The ship size was overwhelming!
At first we were told to go directly to the Lido deck until our rooms were ready but ours was already prepared so we were able to drop off our carry on things and put our valuables in the safe. We were rather surprised at our room - it was a handicap accessible room with twin beds. But all in all, a comfortable and clean room.
Lunch gave me the promise of being able to eat light and healthy - I had squash, a vegetable curry and a small piece of vegetarian lasagna. Lar ate for 2! After lunch we walked back to the room to be sure our luggage had arrived. Lar enjoyed watching the sight of me unpacking 2 of our 3 bags and then I began to run out of steam so we returned to the Lido for the Bon Voyage Party - terrific band and singer - delicious margaritas in souvenir glasses as we daparted port. I took some movies, even going up higher, while Lar sat and enjoyed the music.
We took a walk to learn some of the ships layout, having missed the organized tour.
We reported a bit later to the mandated safety lecture at our life boat location and then we went back to the room as I was having a migraine and beginning to feel unwell - though I couldn't exactly say in what way. I stayed in bed the rest of the evening, skipping dinner when Lar went.
The next day, Sunday, we realized why we were warned to take a travel clock and/or watch as we never knew what time it was! As a result, we arrived on Lido for breakfast late...our cell phones were showing the time one hour off. They closed the breakfast buffet almost immediately - tho' I had plenty (oatmeal, banana and yogurt), but Lar began to fear he would starve to death! The remainder of the day he attempted to make up for the shortened breakfast.
We continued our self tour and suddenly - at least to me it felt like suddenly - we were reporting for lunch. I was stunned to find us in a more formal dining room, being handed a huge bill o fare. We were seated with a couple from Little Rock AR - I really liked them. Lunch choices were enormous and Lar was delighted. I had an anjou pear cold soup, some sliced beef with root vegetables and fresh fruit. I ate some dinner rolls with butter in hopes they would help my sinister, growing sense that nausea was coming. Sometimes that helps. Mostly, not.
As lunch grew to a close, and we were relaxed and chatting, Lar suddenly announced that they needed to excuse us, we were moving to yet another table for "wine tasting." I couldn't believe my ears! But we did enjoy the tasting, shared by a table full of nice people and the wines were quite good.
After the tasting, although everyone else had left the room, we all continued to sit and talk. Finally, Tony, the Cellar Master came over to talk to us and then we all set out on our various tasks.
Apparently, Lar's self-assigned task was to learn every inch of the ship - I dutifully followed along, clinging to every available surface as seas had become even rougher.
By the time we got back to our room, it was nearly time to get 'formal' for dinner. I had a short nap and really felt like crying as I attempted to get dressed up. Taking a shower while hanging on for dear life is quite a new experience. And getting into snug, elastic-like panty hose - well, let's just say "America's Funniest Home Videos" material.
Once dressed, we staggered to the dining room. I was literally bouncing and banging from wall to wall in our hallway and very nearly went into someone else's room where the door was left ajar. I was desperately wishing i didn't have to face another meal. We were seated with another nice couple from Michigan originally, but transplanted to Arizona after retirement. She did not stop talking beginning to end...but that was ok because I was getting afraid to open my mouth in any way, let alone to talk!
I ordered quail which was a smart choice as there were about 2 bites on each of the pair of tiny creatures and I drank a large glass of water. We each had a glass of red wine, and sat a chatted (listened) a bit but I was really getting weird...couldn't stand the dining room another minute. We swayed to the theater to see a musical presentation - dancing and singing - one of the dancers actually fell on the set when the ship got into the act dancing. After the show we stopped in a piano bar and I tried hard to enjoy the piano - but when three couples got up to ball-room dance I thought I'd lose my mind. Then I felt quite flush - heat rising - broke out in a sweat and told Lar I thought I was about to pass out. All this time they were announcing over the loudspeaker - "please hold onto railings and such when attempting to walk!" Lar helped me back to our room and I was teary as I got undressed, I said "I want to go home" and Lar said, "no, you want to take a PILL!" So I did. I took one pill and put on one of the sea sick bands and as the ship was heaving and slamming I fell asleep.
On Monday morning Lar kindly slipped into some clothes and went up to Lido deck to retrieve some coffee which was a treat. I took a sea sick pill and was ready to go.
After breakfast we got ourselves together and went to the bow to see our arrival at Juneau, the capital of Alaska. It was a beautiful sunny day - a phenomenon as they had had steady, ugly, down pouring rain for many days. We were delighted - and everyone agreed we must have earned this reward after such rough seas. We heard some nasty stories about the sickness people had suffered the night before.
Lar had booked us on a photography safari. First up, whale watching. This did not disappoint. Rich the Captain and Jim the photographer-naturalist guide got us to the whales and we got some great photos. Those here are small so it is difficult to see just how close we were (we stayed the right distance away - the whales, however, routinely break the law!) We were defeated in our search for sea lions by rough water, but we did succeed in finding and photographing a number of Balde Eagles. After reaching our dock, we saw an enormous sea lion in the water very near the boats. Guess he hadn't wanted to disappoint us!
We then reboarded our bus and found Jim had provided us with bagged snacks and bottled water and we were then driven to the start of our hike to a glacier. Jim spent considerable time with each of us explaining facets of our individual cameras and encouraging us to "tell our own story" during the hike.
We proceeded on the hike through relatively new forest land, only uncovered from the receding glacier some 200 years ago.
Finally we reached the view of the glacier. somehow, not what I expected, it looks, from afar much like a gigantic pile of snow! It had "calved" and there were a number of small ones floating away - very blue. the recession has occurred in alarming amounts in the past several years. As Jim said "I realize American Idol may seem very important, but someone really needs to care about what is happening to our planet." Hear hear.
Some of my forest shots
Our first view of the glacier
Happy Travelers!
Maybe my best shot of the trip!
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