Day 6 : June 1st Juneau, Alaska

June 1st

I did not write a journal entry on this day because the medication I took knocked me and John out. We went whale watching in Juneau. It was a cozy, but powerful boat that had large viewing windows. Now we saw whales, tons of humpback whales, but everyone knows that my favorites are killer whales. If ever I was meant to see these creatures in the wild it would have been today. I kept my expectations low as killer whales are said to be sighted 1:10 times. I also heard from the day before that killer whales were seen leaving the area.

You can say it was my destiny, but our boat left the dock and headed out towards the bays. Something immediately caught my eye and I screamed "Tail!" Of course no one believed me, because it was so close to shore, but the pilot went in that direction anyway. Of course it was a whale and of course it was a killer whale.

There's no mistaking that black and white. I know my heart skipped a beat as I saw those strong tall dorsal fins break the surface of the water. Ever since my brother and I saw Free Willy, we called the whale's dorsal fin a butter knife because it looks like it cuts through the water. I was sad that I could not share the moment with my family, but I'll have fond memories.

At it's peak we saw about six killer whales around the boat. The header photo here is so far from reality, very rarely do whales jump out of the water like that. Instead, mostly I saw this:

No matter how far away they were, they were close enough and they were free. We continued and found some random whales lounging about. We ended the tour very close to a family of three whales along the shoreline. We were so close that we could hear them breathing. The baby one rolled on its back and gave us a flipper wave before diving beneath the surface. That was the last we saw of them. 

At this point, I could die and feel fulfilled. It also was the moment that I got an idea for my next book. 

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Day 5 : May 31st Skagway, Alaska

May 31st

Yesterday's trip to Tracy's Arm Fjord exceeded my expectations. I came to Alaska looking for mountains and I saw mountains. Some with snow caps, some with verdant vegetation, others with rocky cliffs. Our ship was dwarfed on both sides by peaks and valleys. The waterfalls that dribbled off the sides of the cliff were sourced by snow melt. As for wildlife, we saw seals, birds, eagles, 2 whales, and a black bear. The weather was also great, colder and windier as we got close to the glacier. There were giant icebergs. Particles were so condensed that the only color they radiated was a brilliant blue. 

Today was our first port of call, Skagway, Alaska. This town thrives only on tourism and is basically one block by seven blocks long. Only in the summer it is filled with people visiting in for the day via cruise ship. We did all of our shopping today and mailed the post cards. The post office was larger than Gotha's, but largely understaffed. In fact, the system crashed and we had to leave. Then they closed for lunch for an hour. 

The weather started as bearable, just cold and cloudy, but then by the time of our excursion, it was a heavier cold rain. We dropped off our purchases and made our way off again. Rock climbing and rappelling  I'm not exactly the outdoorsy type, but I never let the comfort zone get in my way. So despite the rain and cold, we tried to climb. John did great. He's tenacious, but may think that physics are like video games. I'm not a climber, it goes against everything I was told to do as a kid. The rappelling part was most interesting. We hiked to the top of a 75-foot cliff then leaned backs toward the ground and rappelled down. I did it relatively easily, expect that my response to fear is anger. I took it upon myself to yell and insult the nice young rock climbing guides. They were all amused. By the end we were sore, tired, wet, and cold. Nothing a warm sauna and hot shower didn't fix. 

Tonight's dinner was great too. I love a good chicken noodle soup and turkey. Delish! 

Skagway is the definition of tiny town. It has two bars, but when the cruise ship leaves so does a majority of the population. This town is more reliant on tourism than Orlando. This was also our first time breathing Alaskan air. It's clean and crisp. This is also probably best known for the Yukon train, which used to bring gold hunters to local mines.

Also, when I said that we did all our shopping here, we really did. We bought so many souvenirs that I thought we may need to purchase another suitcase. I bought some totem poles, random souvenirs, a watch, smoked salmon, and an awesome sea life coloring book, which I'll blog about later. The post office was a hot mess and good thing I bought stamps before their lunch break. Ironically, the post cards arrived at their destinations the day we returned to Orlando. The post mark came from Juneau, AK.

We were perfectly safe with these rock climbing guides certified and trained by Alaskan Mountain Guides. They're all so young! All the equipment was provided, but the biggest challenge was the cold and rain. I'm not sure that it was my thing, but definitely a good Alaskan adventure.

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Day 4 : May 30th Tracy's Arm Fjord

May 30th

This morning we awoke to the most magnificent sight. Mountains with tops covered in snow, seemingly jetting out from the sea. The bases covered in fog. The mountains dotted with tall evergreen trees. It was exactly what I wanted to see. I am glad I woke up because now our ship is enveloped by fog. 

Again, coming from Florida and even the Northeast, I've only seen mountains like this on TV. It's cold, cold enough to say that I did not come prepared. John doesn't look prepared either. While the Naturalist says it's 50-degrees, it feels much colder. 

Today as we cruise through a fjord, we will see a glacier. The water here is so calm that it is still except for the wake made by the boat. Ok now for the good part. 

Words cannot describe the feelings I felt yesterday as we cruised through an inlet. It was a feeling I've waited for all my life. I'e been looking for them for a long time. Around 4:15pm we finished playing trivia, when the Naturalist came over the ship's speaker. Whales were spotted at the front of the boat. John and I jumped out of our skins and ran outside. We were on a lower level without our camera or binoculars. Not wanting to miss them, we stayed on the lower desk. Then they came. 

The first spout broke the surface of the water. To someone who doesn't care it wouldn't be anything significant, but it's a whale and everyone loves whales. A free autonomous whale. Humpback whale to be exact and characterized by its small dorsal fin on its lower back and double blow holes. I've studied whales all of my life and never in the wild, which makes the encounter all the more significant. These animals have huge lungs, which allow them to dive and hold their breath for a long time. When they surface to exhale, it's like a geyser letting off steam. That first whale I saw made the whole trip worth it. So much expectation and hope. Then of course we exceeded expectations as the boat was surrounded by whales. Whales breathing, resting, and doing other whale things. I must have seen more than 20 individuals, just enjoying their daily life. The boat turned into a huge whale watching vessel, but it wasn't crowded. 

John and I eventually made our way to the upper decks. We were literally surrounded by these massive beings. One family was resting so close we could see the Barnacles on her nose. It was a mother and her calf just resting at the surface. Part of me was sad that we did not have the camera, but the other part of me knows that the photos would not do the experience justice. So many times we are focused on taking the photo with a good result, that we forget to look. A little splash here or a little mist there. Flukes in the air were tiny, but perfectly captured in my memory. We were exactly where we needed to be. There's still one more set of whales that I need to see in the wild before I feel completely satisfied, but for now I can say that at least we fulfilled the "Whalentee."

Yesterday's dinner was formal and tasted much better than the day before. The trick is to learn what is in the buffet for lunch and not order any remotely similar items. Yesterday's dinner was lobster, which was delicious. John must have looked so disappointed that he finished his that our waiter brought him an entire additional entree, which he also cleared entirely. If I ever get a chance, I'd like to profile the life of a cruise ship worker. It seems that many work on ships to send money home. They feign happiness and are tortured into crowd pleasing tricks. There are 930 crew on board and the may only work on tips. 7 days a week for months on end with very long hours. It must be hard. 

A fjord is a valley carved by the movement of a glacier. A glacier is a huge hunk of ice that grinds it's way through the earth. The snow fills in at the top and the glacier grows. Unfortunately, we're experiencing global warming, so the amount of snow packed on the top does not match the melting period. The water in a fjord is deep, like 1000-feet deep, so a cruise ship can definitely fit. Interestingly, cruise ships hire local pilots who are familiar with the waters to navigate the ships through these treacherous waters. Picking up the pilot is interesting. The boat slows down a little and out of no where a smaller speedy boat matches speed and comes along side the ship. Then they open a side door and the pilot literally jumps ship.

This fjord winds its way 30-miles inland. Each turn seemed to reveal another stunning scene. Another higher peak, another waterfall, another amazing moment. It was also where I saw my first iceberg. When you think iceberg and boat you think Titanic. Luckily we picked up that pilot. A few small bergs hit the side of the boat which sounded like a beat on a large metal drum. Icebergs are so dense that they absorb all light rays except blue, which is what makes them so blue.

We took hundreds of photos during the fjord. Essentially it was a lot of mountain and trees.

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Day 3: May 29th Day at Sea

May 29th

Yesterday we took off. It was much colder the moment we passed out of the inlet. We saw many cliff side houses. Again, I wonder how they live. Still no whale sightings. It started raining, cold rain. Dinner was disappointing as it was the same food from the buffet. Tonight is formal night, hopefully it will be better. 

Time has proven to be a challenge for us. Without a watch (duh) or cell phones, we have no idea what time it is. We always travel around the ship with a pair of binoculars (good idea) and now the camera. The time change - 4 hours behind has worked in John's favor. I'm not dealing as well with it. The sun comes up at 4:30am, which is 7:30am EST. So I'm up. In my older age - yes. 

Funny side note story - There was a club for 18-25 year olds only. I had a moment yesterday when I realized that while we don't look it, that it's completely out of our age range. They were kicking the older ladies and men out. Apparently, we're in the middle-age group (Yikes!) or more like the explorers that save and came here for nature. 

There are older people here, really old who crowd the elevators. We usually take the stairs. We wash our hands a lot. Interestingly, they asked if either has had flu symptoms over the few weeks. I wonder what would have happen if someone would say yes?

Today, we have a day at sea. I think I will attend several "Lectures" and trivia games. Do shopping, gym and be on the lookout for whales. Right now, it's gently rocking, but not rough. I feel ok, which is good. We eat dinner over the engine, which is very bumpy. Like eating next to the Hulk. 

Happiness Project day 2 was much better. I find myself repeating my goals and being more flexible. He really is a joy once you let him be what he wants. I realize that we're jamming a lot into a short time, so it's best to let go of the plans and enjoy the moment. 

An interesting note about the cruise. Carnival is great, but very different than Royal Caribbean. The team is much less formal and don't try to hide the fact they're tired. On the Alaskan cruise there's a naturalist. If ever I were to work on a ship, I'd want to be a naturalist. My Florida "cold weather" gear has got nothing on the true cold. Definitely a different form of vacation, but this is exactly what I was looking for in my middle age.  

We really did go to the gym. John worked out for an hour, while I sat on the bike for 5-minutes. Yup, I'm more of a pilates/yoga girl. Most of this day consisted of eating, napping, and listening to the naturalist. I completely over packed, so I made it a point to wear many layers. Shout out to Crystal who lent me her winter jacket (the blue one). This was also the day that we saw whales (More on that in the next journal entry).

This was also the day that I wrote out the postcards.

Formal night food was much better. We had lobster or two. This was definitely the best meal of the trip.

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Day 2 : May 28th Seattle and Bon Voyage

May 28th

Technically we checked in early this morning to a quaint Travelodge. Sketchy at first, but it has free WiFi and free breakfast. 

We begin our adventure in Seattle - home of Fraiser- and the 1960's World's Fair. We will be visiting the Space Needle and maybe the first Starbucks. 

This was the day we were to embark on the cruise, but being on East Coast time allowed me to wake up very early in the morning. Unfortunately for John, I woke up very early. The free breakfast was good enough. We arranged a shuttle to take us to the port at 11am, so we had a few hours to explore Seattle. John and I looked at the Space Needle then decided against it. Tourist trap for sure. Instead, we decided to walk to Pike's Place, which is a market. It was just a mere 0.5 miles, which was about a 20-minute walk. Anyone who knows me, also knows, I'm not physically active often, so walking places is my least favorite activity. This was also our first experience navigating old school style with a map.

Remember, this month's Happiness Project goal is having a better relationship. The day before did not end well, because I was a brat and tired. Misplaced expectations and so on, today I decided I would be better. It really helps to remember and recite those goals over and over to help change my normal reactionary behavior. Rather than getting upset, I focused on appreciating the journey and the company I was with.

Following John's navigation skills, we made it to Pike's Place. We also found the first Starbucks, which does not look anything like a Starbucks. We opted not to go inside, because neither of us drinks coffee. I can't imagine this place starting any trends in American culture, but I never would have expected to ever visit Seattle in the first place. Also, if you do like coffee, Seattle is a must-visit location. There is a coffee shop on every corner.

Making our way across the street, we entered the market by 8am. Many vendors were just starting to set up, but the fresh fish, flowers, and produce were already out. One thing that I regret was packing too much, which also meant less room to buy lots of things. Especially since, this was really our first day of traveling, it was hard not to buy random gifts for people. Markets like these are cool because you see a mix of everything. We did not see anyone buy fish, so no fish went flying across the aisle. Underneath the street-level market were tons of tiny shops. We ended up buying stuff anyway.

We made our way back to the Travelodge and were picked up by the shuttle. I think this is also where we met our first pot head. Marijuana is legal in Washington state. He was very knowledgeable about the city, but rambled on. This shuttle was also where we met an older couple who were also cruising.

By 11:45am we were at the docks. The check-in process was a breeze. Unfortunately, we ran out of room, so we had to carry Alex and my jackets by hand. Bringing your own whale on your Alaskan cruise got a few laughs. Interestingly one of the questions during the check-in process was "Have you or have you been exposed to the flu in the past 4-6 weeks?" We both said no, but I can't imagine what would happen if someone said yes. I feel like that's probably a question they should ask you before you actually arrive at check-in.

We boarded the Carnival Miracle and began exploring the ship. There are 10 decks and food on deck 9. I spent a lot of time on Deck 9. On the top deck is where we took our obligatory Facebook photo and then we settled down for our first meal. At 1:30pm our rooms were ready. I called Carnival in hopes of getting an unobstructed view balcony cabin. It's a longer story than that, but I scared a reservation agent into putting a request into our file. So holding our breath, we entered the cabin on Deck 6 - conveniently located three floors above the formal dining room, and three floors under the deck 9 dining. It was perfect and had a nice little balcony with views of the water. Ironically, the decor of the ship was classic novels. Our room was located near the massive portrait of The Phantom of the Opera. Yet, another hint that this trip was meant to be.

The ship blasted off at 4pm and that's when I turned off my cell phone for an entire week.

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Day 1 : May 27th Orlando to Seattle

May 27th

I love taking hot showers. Water is my element. My best thinking is done in the shower.

Made it to Seattle after hours of travelling. When you live on completely flat lands, any topography is welcome. The air is crisp. The trees looks like they've fallen out of a Bob Ross painting.

My first days of the Happiness Project was a bust. I'll blame the lack of sleep, movement, and food. Starting today no more excuses. 

We arrived in Seattle at midnight, which was 3am EST. The first thing that struck me were the lights. We could see lights on the hillsides, but because it was dark, could not see the hills themselves. The air was cooler, but not uncomfortable. My favorite part were the trees. Already it felt like a different vacation than any other I've taken.

We arrived at our hotel and met a lonely overnight front desk guy, who was lonely and talked to John for far too long. I guess it worked in our favor because he liked us so much that he complimentary upgraded our room. We had a stunning view of the Space needle, but fell asleep quickly.

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Alaska - My search for mountains and whales

I have returned from my magnificent journey to the Northwest. It was absolutely fabulous and lived up to all of my expectations. Our ship, Carnival's Miracle, was beautiful and our cabin was gorgeous. I saw whales and mountains, which were on my bucket list to see before I die. Photos and words cannot do the scenery justice. Mountains as tall as sky scrapers. Icebergs as blue as Slurpees. Whales as far as the eye can see. 

I decided to also make this a mostly technology free vacation. I left my computer at home, and turned my phone off. I always worry about being out of contact for such a long period of time, but it was much needed. That being said, without a computer, I was unable to blog; so I did it old school style. I received a cute notebook as a gift and hand wrote out my "expeditions." Clicking on the links will take you to my various entries as they were written and post-travel commentary.

Here's a fancy menu:
Day 1 : May 27th Orlando to Seattle
Day 2 : May 28th Seattle and Bon Voyage
Day 3: May 29th Day at Sea
Day 4 : May 30th Tracy's Arm Fjord
Day 5 : May 31st Skagway, Alaska
Day 6 : June 1st Juneau, Alaska
Day 7 : June 2nd Ketchikan, Alaska
Day 8 : June 3rd Victoria, BC
Day 9 : June 4th Seattle to Vancouver, BC
Day 10 : June 5th Vancouver to Seattle
Day 11 : June 6th Seattle to Orlando Houston, TX
Day 12 : June 7th Houston to Orlando

I did not write entries for Day 11 & Day 12, due to the extreme stress and discontent. I want to remember the trip as the amazing and positive experience that it was. I want to believe that the extended days were meant to remind me what the difference is between good and bad customer service. It also is a good reminder as to why I work in a place that can make a person's bad vacation better.

In short, this was a trip that I needed to make. It changed my life in a way that I can't describe. I saw nature's beauty and found what I was looking for.