Canada Alaska 2018

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Sat 16 Jun 2018

Brisbane - Vancouver

Another adventure begins.

Wendy and Michael had arrived at our place from Perth 2 days previously. We immediately started making whoopee! Their first night with us was spent having a rollicking good time at Madame Rouge�s Bar and Bistro, Fortitude Valley, celebrating our friend, Anne�s 40th birthday.

The tsunami of phone calls and other tasks at work were finally completed late-ish on Friday. I crawled out of work, simply exhausted.

Saturday morning, off to the airport early.

We couldn�t speak highly enough of Air Canada, aside from one flight attendant. The poor bloke got out of bed on the wrong side.
He: �What would you like to drink?�
Me: �Coffee with milk, please�. He gave me water.
�Please, can I have coffee with milk?� He gave me black coffee.
�Excuse me, excuse me, please. Excuse me! Please, can I have milk?�
�YOU TOLD ME BLACK COFFEE!�. ......There�s always one.

I watched 5 movies on the flight, so had a very profitable time.

Flying into Vancouver was breathtaking. Sparkling snow topped mountains were set against a clear blue sky, with the city buildings nudged by a shimmering azure sea.

Avis at the airport came out with the silver medal for longest wait time, and most tedious car rental on the planet. Hard to eclipse the gold medal winners, AutoEurope, in Rome, where we stood in a queue for over 3 hours, for a pre-booked and pre-paid rental car. But good on Avis for a valiant effort.

We checked into our rather wonderful apartment, near the silver globed science centre.

The weather was perfect. Soon we were walking (or, in Mike�s case, hobbling) towards our local �Hop-on, Hop-off� bus stop. Where oh where was the stop? And where was the bus? After enlisting the help of many eager locals, who did their best to assist, we saw the little sign advising that the stop was closed.

So, we hopped on to one of the little �AquaBus� boats which ply the city waterways. Passing lines of Canadian geese, various watercraft, city buildings, and a shoreline adorned with bikini glad Vancouverites, basking on lawns in the sunshine, we arrived at Granville Island.

We scampered through the many cute, eclectic, bohemian shops and eateries, and boarded our Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. It�s peak season, and we were lucky to get seats.

Too afraid to vacate our seats, for fear of not securing a seat on subsequent buses, and a teensy bit tired after the long flight, we opted to just �Hop-on� and stay-on. It was a good way to get an overview of Vancouver.

Mike hopped-off at English Beach, near the �Rainbow� end of the city to catch up with a Vancouver friend, David.

The rest of us alighted in Chinatown, and found a very authentic, and very friendly Chinese restaurant. Delicious, and filling. Then we set out to find a grocery store.

Doing your own tour sometimes is quite different to going on an organised bus trip. The latter usually presents a rather sanitised view. We ended up walking through streets where EVERYBODY was shooting up ice and vaping. Drug deals were going on all around us. Wendy was a little disconcerted.

Eventually, we found a Chinese supermarket, and bought essentials. Then walked home several kilometres, with heavy bags.

Vancouver�s homeless population thickly occupies street after street in the inner city. Most cities have homeless people. Here, the problem seems quite shocking. It must be terrible for these people in the winter.

Well, that was a big day. Over 20,000 steps on the Apple Watch!

Mike arrived home in a taxi. The sun set at 9.22 pm. And we crashed into our cosy beds.

Sun 17 Jun 2018

Vancouver

We woke to another splendid, and actually quite hot day.

Off we headed, in our 8-seater Yukon 4WD tank (which does 20+ litres per 100 kms!).

First stop- back to Gastown, the site of a famous steam powered clock. The day before, the crowds were thick on the ground. On a Sunday morning, the streets were almost deserted.

Then back to Stanley Park, another site which we skipped through on the bus, the day before. It is truly a lovely place, much cherished by the locals. (Captured a perfectly-timed shot of the Vancouver skyline from Stanley Park. JUST AS A FLOCK OF CANADIAN GEESE FLEW OVER IN THEIR TRADITIONAL V-FORMATION!)

On to the Capilano suspension bridge. It is a pedestrian swinging bridge, 140 metres long, and suspended 70 metres above the Capilano river.

Wendy is not keen on heights and gave it a miss. Mike Fitz made the walk across and back. The rest of us also explored the temperate rainforest walks and admired the birds.

On to Grouse Mountain. Wendy braved the sky ride in the gondola, up the mountain. Well done!

We saw a film, lumber jack show (with the world�s most corny jokes), a bird show, and real grizzly bears. Mike went back to the car mid-afternoon to have a rest and feed the meter.

Wendy lasted longer but dipped out on the final chairlift to the top.

The views stretched to Mt Baker in Washington State. Spectacular.

It took forever for us to work out how to heat up the oven to cook dinner, but eventually, we had dinner at home.

13,500 steps.

Watching the sunset from our balcony was the perfect end to a wonderful day.

Mon 18 Jun 2018

Vancouver - Victoria

Time to check out of our Vancouver apartment. �Twas a bit of a kerfuffle, getting out of the car park. So many security doors. I�m glad we all only have 2 carry-on bags each. Despite hiring a huge 8-seater tank, it�s an art packing in the bags.

Off we went to the Tsawwassen ferry, about 90 minutes south of Vancouver. Again, the sun shone brightly in the cheery blue sky.

The car ferry to Schwarz Bay on Vancouver Island was very spivvy.

A fine restaurant, lounge, cafe, shop, cafeteria... Quite a ship! It flew through the water, and 95 minutes later we had arrived.

On to the world famous Butchart Gardens. There, we were treated to a dazzling kaleidoscope of wondrous beauty. Wendy was only once stumped, when called on to name a flower.

It was really hot in the sun. At least 29°C. Mike chose to stick to the shade and do his own thing. (His dermatologist would be so pleased.) The rest of us did the lot. The sunken garden, rose garden, Japanese garden etc., We ended with delicious gelati for lunch, at the Italian garden.

Our basic hotel, (Days Inn) in Victoria, the main city on Vancouver Island, was well appointed. You don�t get much in Australia for $112 per room per night!

We checked in and headed off to Oak Village Marina for dinner. The view of the marina, on a perfect evening, was splendid.

With the sun still high in the sky, we then drove around Victoria, taking in the sights.

13,000 steps! A great day.

Tue 19 Jun 2018

Victoria and surrounds

Thankfully, today was a little cooler, around 24C, and the blue skies continued. Perfect.

After a leisurely brekkie, we headed off to Craigdurrough castle. This is in an inner suburb of Victoria.

The city of Victoria has a population of 85,000 with over 300,000 in the greater Victoria area. We thoroughly enjoyed driving through many of the streets, admiring the beautiful homes, and varied architecture. It is remarkably English, with a Canadian twist.

The castle was built by Robert Dunsmuir. A Scot, who was orphaned at the age of 7, became a bloke who eventually was worth 20 million, making his wealth from coal, and harshly treating workers. He died at 63 years of age and didn�t see his ostentatious castle completed.

The lead lights were stunning. So many. Such quality work. The wall and ceiling panelling was lavish. Even the servants� quarters were very nice. Completed in 1890, the home had flushing toilets, electricity, and all mod cons.

After Dunsmuir died, his widow inherited the wealth. Unusual in those days. She became a model for our Gina R. Lengthy court battles with the sons made headlines.

We then had a bit of a drive into the country, ending at the Mill Bay Marina Bistro for �linner�. Great service, views, and food.

Another great, but lazy day. Only 6000 steps.

Wed 20 Jun 2018

Victoria - Whistler

Which hotel in Australia charges $9 for cups of coffee, 2 slices of toast, 2 poached eggs, 2 sausages, and baked potatoes for breakfast. For starters, we don�t have baked potatoes for breakfast!

Well fuelled, we set out to drive 100 minutes north to the Nanaimo ferry.

Lots of pine forests, and water views to snow-capped mountains abutted vineyards, Totem Poles, and interesting houses.

The fancy GPS led us off the main road and into the countryside. Very nice scenery, but we had a ferry to catch. Then, we were misled by a sign to �BC Ferries�, before realising that there were at least 6 different ports, with BC ferries going to other places.

Mike was stressing big time. ("Stressing" = "Telling the navigator we are going in the wrong direction" - Mike) I kept telling him to take a chill pill. We had to be in the ferry queue 30-60 minutes before departure. We were in the queue at 10.30 precisely, for an 11 am ferry. Told him so!

This ferry was smaller than the last one, but still large. After a very scenic journey, with blue waters and snow-capped mountains, complimented by dark green forests, we arrived in Horseshoe Bay, to the north of Vancouver.

We headed north, in awe of the stunningly beautiful scenery viewed from the Sea-Sky highway. We stopped at Shannon Falls, and went for a walk.

A short distance away, we went on the Sea to Sky Gondola. This time, Wendy minded the car. She�s not fond of heights. Up the top, we enjoyed another suspension bridge. The views were glorious. Snow iced the mountain tops. The waters of the inlet sparkled below. We did a little walk, and three of us wished we had time for more walks.

Mike didn�t feel too well, so Greg took over the driving. On to Whistler.

Mastering the complex instructions to enter our villa, we tucked Mike into bed and headed to the village.

It was 30°C!

After a wander through the very trendy village, we ate delicious Indian food, served by a lovely Czech fellow called Peter. He was amazed that anyone wants to enter the Czech Republic to work. Like my son, Andy, did. He thought workers only went in one direction- OUT of the place!

We walked home after a visit to the supermarket. Uphill.

15,500 steps. 12.5 kms. 29 flights of stairs climbed. Even Mike had to do over half of this!

Thu 21 Jun 2018

Whistler

Another splendid day! Six in a row.

We all had a little sleep in. Mike Fitz wasn�t feeling too flash, so he had a bigger sleep in, and decided to stay home for the day.

Our unit is very quiet and private. The decor is hunting lodge style. It features kitschy items above the fireplace. Like a fake bear head, and a giant wine bottle. Unfortunately, empty. We even have an old piano.

Wendy isn�t exactly fond of heights. Ostensibly, she stayed home this morning to help Mike put on his socks. The other four of us set out for, what proved to be, one of the best days of our lives.

Using data on the phone, we drove around for a while trying to find the entrance for the famous Peak to Peak gondola. We paid for a day�s parking, and only later realised that the entrance was a couple of hundred metres around the corner from our apartment! I�m suing Apple!

There was a 25-minute gondola ride to the Peak to Peak gondola. Spectacular! Unsurpassable! Aargh, we felt the serenity!

After a little wander around at the top, we boarded the Peak to Peak gondola. This is the longest gondola ride in the world, between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain.

All the attendants, and shop assistants had name badges, with the places they came from in Australia. There was, however, one Kiwi, one Canadian, and a few poms. 95% of the workers in Whistler are Aussies. And- the average age of tourists here is around 40 years younger than us. Obviously, we rock!

The scenery was so magnificent it would make you weep.

For Mike Taylor, Greg and Jill, this was their first time walking through snow.

I was glad that I wore my closed in shoes! Walking in the snow with sandals might have been a challenge.

We had burgers at a place called Heaven 7. It was. Heavenly. At the top of the world. Aussie blokes cooked the high-quality burgers. We met the one Canadian. All the rest of the staff in Whistler are Aussies.

Saw our first marmots. Including one Prima Donna.

We texted Mike and Wendy. Do this! They were not feeling up to such dizzy escapades.

Mike Taylor and I touched home briefly. We picked up Wendy and headed off again. Jill and Greg decided to relax at home with Mike Fitz.

After walking through the village, and browsing shops, Wendy decided to buy her granddaughter a Pandora charm.

Of course, we were served by 21 year old Zoe, one of my patients who I saw just 4 weeks ago. The other (also Aussie) shop assistants at Pandora, couldn�t believe it when she shrieked, �Maureen is my doctor�. It was her first day on the job. Yeah. I know everyone on the planet.

We enjoyed an ice-cream served by more Aussie young people, and one Pom, and then did Fitzsimmons walk. Lovely.

Didn�t see salmon jumping out of the fast-flowing waters. Or bears. But still lovely.

Then we saw a bus. Hopped on. It took us to Lost Lake. Many youngsters in bikinis were sunning themselves on the lawn in front of the lake. People were swimming. Again, we were 40 years older than everyone else. It was a nice spot. Wendy, Mike Taylor and I headed back.

We cooked a gourmet feast of pork, Caesar salad, potatoes, apple sauce, gravy, and wine. Amazing.

Whistler has been wonderful.

Over 15,000 steps for me. 22 flights. 12kms.

Fri 22 Jun 2018

Whistler - Sun Peaks

It was much easier hauling our bags down the four flights of stairs from our villa, than hauling them up, as we did 2 days ago.

My draconian insistence on 2 carry-on size bags of luggage each -in total- was a Godsend. Just saying! We have mastered the art of packing the boot, so that no luggage must sit on spare seats. Very comfortable.

Today, we drove 340 kms.

The first leg was very mountainous and windy. Greg drove this section expertly.

Along the way, we stopped at various viewpoints. Roaring streams, where milky waters rushed melted snow to many lakes, ran parallel to the road for much of the drive.

Mountains soared at near vertical inclinations, clothed in the dense black-green foliage of countless pine trees, their brooding dark reflections crisply outlined in the still waters of the lakes. Very picturesque. Lake Seton was particularly lovely.

After a couple of hours, the countryside mellowed to gentler peaks and open pastures.

We stopped for a late lunch at Horsting�s Farm Produce, at Cache Creek. This farm had a cafe, a nursery, a bakery, and a souvenir shop. Diversified to the max. The variety of produce grown was impressive.

No gluten free options of note were on the menu for Mike Taylor. They served him a huge helping of the tough, outer leaves of a lettuce, and some goo in the middle. Apparently, it was mashed egg. Yummy!

In the toilets, they had speakers which loudly broadcast BOTH kinds of music. Country AND Western.

The hanging baskets were dazzlingly colourful. Flowers were everywhere, and more than redeemed the place.

Mike F. took over the driving after lunch. We drove past farms and lakes, and fortunately did not collect any moose or other wildlife with our vehicle, despite all of the warning signs.

The main town enroute, Kamloops, was moderately sized. It is a major stop for the famous �Rocky Mountaineer� train.

After we turned off the main road, to venture towards our stop for the night, Sun Peaks, the road twisted up into mountainous country. The, now familiar, forests of pine trees again became the norm. Sun Peaks is the second most popular ski resort, after Whistler.

Arriving at Coast Sundance Lodge, our $A127 per room hotel, we were greeted by mozzies as big as cats. Nearly. Not as fast or as savage as our little buggers, but scary, nevertheless. Fortunately, they were outside our hotel room.

We were cheerily greeted at reception by Robyn, who efficiently checked us in. Of course, she comes from Relimba St, Shailer Park. Went to Kimberley Park State School, at the bottom of our street, and Shailer Park State High School. Same girl guide group as Wendy�s daughter. Her Mum, Debbie, works at Woolies at the Hyperdome. Why bother leaving home? It�s just another �Australia� here. Thank goodness the chap who made our pizzas tonight was from Melbourne, not Shailer Park. I feel like I�m being stalked.

Our rooms were fantastic. Two double beds, a kitchenette, coffee maker, large fridge, bath,four hot plates. The Goans and Taylors even had a fireplace in their rooms. Australia is SOooo expensive.

Goodness knows how many steps etc., we did today. Forgot to charge the Apple Watch! Not as many as yesterday, but I did many flights of stairs, with our luggage, garbage to be taken out etc.,

On to Jasper in the morning.

Sat 23 Jun 2018

Sun Peaks - Jasper

The beds last night were super comfy.

Mike stayed up till the wee hours, working out whether Jill�s Bankwest card was cheaper than withdrawing from ATMs. By about 2 am, he had worked out that the BankWest card was probably a few cents cheaper. He could have worked it out a little quicker, if I hadn�t requested that he come to bed, and stop keeping me awake, every 15 minutes, from 10pm till 2am.

We had a fairly long drive today, from Sun Peaks to Overlander Mountain Lodge. The destination is 60km from Jasper, towards Edmonton.

Initially, little low-lying pillows of clouds meandered across the steep, pine-clad mountains. As the morning went on, blue skies appeared.

We stopped at a rest area, where, the only other visitor, an American, commented that it was her first �drop toilet� experience. Jill said that she should come to Australia to gain plenty more experience. I was savaged by mozzies through my t-shirt. Nobody else, of course. It was the only place I did not lavish with Aeroguard.

Our journey took us close to the railway used by the famous �Rocky Mountaineer�. We took a photo of the train, and noted that our trip, over the same terrain, cost about 5% of the price. And we could stop wherever we liked!

We also saw a couple of goods trains. The shipping containers were double storey, and one was about 2 km long.

We were going to stop at Blue river, for a one-hour cruise. At $100 each, we gave it a miss. Plenty of other places where we can see bears. We are happy to spend money to see things, but not to be totally ripped off.

Lunch ended up being in the car park of the service station at Valemount, eating left over pizza. Mike T had organised himself a little takeaway chicken salad. Sure beat yesterday�s gluten free lunch! It was blissfully lacking mozzies.

Mt Robson is the highest peak in the Rockies. We arrived at just the right time. The peak was visible, against the blue sky. Minutes later, cloud covered the top again. It was 28°C.

Soon after, we crossed the border into Alberta, and lost an hour.

We then entered the Jasper/Banff National Park. $117 for 6 days. Makes you appreciate Queensland.

Must let you know about the big car we are driving. It�s a General Motors �Yukon XL�. A real gem.

It�s 8 cylinders, but cruises on just 4 cylinders, if it detects that is sufficient. We are now averaging 14 litres per hundred kms. Considering that it�s a huge 4WD, and is carrying 6 adults and luggage, that�s not bad.

When the driver is too close to something, his/her seat vibrates! You can heat the back of the seat, the seat itself, or both. There are individual air cons for each row of seats, a power point, and several USB plugs.

Movie screens which lower from the ceiling in the middle and back seats. You just press a button to close the boot, or to raise or lower the middle seat to let in the back-seat passengers. And lots of other features. When we picked it up, we had only 2000 km on the odometer. It smelt new. We love it!

We stopped in Jasper for groceries. Then on to our villa, which is 60km NE of Jasper. The scenery along the way was magnificent. We saw deer, and a semi-trailer which had crashed into Lake Jasper. Possibly swerved to miss a caribou? Probably fell asleep at the wheel.

Our villa here at Overlander Mountain Lodge is lovely. Not overly-well equipped in the kitchen department. But we still managed to do a good meal of mashed potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and sausages.

Another great day. Only 8000 steps and 13 flights. So much driving.

Sun 24 Jun 2018

Columbia Icefield, Athabasca River

We woke early, despite the big day yesterday.

The weather could not have been more perfect. Around 9 C at 7 am, when we headed out, and not a cloud in the sky. No wind, either.

It was a 2-hour drive, through Jasper, and onto the Icefields Parkway. The scenery was the stuff of the world�s best post cards.

Gushing, milky streams, pine forests, and massive, towering mountains of bare rock, iced by blindingly white snow.

We didn�t stop, as we had a 9.30 am tour to catch.

A bus took us to a point where massive 4 WDs took us onto the Athabasca glacier.

Apparently, there are only 24 of these vehicles in the world. 22 are owned by the tour company here, and 2 are in Antarctica- one owned by the Aussies, and one by the USA. They cost over $1 million, and have 1.6 meter diameter tyres, which cost $5,000 each.

We were taken down a VERY steep hill to the Athabasca glacier. The psi of the tyres was down to 14, to improve traction.

Our driver was an affable chap, called Matt- from Quebec. Yes- a Canadian. We walked out over the glacier, which was not yet mushy from the sun. Around us, several other glaciers sat proudly, high up between the soaring mountain peaks, framed against the clear blue sky.

Next, we were taken to the Glacier Skywalk. My first steps came as a bit of a shock, even though I knew that the walkway was 280 metres above the valley.

We were given the choice of an audio guide, or a real person. Included in the admission. It was wonderful to have Maeve, from Ottawa, just for the 5 of us. Wendy had gone back to the visitor centre.

The views were breathtaking. Maeve gave us lots of information about the geography, fauna, and flora. It is remarkable that the glaciers from the Columbia Icefield drain to the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans - a rare tri-continental divide. A topographical model illustrated this fact.

On the way back, she told us all about the construction of the skywalk. There are 4 layers of glass, and the top one can easily be replaced when damaged. The steel supports are hollow. During construction, the welders crawled inside the supports, to do their job.

It was a little cool, but Maeve was in a t-shirt. She said that, just a fortnight previously, there was 1.2 metres of snow over the skywalk. In the winter, the mercury plummets to -55 degres Centigrade. The elevation is 2100 metres above sea level, making the air a little thin.

Our driver back to the visitor�s centre was Nick, from Adelaide. A cheery young man.

After lunch, we went slowly back towards Jasper, along the Icefields Parkway.

First stop was Sunwapta Falls. A powerful, roaring torrent cascaded down through a narrow, deep canyon.

The next stop, Athabasca Falls, was similarly beautiful.

At the Valley of the Five Lakes, we started a walk, but it ended up being a bit too long., so we turned back. The wild roses were lovely.

A quick stop was made in Jasper town, and then on to home, after a perfect day.

The mozzies are not too bad here. Too cold. Wendy bought some �natural� insect repellent a couple of days ago. You know the stuff; cloves, eucalyptus, lemongrass, lavender etc. The mozzies love it! In Jasper I searched for DDT, plutonium, arsenic... Anything unnatural. I have some huge bites. Only me!

So far today, over 11,000 steps, 18 flights!

Mon 25 Jun 2018

Lake Maligne, Miette Hot Springs

We woke to our first cloudy day. Light rain started to fall.

As we headed off to Maligne Lake, the cloud lifted, and the day eventually brandished a beautiful blue sky, with fluffy white clouds.

The drive took us almost into Jasper, before turning off the main road.

First up was a lookout. Lovely scenery.

Then on to Medicine Lake.

Further on, at Maligne Lake, Jill, Greg and I did an hour walk to Moose Lake. It was very muddy and slippery. We saw hardly any scenery, as we were too busy looking at our feet, and trying not to fall over. Downhill, on the way back, was even trickier. But, Moose Lake was quite nice. Possibly worth the walk.

We saw bears in the wild on both the way to Maligne Lake, and the way home. Very exciting! We also have a bear which hangs around our lodge. He was spotted early yesterday morning by Greg, Jill, and Mike Taylor.

Our home bear is fond of the honey from the beehives at the lodge.

We�ve spotted caribou, and yesterday, from the Skywalk we saw goats, with a baby. They had very thick coats, a necessity in these parts.

We travelled up a windy mountain road to Miette Hot Springs. The two Mikes stayed in the car, while the rest of us went for another walk. This time it wasn�t muddy!

We found the source of the hot springs coming out of the side of the mountain - from 1500 metres below the earth�s surface. It was 52°C. It was crusted with sulphur and exuded the stench of hydrogen sulphide, as you would expect.

All along the walk, the rollicking, clear waters of the Fiddle river climbed down the hill, dancing over stones and branches. Set against a background of sheer rocky escarpments, and the usual pine forests, it was very pretty, indeed.

It was such a full day. We had again totally skipped lunch, and so arrived home happy and hungry.

We cooked up a storm - with leftovers!

13,000 steps. 10 kms.

Tue 26 Jun 2018

Jasper - Banff

A colder day dawned. Somewhat windy, too. 14C max predicted. It�s called � summer�.

We said farewell to our Jasper home and headed out to the Jasper Skytram. A young woman from Airlie Beach was stationed at the entrance. The Skytram was closed, due to the winds.

Midway on the Icefields Parkway, at Parker Ridge, we noticed that the hills were extra white. Then, we noticed fluffy white stuff falling. Snow! A first for the Goans and Taylors. It was 5°C at 10 am. We decided against the 2.5-hour walk, preferring not to perish from hypothermia. In summer.

The sun came out, and it kept snowing. And snowing.

We stopped at Bow Summit.

After a strenuous uphill walk, we were gobsmacked when we viewed Lake Peyto. Even though it was snowing, and the sun weakly shone through intermittently. The vista of the iridescent blue lake set against the soaring mountains was simply gorgeous.

Mike actually accomplished this walk. We were stunned. His mobility has improved dramatically in the 11 days we have been touring. Now, to keep the ball rolling...

It snowed, and it snowed, and it snowed. Mostly, while the sun shone.

We stopped at Bow Glacier, Bow Glacier Falls and Bow Lake. All beautiful.

Lunch was some tomato soup at Bow Lake, in a very pleasant cafe. Very warming in the chilly weather.

Most of the day, it was 5-9°. Eventually, we hit the dizzy heights of 15°C.

We ventured on to Crowfoot Glacier, where we met a very friendly crow. Then Helen Lake, and Herbert Lake.

Finally, we made it to Lake Louise.

The crowds had thinned. We parked metres from the short walkway to the lake. Large numbers were parked in the auxiliary car park, with shuttle access, a very long way from the lake.

Last time we were here, in 1990, we stayed at Chateau Lake Louise. They had a super special on. It was minus 7 degrees, the lake was frozen, and everything was under metres of snow in April. Our current travel agent said that a room at the Chateau, in late June is $800 a night!

So we are now staying in Canmore, a very pretty village, 22 km from Banff.

Our unit is lovely. The kitchen is super modern and well equipped. We are a short work from the shops. Several of the places we have stayed at have had minor plumbing problems. Good job we have Mike Taylor, the plumber! But this place is very modern and well kept.

Again, tonight, we dined like Royalty. Salmon on a potato and sweet potato mash, with beans and carrots.

On average, our food bill is $7 a day for breakfast and dinner, per person. For gourmet meals.

13,000 steps. 10 km. 2 flights.

Wed 27 Jun 2018

Banff

Today, we headed off on a beautiful day, to ride on the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain.

Even Wendy, who hates heights, managed the trip.

We were greeted by several young Aussie workers from Adelaide, Sydney and Perth. (But we actually met a Canadian member of staff on the way down).

The views on the way up, and up the top, must be the best in the world. Breathtaking.

Jill, Greg and I did the boardwalk, which had many, many, steps. The others enjoyed the views from the visitor centre.

Then we drove back towards Lake Louise expecting to see Moraine Lake. After driving for an hour to see it, we were turned away. People were lined up in an enormous queue, at an auxiliary car park, many kilometres away, to catch shuttles to Lake Louise.

Yesterday, we parked right beside the path to Lake Louise. We were certainly lucky then!

Nevertheless, the drive was beautiful.

We went back to Banff, and drove around nearly every street in the place, trying to find a parking spot. And the schools don�t break up until Friday! It was market day.

Home to Canmore, and we decided to eat at an Asian restaurant called �Mii Sushi and Barbque.� Very clean. The waitress, from Korea, obviously didn�t understand the Aussie accent. But the surprise meals were still great.

Wendy, Mike and I went to the supermarket, and then went on separate walks around Canmore.

11,000 steps. Another wonderful day.

Thu 28 Jun 2018

Banff

It�s the Goan�s turn to have the main bedroom (with ensuite), this time.

Can�t take Jill anywhere. She breathes softly on the towel rail. It falls off the wall.

A committee formed. The practical blokes, Greg and Mike Taylor, concocted a plan to fix the jolly thing back into the wall. It had been fastened into plaster board with a dodgy screw. Mike Fitz bought some superglue in his luggage. That�ll do. We�re on holidays! The other males put it to good effect. Just don�t breathe!

This morning we set off for our cruise on Lake Minnewanka. Hell of a name for a lake! Again - lovely weather!

It was a fair way from the car park to the jetty, and, by the time we arrived, the boat was full. So they put on another boat just for about a dozen of us! We had a window seat each and loads of room. Good on ya Mike Fitz for dragging the chain.

The lake was glassy smooth. Apparently, two days earlier, they had 2 metre waves crashing over the boat! In a lake. Something about the mountains sucking the catabatic winds down to the lake.

The captain, Kat, was excellent. She spotted a bald eagle.

The tour guide, from Quebec, was a little hard to understand, as he was a native French speaker. However, he was very informative.

It was unusual to see two Canadian guides. Kat said that when she worked at �Big White� ski fields, there were 800 employees, and 700 were Aussies. Not surprising!

Greg spotted a flock of Big Horned Sheep, which looked more like goats. No wonder Canadians rarely eat lamb! Big, ugly things.

We learnt that a grizzly bear needs to eat 250,000 buffaloberries every single day to survive. The grizzlies here are 800 lbs. Elsewhere, where they feed on loads of salmon, they can be 2000 lbs.

Another interesting fact was that the Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel, causes more injuries to tourists than any other animal. Just yesterday, I saw a tourist bend down to pat one. Nasty nip on the forefinger, Ouch! Apparently such injuries are treated in hospital by a nurse, then a doctor, then a ranger from Parks Canada who issues a $20,000 fine for attempting to feed wildlife. Double-Ouch!

Kat let the children drive the boat. Good fun. A great cruise, on a beautiful morning.

We came across our first toilet doors in Canada which indicated whether the cubicles were occupied or not. It�s been a real pain, having to push on the door, to check if the loo was vacant.

Almost as annoying as the US and American practice of not including GST in the prices. It�s impossible to have the correct money present at the checkout, as the total is a mystery, until you reach point of sale.

At the petrol stations, you have to prepay for petrol. So, if you go in and pay the attendant $100, and the tank takes $85, you have to go in again, to be refunded. Very inefficient practices!

We drove to Banff by a different route. Once again, it was impossible to park anywhere in the town. It�s a rather tiny place, and we now know every street in the place.

Driving around, we came across �Banff Surprise Corner�, which gave a great view of the famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

We then drove to Bow Falls, on the other side of Bow river, just outside the hotel. Easy to park, and fabulous!

Jill, Greg and I walked up the hill at Bow Falls to view more of the gushing Bow river, set against a background of soaring peaks, and blue skies, with wafting clouds.

We drove up to the caves, which we �did� in 1990, but decided against going in.

The Cascade Gardens were more appealing, forming the grounds of the admin building of the Parks and Wildlife Service. A very lovely building.

We then went home to Canmore.

I bought Mike a big coat, with detachable inner jumper, at the shops 100 metres from our unit.

Jill and I did a little walk, and we stirred our huge pot of stew in the slow cooker.

We have had very interesting meals here. Whatever is left over, goes into the slow-cooker brew. With herbs, spices, and wine. Actually delicious.

Sleep is a little tricky here. It�s not dark till well after 11 o�clock at night, and the chooks are up at 4.30am. No wonder Queenslanders voted against daylight saving.

We are up early for a big drive tomorrow.

Fri 29 Jun 2018

Banff - Kelowna

By the way, yesterday I did 12,000 steps, and 11 flights! Today, it will be difficult to keep up the exercise. We have a drive of 520 kms, through winding roads.

We left Canmore, in bright, beautiful sunshine, and were at the Lake Moraine Rd by 8 am. Car park full. Again!! Going in peak season means seeing the scenery at its best, but also not seeing some things at all. Fortunately, we�ve been able to see 99% of our itinerary, so far.

We descended through Kicking Horse Pass, where whispy, low lying cloud hugged the lower parts of soaring mountains.

Stopping at the Spiral Railway, at the imaginatively named �Big Mountain�, we actually saw trains looping around the upper and lower spiral tracks.

Before this railway was constructed, in 1909, the 4.5 per cent track gradient meant that a 5-carriage train would have the locomotive 5 metres above or below the rear carriage. The loops mean that the train actually crosses over itself.

As has been usual, every day we have travelled here, there are very large numbers of motorhomes on the road. Not nearly as many caravans.

In Australia, there very few slide-ons. Here, there seem to be many types. We removed the �tub� from our Ute, at home, and installed a flat tray-back to maximise space. Here, they leave the tub on, leaving no low storage space for gas bottle, generator, bbq, chairs etc. Not very efficient.

Lots of RV drivers have dogs. In the National Parks, they are allowed; on a leash.

When we were in Jasper, we noticed that quite a number of the pine trees were brown. Yesterday, we learnt that the cause is the Alpine Pine Beetle. It�s quite devastating. In many places one tree in three has been killed.

Fortunately, the whole area around Lake Louise to Banff, and down Kicking Horse Pass, is beetle free, so far! Everything is green.

We had a few light showers, as we descended through the Rockies, going through a number of �snow tunnels�. Past lakes, streams, and waterfalls, until we had a rest stop in Revelstoke.

Eventually, the hills softened, and the land gave way to valleys of corn, grapes and cows. The largest body of water was Lake Mara. Houseboats sat waiting for customers to take them out for the long weekend, which starts tonight. Canada Day is a big weekend in Western Canada.

The sky cleared, and the mercury climbed. We drove through farming towns, and eventually came to our overnight stop in Kelowna. It was 24°C.

Those of us in the back two rows of the car hobbled out. Everything hurts when you�re our age!

The hotel staff were incredibly welcoming. Even the General Manager came to welcome us. (Mistaken identity? I have a striking resemblance to Princess Ann!) .A luxury king bedded room awaited (with breakfast), for $130 a night.

Wendy, Mike Taylor and I went walking. We are enveloped by lots of shops. Walmart, Safeway, etc., Not that exciting, but none of us are keen to get back in the car to see wineries etc., We just walked to crank up the 10,000 steps, having been in the car for so long. 11,000 steps achieved.

We headed to Cactus Club restaurant - a short walk from our hotel. Sublime food. Incredible service.

Another wonderful day.

Sat 30 Jun 2018

Kelowna - Vancouver

Last day of the financial year! And one with showers for much of our 5-hour drive back to Vancouver. After 14 days of fine weather!

Jill and I were going to do some parasailing this morning, but it was too jolly cold. We�ll save that for warmer climates.

We passed through a number of towns, surrounded by deep green farmlands.

It is a long weekend for Canada Day. Big celebrations. The traffic leaving the capital city was quite heavy.

We dumped the bags outside the hotel, and then Mike and Greg returned the car. After no accidents on the road, they said that negotiating the narrow and twisting 7 levels of the Avis central city car park, which plunged into the bowels of the earth, was treacherous. Well done lads, for that driving feat.

At $700 per couple, for 15 days of driving, hiring the beast was very worthwhile. We did 3700 km and ended up with a fuel efficiency of 12 litres per 100 kms. It was a great car.

Mike Taylor and a porter dealt with all of our bags, and then we set off to buy a small bag to carry some wine onto our cruise.

Returning from buying the bags, police stopped all traffic. A huge number of naked people riding bicycles appeared. I�ll bet they wished it was warmer! At least it wasn�t raining. 17°C. The mass of naked flesh was apparently a work of art. Leonardo da Vinci would be rolling in his grave.

Apparently, on the cruise which we are joining tomorrow, alcohol packages are A$60 per day, and, if one person in a room buys a package, their partner must also. We were told that wine was well over $40 per bottle. So, it would cost Mike and I $840 for drinks, for the week.

Blow that. Wendy, Jill and I caught a taxi to a bottle shop. Bought a few $11 bottles each. Very helpful Pakistani taxi driver.

Two bottles of wine per couple can be taken on to the ship, without charge. Even with corkage at US$18 per bottle for a couple of extra bottles, it�s still way, way, cheaper to BYO. Amazingly, Holland America says its package is valid for up to 15 alcoholic drinks per day! Imagine having 15 per day!

An Irish pub is attached to our hotel. We had dinner there, and will have an early night, before boarding Holland America�s Noordam tomorrow. Our cruise will take us up the inside passage, to Seward in Alaska. Seven days.

We are not sure about internet facilities on the ship, so may be offline for a while.

Sun 1 Jul 2018

Vancouver, Canada Day, cruise boarding

Canada Day

The weather for this big national day was predicted to be 19°C and rainy. It�s a brilliant, blue sky day, with a slight nip in the air.

The Canadians are thick on the ground at Canada Place, where our ship is docked. There is a free concert adjacent to the dock, and the throngs are whooping it up, dressed in red and white. The more patriotic are crowned with red moose caps.

Our room on the ship is lovely. King bed. Small bathtub etc., There is even free room service. As it�s quite a hike to some of the food venues, the hobbling husband might get to like such attention.

To access the internet, the ship wants to charge $30US a day. Each. Not going to happen.

We have just left port, to the cheers of thousands gathered for Canada day.

I will try to send emails when we are in port.

It looks like it will be a fabulous cruise!

Mon 2 Jul 2018

Cruise Day 2

A sunny day dawned.

After a beautiful dinner last night, with great service and white tablecloths (!!!), we hit the sack. How can doing nothing make a person so tired?

We were a bit alarmed to see a charge of $1145 on our credit card. Surprise! Surprise! It�s a �holding deposit� for the ship. OK then, but talk about steep!

Today was a day �at sea�.

There were, as is usual on cruise ships, various activities available. Devout Catholics can attend Mass, every single day, at 5pm. Meanwhile, singles and AA members also have daily meetings. The LGBT group meets a suitable distance away from the Catholics, separated by an hour or more.

There was a shopping seminar this morning. You should have seen the queues, lined up for ages for a small �free� token. The shops were jam packed. Incredible!

Then there were shows, cooking classes, exercise classes, IT tuts, and onshore excursions to organise.

This afternoon, our relatively �small� vessel, of 1950 passengers, came within about 100 metres, or less, of the coast in the Inside Passage.

This morning had slightly choppy seas. This afternoon was very smooth sailing, as we were in the sheltered waters of the Inside passage.

Our room is on the starboard side- views of the coastline all the way.

We watched the scenery go by, through large glass doors, and ducked out on to the veranda occasionally to take a closer look.

Eventually, we entered the Granville passage. Only two ships which do the �Inside Passage� cruise, traverse this beautiful narrow straight.

We have secured a dinner booking at the very back of the boat, beside the large glass rear windows.

Our �Gala Dinner� tonight, was set against spectacular views of the narrow Granville channel.

We went to the Captain�s welcome, so we could get a free glass of bubbly.

He was a nice Dutch fellow, who had the good sense to keep his pleasant speech short.

Then, we stayed for a comedian's performance- Justin Rupple. Very American stuff. His last act was well done.

Captain Henk Draper says we are headed for a heat wave over the next few days. 22°C to 28°C. Sounds good! Snow is still visible on the hills.

Lazy day today. 9000 steps.

Tue 3 Jul 2018

Ketchikan

We bounced out of bed, bright and early. The day dawned (at 4am), with not a cloud in the sky.

This time, we ordered room service breakfasts. Decadent! This is the life! (Mainly because the dining rooms didn�t open till seven o�clock.)

We had organised an early private Hummer tour of Ketchikan. This was a very economical option for six people. The only downside was that we had to stuff Jill and Greg into the kiddie seats in the boot. Golly, gee...we have such self-sacrificing mates!

Our driver, Gabe, was 37 years old, and told us he had many, many years� experience. You know you�re old, when people tell you they have years and years of experience, and they are the age of your children!

Gabe hailed from Haines, further north, but was a teacher of English, and ESL at Ketchikan high school. It�s summer holidays for 3 months, so he moonlights as a Hummer driver/guide.

We filled in a survey the day before our tour, which indicated to Gabe, our interests and capabilities.

Firstly, he took us to Totem Bight State Historical Park. We had a little walk through rainforest and admired the coastal views.

This area is home to 3 indigenous groups. The Park had a number of Totem poles, and a meeting house. It was all very similar to the Maori culture in New Zealand.

Gabe taught us about edible plants, and we tasted native berries and blueberries. The native flowers were beautiful, including the �Forget-me-not�, the floral emblem of Alaska.

On the way to our next destination, at the end of the 30 mile road, which stretches from north to south Ketchikan, we saw a young deer.

The �End� road sign, was peppered with gunshot holes. They love their guns in Alaska.

Next up was �Lunch Creek Trail�. This wound through rainforest and a lovely creek and waterfall. It�s a pity we were a few weeks too early to see the salmon, except for some tiny spawn.

Mike struggled up and down the hill, but Gabe took it all very slowly. The benefits of a private tour!

There were lovely views to the ocean. We saw a duck, but no whales or dolphins.

On we went to Halibut Creek, where we saw many bald eagles, and a HUGE raven. We saw bear poop, but no actual bears. The views were lovely. Fishermen had waded into the sea in their overalls, scooping the ocean for king salmon.

After viewing another waterfall, Gabe dropped us back into town at Creek St. This was very cute, kitchy and touristy, but still nice. Mike went back to the ship, while the rest of us wandered around the town.

At 3pm we sailed out of Ketchikan on a glorious afternoon. Gabe called this "moving-to-Alaska" weather.

As I had some Telstra connectivity, I managed to exchange some final text messages with Samantha, who, with her mother, and friend, was leaving Australia. We will miss her.

Dinner time is 5.15pm. It�s either that or 9pm, and that�s definitely too late.

We have managed to have a booking every night in the Fine Dining restaurant, right next to the big windows at the back of the boat. Just like Royalty.

The cuisine is excellent, and the mostly Philippino wait staff are superb. Angelo is our Sommelier. He is very good at his job. Everyone should have a sommelier.

As we sipped wine and ate crab cakes, we gazed out at the azure waters of the Inside Passage, and watched a whale playing tricks. Later, another one was seen to frolic in the waters near the boat. Bliss.

After dinner, the Taylors and Fitzies went to a show. Singing, dancing. Very good.

On the way back from the theatre, we noticed a Blues band, at another venue. Fantastic stuff. Wendy made an effort to dance with me.

When that show finished, we stopped by a classical group. Not the Taylors� cup of tea, but I stayed on to enjoy a magnificent rendition of �Rhapsody in Blue�.

For some reason, we are heading south again, so we are lying in bed watching the sun set. Delightful!

13,000 steps. Tomorrow will be even more exciting. Can�t wait!

Wed 4 Jul 2018

Juneau, 4th of July

Today was a �once in a lifetime� day on so many levels.

Our ship docked around 8am at Juneau.

Again, the skies were as blue as the best days in Australia.

Mike was very excited about the Fourth of July Parade. Over an hour before, people were lining the footpaths with collapsible chairs, and many were dressed in clothing which was designed in the style of the US flag.

Mike T, Wendy and Mike F spent the day together, while Jill, Greg and I did likewise.

The town centre of Juneau is quite small. Mike F had researched the route of the parade, but the crowds and chairs were good markers.

We did a spot of shopping for small gifts, and then waited for around 40 minutes for the parade to begin.

Elsewhere, Mike had found a seat. Good job, as he couldn�t possibly have stood up for over 100 minutes.

Many of the �floats�, threw lollies to the children, who ran out into the traffic, in a rather dangerous manner.

There were bands, and floats by the Salvos, indigenous groups, dancers etc. but most of the floats were political. They advocated for candidates for the upcoming State, Senate and House elections. At least they did this happily and peacefully.

One group urged people to just vote. This would have been a jolly good idea at the last Presidential elections.

A group of veterans advocating gun control received cheers. In Alaska!!

A good time was had by all, and it is unlikely we will ever again witness a July 4 parade in the US.

After lunch, Jill, Greg and I were picked up for the highlight of our holiday. A helicopter ride to a glacier, dog sledding, and a helicopter ride home.

The scenery was more beautiful than we could ever have imagined. It took 30 minutes to reach the glacier, and the rugged mountain peaks, startlingly azure lakes, green pastures and blindingly white snow vistas was stunning.

Landing on the glacier, we met the 10 dogs who had the job of pulling us around the glacier.

I was previously very concerned that these animals were being exploited, or even treated with cruelty.

The dogs were cuddly, happy, and looked very healthy.

The carers of these dogs seemed to be besotted with them.

Each day, they do 3, half hour shifts, and have a day off a week. Less out of peak season.

They seemed to love pulling us around.

We met some of the puppies. Jill was in her element. Greg stopped me from falling over all the time!

Eventually, we reboarded the helicopter, and had another spectacular 30 minute flight back to Juneau.

What a day!

It ended with a wonderful dinner, and a show, where the boat�s classical musicians played against a backdrop of a BBC documentary on the seasons in Alaska, and the effect on the wildlife.

We are now pulling out of Juneau to the sound of fireworks. It�s still quite light at 10 pm!

Hard to beat a day like that!

11,500 steps.

Thu 5 Jul 2018

Skagway

We woke to blue skies and pleasantly warm weather. Again.

After a leisurely brekkie, we caught the shuttle into Skagway. Mike stayed on the bus, while the rest of us walked the streets of Skagway.

Like Ketchikan and Juneau, this place was more touristy than Noosa. Every shop was cute, neat, and oozed sweet commercialism.

So many T shirts. And, the Guinness world record for the highest number of jewellery shops per square meter on the planet. Closely contested by Juneau and Ketchikan.

Nevertheless, it was very pleasant wandering around.

Found a present for Mum. Not easy, amongst so much rubbish. Hope she likes it.

Gobbled a quick snack for lunch and went on our train trip to White Pass.

It was hot in the carriage. 28C and no opening windows.

I stood up the whole way. Cooler in the area between carriages, and my bursitis hates me sitting down.

The scenery was spellbinding.

Our tour guide was a young chap, called Dan. He was having a break between his undergrad course and Med school. Most affable. Should do well.

The three and a half hours were wonderful. We were, however, glad that we missed out on the 8-hour bus and rail trip. It would have been overkill.

We slid into our window seats in the Vista dining room on our ship, to be entertained and expertly attended to by Tengu (from Indonesia), and our sommelier, Angelo, from the Philippines. Like they have every night we have been on board.

These chaps are top of their game. And very funny.

As usual, the food was fantastic.

How will we cope when we go back to Weetbix for brekkie, vegemite sangers for lunch , and meat and 3 veg for dinner?

The ship leaves tonight at 8.30 pm and we will be out of internet range for 3 days.

Only 8500 steps at the time of writing this. Must get cracking!

Fri 6 Jul 2018

Glacier Bay

The weather forecasters in Canada and Alaska are bloomin� dreadful at their job. And, what a wonderful thing that has turned out to be!

We were predicted to have a rainy 8C max day. This area receives 178cm of rainfall each year. Not today!

The sunlight was dazzling. Eventually, a couple of tiny little clouds finally blemished the piercingly blue sky.

We were touring Glacier Bay. 3.2 million acres of forests, inlets, mountains rising to 15,000 feet, and glaciers, make up this National Park.

The scenery was gorgeous. Much more so, than the Inside Passage, further south.

Many of the 7-day cruises leave Vancouver on a return journey, turning back after Skagway. They miss the best part. Fortunately, we are disembarking in Seward, to the north.

We viewed spectacular scenery. The inlet terminated at Margerie Glacier. With an ice face 1.6 km wide, the glacier is 76 metres high, above the waterline. The peaceful setting was broken by the cracking of chunks of ice calving from the glacier, and plunging down in a roaring spray, to the icy waters of the inlet.

We saw many seagulls and other birds, an eagle, and a sea lion. Possibly, also an otter.

Sitting out on our balconies, soaking in the sunshine, and drinking in the scenery, is a bit hard to beat. We were eventually down to short sleeved shirts, such was the warmth from the sun.

We met some lovely Americans at breakfast again. But, in any culture, there�s always one.

A trained teacher, who had, for 40 years, done admin for a school looking after the children of missionaries in Kenya, had a very interesting point of view.

He explained that Zimbabwe was a good example of why socialism is a �disaster�. We quietly suggested that Zimbabwe was a dictatorship. But, he loudly proclaimed, �the state confiscated the assets of the (white) people, so that makes Zimbabwe socialist!�. We let it go. Maybe, his next cruise will be to Sweden, and he will see the difference!

As the languid afternoon unfolded, we again headed south, out of the very picturesque Glacier Bay inlet, and into the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

After another scrumptious dinner in the Vista dining room, with Angelo, our sommelier, and Tengku, our very funny waiter, we, once again, counted ourselves very lucky indeed, to be here, in such a glorious place.

Sat 7 Jul 2018

Sea Day

Last day on the cruise.

We did nothing.

The End.

OK. I�ll do better.

Today was �at sea�. We allowed it to be cloudy. Didn�t matter.

We ate, drank, read books, and organised tips.

I walked up and down stairs and up and down decks to reach 10,000 steps.

Tomorrow morning, we disembark at Seward.

Sun 8 Jul 2018

Seward, Kenai Fjord cruise

The day had come when we had to say goodbye to the Noordam and her wonderful crew. We could not find a single thing we didn�t like about our magical 7-day cruise.

Landing in Seward, we were finally confronted by a cloudy day, with rain threatening. Let�s face it, we�ve had a great run of spectacular weather until now.

We wandered around town. Seward is a tiny place. There are a couple of small motels, a dozen cafes, several souvenir shops, and a lot of small boats.

A cheerful chap called Mario picked us up from our ship, and took us to the little railway station, where our bags were deposited. We were then taken back to the area where our 6-hour Kenai Fjord cruise would depart. A rugged 5-minute minibus trip!

We waited a couple of hours to commence our 6-hour cruise.

Eventually, we departed. Light drizzle limited visibility. We noted the grey coloured sea water, unusually mad murky by glacial �flour�.

While weathering some swells, we passed a number of small islands. A few stoic sea lions graced the rocks.

The captain pointed out the weather station tower on top of 100-foot-high Pilot Rock.

In the winter time, waves more than 100 feet high demolish the weather station on top of this monolith. Come Spring, helicopters are regularly used to replace the infrastructure.

An average of 65 earthquakes a day don�t help. With or without associated tsunamis.

There are 13 glaciers in the Kenai Fjords National Park.

We visited Aialik Glacier. It is one of the most actively calving glaciers in the Park. It performed for us, albeit with a fairly sober display. An hour before our visit, a gigantic iceberg had calved itself from the glacier face. It floated triumphantly in the foreground.

Despite the cloudiness, the glacier face was imposing. In fact, the cloudy day seemed to make it appear more blue than others we had viewed. It was a mile wide and over 200 feet high, above the waterline.

We made our way back to the rougher waters of the Gulf of Alaska.

In the last couple of decades the average temperature of this area has increased by 1.2C. This has resulted in marked recession of the glaciers.

On the way back, we saw several humpbacks frolicking in the chilly waters, and a number of fur seals.

More exciting for we Aussies, was the sighting of puffins. A good photo of these little cuties eluded me. Some mountain goats were seen, milliseconds before I almost froze to death, buffeted by the icy, liquid winds.

Classic Alaska. In summer.

Running out of the warm, enclosed area of the ship, to repeatedly try to photograph points of interest from the back deck, was reminiscent of Scott of the Antarctic, battling the elements. Almost.

Not a great day for photos, but an OK way to fill in time.

The train station was a short skip away from the dock.

When we asked after our luggage, we were told� It�s on the train�. When I asked where, specifically, it was on the train, the same curt reply was received. Whatever!

Although overcast, the tops of the mountains were not enveloped in cloud. Everything was so, so green. Iced by snow. Milky lakes, fed by glacier snow, appeared again and again. A moose looked on, and then skipped away. Of course, there were waterfalls, glaciers....

Dinner on the train was very pleasant and harked back to times of old.

When we boarded the train, they asked for medically trained people to make themselves known, in case of emergencies. I didn�t step forward. After all, what emergencies can possibly happen on a 4-hour train trip?

After dinner, an emergency was announced. Bother. Why always me?

A 6-year-old girl had slipped and knocked her head. Lots of blood.

A nurse eventually appeared as well but disappeared when she heard that I was a doctor.

Pressure, ice, and washing the wound - with head injury instructions - was all that was required. The parents were very grateful.

And then came the paperwork.

This IS America!

We passed beside massive mud flats, rimmed by more snow adorned mountains. Apparently, these areas were like quicksand.

Sunset is at 11.20 pm. Right on bedtime!

Arriving at the Anchorage train station at 10.15, the sun was high, and our luggage was there. Not only that, but it wasn�t raining!

Two groups pushed their way on to the hotel transfer before us. Forty minutes later, on the 3rd circuit between the hotel and strain station, we were the last people left at the station.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were told that our rooms were scattered all over the place, because, even though we paid months ago, they allocated depending on arrival time.

I ignored the stains all over the bedspread and collapsed into bed.

8000 steps.

Mon 9 Jul 2018

Anchorage - Talkeetna

After our big day yesterday, we crawled out of bed slowly today.

Brekkie at the hotel was done and the two Mikes, myself and Greg walked (or in Mike Fitz�s case, hobbled) the 600 metres to Hertz in Anchorage. We were hiring 2 sedans, as no 8-seater vans are available in Alaska.

The rules were that spouses could be a second driver for free, but Michael Taylor would need to pay $200 to be Greg�s second driver.

Two people in the rental office offered to witness Greg and Mike T�s wedding.

The stumbling block was their divorces from Jill and Wendy, who remained oblivious back at the hotel.

We decided that saving $200 at Hertz was not worth the expense of 2 divorces.

So, I am the only additional driver, for the 2 cars. At no extra charge. Recompense for 42.5 years of marriage.

Off we set, with the 2 tonnes of literature provided by the Alaskan travel agent for our self-drive holiday.

Anchorage is not a busy place. A few high rises, and almost no traffic. The streets are labelled either alphabetically, or numerically. I.e., Cnr 2nd and F street. Very neat.

We were quickly travelling north on a super-duper highway.

Summer is the only time available for roadworks. We experienced minor delays due to these projects.

Sailing past Wasilla, we noted it was the home place of Sarah Palin. When she was plucked out as John McCain�s running mate, she spent $USD60,000 - just on the hairdresser.

Remembering that fact, we immediately decamped to the �Brown Jug Liquor� store, Wasilla. The Australian wines were cheaper than in Australia. A very friendly shop assistant seemed not keen to remember Sarah Palin but was very helpful in pointing out the Alaskan wines. These included Elderberry and Rhubarb wine at $37 a pop. We bought a bottle or two of Aussie and Kiwi wines.

Onward north, we booked a Jetboat road at Talkeetna, our stop for the night. Mike F. was not feeling up to joining us.

It was fairly tame. The river was running very high and very fast. We again saw a bald eagle. They are hard to miss, with a wing span of six to eight feet, 42 inches high and 14 pounds in weight.

We went on a walk to a Dena'ina Indian camp, and saw the pelts of many animals, and typical huts and tools involved in their way of life. There were 8 Aussies in our group of 20.

We re-joined Mike F and made our way to the Talkeetna cabins, our lodgings for the night.

These cabins were gorgeous!

We were 50 metres from the Main Street, of this tiny town.

Talkeetna is Alaska�s twin to Australia �s Nimbin. Cannabis consumption is strictly limited to people over 18.

All of the shops were hippie cute.

I walked the Main Street several times in 10 minutes.

We ordered pizzas for dinner. They were disorganised. Probably doped out.

All good. 10,000 steps achieved.

Tue 10 Jul 2018

Talkeetna - Denali

It�s going to be hard going back to the frantic, long days at work. I�m now accustomed to having enough time for adequate sleep, and the mobile phone switched to �airplane mode�. Best to not think about it.

We had a leisurely start to the day.

Eventually, we left our lovely cabin in Talkeetna, and headed to Denali.

The weather was moody. Sometimes raining. Sometimes sunny.

We saw a large moose beside the road, and some squirrels.

It was nice to stop by a viewpoint and chat to more lovely Americans.

One of the benefits of being independent travellers, rather than on a large coach tour, is that you get to chat to lots of other independent travellers, rather than just people on your bus.

We�ve exchanged pleasantries with people from Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, The Netherlands, California, Texas, Missouri, North and South Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington State, Oregon, Canada, and other places. But time after time, we come across people from Minnesota. Will the last person out of Minnesota please turn out the lights?

Arriving at Denali Park Headquarters, we checked in for our big day tomorrow.

It was 3.30pm. We had enjoyed an ice cream for brekkie, no lunch, and we were starving.

After a bit of a search (It wouldn�t be an Alaskan experience without foraging for food), we found a large hotel which had a reasonably priced restaurant open, the Grizzly Bear Grill. We settled down to Blinner (breakfast, lunch and dinner in one meal). The food was OK, and the views lovely.

Our camp for the night is rustic. We went to the food truck (caravan) on site and ordered an egg sandwich for brekkie, and a packed lunch for our trip into Denali tomorrow. We need to take all food and water for this adventure.

After doing lots of clothes washing in the sink, it was time to sleep.

11,000 steps.

Wed 11 Jul 2018

Denali

Denali- here we come!

But we almost didn�t!

Collecting our tickets for the shuttle bus yesterday, at the Visitor Center, we were told our shuttle departed at 9.15. I pointed out to the person serving us, that our vouchers said 8.45.

Further confusion reigned because our bookings were not in the computer.

Our assistant conferred with the more experienced worker next to her.

In all the kerfuffle, they twice told Wendy and I that our departure was 9.15.

We arrived at 8.48, to be told that we had missed the bus! Not happy!

As luck would have it, the same assistant was working. She apologised for the confusion, and fitted us in on the next bus, destined for Lake Wonder.

This turned out to be all for the best. Lake Wonder goes 85 miles into the park. This 11-hour trip was only 7 miles shorter than our previous destination, which would have taken 12hours. Eleven hours was plenty.

Not only that, but the Lake Wonder bus had quite a few spare seats, making for a much more comfortable journey.

Maximum temperature for today was 9.5°C. I suggest not visiting in the winter! However, the weather was mostly fine.

On the journey to the lake, all of the views were on the left side of the bus, and we were on the right side.

The driver stopped a number of times, so we still had some photo opportunities.

Beautiful scenery. And we saw some caribou grazing.

Even better, we saw 3 grizzly bears romping around, and then feeding on an unfortunate caribou.

We stopped at the Eielson Visitor Centre. The top of Mt Denali was covered in cloud. We saw more of the mountain yesterday.

Lake Wonder was lovely, but we have never before seen such dense clouds of mozzies. Despite insect repellent, they savaged our ears, hands and faces.

The weather became cloudy, and, by the time we did a loo stop again at Eielson, icy sleet was coming down.

It turned out, that on our 40-seater shuttle, there were 2 �grey nomads�, originally from Sydney, and a couple who went to Shailer Park State High School. Plus, a young woman from Lota, in Brisbane, and her friend from Sydney. 12 Aussies all up.

We ended up seeing five bears, one moose, and a pack of foxes. The squirrels were everywhere.

We arrived back at the tourist centre at 8.20 pm.

Sunset is at 11.59 pm.

Craving easy familiarity, we went back to the Grizzly Bear Grill for dinner. The food trucks at our camp would have shut a while ago.

A big day. Very special. Most spectacular.

Only 8500 steps. Travelling on a bus for over 11 hours makes it hard to do more.

Thu 12 Jul 2018

Denali - Fairbanks

We slept in. Again.

As I walked to the food truck to buy our morning coffees and egg burritos, there were 3 bus loads of tourists assembled, who had stayed in the motel units at our accommodation.

They were being shouted a load of instructions by their tour leader and packed into every available seat on shuttles to tour Denali Park, as we had done yesterday.

It�s so good to do our own thing, and not have zillions of rules imposed on us. We don�t have to put bags out at 6 am, wait in long queues at the toilets, or be packed in like sardines. I also don�t have to put up with really annoying travel companions. I�m not sure whether the Taylors and Goans would agree with the last statement!

The drive to Fairbanks only took a couple of hours. We stopped for viewpoints, and whizzed past a moose, which the following Goan car spotted.

A local service station advertised quality cannabis. Legally. We gave it a miss.

The day became increasingly sunny.

A warning notice was put in our hotel room when we checked in at Fairbanks.

�It is going to be very HOT today, so the following suggestions will increase your comfort:
1. Keep drapes closed; solar heat from the sun (gee whiz, where else does �solar heat� come from?), will make your room very hot even in the evening.
2. Turn on A/C unit to �Cool�. It will make a big difference. (Fancy that!)
3. Use the fan in your wardrobe closet if needed.�

The parentheses are mine. This crisis entailed Fairbanks reaching a maximum of 20°C.Yes, that�s right. 20C.

On a day like this, my mother would be huddled in several layers of clothes with the A/C on �heat�!

But wait. The crisis deepens. Tomorrow is predicted to be 24°C. Panic is beginning to set in.

I kid you not! Anyway, it was nice to not be frozen, like we were yesterday.

We enjoyed a delicious, relaxed lunch at Pike�s Waterfront Lodge restaurant. It�s on the Chena River. A small stream.

In 1925, there was a terrible diphtheria epidemic. Vaccines were quickly needed across Alaska. Trains were able to transport these lifesaving medications to a point. Planes had never flown this far north. Dog sleds met the trains and carried the vaccines to where they were needed, ending the epidemic. The world-famous Iditarod dog sled race was born.

This hotel has hosted the race twice. There are pictures in the foyer of the frozen river, and snow all around, with dog sleds galore.

Everywhere we have travelled in Canada and Alaska, we have been gobsmacked by the dazzlingly beautiful hanging baskets, tubs of flowers, and other floral displays EVERYWHERE. They are astounding.

Our hotel has the most beautiful garden. Every single thing has to be replanted every year. Maybe, the many long, drab, cold months, really inspire people to have a jolly good crack at making the most of the short summer.

We were delighted with our hotel rooms. Beautifully appointed.

One drawback. We are right beside the airport, and are entertained by jets landing and taking off, very close by. Shades of our holiday on Santorini. I wonder if that�s why these places are so cheap? Again, we feel like the Kerrigans from The Castle. �Feel the serenity.�

After lunch, we had a drive around Fairbanks. Population 32,000. The greater Fairbanks area has a population of 140,000.

First up was the free Pioneer Park. An old steamboat, a 110-year-old train, ridden by the first US President to come to Alaska, an art gallery, museum, and various other old refurbished huts made for a very pleasant place. It was all free admission. There were merry go rounds and playgrounds. Delightful!

Off we set again. Eventually, we found the museum at Alaska University. Roadworks sent us on a wild goose chase, and we must have viewed every building on campus. And a huge campus it is, too.

It was 6 pm by then. We admired the external architecture, which was very impressive.

Then, we tried to tour the city centre.

A most impressive Visitor Centre sat near the courthouse, and lovely riverside parks and gardens. A real city centre seemed to not exist.

We cruised up and down almost every street and came to the conclusion that people shopped in the several large malls we discovered.

Back we went to our hotel�s riverside restaurant. Just soup was enough. It was a glorious, sunny evening, and the place was packed. The sun will finally set tomorrow morning at 12.10 am!

Jill and I then enjoyed a �Batman� car- see Facebook photo. Good fun.

12,000 steps. I�ll now prepare for the heatwave emergency tomorrow by unpacking my short pants.

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