Wednesday Sept 3, 2008
Only 48 hours to go – and 96 hours’ worth of things to still do! Aarrgghh! But the excitement is mounting. All over the country, bags are being packed, and unpacked, and repacked again. Phonecalls are being made, lists are being consulted, tickets are being checked, departure forms are being filled out, money’s being counted, neighbours are being informed, mail’s being stopped, pets are being relocated, and people are lying awake in the wee small hours wondering …
“WHAT HAVE WE FORGOTTEN?”
But, come Friday afternoon, it won’t really matter, and what hasn’t got done won’t get done. Because our group of adventurous Kiwis will meet us (and our co-leaders, Roger & Shelagh Glynan) under the pink and green balloons at Auckland’s International Airport … and we’ll be up-up-and-away!
MIDLIFE MADNESS IN ALASKA & CANADA – that’s what we’ve got planned! And the elegant m/s Statendam will be waiting in Vancouver, ready to take us on the first leg of our North American journey – up the Alaskan coast, through the Inside Passage, to Juneau, Skagway and Glacier Bay.
There, at the top of the world, we’ll find atmospheric townships, fishing villages, thrilling histories, drop-dead-gorgeous scenery, icebergs and glaciers and wildlife galore. And we Kiwis are gonna get amongst it all – from the decks of our floating hotel. We’ll be going ashore and packing in as much sightseeing as possible … without getting bored or exhausted … and with heaps of time in-between to kick back and relax and have fun.
As we’ve said all along, we’re gonna have a BALL!
HI-HI-HIGHLIGHTS!
We’ll be together for 25 glorious days, and the highlights will just keep coming. Like what? Well, like these …
· discovering Vancouver, Canada’s exquisite gateway to the Pacific
· cruising the unspoiled ever-changing waterways of the Inside Passage
· witnessing the giant crunching ice-cliffs of magical Glacier Bay
· dropping in on Juneau, Alaska’s wildlife-rich capital city
· riding a helicopter in the Klondike-goldrush town of Skagway
· ogling at 3000-foot Deer Mountain in Ketchikan
· travelling the Kicking Horse route aboard the Rocky Mountaineer Scenic Train
· journeying to Kamloops through forested peaks and rushing river canyons
· photographing the snow-capped sky-splitting Canadian Rockies
· sampling the cowboy towns of Banff and Calgary
· taking in the old French Quarter in Montreal
· cruising the scenic St Lawrence River
· exploring Quebec, North America’s only walled city
· whale-watching in the deep blue waters of Saguenay Fjord
· unwrapping historic Charlottetown and Prince Edward Island
· oohing and aahing at the quaint fishing villages of Halifax, Nova Scotia
· immersing ourselves in the breathtaking autumn colours of Bar Harbour
· appreciating Boston Massachusetts, the cradle of American History
Anyway, Robyn and I still have things to do, places to go, people to see, stuff to pick up, stuff to drop off, grandkids to hug and last-minute items to cram into our already-full suitcases – so we’ve gotta run.
I’ll add many more blog entries once this journey’s actually underway … let you know what our fellow-travellers get up to … and include some award-winning pix. So don’t forget to stay tuned …
Yours bloggedly – JOHN
P.S. Once we’re underway, if you want to leave a message for someone in our group, just click on ‘COMMENTS’ (or ‘NO COMMENTS’) under the title for the day’s blog, and type away! And if you want a better look at the map and some of the photos here, just click on them and they’ll enlarge — magic!
Hi Pam – Hope you are having a wow of a time now you are finally there. We are frantically packing and doing last minute things. Looking forward to leaving the cold, wet windy weather behind tho’ I believe it is raining in Italy too! Just our luck. Will try and send you another email – just testing that you get this one OK. Luv Barb
Hi Edna and Peter (and everyone else), Just wanted to wish Peter a very happy birthday from us all in New Zealand. Hope its a memorable one!!! Lots of love
Hi Dad (Grandpa),
Happy Fathers’ Day. Hope you and Mum are enjoying the holiday already. Everything is o.k here with us.
Lots of Love,
Dave, Tarnya, Sam, Rachel, Noah, Jonathan, Joseph, Tom, Tim and Ruth.
P.S. Just listing our names is a good way to fill up space in any letter.
Hi Nana Margaret
We hope that you are having a lovely time – lots of love Annalise and Kristina
Hi Pam – about to leave for Italy – will be in touch somehow! Enjoy every minute of your holiday – will follow all your blogs.
Luv Barb, Peter, Rebecca & Melissa xxx
Hi Dad.
Happy Fathers Day. Hope that you are all enjoying the first couple of days of your holiday.
Lots of Love
Andrew and Tania
Hi Mum and Dad,
Happy Fathers Day Dad.
We hope you are having a wonderful time. We miss you already.
We will be watching this space with great interest and following your cruise. Looking forward to seeing some photos on this site soon.
Lots of love ,
Sally and Hugh. xxx
*Margaret Birtles*
Hi Mum,
Hope the flight went ok and that the beginning of your holiday is as awesome as it sounds xx
Dear Nana. Are you having a nice time on your holiday? love Jack and Ryan xxx
Hi Nan and Poppa
I hope you are having a nice time on your cruise!
I hope you are taking lots of photos Poppa.
How was your plane trip?
LOVE IZZY
XOXOXOXO
P.S. I love you and miss you
Hi Hope you’re having a great time. Nothing on the blog yet…will keep an eye out
Cheers
Hi Sheryl
Hope you are feeling OK and enjoying your trip so far. We had a beautiful fine weekend and the scooter race was a real hit. Today was wet and miserable. Will follow this website with interest
Love John & Nola