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.
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