Hello Hatters,
I had a phenomenal cruise trip to the Inner Passage of Alaska. While it was a trip I will never forget, it was not without challenges.
First of all, I am not fond of long plane rides. Anything beyond a couple of hours can challenge my restless legs. I was fortunate to be on the aisle, so I stood up regularly. Know thyself, right? Any excuse to move around on those long plane rides was welcomed. Navigating the movements of the flight attendants and the other passengers was better with a smile, a nod, and patience.
Next, my notion of packing for this trip with lots of layered clothing was extreme! I brought too many clothes. Duh! I soon found out that wearing the same outer clothing for three days was pretty normal. Since my departure was from Texas and the hottest temperatures in years, I didn’t know what to expect. For example, what is September weather really like in Alaska and how will my body acclimate to cold, rain, and wind? There was a 60° temperature difference from when we left and to where we arrived.
It’s one thing to look at the Internet and find out weather information and it’s quite another to experience Alaska. I wanted to bring enough clothes so that I wouldn’t be cold. As I have aged, I get a chill easily. I was thankful for my alpaca sweater with a hoodie and my big coat. Check the box. I didn’t get cold!
Another challenge for which I thought I was prepared but wasn’t…. motion sickness! Since this trip was my third cruise, I thought I had the solutions well in hand. NOPE! Without hesitation, I asked for help. I don’t know about you, but asking for help can be hard. It took three modes of treatments for me to settle and “enjoy the ride” to our four ports of call.
After traveling 2700 miles, I wasn’t going to waste this opportunity to experience the beautiful trees, the pristine streams and waterfalls, the towering mountains, the wildlife, and the collage of colors. Oh! Did I mention the food? Wow! The people were so friendly.
The pride for Alaska was evident as multiple tour guides mentioned that Alaska was 2 1/2 times bigger than Texas. I just had to chuckle. Those of us living in the Lone Star state have a healthy Texas pride, so I smiled and related. Much of what we heard on the tours came from legend and tradition, so it was fun. There’s no shortage of legends and traditions in Texas. lol…
Two of my favorite destinations were Skagway and Glacier Bay. My family and I were able to ride the train across the Yukon area and we saw so much beauty that words would never do it justice. Much of the time we were in ravines or on the edge of a cliff. I took confidence in the fact that many people had already done this train ride and lived to tell about it.
On the morning we woke up into Glacier Bay, the magnificence of the glaciers and the surrounding mountains were indescribable! I learned so much about this climate! Alaska is called the Last Frontier. I believe it! Their mountain ranges are so huge, they don’t name individual mountains. If you climb an unnamed mountain, you can name it, according to one tour guide.
I saw humpback whales, otters, sea lions, and many birds, including one bald eagle. The moose and bear were hiding from me and my camera. We missed the Northern Lights, but there were so many layers of beauty elsewhere. I felt so blessed to see these sights that were new to me, yet artfully created by my Lord.
When I returned home, I rested for days. I organized my souvenir gifts and reviewed my pictures. I found out that the Alaskan state flower is a Forget-Me-Not. It is a blue flower with five petals. I tucked that info to my heart and got busy with some home projects.
One such project required rearranging some of the plates I inherited from my grandmother. I was amazed at a plate I had seen so many times but didn’t know the significance. It was painted with Forget-Me-Not flowers. What a treasure! I placed the plate over my kitchen sink as a reminder of the place called Alaska, which I will never forget.
MT Penny