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.

Day 37 to Day 43

Well we boarded the Ship on Saturday the 31^st 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.

Iceberg next to the ship in Glacier Bay

Black Bear Ketchikan Alaska

Ketchikan from the Ship

Balck Bear trailing two Tape Worms from his backside

Proving we were there

Again proving we were there

Where Glacier meets the sea in Glacier Bay

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.

Arriving at Ferry Terminal

Totem Poles Stanley Park Vanvouver

Vancouver City Skyline from Stanley Park

Tour Group Photo taken in Jasper

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.

Fountain in front of our Hotel in Kelowna

Sister Ferry of the one we were on

Butchart Gardens Entrance

Some of the Flowers

Me trying to spot some whales

Linda & Don the couple we had tea with.

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.

Mountain taken from Banff Hotel

Gondola Ride Banff

View from Gondola ride

Another view from Gondola Ride

Winery where we had dinner tonight in Kelowna

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.

Athabasca Falls on Icefields Parkway

Another view of the falls

Scene along the Icefields Parkway

Another scene along the Icelands Parkway

Linda on the Glacier

Me on the Glacier

Looking at Glacier from where we were standing

Ice Explorer Bus to get you to the Glacier

Looking up towards Glacier from Information Centre

Linda & I in front of Lake Louise.

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.

Niagara Falls

On board Maid of the Mist tour

View from CN Tower

Looking up from bottom of CN Tower

Our Train Cabin for 3 nights

The Rockies come into view near Jasper

View from Train. Eastern side of Canada

Looking at Spirit Island and back of Lake Maligne.

Day 25,
Well, firstly had a great meal at an old American Diner in Times Square last night, then back to the hotel for an early rise with a 7.00am pickup for trip to airport. Times Square was amazing, the picture doesn't do it justice, the neon lights and building picture shows is incredible!
Arrived in Toronto Hotel at 2pm and had a little Nanna nap(!) before meeting up with Michelle our travel agent who organized the trip up to this point. It was great to actually meet Michelle as we had only met via email and phone prior to this. I must say that the effort Michelle put into our trip was fantastic and everything has just gone off without a problem. Tonight we meet with the tour leader for the second leg of the trip to go over the next 2 weeks activities. Then it was off to tea and after that  trying to organize what we are taking on the train for the next 3 days as we are only allowed an overnight bag between the two of us. It seems we won't have much internet access, as we will be in the wilds of Canada (!) over the next few days so further trip updates my be few and far between.

Times Square at Night

Times Square at night (2)

Day 24,
Went and visited the USS Intrepid & USS Growler. These are decommissioned US Navy vessels. The Intrepid an aircraft carrier and the Growler a submarine used in the cold war against Russia. There was also one of the Space Shuttles The Enterprise and a Concord on display. All were excellent. We got a surprise as to just how big the space shuttle is.
We then caught the hop on hop off bus again to to do the uptown loop of Manhattan which again was very interesting. We got off at Central Park and took a Horse and Buggy ride around the park. Most enjoyable. Tomorrow we fly to Toronto to start the Canadian and Alaskan leg of the trip. So not sure when the next installment will be forthcoming.

USS Intrepid

USS Intrepid

Space Shuttle Enterprise

Shuttle Head On

Where John Lennon got shot.

Fountain in Central Park

Linda & I in Buggy Central Park

Day 23
Last night we saw the Musical The Jersey Boys and it was fantastic.

Well today we got up up fairly early and made our way to Battery Park so we could catch the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty before the crowds. This worked well as it was no where as crowded as yesterday. We then caught the bus and continued the Sight Seeing tour around Manhattan. We then did some shopping including visiting Macy's. After that it was time to visit the Post Office again and send another package home. We are pretty tired tonight as we have done a lot of walking today. Finished off the day with a beautiful meal at a French Restaurant. Another busy day tomorrow before we leave New York for Toronto on Monday.

August Wilson Theatre where we saw Jersey Boys

Linda & I in front of you know what.

Statue of Liberty

Fans of Law & Order will recognize this.

Staten Island Ferry