour passengers. We were up high where we could see all around. Our car seated 88 people and downstairs was a dining car that seated 44 people. Since we had already eaten breakfast we didn't eat. We will have an 8 hour train ride on Saturday morning and we have both lunch and dinner included on that ride. I heard people saying that the food was very good. Krista got some really good pictures.
We got to our hotel at Denali around 1:00 pm. We were in our room waiting for our luggage to arrive. We had a jet boat tour scheduled for what I thought was 2:30 pm. I decided to double check the time and it was at 2:00 pm. Our room is in a separate building from where the tours depart. We took off walking and they told us the shuttle going to the main building had just passed and they pass every 15 minutes so we had to walk UPHILL almost the whole way. I was huffing and puffing the whole way. Oh and we hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast so we went in the little store and I got a Dr Pepper. They didn't have any diet ones. I was looking for something to snack on. I wanted peanut butter crackers or something like that. I didn't see any so I asked and they told me they had been on back order for some time. Not really sure where they get their supplies from but oh well. I just purchased a package of cookies.
A bus picked us up and it was about a 30 minute ride. About half of the bus were going on a Dog Sled Tour and the others on the Jet Boat. When we got there they sent 9 to the jet boat and took all of the rest of us in a little building and gave us a snack and then told us about how it is to live up there. It takes a special person to be able to do all that they do. After that they had us pan for gold. I really don't like doing that so I just kind of stood there and acted like I was doing it and when Krista finished hers I got her to finish mine and then I gave her my gold.
After that panning for gold they had some reindeer for us to look at and feed. By that time it was our turn to ride the jet boat. We didn't see any wildlife but it was fun. The ride lasted about an hour. After the ride it was time for us to head on back to our hotel. We did see several moose and Krista was able to get pictures.
When we got back to the hotel we immediately walked across the highway and looked in a few shops, bought some peanut butter crackers and then found someplace to eat. There was a little fish place and I had a hamburger. It was so good. A real homemade burger.
We then walked back to our hotel. It was downhill this time so that was much easier. When we came in the lobby there was a man there on his computer. After we went to our room to make sure our luggage had arrived, I came back to the lobby to see if he was getting wifi and he was so here I am. I thought I was going to have to go to the main building to get wifi so this is much better.
Tomorrow morning we have a Denali Wilderness Tour that leaves at 6:10 am which means we need to be at the main building by around 6:00 am. The tour is supposed to last 8 hours. After that tomorrow afternoon Krista and I are renting a car to drive around and look on our own. When we reserved it we didn't realize there was going to be a wilderness tour that was included in our landtour. We tried to cancel the car rental but they told us it was too close for cancellation so we will get our car and go see what we can see. I told her we should just go find a good restaurant and eat.
Since I have had very little sleep the past 2 nights I am sure I will go to bed very early tonight.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Today we had a riverboat ride down the Chena River. It was very interesting to see the houses along the river. They had a demonstration for us so we could see a float plane take off and land. They also stopped along side a place that raises snow sled dogs (the ones used in the Iditarod). They told us how they trained the dogs and showed us a demonstration of the dogs pulling a man on a modified ATV. He had taken the motor out and they dogs took off running pulling him along.
Next we stopped by Chena Village which resembled the original Chena Athabascan Indian Village of the early 1900's. They had different demonstrations showing us what life was like there.
We were free for the afternoon and went to find something to eat for lunch. We were walking along and found a BBQ house. We went inside and it was Asian food. Not what we were expecting but it was very good.
After a nap it was ready for our excursion for the night. We were flying to the Arctic Circle. We flew from Fairbanks into Coldfoot. They then took us in a van to a village called Wiseman. There are 13 year round residents in this village. A man named Jack took us on a walking tour showing us different buildings including his 1 room cabin that he and his wife live in. He pointed to a tent and said that was where they slept in the summer. They have no electricity and have to make their own with solar energy.
Our return flight was supposed to leave at 11:00 pm but was late so they took us to the truck stop in Coldfoot. It was interesting. Keep in mind that it is daylight during all of this. Our flight finally took off around 12:30 am (still daylight). We got back to Fairbanks at 1:30 am (sun just setting). We got back to the hotel around 2:00 am.
Next we stopped by Chena Village which resembled the original Chena Athabascan Indian Village of the early 1900's. They had different demonstrations showing us what life was like there.
We were free for the afternoon and went to find something to eat for lunch. We were walking along and found a BBQ house. We went inside and it was Asian food. Not what we were expecting but it was very good.
After a nap it was ready for our excursion for the night. We were flying to the Arctic Circle. We flew from Fairbanks into Coldfoot. They then took us in a van to a village called Wiseman. There are 13 year round residents in this village. A man named Jack took us on a walking tour showing us different buildings including his 1 room cabin that he and his wife live in. He pointed to a tent and said that was where they slept in the summer. They have no electricity and have to make their own with solar energy.
Our return flight was supposed to leave at 11:00 pm but was late so they took us to the truck stop in Coldfoot. It was interesting. Keep in mind that it is daylight during all of this. Our flight finally took off around 12:30 am (still daylight). We got back to Fairbanks at 1:30 am (sun just setting). We got back to the hotel around 2:00 am.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Today was a busy day. We left Tok around 7:45 this morning. We made a stop at Rika's Roadhouse for a break. We got bear claws to eat and they were so good. They had a nice little gift shop but we didn't have time to look around. We then stopped at North Pole and Krista sat in Santa's lap. We also saw a couple of moose along the side of the road.
We had lunch at Gold Dredge No. 8. They served us stew family style. It was good but not much to eat. They gave us a tour of how the gold mine worked. We then went on to El Dorado Gold Mine. It is a gold mine still being used. We got to pan for gold. I got $20 worth of gold and Krista got $17 worth of gold. We made a quick stop by the Alaskan Pipeline and then we were off to our hotel.
The hotel is nice and free wifi in our room this time. We had a tour at 6:45 pm. We went to Chena Hot Springs Resort. They served us dinner -- prime rib and halibut. We then went to the ice museum. It is an ice house with all these ice carvings. It was freezing inside and we had to wear warm parkas. I had seen this on the discovery channel one time. They had hotel rooms that you could stay in there that were made out of ice. We got to see the rooms. Unfortunately they had to stop using them as rooms because the fire marshal came in and looked at them and said they needed a sprinkler system in case of fire! So that put an end to that.
We then went for a quick dip in the thermal hot springs pool. It got so hot we had to get out but it felt good on tired bodies while we were in there. There were some men swimming in there that I could have gone the rest of my life not having to look at those tiny swimsuits they had on their old wrinkled bodies. Yuk!
We saw a moose running and playing in the water on the side of the road on the way back to the hotel. We just got back to the hotel and it is 12:30 am and the sun is just starting to set. I am not sure what time sunrise is but I think it is around 3:00 am.
We had lunch at Gold Dredge No. 8. They served us stew family style. It was good but not much to eat. They gave us a tour of how the gold mine worked. We then went on to El Dorado Gold Mine. It is a gold mine still being used. We got to pan for gold. I got $20 worth of gold and Krista got $17 worth of gold. We made a quick stop by the Alaskan Pipeline and then we were off to our hotel.
The hotel is nice and free wifi in our room this time. We had a tour at 6:45 pm. We went to Chena Hot Springs Resort. They served us dinner -- prime rib and halibut. We then went to the ice museum. It is an ice house with all these ice carvings. It was freezing inside and we had to wear warm parkas. I had seen this on the discovery channel one time. They had hotel rooms that you could stay in there that were made out of ice. We got to see the rooms. Unfortunately they had to stop using them as rooms because the fire marshal came in and looked at them and said they needed a sprinkler system in case of fire! So that put an end to that.
We then went for a quick dip in the thermal hot springs pool. It got so hot we had to get out but it felt good on tired bodies while we were in there. There were some men swimming in there that I could have gone the rest of my life not having to look at those tiny swimsuits they had on their old wrinkled bodies. Yuk!
We saw a moose running and playing in the water on the side of the road on the way back to the hotel. We just got back to the hotel and it is 12:30 am and the sun is just starting to set. I am not sure what time sunrise is but I think it is around 3:00 am.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
This morning wasn't so bad. We had to have our bags out by 7:45 am and then we loaded onto the bus around 8:15 am. We only went a short distance because we were going on a boat ride down the Yukon River there in Dawson City. The boat ride was about 3 hours or so. We also got a meal. We had a choice of some kind of burrito or a bagel with egg and bacon. I chose the bagel and it was good however I wasn't very hungry because they gave it to us around 10:00 am and it hadn't been long since I had eaten breakfast.
After the boat ride we had to get on a ferry which took us to the Top of the World Highway. At some point we turned off onto the Taylor Highway. This is where we went across the border into Alaska. The border patrol agent came onto the bus and collected all our passports. The passengers that were from countries other than the USA or Canada had to go inside and fill out paperwork if this was the first time they had come into the USA during this trip. A few people had come into San Francisco so they didn't have to do that. We have quite a few people from New Zealand and Australia that had to go inside. It didn't take long though. After they finished with our bus we drove to an overlook and got out and had our pictures made in the rain. We had to wait for the second bus to get through the border because we had to travel together. This part of the highway is so narrow and winding in parts that we had to have a pilot to lead the 2 buses through. There was another route that we were originally supposed to take but part of the road had gotten washed out or something and they are just now TESTING it for traffic so Holland America didn't want to send their buses that way so we went the other way instead. We got to go through Chicken, Alaska and got out for a break. We were only there about 20 minutes so didn't get to look around much.
We are now in Tok, Alaska. We are staying at the Westmark Inn in Tok. This Inn is owned by Holland America just like the other Westmark Inns that we have stayed at. The Inn is clean but sort of odd. I feel like I am at camp. We did get a room on the ground floor which is good because they don't have elevators. We also didn't get just one bed -- we got 3 beds! The bathroom is so small you can't even hardly turn around in it. They have the toilet paper on a holder that is in the middle of the bathroom. I feel sure that when we go in there to take a shower that we will have to move the toilet paper out of the bathroom.
One good thing here is the restaurant. We just finished eating dinner and we had Mexican food. It had to be some of the best Mexican food I have ever had. I had nachos and Krista had enchiladas. It also came with chips and salsa. Krista also had a margarita which she said was very good.
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving at 7:45 am. We are going to stop at North Pole and see Santa Claus. This is not a scheduled stop on our tour but our bus driver is going to work it in for us.
One thing I forgot. This is the first day of Love week at this hotel and everything is decorated like it is Valentines Day. They even picked out a couple on our bus to be the Love Couple. They got their picture taken and got some free gifts.........
After the boat ride we had to get on a ferry which took us to the Top of the World Highway. At some point we turned off onto the Taylor Highway. This is where we went across the border into Alaska. The border patrol agent came onto the bus and collected all our passports. The passengers that were from countries other than the USA or Canada had to go inside and fill out paperwork if this was the first time they had come into the USA during this trip. A few people had come into San Francisco so they didn't have to do that. We have quite a few people from New Zealand and Australia that had to go inside. It didn't take long though. After they finished with our bus we drove to an overlook and got out and had our pictures made in the rain. We had to wait for the second bus to get through the border because we had to travel together. This part of the highway is so narrow and winding in parts that we had to have a pilot to lead the 2 buses through. There was another route that we were originally supposed to take but part of the road had gotten washed out or something and they are just now TESTING it for traffic so Holland America didn't want to send their buses that way so we went the other way instead. We got to go through Chicken, Alaska and got out for a break. We were only there about 20 minutes so didn't get to look around much.
We are now in Tok, Alaska. We are staying at the Westmark Inn in Tok. This Inn is owned by Holland America just like the other Westmark Inns that we have stayed at. The Inn is clean but sort of odd. I feel like I am at camp. We did get a room on the ground floor which is good because they don't have elevators. We also didn't get just one bed -- we got 3 beds! The bathroom is so small you can't even hardly turn around in it. They have the toilet paper on a holder that is in the middle of the bathroom. I feel sure that when we go in there to take a shower that we will have to move the toilet paper out of the bathroom.
One good thing here is the restaurant. We just finished eating dinner and we had Mexican food. It had to be some of the best Mexican food I have ever had. I had nachos and Krista had enchiladas. It also came with chips and salsa. Krista also had a margarita which she said was very good.
Tomorrow morning we will be leaving at 7:45 am. We are going to stop at North Pole and see Santa Claus. This is not a scheduled stop on our tour but our bus driver is going to work it in for us.
One thing I forgot. This is the first day of Love week at this hotel and everything is decorated like it is Valentines Day. They even picked out a couple on our bus to be the Love Couple. They got their picture taken and got some free gifts.........
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
We went to Diamond Tooth Gertie's last night. It was a cute show that we enjoyed. We found seats in the balcony looking over the rail so that we would be sure not to be picked on. The show was in the middle of a little casino. They have 3 shows nightly 8:30, 10:30 and midnight. They said all the shows are different but we only went to the 8:30 show. When we picked up our tickets they gave us a card that says it is a 2011 pass so I think we could go to the show again tonight if we wanted. Not sure if we will go or not but I think we are going to go check out the Sour Toe Cocktail Club at 9:00.
When we got out of the show last night it was bright and sunny outside and it was 9:30 pm. We went back to the hotel and got the computer and sat outside where we could access the wifi. We were out there until probably about 10:30 pm and it was still bright and sunny. We probably would have stayed out longer but the mosquitos were really thick outside.
This morning we slept in until almost 9:00 am. We got up, got dressed and went for breakfast. We have been getting the breakfast buffet each morning because we have been in a hurry. Today we weren't rushed so we ordered off the menu and took our time. It was really good.
After breakfast we walked around Dawson City and went in all the shops we could find. We just looked and didn't buy anything. We also walked across the street to the river and sat for a while. We saw several people hang gliding (at least I think that is what it was called). It was beautiful weather and a good day for it. In fact I got so hot I had to take my windbreaker off. After walking around for a couple of hours we came back to the room and took a nap. This is probably going to be the last time we get to rest for a while. I was looking at our schedule for Fairbanks and it looks like we won't get in from our excursions until after midnight both nights and we have to get up VERY early in the mornings. When we ride the train from Fairbanks to Denali we will probably sleep then because I am sure we will be exhausted.
When we got out of the show last night it was bright and sunny outside and it was 9:30 pm. We went back to the hotel and got the computer and sat outside where we could access the wifi. We were out there until probably about 10:30 pm and it was still bright and sunny. We probably would have stayed out longer but the mosquitos were really thick outside.
This morning we slept in until almost 9:00 am. We got up, got dressed and went for breakfast. We have been getting the breakfast buffet each morning because we have been in a hurry. Today we weren't rushed so we ordered off the menu and took our time. It was really good.
After breakfast we walked around Dawson City and went in all the shops we could find. We just looked and didn't buy anything. We also walked across the street to the river and sat for a while. We saw several people hang gliding (at least I think that is what it was called). It was beautiful weather and a good day for it. In fact I got so hot I had to take my windbreaker off. After walking around for a couple of hours we came back to the room and took a nap. This is probably going to be the last time we get to rest for a while. I was looking at our schedule for Fairbanks and it looks like we won't get in from our excursions until after midnight both nights and we have to get up VERY early in the mornings. When we ride the train from Fairbanks to Denali we will probably sleep then because I am sure we will be exhausted.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Last night we went to the Frantic Follies. It was a funny show but kind of long. It didn't start until 8:30 and it was nearly 10:30 before it was over and we had an early morning today.
This morning we had our luggage out by 6:45 and then went to eat breakfast. After breakfast we relaxed until time to board our bus at 8:15. It was a long day but actually went pretty fast. We had our first stop about 90 minutes out. We stopped at Braeburn Lodge where they are famous for their huge cinnamon rolls. Of course we had to get one but we didn't eat it all but we did bring the rest with us to eat on later. We then had a stop to take pictures at Five Finger Rapids. It was a very pretty lookout.
Lunch was included today. They told us we were going to a resort and they had really good looking people that worked there. As we drove up they explained the process on what was being offered. It was a one time through all you could eat buffet. They said there would be some rolls, salad, sandwich fixings and soup with a choice of water or coffee to drink or we could purchase soft drinks. I got in line and found a roll and got some butter to go with it. Then I saw some mustard packets so picked up some of those for my sandwich. Next was the desserts so I picked out oreos. Next was the salad then the sandwich meat, cheese and pickles. Then I was asked if I wanted soup. I told them that I didn't but where was the bread to make the sandwich. I was told that the roll that I got was to put my sandwich on. I thought that was kind of strange but that was what I did. I don't really know what the butter was for. I guess I should have gotten another roll for the butter. As for the good looking people that worked there, our tour director was serving the soup and our bus driver was serving the drinks. So that was the good looking people.
After lunch we played some cheesy game that I won't even go into detail here. The bus driver also showed us a couple of dvds about the area we are visiting. I was getting tired on the last one so I think I dozed off a couple of times. We stopped a couple of more times. Once for a break and the other time for photos.
We pulled into Dawson City around 5:00 pm. The town still has dirt streets. It is a quaint little town. The only excursion we booked is Diamond Tooth Gerties which is tonight. We are going to sleep in a little tomorrow and just see the town on our own. It looks like it will be fun. Oh and Krista wants to join the Sour Toe Cocktail Club. I don't think I am interested in it. You might want to google it to see what it is all about.
Our tour director had told us we would have internet everywhere but not necessarily in our room. Well this is one of those places. I have to go to the hotel lobby which is across the street from our room in order to get internet. I also have no phone service. I see our tour director talking on his phone but mine doesn't work here.
This morning we had our luggage out by 6:45 and then went to eat breakfast. After breakfast we relaxed until time to board our bus at 8:15. It was a long day but actually went pretty fast. We had our first stop about 90 minutes out. We stopped at Braeburn Lodge where they are famous for their huge cinnamon rolls. Of course we had to get one but we didn't eat it all but we did bring the rest with us to eat on later. We then had a stop to take pictures at Five Finger Rapids. It was a very pretty lookout.
Lunch was included today. They told us we were going to a resort and they had really good looking people that worked there. As we drove up they explained the process on what was being offered. It was a one time through all you could eat buffet. They said there would be some rolls, salad, sandwich fixings and soup with a choice of water or coffee to drink or we could purchase soft drinks. I got in line and found a roll and got some butter to go with it. Then I saw some mustard packets so picked up some of those for my sandwich. Next was the desserts so I picked out oreos. Next was the salad then the sandwich meat, cheese and pickles. Then I was asked if I wanted soup. I told them that I didn't but where was the bread to make the sandwich. I was told that the roll that I got was to put my sandwich on. I thought that was kind of strange but that was what I did. I don't really know what the butter was for. I guess I should have gotten another roll for the butter. As for the good looking people that worked there, our tour director was serving the soup and our bus driver was serving the drinks. So that was the good looking people.
After lunch we played some cheesy game that I won't even go into detail here. The bus driver also showed us a couple of dvds about the area we are visiting. I was getting tired on the last one so I think I dozed off a couple of times. We stopped a couple of more times. Once for a break and the other time for photos.
We pulled into Dawson City around 5:00 pm. The town still has dirt streets. It is a quaint little town. The only excursion we booked is Diamond Tooth Gerties which is tonight. We are going to sleep in a little tomorrow and just see the town on our own. It looks like it will be fun. Oh and Krista wants to join the Sour Toe Cocktail Club. I don't think I am interested in it. You might want to google it to see what it is all about.
Our tour director had told us we would have internet everywhere but not necessarily in our room. Well this is one of those places. I have to go to the hotel lobby which is across the street from our room in order to get internet. I also have no phone service. I see our tour director talking on his phone but mine doesn't work here.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
As I told you yesterday, this morning was an early morning. Got up at 5:00 am so we could be at breakfast by 6:00 am when they opened the doors. After eating breakfast we had to meet our tour guide at 6:45 am in order to leave at 7:00 am for our trip to Kluane National Park.
There were only 9 people on our bus this morning. 2 people went fishing, 3 went hiking and 4 of us went on the Kathleen Lake Boat Tour. The tour was good. We saw a bear pretty close to the shore and it was like he stopped and posed for us. Later we saw a Bald Eagle flying and then saw it on the nest. Our guide said that it was a new nest because he hadn't seen it before. It was cold and rainy today but the boat had a cover on it. Our guide also gave us blankets to cover up with as well as life jackets to wear so we kept relatively warm. The tour lasted about 2 hours.
After the tour we went into a little house on the shore and they had sack lunches for us that were pretty good. The guides that had taken the group hiking showed us some bear skins that we got to touch so we could feel the difference in their fur between black bear and brown bear.
There was a group of students there on a field trip and while we were inside eating our guides said that one of the kids had gone missing and they needed to help find him. They were gone for a while but he was found. Evidently he was hiding. I bet he got in trouble.
After lunch we drove back to the visitors center of Kluane National Park and saw a film that they were showing. I was so tired I think I slept through it. We had an hour to spend there and after that we got to go back to Whitehorse.
When we got back to Whitehorse we went to Main Street and went to another gift shop that we missed yesterday. I still didn't buy anything. We had to get back to the hotel because it was almost time for dinner. I think we were the first ones in line for dinner. We both had salmon and it was pretty good. We purchased a meal plan for the tour portion so there are certain places that we have to use our vouchers. They said we will not have meals provided in Denali because it is not a Holland America property. Hope they have somewhere good to eat there. Food is really expensive up here.
Tonight we are going to see the Frantic Follies show here at the hotel. The show is not until 8:30 pm so I will probably sleep through it too because I am really tired.
Tomorrow morning we have to set our luggage out in the hall by 6:45 am and we will be leaving around 8:00 am to go to Dawson City. We will be there 2 nights. I think it is supposed to be a long day. I will say that the buses that we are traveling on are very comfortable with lots of leg room so maybe it won't be too bad.
Our Tour Director said we should have wi-fi in all our hotels. It may not be available in the rooms but we should definitely be able to get it from the lobby so I should be able to post daily.
There were only 9 people on our bus this morning. 2 people went fishing, 3 went hiking and 4 of us went on the Kathleen Lake Boat Tour. The tour was good. We saw a bear pretty close to the shore and it was like he stopped and posed for us. Later we saw a Bald Eagle flying and then saw it on the nest. Our guide said that it was a new nest because he hadn't seen it before. It was cold and rainy today but the boat had a cover on it. Our guide also gave us blankets to cover up with as well as life jackets to wear so we kept relatively warm. The tour lasted about 2 hours.
After the tour we went into a little house on the shore and they had sack lunches for us that were pretty good. The guides that had taken the group hiking showed us some bear skins that we got to touch so we could feel the difference in their fur between black bear and brown bear.
There was a group of students there on a field trip and while we were inside eating our guides said that one of the kids had gone missing and they needed to help find him. They were gone for a while but he was found. Evidently he was hiding. I bet he got in trouble.
After lunch we drove back to the visitors center of Kluane National Park and saw a film that they were showing. I was so tired I think I slept through it. We had an hour to spend there and after that we got to go back to Whitehorse.
When we got back to Whitehorse we went to Main Street and went to another gift shop that we missed yesterday. I still didn't buy anything. We had to get back to the hotel because it was almost time for dinner. I think we were the first ones in line for dinner. We both had salmon and it was pretty good. We purchased a meal plan for the tour portion so there are certain places that we have to use our vouchers. They said we will not have meals provided in Denali because it is not a Holland America property. Hope they have somewhere good to eat there. Food is really expensive up here.
Tonight we are going to see the Frantic Follies show here at the hotel. The show is not until 8:30 pm so I will probably sleep through it too because I am really tired.
Tomorrow morning we have to set our luggage out in the hall by 6:45 am and we will be leaving around 8:00 am to go to Dawson City. We will be there 2 nights. I think it is supposed to be a long day. I will say that the buses that we are traveling on are very comfortable with lots of leg room so maybe it won't be too bad.
Our Tour Director said we should have wi-fi in all our hotels. It may not be available in the rooms but we should definitely be able to get it from the lobby so I should be able to post daily.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
This morning we had to have our luggage ready to be picked up by 8:00 am so we got up and got moving early. When we had our luggage ready, we went to eat breakfast. We decided that we didn't want another high priced hotel meal so we decided to eat airport food. We found a place and ordered Santa Fe Wraps. They were really pretty good and this meal was about $40 cheaper than hotel food.
When we returned to our room after breakfast they were just getting to our room to pick up our luggage. We stayed in the room about 30 more minutes and then went downstairs to pick up our luggage. They had all 4 pieces of our luggage waiting for us on a cart. We then had to push it to the far end of the airport to the Air North counter. It was a good 10 minute walk. When we got to the counter there was no line so we were able to check-in immediately for our flight. At that time they assigned our seats and gave us a window and a middle. I asked if they had an aisle so they changed us to an aisle and a middle.
Then it was time to go through airport security. Of course I set off the alarm and I immediately told them that I had an artificial knee so they pulled me aside and used the wand on me for a while. After that they told me I had a choice of getting a thorough pat down or the body scanner. I chose the body scanner. That is so much faster and I was through there in no time.
We were at the gate almost 2 hours early. They had free wifi in the airport so we used the internet on our phones and the computer. Then Krista went for a walk and guess what she brought me back! A Diet Dr Pepper! It was so good.
When we boarded the plane, we were on row 21 out of 25 rows. There were empty rows in the back and the 2 people across from me moved to the back so I moved across the aisle and Krista moved into my seat. That gave us all more room except I think the man's seat in front of me was broken because he spent most of the flight laying in my lap. I started talking to the man next to me. He was from upstate New York and was a musician. I asked him where he was going to be playing and he said there was a big Bluegrass Festival going on in Whitehorse and that is where he would be. There was a guy next to Krista from Tennessee and that was where he was going. In fact there were quite a few musicians on the flight.
I was impressed with the airline. It kind of reminded me of Southwest Airlines. The flight attendants were all a lot of fun and very friendly. They started out by serving drinks, then they came along with a sandwich wrap and a bag of pretzels. Then they came back with drinks again and then here they came with hot cookies. Then towards the end of the flight they came around with mints. I didn't know airlines did things like that anymore. I guess they are friendlier in Canada.
When we got to the airport our tour guide Tom was there to meet us and give us our luggage tags. As our bags came off the carousel we put a tag on it and they came and carried it off and the next time we saw it was in our room. The bus ride to the hotel was about 10 minutes. The bus driver is a girl that we met this winter at a travel show in Dallas. She had brought the Holland America bus down to show it off.
When we got to the hotel they handed us our keys as we got off the bus. We went straight up to the room and as we walked in we both just looked at each other -- one bed. I told Krista I would give her some of my tylenol PM so I didn't keep her awake. We then went downstairs to talk to Tom and told him that we needed 2 beds in the future and we would make the best of it this time. He then went to the office and told us to wait a minute. The lady from the office came out with 2 new keys for us and said it was a much better room -- a suite. We have 2 double beds with a couch and love seat, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, etc. It is roomy. The rooms here DO NOT have air conditioning but they did give us an oscillating fan and the windows open. It is cool outside so it should be ok.
Tonight we had a welcome dinner. Krista and I neither one are good at small talk with people but the people that sat at our table were very nice and included us in their conversations. It was 2 different groups of people that didn't previously know each other. They had heavy accents and I asked them if they were from England or Australia and they said neither one. I had no idea where they were from -- they were from New Zealand. Imagine us sitting at a table with 5 people from New Zealand! There are also some people that were at another table that are from Australia. I think us Texans are outnumbered.
There are 2 buses on our tour. One bus has 33 people and the other one has 31 so this sounds like this is a very popular tour.
Tomorrow we have an early day. Our tour leaves at 7:00 am. We are going on Kluane - Scenic Kathleen Lake Cultural Cruise. "Enjoy a cruise on beautiful Kathleen Lake, that takes you towards famous King's Throne. Narration will be provided, while you cruise deep into Kluane National Park. You may even make a short beach stop that has a one of a kind Wildlife Viewing area. Lunch is provided at Kathleen Lake Campground upon your return to the dock."
The adventure is just beginning.
When we returned to our room after breakfast they were just getting to our room to pick up our luggage. We stayed in the room about 30 more minutes and then went downstairs to pick up our luggage. They had all 4 pieces of our luggage waiting for us on a cart. We then had to push it to the far end of the airport to the Air North counter. It was a good 10 minute walk. When we got to the counter there was no line so we were able to check-in immediately for our flight. At that time they assigned our seats and gave us a window and a middle. I asked if they had an aisle so they changed us to an aisle and a middle.
Then it was time to go through airport security. Of course I set off the alarm and I immediately told them that I had an artificial knee so they pulled me aside and used the wand on me for a while. After that they told me I had a choice of getting a thorough pat down or the body scanner. I chose the body scanner. That is so much faster and I was through there in no time.
We were at the gate almost 2 hours early. They had free wifi in the airport so we used the internet on our phones and the computer. Then Krista went for a walk and guess what she brought me back! A Diet Dr Pepper! It was so good.
When we boarded the plane, we were on row 21 out of 25 rows. There were empty rows in the back and the 2 people across from me moved to the back so I moved across the aisle and Krista moved into my seat. That gave us all more room except I think the man's seat in front of me was broken because he spent most of the flight laying in my lap. I started talking to the man next to me. He was from upstate New York and was a musician. I asked him where he was going to be playing and he said there was a big Bluegrass Festival going on in Whitehorse and that is where he would be. There was a guy next to Krista from Tennessee and that was where he was going. In fact there were quite a few musicians on the flight.
I was impressed with the airline. It kind of reminded me of Southwest Airlines. The flight attendants were all a lot of fun and very friendly. They started out by serving drinks, then they came along with a sandwich wrap and a bag of pretzels. Then they came back with drinks again and then here they came with hot cookies. Then towards the end of the flight they came around with mints. I didn't know airlines did things like that anymore. I guess they are friendlier in Canada.
When we got to the airport our tour guide Tom was there to meet us and give us our luggage tags. As our bags came off the carousel we put a tag on it and they came and carried it off and the next time we saw it was in our room. The bus ride to the hotel was about 10 minutes. The bus driver is a girl that we met this winter at a travel show in Dallas. She had brought the Holland America bus down to show it off.
When we got to the hotel they handed us our keys as we got off the bus. We went straight up to the room and as we walked in we both just looked at each other -- one bed. I told Krista I would give her some of my tylenol PM so I didn't keep her awake. We then went downstairs to talk to Tom and told him that we needed 2 beds in the future and we would make the best of it this time. He then went to the office and told us to wait a minute. The lady from the office came out with 2 new keys for us and said it was a much better room -- a suite. We have 2 double beds with a couch and love seat, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, etc. It is roomy. The rooms here DO NOT have air conditioning but they did give us an oscillating fan and the windows open. It is cool outside so it should be ok.
Tonight we had a welcome dinner. Krista and I neither one are good at small talk with people but the people that sat at our table were very nice and included us in their conversations. It was 2 different groups of people that didn't previously know each other. They had heavy accents and I asked them if they were from England or Australia and they said neither one. I had no idea where they were from -- they were from New Zealand. Imagine us sitting at a table with 5 people from New Zealand! There are also some people that were at another table that are from Australia. I think us Texans are outnumbered.
There are 2 buses on our tour. One bus has 33 people and the other one has 31 so this sounds like this is a very popular tour.
Tomorrow we have an early day. Our tour leaves at 7:00 am. We are going on Kluane - Scenic Kathleen Lake Cultural Cruise. "Enjoy a cruise on beautiful Kathleen Lake, that takes you towards famous King's Throne. Narration will be provided, while you cruise deep into Kluane National Park. You may even make a short beach stop that has a one of a kind Wildlife Viewing area. Lunch is provided at Kathleen Lake Campground upon your return to the dock."
The adventure is just beginning.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
This morning we slept in a little bit because we probably won't get a chance to do it much on this trip. After we got up and got dressed we went downstairs to the hotel restaurant and ate a very expensive breakfast. However, it was very good.
After we finished with breakfast we got everything together and figured out how to ride the train from the airport to Waterfront Station. It was very easy. When we got off at Waterfront Station we really didn't know where to go so we just started walking. We finally came upon someone selling tickets on the Hop On Hop Off Trolley so we purchased tickets and went for a ride. They have a blue line and a red line. We were on the blue line. We rode it for a while then decided to get off at Canada Place. This is where the cruise ships come in. There were 2 ships in port today. One was the Holland America Volendam and the other one was a Regent ship.
After we looked at the ships we walked around and went into the souvenir shops to see what all they had. I didn't buy anything but had fun looking. We then hopped onto the red line trolley and rode that for a while. It took us all through Stanley Park. They had a lot of pretty flowers there. They also had an aquarium and totem poles. We finally got off and rode a ferry over to Granville Island. It was pretty neat there. They had a lot of shops to go through and also a market. After walking around there a while we decided to go and find out where to catch the blue trolley. We found it with no problems and it was there almost as soon as we walked up.
We got back on the blue bus and saw some more things that we hadn't seen earlier. We then ended up back at Gastown where we had been earlier in the day walking through the shops. We asked the trolley driver to recommend a place to eat. He recommend Waters Street Cafe. We went there and ate lunch/dinner and it was very good. I had a salmon salad that was marinated in something and it was so good.
The Canucks are in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup and it was getting pretty crowded around town. The game started at 5:00 pm here today. The game is in Boston but they had watching parties all over town. They even had streets closed down.
I was getting tired so we went and caught the train back to the airport. We got on it at the end of the line and were able to get seats. It got pretty crowded but the ride went fast. We made it back to the airport in less than 30 minutes.
We are now getting ready for our flight tomorrow morning to Whitehorse. This should be an exciting adventure and we are both looking forward to it. I will report back whenever I can.
Krista also has a blog that she is writing. I am going to get her to put a link on my blog to hers if any of you would like to read hers also.
After we finished with breakfast we got everything together and figured out how to ride the train from the airport to Waterfront Station. It was very easy. When we got off at Waterfront Station we really didn't know where to go so we just started walking. We finally came upon someone selling tickets on the Hop On Hop Off Trolley so we purchased tickets and went for a ride. They have a blue line and a red line. We were on the blue line. We rode it for a while then decided to get off at Canada Place. This is where the cruise ships come in. There were 2 ships in port today. One was the Holland America Volendam and the other one was a Regent ship.
After we looked at the ships we walked around and went into the souvenir shops to see what all they had. I didn't buy anything but had fun looking. We then hopped onto the red line trolley and rode that for a while. It took us all through Stanley Park. They had a lot of pretty flowers there. They also had an aquarium and totem poles. We finally got off and rode a ferry over to Granville Island. It was pretty neat there. They had a lot of shops to go through and also a market. After walking around there a while we decided to go and find out where to catch the blue trolley. We found it with no problems and it was there almost as soon as we walked up.
We got back on the blue bus and saw some more things that we hadn't seen earlier. We then ended up back at Gastown where we had been earlier in the day walking through the shops. We asked the trolley driver to recommend a place to eat. He recommend Waters Street Cafe. We went there and ate lunch/dinner and it was very good. I had a salmon salad that was marinated in something and it was so good.
The Canucks are in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup and it was getting pretty crowded around town. The game started at 5:00 pm here today. The game is in Boston but they had watching parties all over town. They even had streets closed down.
I was getting tired so we went and caught the train back to the airport. We got on it at the end of the line and were able to get seats. It got pretty crowded but the ride went fast. We made it back to the airport in less than 30 minutes.
We are now getting ready for our flight tomorrow morning to Whitehorse. This should be an exciting adventure and we are both looking forward to it. I will report back whenever I can.
Krista also has a blog that she is writing. I am going to get her to put a link on my blog to hers if any of you would like to read hers also.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Today we left DFW airport at 8:30 am bound for Vancouver, British Columbia. We had a connection in Phoenix. Our flight from DFW was completely full and we left on time. We got upgraded to first class which was nice. We had a nice seats on row 1, so nobody reclining their seat into our lap. When we got to Phoenix we landed at Gate A2 and believe it or not, we departed out of Gate A4 for our Vancouver flight. I think that was a first for me in Phoenix. Usually I had to run to the opposite end of the airport for my connecting flight. We didn't get first class on this one, but we had exit row seats which had plenty of leg room. Upon landing in Vancouver we had to wait in line to go through immigration but it went pretty fast. Then we got to wait forever for our luggage with PRIORITY tags. They were among the last ones out. Oh well. After we collected our bags we asked where the Fairmont Hotel was located. It was up the elevator and another 10 miles or so (walking). Or at least that is what it felt like. Once we got there we were greeted by the bellmen who wanted to know if we needed help with our luggage. I told them we had made it that far I felt like we could handle it the rest of the way.
We went to check in and there was no line. I had remembered to sign up for their club for Fairmont which gives you free wi-fi. I was surprised they would give it to me for my first stay but they did. The room we have is very nice and comfortable. Unfortunately we checked in after the restaurant had closed for lunch and we are having to wait until it opens for dinner. We are very hungry and I really don't want airport food.
We have talked about riding the train into Vancouver but will probably save that for tomorrow.
We went to check in and there was no line. I had remembered to sign up for their club for Fairmont which gives you free wi-fi. I was surprised they would give it to me for my first stay but they did. The room we have is very nice and comfortable. Unfortunately we checked in after the restaurant had closed for lunch and we are having to wait until it opens for dinner. We are very hungry and I really don't want airport food.
We have talked about riding the train into Vancouver but will probably save that for tomorrow.
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