Donnan Family Alaska 2019

Port of call: Vancouver, B.C.

The long anticipated day of our Alaskan cruise had finally arrived. After a turbulent and emotional year, this vacation was much needed. The inspiration behind our trip is for Shawn’s 50th Birthday which falls later in 2019, but the window for cruising Alaska is narrow so we settled on a summer celebration. It is a well known fact that my dad has always dreamed of cruising the Alaskan glaciers so this trip would be the perfect way to commemorate his 50th year. We agreed to book this cruise in early fall when we secured our vacation time. It is not an easy feat to assemble our entire family, as we all live and work in different places. As a bit of a “take control” type of an individual I was thrilled that my family was content for me to plan the entire vacation, all they would need to do is show up.

Peter and I headed to the Vancouver International Airport at 10pm the night before to pick up Sandra, Shawn and Jacob. This marked the beginning of what was bound to be an unforgettable adventure! It was easy to identify my family upon as we pulled up to the busy arrivals terminal, as the three of them tower over the other travellers by a good twelve inches like giraffes in the zoo. We drove the exhausted but enthused travellers back to my aunt Sharon’s downtown condo where they promptly crashed for the night. It was around 2am Ontario time so I did not blame them one bit.

The voyage on the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas was to depart Vancouver at 4:30pm which gave my family some time to enjoy the city. I had prepared a delicious brunch for my family to enjoy which was a ham, cheese and egg casserole that I left in the fridge. I also made a nice fruit salad and fresh orange juice. I stayed at my own place and told my mother NOT to touch my casserole, I would be there by 8am to cook it.
Did she listen to a word of what I’d said? Naturally, trying to be helpful she threw my dish in the oven at a blazing 400F. I arrived to my aunt’s condo to the smell of something crisp and burnt and I was not impressed. To finish off this particular dish you are required to pour melted butter and crushed cornflakes to form a nice crispy crust. The oven temperature was also meant to be set at 325F to gently bake rather than incinerate the casserole. The dish was charred on the top and soggy on the bottom and the delicious golden crust I had envisioned was starkly absent. Thankfully my dad and brother still ate the entire 9×13 pan so it couldn’t have been THAT bad!

Following the breakfast catastrophe, we did some last minute packing. We then did a wonderful sea wall walk in what was the most beautiful day of the year in Vancouver. The sun was hot, and the ocean breeze was refreshing. Jacob was adamant that he couldn’t wait to move back to beautiful B.C. once he could secure employment in the hydro sector. Once back at the condo we loaded up the bags and began the 30 minute trek to the Canada Place cruise ship terminal on foot.

We stopped by Peter’s place of employment on the way to say our goodbyes.

Arriving at Canada Place we could barely contain our excitement. The moment we had been looking forward to for about a year had finally arrived. The terminal was organized and efficient, so we breezed through security and customs.

We boarded the ship and headed to our staterooms to set our bags down. Jacob and I shared an interior cabin close to my parents luxurious balcony cabin. The rooms were certainly large enough for two people each. The last time we took a family cruise all four of us crammed into a room. Now that we are older and significantly taller we are certainly grateful to have diverged to getting separate rooms
We went up to the top deck to explore and have something for lunch. We ate at the Windjammer Cafe where there were many diverse selections. My dad and I had prime rib with horseradish and salad, whereas mom and Jacob enjoyed the rich and creamy Indian butter chicken.
After a delicious lunch, we settled in on some lounge chairs on the top deck with a Bird’s eye view of Vancouver and the magnificent North Shore Mountains. Soon after, the captain announced that we were setting sail. We began our cruise under the famous Lions Gate Bridge. Peter snapped a cool shot of us from his office tower, and his mom Marnie was out waving to us from the Dundarave pier in West Vancouver. We enjoyed the coastline seeing places such as Bowen Island, Gibson’s and Sechelt along the way. We ended up chatting with many other cruise goers all of whom were American!

We spent time exploring what the ship had to offer which included a mini golf course, a rock climbing wall, multiple hot tubs, swimming pools and places to hang out.
Before we knew it time had flown by and dinner time had arrived. The cruise ship requires formal attire if you wish to dine in the white table cloth dining room. We changed out of our casual clothing and enjoyed a luxurious 3 course meal. Some of our choices included escargot, calamari, steak, prime rib and horseradish crushed salmon. We finished that off with warm chocolate hazelnut cake. Cruises definitely do not have any lack in their quantity of food! Following dinner, we explored further which led us to the absolutely massive casino. I am not much of a gambler myself so I gave everyone in my family a US $1 bill and we played a few slots, and promptly lost all of our money.

We came across a pub called the Quill & Compass where there was live music. Jacob and I were able to play darts which was fun, although I was defeated quickly. My parents were tired so they went to bed at about 9:30pm. Jacob and I continued to explore what the ship had to offer. We found that the demographics on this ship were mostly older people and multigenerational families, meaning that by 10:30pm most folks had retired for the evening. We also decided to call it a night. Our stateroom has luxurious and fluffy beds and I drifted off to sleep within mere moments.

July 27- DAY AT SEA
As a perpetual early riser I was up with the sun at 6am. We were still cruising in the narrow passage between the coast and Vancouver Island close to Port Hardy. The scenery was incredible, with a little bit of fog drifting between the trees. I was fortunate to witness a pod of dolphins gracefully dip by the ship. Today would be the inside passage, which is a day at sea with no ports of call, as we had to get to Alaska by morning. This means we would be passing by places such as Bella Bella, Haida Gwaii and Prince Rupert, though the ship would not be close enough to shore to see those destinations up close.

The day cruising around was quite relaxing. I am not easily able to sit still so I managed to log over 10km in steps, and climb a few hundred flights of stairs enjoying the amenities of the ship. On the upper deck there is a large jogging track that I enjoyed circling and making stops with my binoculars to view other ships and wildlife.

We attended a lecture on the history of Alaska and then spent time reading the books we had brought along with us- very relaxing! During our lunch and also from the stateroom balcony we had whale sightings. My parents were fortunate to see a pod of over 5 together close to the ship. For the formal evening we enjoyed lobster bisque, beef tenderloin, seafood linguine and more chocolate cake. We decided the hot tub would be a great place to relax and enjoy the Pacific Ocean while recovering from our food comas.

Fun at sea!

June 28
Port of call – Ketchikan, Alaska

We were up at 05:30am excited to be at our first port of call. Fortunately, Alaskan time is behind by 1 hour so we actually rested until 06:30am. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast of made to order omelettes and fruit before packing our things to depart for the day. After disembarking, we boarded a bus to the Southeast Sea Kayak company to Clover Bay, where we would be doing a 3 hour kayak adventure. Our guide’s name was TJ, and he expressed this was the first time all season that he has lead a private tour of only 4 people. Most tours have about 16 people but since our ship was a Friday departure much different than the typical Saturday/ Sunday ships we were a day ahead. Therefore we enjoyed a port than was not crowded and an extra special kayak tour. This adventure would lead us to through the salmon capital of the world. As we paddled along salmon were leaping from the ocean and flopping onto their backs with a very distinct splash. The salmon are running right now, and we were in the heart of one of the world’s busiest salmon runs. We were surrounded by the magnificent and vast Tongass National Forest which boasts 17.2 million acres of protected wilderness second only to the Amazon which contains 19 million acres of rain forest.

The annual precipitation in Ketchikan is a heavy 160 inches, so it was no surprise it should rain as we cruised into the port. After the 20 minute drive to our kayak destination the sun came up and the visibility was excellent. We were able to hold a starfish and paddle along the botanical treasures of the Alaskan rainforest. We learned about the area and it’s associated vegetation and wildlife.

We were in double kayaks with Jacob at the “wheel” all that was required of me was paddling. I found this to be very relaxing but he certainly had to pay attention. We also learned that humpback whales were in the area, but to our disappointment we did not see any. After a few hours of sea kayaking we headed towards the shore and we were caught in a torrential downpour. Thankfully we were all prepared with GoreTex jackets, but that did not spare my pants. After driving back to Ketchikan we quickly dried off and visited the Alaskan Fish House for lunch. I can say with certainty that salmon is officially ruined for me. After enjoying the freshest and juiciest most flavourful salmon taco (blackened) of my life I am officially obsessed with the local salmon. We also complimented that dish with an IPA from the Denali Brewing Company. By 3:30pm we had to be back to our ship for departure so we bid Ketchikan farewell leaving with fond memories of the exceptionally beautiful rainforest we had been blessed to experience.

My parents arrived back in their room to a phone call from the ship – they had been upgraded to their choice of speciality dining restaurants for the evening. This experience normally costs an extra $40 USD. They asked if Jacob and I could be invited too and they said no. They ended up choosing the Samba Grill, a Brazilian steakhouse. They returned later absolutely stuffed with the amazing culinary delights they had enjoyed. They had the waiter pack up some extra steak for us, and let me tell you the small sample I had was delicious! Jacob and I went to Italian night so we enjoyed tastes of risotto, lasagna and garlic bread with salad. We all hung out on my parents balcony that evening watching the landscape of the Tongass National Forest pass us by. We retreated back to our cabin around 10pm that evening, wiped from the days events.

July 29- Port of call: Icy Strait Point

I woke up at 5:30am too excited about being in Alaska to sleep through the adventure. Within 5 minutes I was dressed and power walking laps of the upper deck jogging track. About 45 minutes later to my surprise my mom showed up as well. We enjoyed the peaceful early morning scenery as we cruised into the Icy Strait Point at 9am. After walking for a while we sat down to have some coffee, and we chatted with a cruise line worker who was from Indonesia. He told us that on this particular ship the employees work for 7 months straight and then have 3 months off. During their time on the ship, they work 7 days per week with some days being half days. Most of the workers on the ship are from India, the Philippines and Indonesia. As a passenger you couldn’t help but feel sad for the workers who are away from their young children in order to provide for them. Around 8am when Jacob had finally roused, we had a nice breakfast before heading off the ship for the day.

The Icy Strait Point is on Indigenous lands and is adjacent to a small village named Hoonah, the entire region is a large island that has 2 bears (mainly Grizzlies) per square KM. I wondered if we might encounter a bear today. We went for a long walk along the ocean which ended up totalling 20km because we were enjoying the peaceful serene landscape so much.

We toured a museum that used to be an old salmon cannery. I furthered my knowledge on the five types of Salmon and their typical spawning patterns. We also enjoyed brews from the Icy Strait Brewery, our personal favourites being the blueberry and blood orange varieties.

After such a lengthy walk, we were tired and headed back to the ship to have a late lunch and relax. They were serving delicious fresh roast chicken, which I thoroughly enjoyed. To our surprise, this afternoon the sun came out in full swing. We were able to soak up its rays on the deck chairs for a few hours while reading our books, I would be lying if I didn’t say that I dozed off a little bit having been up so early in the day.

Once dinner time rolled around we decided to bring a bottle of Upper Bench Riesling from the Okanagan down for our formal dinner. This complimented the meal nicely as white wine pairs well with the delicate flavours in fresh seafood. After dinner, my mom and dad attended a show in the main theatre while Jacob and I were content to watch the surreal scenery go by from their balcony.

July 30 Port of call – Juneau, Alaska

I woke up at 6am to walk the deck again before we docked in Juneau, AK the state capital. I was joined shortly by my parents who I walked with for a while before we went into the solarium for coffee. After 8am we decided it was probably time to wake Jacob up. He tells me he probably would have slept into the afternoon had we not called him. We had another tasty breakfast and then filled up our water bottles and packed hiking snacks for the exciting trails I had in store for us today. We disembarked around 9am and headed out to catch the local transit bus. This only costed $2 per person for the ride to the Meandenhell Glacier as opposed to the outrageous costs of having the cruise ship arrange your ride. The city bus gave us a good tour of Juneau on its own and some locals even chatted with us. The bus dropped us off 1.5 miles from the Visitor’s Center which my brother was not too thrilled about, but to his credit he completed the trek without complaint.

Inside the Visitor’s Center we were able to touch a piece of the glacier which is 200 year old ice, pretty incredible! What I found the most shocking was how much the glacier had receded in recent decades. We were standing about a mile from the glacier, yet according to signs in 1926 we would have been under glacial ice. The center had quite a bit of information about the impacts of climate change on the glacier. After snapping a few quick photos we proceeded to conquer the East Glacier Trail, a 5km hike deep into Juneau’s bear country. I was now on high alert after reading my fathers novel “Alaskan Bear Tales” the night before which graphically detailed stories of bear maulings, some of which had actually occurred within Juneau city limits.

The East Glacier Trail was within the Tongass National Forest. The thick luscious green moss and bubbling streams throughout made for a nature lover’s paradise. The trail had relentlessly steep switchbacks that later rewarded the hiker with panoramic views of the region. We were not able to indulge in any of the tasty snacks I had packed as the bear risk was extreme, and we did not wish to tempt fate. Once the gruelling but scenic hike wrapped up about 3 hours later ,we trekked a further 1.5 miles to the bus stop. At this point, we unanimously decided we needed a beer to reward our efforts, which led us to the Alaskan Brewing Company. This brewery had about a dozen craft brews to taste, we settled on the strawberry blonde which was light, crisp and refreshing. I was able to buy Peter an orca sweater here. Lord knows he has enough clothes but I think he will like it.

Once we reached Downtown Juneau, we headed to Tracy’s King Crab Shack that was recommended by a local. We feasted on crab bisque, crab cakes and King Crab claws. The crab was hot, fresh and buttery, an experience none of us are soon to forget. I should mention the weather in Alaska has been incredible! In the morning I often wear long pants and a long sleeve top, but this afternoon I actually found myself in shorts and a tank top due to the sweltering temperatures. We once again returned to the top deck chairs to read, with the ocean below a dancing array of sparkling diamonds from the sun’s glowing warmth. The afternoon heat soon exhausted us, and we retreated back to our private balcony to prepare for dinner. I am amazed at the high level of service on the ship. Twice daily our staterooms are cleaned and the beds are turned down for bed time. At dinner we have the same waiter every night who also has an assistant waiter. Our water glasses are never empty and there are about 8 different pieces of cutlery neatly arranged around my plate at any given time. Tonight’s dinner was especially delicious and a personal favourite of mine- braised lamb shank! After dinner we had a late departure from Juneau around 9:30pm, so we watched the ship leave the harbour swiftly leaving Juneau in the horizon. We knew we had an early start the next morning, so it was bedtime as soon as the sun set over the mountains.

July 31 – Port of call: Skagway, Alaska

Today was an especially memorable day as we had pre booked to rent motorcycles from Skagway’s Inspired Rides. We trekked down the main drag of the little town of just 900 residents to get outfitted with motorcycle gear and to choose our bikes.

This town was once the heart of the Alaskan gold rush, and as such the Main Street contained preserved old Western saloon style buildings. While that was charming, we weren’t here to caught in a tourist trap, we were off to explore the wilderness via the famous Klondike Highway. We ended up with a Harley Davidson Streetglider and a Honda Africa Twin. I boarded the Africa Twin with my dad. I have always wanted to try one out first hand as many individuals have recommended this particular bike to me when the time comes for me to become licensed. We set off to the White Pass which reminded me a great deal of summiting the Coquihala Highway in B.C.

The mountains here were absolutely breathtaking and scenic. I had an incredible time taking in the views, although it was a bit chilly at such a high elevation. As the miles passed, we descended into a grand majestic valley between towering mountains. Just a few miles down the road we reached the Canadian Border Crossing. It is crazy to think we actually went back into our native country for the day! It was not long before we came across a small ranch, where we stopped to visit some husky puppies that were training to become sled dogs for mushing one day. We pressed on down the road and reached the sign for the Yukon Territory with the slogan “Larger Than Life.” What an incredible experience to be in an area that is vast, beautiful and sparsely populated. I find the Lower Mainland of B.C. to be striking, yet somewhat tainted by the throes of overpopulation. Seeing wilderness undisturbed and serene like the Yukon is was such a treat.

The terrain here is largely untouched and the air is so incredibly fresh. The lakes we saw were so clean, and still they almost did not look real. We reached Carcross (aka Caribou Crossing) where we stopped at the world’s smallest desert, as well as Emerald Lake. We ventured deep into the forest and eventually reached the Alaska Highway. I felt extremely unsettled to know it was not far from that point where the still at large murderers from Port Alberni committed the heinous act of murder.

Eventually, it was time to head back, in total we rode about 400km which is exhausting even for the passenger. We had so much ground to cover we did not have time to have lunch. It was about 4pm when we rolled back into Skagway and we were tired and hungry.

We perhaps too hastily returned our gear and headed back to the ship in search of food and water. We went up to the cafe for a small snack before dinner, and then went back to our rooms to change for dinner time. It was at that time that I saw Sandra’s face abruptly transition from a healthy bronze glow to pale as a ghost white when a realization hit her like a ton of bricks. “The passports are still in the motorcycle jacket!!” she exclaimed. Her demeanour quickly shifted from relaxed vacation mode, into a full blown hysteria. By this time the ship had already sailed away several miles from the quaint village of Skagway leaving the possibility of returning for them out. I tried my best to remain cool as a cucumber in order to rationally sort out how we could solve this dilemma. I was the guardian of the passports for Jacob and I, meaning we would not be trapped in the U.S. but Sandra and Shawn’s fate was another story! I phoned the Grande Denali Lodge where we would be staying after the cruise up in Denali National Park to see if we could arrange for the passports to be shipped there. The reception team was apologetic and honest that the park is quite far North and given it’s remote nature, mail was unreliable. I then planned to have them sent to the Marriott Hotel in Anchorage, a much larger city that we would be passing through on our journey up to the park. As of the time of writing everything seems to be in place, and Sandra who claimed and would be too upset the entire trip to eat anymore did polish off an entire lobster dinner and two slices of cake for dessert. I think it is safe to say she is feeling better.

Aug 01 – The Hubbard Glacier

It was our last day at sea. We had to be up early again, as we were to be arriving at the Hubbard Glacier by 8am. We could tell we were getting close as the sea changed colour to a deeper blue coloured by the glacial silt. There were larger chunks of floating ice in the water and the temperatures dropped to frigid. The ice was of various colours from crystal clear to a beautiful deep turquoise blue which indicates much older ice.

We were extremely lucky to get very close to the glacier due to the excellent ice conditions. In fact several crew members told me that was the closest they had ever been. We went out to the very front of the ship to get the best possible view, and we were not disappointed in the slightest. We were able to witness chunks of the glacier falling 400 feet and hitting the water hard, the sound was absolutely incredible like fireworks mixed with drums and crackles. I will never forget the special experience we had being so close to this natural wonder. We had our binoculars with us which allowed me to appreciate the finer intricate details of the icy surface.

After we departed from the glacier bay we sat in the solarium for tea to warm up from the two hour exposure to Arctic like temperatures. We decided to attend the afternoon matinee magic show which was performed by the world famous magician Leo Wald. This magician regularly performs for the royal family and his illusions left us baffled and amazed as to how he was able to pull them off . As an added bonus he was also quite the comedian! After the show we went for a late lunch, I had salad and turkey. They literally cooked a whole giant turkey with cranberry sauce! I spent the remainder of the afternoon reading a book called Red Notice that my dad had brought, it was such a good book that I polished off the entire book that afternoon without putting it down. Our final dinner was bittersweet. We had gotten to know our waiters well and we would miss them, but we were also excited to move on the our next adventure inland. We brought a bottle of 2016 Semillon from Bench 1776 in the Okanagan along with us which was really delicious wine! I had Sockeye Salmon for dinner which I savoured, and pistachio ice cream for dessert. We attended the entertainment show which was live music which was excellent.

Aug 02 – Denali National Park

This morning we had our last breakfast on the ship before disembarking. The scenery was a 360 panorama of the towering snow capped mountains, which was spectacular. We boarded the Park Connection bus to Anchorage, AK and had a 2 hour stop before we would continue on up to Denali National Park. We used that break to go to the Glacier Brewhouse. The calamari was the best I have ever tasted in my life. They hand cut thick chunks of calamari and soak it overnight in buttermilk MMM! I have had the opportunity to enjoy so much freshly caught seafood on this holiday which I am very grateful for.

Not only has the scenery been incredible on the trip thus far but the rich culture of Alaskans has also enriched my experience of the state. As a sparsely populated state with a vast wilderness it is true that fishing and game hunting is a way of life here in Alaska. These folks are no city slickers, but rather self reliant outdoorsmen and women. The genuine and neighbourly spirits of the Alaskan people have been quite refreshing in contrast to big city life.

The drive to Denali National Park continued North on the Park Hwy for another 6 hours. The landscape was continuously changing as we logged more and more miles, in all we drove 400+ miles that day. While it was a very long day, it seemingly flew by with the panoramic diverse Alaskan scenery keeping us engaged and enchanted. We eventually pulled into the Grande Denali Lodge which sits on top of a high mountain, offering scenic sprawling views of the region. I was amazed that even at 11pm at night it looked like noon out, with the midnight sun still shining. We went to the hotel’s Alpenglow Restaurant for some amazing burgers and gourmet salads. There were a number of prized Grizzly skins and taxidermic animals in the main lodge for decor. We had one of the private cabins which was a nice choice for us as a big and tall family. The wind was harsh and we could hear it quite pronounced as we drifted to sleep in our cozy log cabin.

Aug 03 – Denali National Park

This morning we were booked on the Tundra Wilderness Tour (for days Jacob misheard me and thought it was the tender wilderness tour LOL) booked through the park rangers. If you wish to take a private vehicle into the park you can only go about 20 miles on the roads, where they are still paved and two ways. This tour offered us a chance to see wildlife deep into the park as we would be able to venture o to unpaved one-way cliff like roads. The best way to spot wilderness is to get quite far into the park, so we crossed our fingers that would be possible.
We had breakfast at the hotel restaurant and there was reindeer sausage which tasted like a hot dog mixed with venison. We ordered some packed lunches for our tour as we would be gone until 5pm. The glorified school bus with heavy duty tires pulled up to our lodging at 9am. Our wonderful guide MJ was hosting the tour. In order to become a tour guide/driver you need a University degree in a wildlife or biology field, so the guide was extremely knowledgeable. The guides clearly love their jobs so much that in 8 years they have not had to hire another one because turnover is so low. You could instantly tell MJ loved her job and the park as her passion for the land and it’s inhabitants shone through with every piece of information she narrated. MJ drove us through the park gates where we started in a lower alpine forest.

About 10 miles in, we were fortunate to see a mama moose and her calf crossing a river. I find moose to be incredibly majestic with their lanky legs and solid muscle body they are unlike any other mammal. I had the binoculars ready to go so we could all get a good look. We learned that moose are perhaps more of a threat to a human out here than a grizzly bear as they can charge a human and stomp them to death, to me that was a surprise because I do not feel I would be likely to fear a moose as much as a bear. We drove deeper and deeper into the park and our scenic reward only increased as we gained altitude. The 300 year old trees had vanished and instead there was an expansive tundra too cold to grow trees, but thick luscious green vegetation was present atop a delicate layer of permafrost. The rainbow coloured mountain landscape was unlike anything I had ever witnessed before, this was fittingly titled the Polychrome Mountains. The scenery in Denali literally took my breath away, and left me with a deep desire to spend weeks exploring the exquisitely beautiful landscapes.

We rode the bus on a treacherous dirt road filled with pot holes over thousand foot cliffs with hairpin turns. Certainly this tour was not for the faint of heart, and our lives were in MJ’s hands. We were lucky to see some caribou with large antlers. What came next on our wilderness safari was the great Alaskan grizzly bear which we saw an unbelievable four different times, for a total of six bears throughout the tour. Just like humans have unique genetic variations so do these magnificent bears whose furs ranged from a deep chestnut brown to a light almost strawberry blond. We had to be very careful to remain silent when we came across any wildlife from our bus in order not to expose them and therefore desensitize them to the sound of a human voice. I couldn’t believe how mighty and strong a grizzly bear was looking at them through the binoculars lens they are 100% pure muscle. The large humps on their back are from their shoulder and back strength which is required for them to dig a deep den for winter hibernation. The bears in this park are smaller, only about 300-400 pounds because they are on a diet of mostly berries as the salmon does not run this far north. If you encountered a bear 250 miles south in Anchorage it would more likely be closer to 1000 pounds. We also had encounters with a sprawling golden eagle in flight, an Arctic squirrel and the state bird. The Dall sheep appeared sophisticate and wise too. We learned a lot about the geography and ecology of the region, as well about animal behaviour.

I can’t believe how many different wildlife encounters we had including another mama moose on the road as the tour wrapped up. Once we were driven out of the park we were sad that our wilderness adventure was over. We headed to the Denali Salmon Bake which has been to “go to” local eatery for almost 40 years. It is this giant two floor wooden building that is quite tilted and probably unstable because buildings in Denali do not have foundations. The food though was world class. We shared a smoked salmon dip to start then enjoyed baked salmon and halibut for the main course. Following dinner we headed to the Nenena River for an 11 mile white water rafting adventure. Given that the water is only 35F we were outfitted with dry suits. Because Big Shawn was clearly the largest one in the group he was made to sit in the very front of the raft. He was the one pulverized by the Class IV rapid with a “glacial facial” but he was a good sport. It was pretty to be in a big canyon to see the park via the river.

Aug 04 -Denali National Park –> Anchorage

Last day in Alaska (insert sad face). We booked months ago the Wilderness Express train, a scenic narrative guided 8 hour trip to Anchorage. We would sit in a luxury dome coach and enjoy the relaxing journey complete with a first class restaurant service and an outdoor viewing area.

Well Mother Nature had other plans for us. Denali National Park experienced over the last 24 hours about 20% of their annual precipitation. When we came back from white water rafting last night there were boulders on the road and we could see mudslides occurring especially on the steep embankment of our hotel. After heavy rainfall all night, we arrived at the train station with an hour or so to kill so we went to the Denali Visitor’s Center and the bookstore for a few minutes. We waited at the train station and waited and waited… still no train arrived. Finally a representative from the Wilderness Express informed us that there would be no train today as it was currently trapped between Anchorage and Denali due to a massive rockslide. Those poor people on the train must have been terrified! My dad was looking forward to taking the train trip as part of his 50th birthday trip but with the conditions being unsafe it was a relief that we would be going by road instead. We waited in a nearby cafe, and then it was eventually announced that the bus had arrived to get us. Well wasn’t I so relieved to have a ride out of there that I hopped on the bus without grabbing my purse from the cafe. Fortunately I quickly realized my mistake and completed the world’s fastest half mile dash to retrieve it! Once we eventually rolled into Anchorage, the moment had arrived for Sandra to finally reunite with her precious passport. Our final stop on our amazing Alaska Adventure would be the 49th State Brewing Company where we enjoyed pizza for dinner. Following dinner we went to our Air BNB, where we had to wake up at 3am to catch our respective flights home. It was heartbreaking to see my mom and dad silently cry when I got off the plane in Vancouver. Although they know I am happy on the West coast, it is still difficult to be away from my family.

We all had a wonderful time on our trip and I think the highlight for everyone was the breathtaking scenery and the chance to spend time together 🙂