At Sea: Alaska Day 8

It’s hard to believe today is already the last day of the cruise. Ketchikan was our last day in port so today was spent entirely at sea on our way to Vancouver where we will disembark early tomorrow morning.

Unfortuantely because it apparently takes years to get a passport renewed, we will have to take a bus from Vancouver to Seattle and fly home from there because you are only allowed to cross the Canadian border without a passport by land if you have a driver's license and birth certificate!

Fortunately we caught some sun today so we were actually able to lay out on the top deck and catch some rays. We also passed a pod of Humpback whales, at least 10 or 15 that put on quite a show, with several breaching, showing their fins and their tails.

We also made use of the remaining punches on James’ ice cream card and had quite a lot of ice-cream to ease the knowledge that the cruise is coming to an end.

Unfortunately I never exchanged contact information with the people I met on this cruise so they will drift back out of my life as quickly as they drifted in.

Overall the cruise was great! I would definitely like to come back to Alaska again someday and for a longer stay!

Ketchikan: Alaska Day 7

Today the ship anchored off the coast of the city of Ketchikan. Since it cannot accommodate more than two cruise ships and we were the third to arrive in Ketchikan that day we had to take a small boat, called a tender, from our ship to the shore. Ketchikan is interesting because it is an active seaplane port, so there were several seaplanes taking off and landing every few minutes.

Once ashore we booked a tour with a jet boat. I was envisioning something like a jetski, but slightly larger, but what we got looked like a bus that could float. But it could also move… QUITE quickly! In fact I’m not sure I have ever been moving that fast on the water before, it was a very fun experience. The boat crew took us way out into the wilderness channels of Ketchikan where many people simply pulled ashore, cleared some trees, and built spectacular retreat houses for themselves. There are even a couple of towns which support no more than 4 or 5 families, and are only accessible by seaplane or by boat. Since there are a lot of people living this way, only accessible by plane or boat, Alaska has the highest percentage of pilots among its citizens of any state. I can definitely see the appeal of living this way. Though true city folk would balk at the idea, there is something about living in a secluded amazing place like a private island in the wilderness of Alaska that is immensely appealing to me!

The day culminated with a return to the launching point of the jetboat, the Salmon Falls lodge and resort. It is an absolutely spectacular resort nestled into a mountainside overlooking a channel of the Pacific Ocean! They have about 16 units available for a stay at the meager price of $2500 PER PERSON for a four day stay with a guided tour!!! That’s not an error 2…5...0…0 as in two and a half grand for four days! I no longer wonder how people can afford to build nice retreats in the wilderness if they’re operating places like that!

Tonight was the second formal night for the cruise as well as a Captain’s party before dinner. I actually got to meet the captain in person and shake his hand, though it was only after the introduction that we realized it was actually him!

Juneau: Alaska Day 6

Today we put in to the port of Juneau. Most people assume that Anchorage is the capital of Alaska, but it is in fact Juneau. Juneau also has the distinction of being the third largest city in the world in terms of total landmass. Only Kiruna (Sweden) and Sitka (Alaska) are larger!

We took a shuttle to a National Park Service Compound on the outskirts of Juneau where apparently there are often sightings of bears. We didn’t see any while we were there, but we did get to see the skins of a brown bear and a black bear at the Ranger Compound.

Bears are scary

Beyond the compound there was a hiking trail that led to an incredible view of another glacier as well as a huge waterfall within a mere few hundred feet of each other! It was quite spectacular though somewhere while climbing out to the waterfall I lost my sunglasses in the rocks!

The Glacier and waterfall

The beach was also very rocky which I loved because I enjoy skipping rocks. Though the first few didn’t work, I did manage a throw of 7 skips which was enough to amaze a Japanese family that was nearby.

Luckily a heavy fog and light rain started rolling in as we were leaving so we caught the weather just right!

Once back on the ship I played a few games of shuffleboard with James. While my understanding of the game is very basic, I don’t see how you can ever win if you’re the first shot because the person who shoots second will always shoot their disc into yours putting it out of play! Or so was the process when playing with James anyway…

James reigns victorious yet again

Tonight was one of the best dinners so far of the cruise and I celebrated by eating a massive plate of king crab legs. The food on the cruise is absolutely incredible. There is always a dish on the dinner menu that would normally be a $30 or $40 affair at a classy restaurant that you could easily get seconds or even thirds of. And the meals are served in four courses but not in oversized portions, so you actually get to enjoy a full four course meal and dessert without feeling like you’re going to explode! That is, unless you stuff yourself full of crab legs and lobster and filet mignon as I have done in the last few nights!

After dinner I challenged my dad to a game, which became several games of ping pong. Though I definitely improved through the course of playing him, I was never able to beat him even though I think we played about 7 or 8 games. I came close though, and now consider myself a table tennis champion so I am open to any challenges. You provide the table, I’ll provide the ass kicking. Friendly ass kicking of course.

It was also interesting because this was the first night that we could really feel the motion of the ship. We first noticed while playing ping pong that the pool was sloshing around like a wave pool. It was a somewhat unsettling feeling even though I have experienced it before!

Skagway: Alaska Day 5

Today we arrived at the town of Skagway. Skagway was born out of the Klondike gold rush of the late 1890’s at for a time was the largest town in Alaska with a population of 20,000 people. After the gold dried up at the turn of the century the population began to dwindle to its current level of 848 residents.

Just after getting off of the boat, we saw a stand where a guy was renting mountain bikes for something like $5 an hour and as we were representing Colorado we decided it was only natural for us to go for a bike ride around Skagway.

The bikes were immaculately maintained which would end up costing me later (more about that soon) so we had a great ride up to a viewpoint where we could look down on the town of Skagway and see the docks where there were 4 cruise ships at anchor. Because the population of Skagway is so small, the cruise ships coming into port effectively increased the population by 8 times while we were there! The ride back down that mountain was SO much fun! Nearly 2 miles of downhill coasting to make up for the hard work it took to scale the mountain!

It was after hitting up the souvenir shops that I ran into trouble. Being from Boulder, I was assumed to be the most adept at bike riding, and so I was nominated to carry a rather large bag containing all of our newly acquired merchandise in one hand, while expertly maneuvering my bike with the other.

This worked reasonably well until we were nearly back to the docks and the ship. Of course it had to happen on the one road to the docks, where everyone coming from or going to the ships passes, as well as the only route for the large tour busses. A slight gust of wind caught the bag and caused it to swing into my front tire. Now this in itself was not enough to do anything but startle me into performing the action that would doom me. I reacted by squeezing the front break handle very hard as I am used to my mountain bike in Boulder which has brakes in need of adjustment. These brakes however were finely adjusted and completely stopped the front tire! As a result I went headfirst over the handlebars and proceeded to flip the bike over on myself, all while my leg had become caught in the pedal.

The resulting wreck was nothing more than an embarrassing situation for me where my greatest concern was gathering up the gummy snacks I had purchased which were now laying in the street, but apparently to the rest of the world I looked like I had broken my leg and was lucky to be conscious. Buses in both directions stopped as well as the throngs of people going to and fro. Even a construction worker across the street stopped his crane and leaned out the window to ask if I needed his assistance. Fortunately for me I got off with nothing more than a scrape on my shoulder that didn’t even tear the shirt, but the contents of that souvenir bag were not so lucky….

The remnants of Dad's Coffee mug

The brake handle of the bike was also bent but still functional and fortunately the owner of the bikes made no mention of it when we returned them.

Later that night, I decided not to regale my new found friends with my tale of gracefulness and instead I decided to give dancing another try. I was pleased to see that my taking the dance floor prompted the arrival of no less than three more girls to dance with me, but I was a sore disappointment to them. No matter how hard I try I just can’t get passed feeling incredibly silly and everything I do feels ridiculous. I’ve decided I don’t need to try to stomp my feet in time to the beat which helped somewhat, but I still have no idea what to do with my hands or the rest of my body for that matter. The girls were polite and put up with it, but I know that I looked quite foolish. Before too long the more skilled and drunken dancers had captured the attention of the girls so I called it a night.

Glacier Bay: Alaska Day 4

Today we got to spend a large portion of the day transiting Glacier Bay. Here massive glaciers stretch from the ice-draped St. Elias and Fairweather mountain ranges to sit at the end of the fjords. The view was absolutely spectacular. We got to see a tidewater glacier that was several hundred feet taller than our ship and 22 miles long. It snakes its way through snow drenched mountains to meet the ocean below.

The view transiting Glacier Bay

We discovered a set of hot tubs on the back of the ship that provided excellent viewing of the glacier and just after we were positioned there we were treated with an incredible display of calving from the glacier. We saw 3 or 4 huge pieces of the glacier break off and tumble into the sea below. Thus, an iceberg is born.

One of the glaciers

During breakfast we ate with a couple of actors from New York! Apparently the woman we met is the person in the Web MD commercial with the curly hair who says “Depression.” Though she has only been in that commercial aside from Broadway plays I still thought it was cool to meet an actress!

This evening we went to a lounge where they were putting on a Family Feud style game show. James and I met several other people around our age and we formed our Feud team, The Barely Legals. I was one of the 5 who went on stage to take on a team of old retired folk. We got absolutely rocked by those seniors, especially after a woman no younger than 75 named herself as an object that performs better when warmed up.

Afterwards I got to know a couple of girls from Georgia, named Shanna and Britney. This was a big success for me as all those who know me well know that I am pitifully shy so talking to two girls simultaneously was a big step for me! I also met a Chinese-Canadian from Vancouver which I thought created an interesting accent.

After the Feud gameshow we went to see an illusionist (magic show but illusionist sounds so much cooler) named Alexander. He was quite impressive! He did several tricks with levitation and disappearance that were very convincing. He also dispelled my theory that the audience members who participated in his tricks were planted when he called my parents up on stage! Alexander works with a scantly clad blond named Heather on most of his tricks and my dad drew laughs from the whole theater when he was asked by Alexander to inspect a large bag and while he was doing so he said “Where’s Heather?” It was hilarious though slightly embarrassing!

To cap off the night James and I went up with our newfound friends to the nightclub of the ship called Skywalkers, as it is on the 16^th deck overlooking the back of the ship. Although it was quite loud because of the DJ there we tried to make conversation which I for once didn’t feel shy about. I also apparently have an honest face as they were carding everyone who was there to make sure they were 18, and I didn’t bring my license, but the guard took my word that I was indeed 20.

Anyway we spent a while talking before someone made a horrifying suggestion. We should go dancing! If you have not seen my attempt at dancing before, it can easily be confused with the motions of Sockem Bopem Robots. Though that might be a little optimistic. Basically I was my usual awkward self and though I was getting smiles, I knew that was because of my pathetic attempt of moving in time to the music and not my incredible moves! So shortly after we headed to bed. Therefore I have decided that I will endeavor to learn to dance, so to those of you who may be reading this, I am willing to learn from anyone willing to teach!

College Fjord: Alaska Day 3

Today we apparently passed through College Fjord, the northernmost point of our voyage. This happened at about 6:30 this morning, so James and I slept through it. We did get to see some amazing views of the snow covered mountains that surround most of the inlets and passages around Alaska. The weather is slightly foggy but it is beautiful nonetheless.

Today we discovered a basketball court on the front part of the ship. Unfortunately I discovered that even while in Alaska; I still am absolutely horrible at basketball. I think I was making a basket once in about every 15 or 20 shots! James and I then had some insane one on one action until we reached a thrilling 2-2 tie!

Tonight was a formal night, so I donned my tux and attempted my best Daniel Craig James Bond impression. Although most people seem to despise dressing up I must admit that I do actually get some enjoyment out of it. I enjoy acting suave and sophisticated from time to time and there’s something about wearing a tux that makes that feel easier to pull off. We got some pretty amusing photos of the occasion.

00's are on the ship!

Me and my parents, quite a smashing bunch wouldn't you say?

The Alaskan Railroad: Alaska Day 2

Today we boarded a train at the Anchorage rail station and headed to Whittier where we will board our ship, the Diamond Princess. A formidable sounding vessel I know. The trainride up was very scenic with spectacular snow capped mountains dipping down through low hanging clouds into the water!

However, I made the mistake of letting slip that I was a Pre-Med/Biology major at CU which apparently entitles all of the older passengers of the train to attempt to assert their opinions on how your life should take shape. The first gentleman was a devoted Creationist and spent a half hour chatting with me about how evolution was impossible, and that there are many scientists who are afraid to admit it. I am the type of person who is very tolerant of different viewpoints, so his attempts to put down science and push Creationism made me quite uncomfortable. Fortunately he was the type that just talked and expected you to listen, so I just swallowed my discomfort and smiled and nodded.

Not 10 minutes after my discussion with him, another man confronted me and said that he was a Biologist and had overheard my conversation with the Creationist and asked what I thought of him. Ever the diplomat, I simply replied that he was nice before the Biologist launched into his defenses of science. It was a quite interesting experience. I find it remarkable how many differing opinions there are and how passionately some people stick to them.

Anyway we arrived at the ship shortly before noon and were among the first thirty people to board the boat. The Diamond Princess is a 16 deck 110,000 ton ship with 6 swimming pools 10 hot tubs, 4 restaurants, a video arcade, and basically everything that can feasibly be placed on a boat.

Our ship, the Diamond Princess

James and I have our own cabin two decks above my parents, so needless to say it will become a happenin’ crash pad.

We spent most of the first day exploring the ship and unpacking in our cabin. Oh and eating. It is pretty much safe to assume that between all of the activities I will hereafter discuss that we were eating. The food is AMAZING! There is a 24 hour buffet and a daily ice cream Sunday bar! I am very excited!

The Journey: Alaska Day 1

Today we finally arrived in Anchorage after a long day of traveling. For me the day began shortly after I finished my final Maymester Spanish test. After the test was over I scurried back to my apartment, collected the bags that I had packed the night before as a way of procrastinating studying and headed home to meet my parents and pick up James.

Unfortunately 45 minutes and 50 miles later I realized that I had forgotten my birth certificate, which unfortunately because getting a passport renewed apparently takes several years, I needed to board the cruise. So I got to drive all the way back to Boulder for a single scrap of paper. At least James was there to give me some company. I suppose it was a lovely day for a drive.

Upon arriving at DIA we made the discovery that the train that runs between the terminals has had its music and voiceover changed! Instead of a female voice informing you that your big rump is delaying the departure of this train, it is now a man’s voice that loosely resembles the voice of the Avalanche announcer at the Pepsi Center. And the music has been upgraded to a rock ditty! Needless to say it was the highlight of the airport segment of the journey

The first leg of the journey was a 3 hour flight to Seattle which passed rather uneventfully save for the rather spirited arguments about Pokemon coming from the row behind me. From what I gathered, Pokemon with fire abilities are the best!

For the second leg we bought passes on Continental so we had to leave the terminal and pass through security again. I got my first pat down in quite some time, because my ticket came up with the mark of doom: SSSS emblazoned across the ticket. So we boarded the plane and flew into the sunset. For 3 hours… And then it got brighter… We landed in Alaska at about 11:30 local time, and still had about an hour of daylight left before a few hours of twilight and a sunrise at around 3am.

If you’re ever staying in the Mariott hotel in Anchorage, I challenge you to remove the wrapping from one of the free suckers they have at the front desk. If you can, you are a more talented person than I!