The Trip Ends.
We disembarked from the Cruise Ship at 8.30am on Saturday 7th Sep and were driven to Vancouver Airport to commence our trip home. We Flew from Vancouver to Dallas to connect with a Qantas plane to Brisbane and then another Qantas plane to Darwin. We arrived home Monday at 1pm a total 33 hours travel and lost Sunday altogether after we crossed the international date line. A fantastic trip all up but now unfortunately its back to the real world of having to work again for a living.
Sunday 22 September 2013
Saturday 7 September 2013
Day 37 to Day 43
Well we boarded the Ship on Saturday the 31st Aug
at about lunchtime and then left Vancouver at 5pm.
We started the trip with a welcome drink on the rear deck
with some Margueritas. Linda has found it a bit challenging finding her way
around the ship, kept getting lost, but has just about got it mastered just as
we are 24 hours from disembarking.
We had 2 days of sailing in relative calm seas before we
reached our first port, Juneau. Upon arriving I tried to confirm our Sled Dog
ride excursion only to be told that due to the above average hot summer Alaska
has had the dog camp on the glacier had to be dismantled early and we would get
a full refund. So we spent the day shopping and Linda purchased herself a very
nice ring.
We then proceeded to Skagway where we did a tour of the
surrounding area. This was very
interesting and our tour driver was very informative and had a very dry sense
of humour, which made the trip a bit of fun.
It was then onto Glacier Bay. This is the bay you always see
with the Glacier that is slowly breaking off directly into the ocean. All very
interesting but it was very overcast and foggy so wasn’t able to get very good
pictures.
Yesterday we arrived in Ketchikan and did a tour to see
bears in the wild. We took a floatplane to a remote cove then drove and walked
to a secluded creek where there was a viewing platform/blind setup. Here the
Salmon were trying to swim upstream to spawn. We were lucky enough to observe
about 4 bears in and around the stream. There were 2 in particular we saw
actually catching and eating the Salmon. We were only approx. 20mtrs away from
all the action. It was truly a memorable experience.
We left Ketchikan yesterday (Thursday) at 6pm and arrive
Vancouver Saturday at 7am. So the trip is all but over as we leave Vancouver
Saturday Afternoon and arrive Darwin Monday lunchtime.
As we have very limited Internet I will upload some photo’s
when we return home.
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| Iceberg next to the ship in Glacier Bay |
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| Black Bear Ketchikan Alaska |
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| Ketchikan from the Ship |
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| Balck Bear trailing two Tape Worms from his backside |
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| Proving we were there |
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| Again proving we were there |
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| Where Glacier meets the sea in Glacier Bay |
Sunday 1 September 2013
Day 36 & 37
Arrived in Vancouver yesterday and had a very interesting tour around the city. Last night had our farewell dinner with all the tour participants as not everyone is doing the cruise section of the tour. It was a great night and some great friendships have been made over the last couple of weeks. Today we got to sleep in as we don't board the ship till 11:30am. Not sure how we will go with internet on board the boat so this may be the last post I am able to do till we get home. Will have to see.
Arrived in Vancouver yesterday and had a very interesting tour around the city. Last night had our farewell dinner with all the tour participants as not everyone is doing the cruise section of the tour. It was a great night and some great friendships have been made over the last couple of weeks. Today we got to sleep in as we don't board the ship till 11:30am. Not sure how we will go with internet on board the boat so this may be the last post I am able to do till we get home. Will have to see.
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| Arriving at Ferry Terminal |
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| Totem Poles Stanley Park Vanvouver |
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| Vancouver City Skyline from Stanley Park |
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| Tour Group Photo taken in Jasper |
Friday 30 August 2013
Day 34 & 35
Another long day yesterday on the bus as we had to make sure we met the ferry to Victoria BC. The ferry trip takes 1.5hrs and takes up to 400 vehicles and passengers. Trip was very calm and after disembarking made our way to the Butchart Gardens. Spent a couple of hours there then off to the hotel.The gardens were magnificent and the colours of the flowers very beautiful. Had an early tea with an American Couple (Don & Linda) we have met on tour and had a great evening. This morning went on a 3 hour whale watching cruise looking for Killer Whales. Of course no one told the whales we were coming so they never showed up. Have just come back from the laundromat after doing our washing. Tomorrow its back on the ferry to make our way to Vancouver.
Another long day yesterday on the bus as we had to make sure we met the ferry to Victoria BC. The ferry trip takes 1.5hrs and takes up to 400 vehicles and passengers. Trip was very calm and after disembarking made our way to the Butchart Gardens. Spent a couple of hours there then off to the hotel.The gardens were magnificent and the colours of the flowers very beautiful. Had an early tea with an American Couple (Don & Linda) we have met on tour and had a great evening. This morning went on a 3 hour whale watching cruise looking for Killer Whales. Of course no one told the whales we were coming so they never showed up. Have just come back from the laundromat after doing our washing. Tomorrow its back on the ferry to make our way to Vancouver.
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| Fountain in front of our Hotel in Kelowna |
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| Sister Ferry of the one we were on |
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| Butchart Gardens Entrance |
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| Some of the Flowers |
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| Me trying to spot some whales |
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| Linda & Don the couple we had tea with. |
Wednesday 28 August 2013
Day 32 & 33
Yesterday we had a relatively quiet day in Banff, did a tour around the town then went on the Gondola up to Mt Surprise which took us up to a height greater than Mt Kosciusko. It isn't till you visit places like the Rockies that you realize just how small our mountain ranges are in Australia and how little snow we get. The amount of fresh water lakes over her is phenomenal, all created from the winter snow. Finished the day off with a beautiful meal where I had a rib eye Buffalo (Bison) steak and Linda had a Duck breast both absolutely delicious.
Today it was a long day on the bus from Banff to Kelowna. Tomorrow is an even earlier start as we travel from Kelowna to Victoria and this involves a 1.5hr Vehicle ferry ride mid way through the day. We arrived in Kelowna at 4pm so Linda and I jumped into a taxi to take us to the Harley shop so I could buy the obligatory T-Shirt. Haven't bought one for over a week so was getting withdrawal symptoms. Will also try and get one in Victoria and Vancouver.
Yesterday we had a relatively quiet day in Banff, did a tour around the town then went on the Gondola up to Mt Surprise which took us up to a height greater than Mt Kosciusko. It isn't till you visit places like the Rockies that you realize just how small our mountain ranges are in Australia and how little snow we get. The amount of fresh water lakes over her is phenomenal, all created from the winter snow. Finished the day off with a beautiful meal where I had a rib eye Buffalo (Bison) steak and Linda had a Duck breast both absolutely delicious.
Today it was a long day on the bus from Banff to Kelowna. Tomorrow is an even earlier start as we travel from Kelowna to Victoria and this involves a 1.5hr Vehicle ferry ride mid way through the day. We arrived in Kelowna at 4pm so Linda and I jumped into a taxi to take us to the Harley shop so I could buy the obligatory T-Shirt. Haven't bought one for over a week so was getting withdrawal symptoms. Will also try and get one in Victoria and Vancouver.
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| Mountain taken from Banff Hotel |
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| Gondola Ride Banff |
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| View from Gondola ride |
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| Another view from Gondola Ride |
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| Winery where we had dinner tonight in Kelowna |
Monday 26 August 2013
Day 30 & 31,
Well yesterday we had a good relaxing day in Jasper, did the washing and purchased some thermals in readiness for our excursion today as well as in Alaska. In the afternoon we just relaxed in the hotel and watched a couple of movies.
Today we were up at 5:30am ready for a 7:30am departure from the hotel. Today we made our way from Jasper to Banff via The Icefields Parkway, which has to be one of the picturesque roads around. It has fantastic views of the Canadian Rockies with numerous glaciers as well as lakes and rivers. Mid way through the parkway we stopped at Columbia Icefield and actually went up on to a glacier and walked around it for half an hour, very special but also very cold, however the new thermals worked very well. We also stopped at Lake Louise near Banff a very picturesque place as well. Along the way today we were lucky to spot a Coyote, Black Bear, Deer, Moose & Long Horned Mountain Sheep.
Well yesterday we had a good relaxing day in Jasper, did the washing and purchased some thermals in readiness for our excursion today as well as in Alaska. In the afternoon we just relaxed in the hotel and watched a couple of movies.
Today we were up at 5:30am ready for a 7:30am departure from the hotel. Today we made our way from Jasper to Banff via The Icefields Parkway, which has to be one of the picturesque roads around. It has fantastic views of the Canadian Rockies with numerous glaciers as well as lakes and rivers. Mid way through the parkway we stopped at Columbia Icefield and actually went up on to a glacier and walked around it for half an hour, very special but also very cold, however the new thermals worked very well. We also stopped at Lake Louise near Banff a very picturesque place as well. Along the way today we were lucky to spot a Coyote, Black Bear, Deer, Moose & Long Horned Mountain Sheep.
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| Athabasca Falls on Icefields Parkway |
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| Another view of the falls |
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| Scene along the Icefields Parkway |
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| Another scene along the Icelands Parkway |
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| Linda on the Glacier |
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| Me on the Glacier |
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| Looking at Glacier from where we were standing |
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| Ice Explorer Bus to get you to the Glacier |
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| Looking up towards Glacier from Information Centre |
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| Linda & I in front of Lake Louise. |
Saturday 24 August 2013
Day 26, 27, 28 & 29
Well had an early start on Tuesday to get in the bus and see the highlights of Toronto City. It was then off to Niagara Falls and to do the Maid of the Mist boat cruise. The falls are truly spectacular but have been spoilt by the commercialization of the surrounding area. There is no natural landscape at all around the falls. It is as if the falls are in the middle of Las Vegas with Casinos and big hotels right near them. The Maid of the Mist boat cruise was good with us getting very close to the edge of falls and the boat getting drenched in water spray from the falls. It was then back to Toronto for a couple of hours free time before we went to tea at the CN Tower, a revolving restaurant over 500 metres high, in the middle of Toronto. The meal was excellent with steaks bigger than I had ever
seen and cooked to perfection. It is obvious all the good meat is sent out of Australia because the steaks over here are cheap and are to die for. Cooked to perfection, tender and with heaps of flavour. All the food here has flavour especially the fruit and vegetables.
It was then off to catch The Canadian, our train for the next three nights as we crossed from Toronto to Jasper. We left Toronto at 10pm and the first night was interesting as we didn't get much sleep. The following two nights were OK as we got used to the movement of the train. The train went from the east to west side of Canada and crossed through some magnificent country ending at Jasper in the Rockies. The meals on the train were also magnificent. Overall a very enjoyable trip. Upon arriving in Jasper this afternoon it was aboard a bus to Maligne Lake which is surrounded by Glaciers and Snow covered mountains. Just magnificent. Tomorrow is free so will catch up on the washing and do some shopping. Sunday off to Banff.
Well had an early start on Tuesday to get in the bus and see the highlights of Toronto City. It was then off to Niagara Falls and to do the Maid of the Mist boat cruise. The falls are truly spectacular but have been spoilt by the commercialization of the surrounding area. There is no natural landscape at all around the falls. It is as if the falls are in the middle of Las Vegas with Casinos and big hotels right near them. The Maid of the Mist boat cruise was good with us getting very close to the edge of falls and the boat getting drenched in water spray from the falls. It was then back to Toronto for a couple of hours free time before we went to tea at the CN Tower, a revolving restaurant over 500 metres high, in the middle of Toronto. The meal was excellent with steaks bigger than I had ever
seen and cooked to perfection. It is obvious all the good meat is sent out of Australia because the steaks over here are cheap and are to die for. Cooked to perfection, tender and with heaps of flavour. All the food here has flavour especially the fruit and vegetables.
It was then off to catch The Canadian, our train for the next three nights as we crossed from Toronto to Jasper. We left Toronto at 10pm and the first night was interesting as we didn't get much sleep. The following two nights were OK as we got used to the movement of the train. The train went from the east to west side of Canada and crossed through some magnificent country ending at Jasper in the Rockies. The meals on the train were also magnificent. Overall a very enjoyable trip. Upon arriving in Jasper this afternoon it was aboard a bus to Maligne Lake which is surrounded by Glaciers and Snow covered mountains. Just magnificent. Tomorrow is free so will catch up on the washing and do some shopping. Sunday off to Banff.
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| Niagara Falls |
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| On board Maid of the Mist tour |
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| View from CN Tower |
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| Looking up from bottom of CN Tower |
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| Our Train Cabin for 3 nights |
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| The Rockies come into view near Jasper |
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| View from Train. Eastern side of Canada |
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| Looking at Spirit Island and back of Lake Maligne. |
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