8 Julie 2015 :Ketchikan

8 July 2015: KETCHIKAN

Today we have  a beautiful day in Ketchikan.Only leaving at 4 this afternoon so gives us more than enough time to walking about.I first went to my normal lookout over this town and there I started chatting to a Indian women that told me that her grandfather was part of the Tlingit clan and made one of the totem poles in town,she has lived here all her life.Also said that last year the salmon only arrived in the 3 rd week of July, so maybe next week we will be lucky.Said I would know straight away when they have arrived for there will be lots of people on the bridge were they go upstream and eagles hanging around , after a few days you will smell them,so that does not sound so great,anyway I hope they arrive.Also saw that they were advertising that the bears have arrived at some or other creek so maybe that is also a good sign, HULLE IS HONGER!!!amazing how nature works.In a shop window I saw the most beautiful photpghraph of a brand new little bear,te pragtig.On FB I posted a few pics with things I saw in a shop like,DON’T MOOSE WITH ME!! GET YOUR REAR IN GEAR!!  A MOOSE WITH A CELL SAYING TEXT MOOSE AGING!! AND THEN MY SPECIAL ONE, a FISHERMAN LIVES HERE WITH THE CATCH OF HIS LIFE!! Well I am back on the ship and want to watch the sailaway when we leave this afternoon.So until tomorrow bye.

9 Junie 2015: Juneau

Vandag met die bus ingery dorp toe want toe ons afklim toe rol die wolke in en gelyk soos reen maar ons toe misgis net mis!Liefie honger toe het ons eers aangegaan by Papa Rods! Local halibut fish and chips.Toe is dit strate toe op soek na n tas vir liefie want sal beslis nie al sy pakkerasie inkry in sy 1 tas nie.Eintlik nie te slegte dag nie,bewolk maar darem geen reen.Plek wemel weer van die toeriste want 3 skepe in die hawe vir die dag.Na n bietjie rondloop is ons weer bib toe maar die wi-fi was maar treurig en net n frustrasie kon glad nie tydskrifte aflaai nie.Toe besluit ons nee stap rustig weer terug skip toe en maak ons eerder tuis onder ons blou kombers en n lekker middag slapie ingekry!Net voor sailaway op na dek 6 en toe agtergekom hulle wag alweer vir passasiers maar niemand gesien nie so neem aan hulle is toe weg sonder hulle,want gangway opgetrek en niemand het aangehardloop gekom van enige kant nie!Nou al so baie, amper laat stories gehoor dat ek nou genees is van te ver wegbeweeg van die skip behalwe as jy op n skip excurtion gaan want dan wag die skip as iets langs die pad gebeur.Dink het al vertel as die crew laat is dan is dit einde van jou werk,so die stories wat ek vertel is waar hulle 5 min voor afsny tyd arriveer  ,is close calls! Dan daag die taxi nie op nie of pad versperrings,nee my hart sal dit nie oorleef nie.Nou ja tot more

10 July 2015: Skagway

Last night we had dinner in the officers mesh and were talking about tegnology and how much has happened since we were kids,the one guy was telling us about his parents  where he is  trying to facetime them  and how they were sitting watching TV and heard the funny sound but thought it was from the TV and how he had to phone on there house line to tell them hey it is actually me trying to talk to you,on the ipad!! And then how they move the ipad around and he starts feeling sick because they are moving it around so much and then he sees the roof and then the floor!!! Sounds like me and had a good laugh.Said ja, lag maar vir ons, you are also going to get there one day.Is really a very nice guy ,is from the UK and his wife is going to join him for a week cruising and gets on the ship in Seward.This is one thing about this type of work and traveling you meet so many people from all over the world,amazing.Skagway is always drill day so will get off as soon as the drill is over and just go and walk around, for the next 2 days we are going to be @ sea and visiting the glaciers before we arrive in Seward on Monday.Well after lunch Leigh Ann and I, she is one of the nurses decided to go on a walking trail,but o my hat,what a climb awaited us!! Gevoel soos tafelberg en nie opgehou nie.You climb and climb,had me huffing and puffing all the way to the top,and worked up a sweat big time! No gym for me, today.Then we got to the lakes between the forest trees and the water crystal clear,mountain streams,beautiful.We decided to go down the mountain on another trail which was also very steep, so it was braking all the way down and Leigh Ann did the splits on loose stones but luckily did not get hurt,might be stiff tomorrow.So glad we did it, always nice to get out but don’t know if I want to go all the way to the top again,tough.The wi-fi  on the ship very slow so will have to wait for Seward by the looks of things.So until tomorrow,bye

11 & 12 Julie 2015 Glacier Bay /Hubbard Glacier

Op die see vir die 2 dae, gister het ons weer die Margery Glacier besoek,lag al so lekker vir liefie want hy se net nee dankie al genoeg glasiers gesien en gaan nie eers op om te kyk nie! Ek het darem weer die mooi uitsig gehad terwyl ek in die gym besig was,maar raak nou lui en net so n halwe poging aangewend! Goeie nuus is dat liefie ons budget uitgewerk het en ek kos hom baie minder as ek by hom is!!! Hy spaar eintlik, so gelukkig is my kajuit bespreek vir die volgende cruise en gaan nie van my ontslae wil raak nie!!! Die middag was regte bed weer en fliek kyk.Vanoggend is ons weer oppad na Hubbard Glacier en die weer nie lekker nie,toegetrek en reenerig maar hulle sal darem alles kan sien,so dis n pluspunt. Alweer wakker geword met skuur geluide teen die ys,omdat ons op dek 3 is klink dit seker erger as wat dit is maar nogtans nie lekker nie, lyk my elke 2 weke se storie,so toe eerder opgestaan en gaan gym.Daarso het ek ook die mooiste uitsig oor die glacier gehad en wraggies 4 cavings gesien,so n lekker going away present was my laaste besoek aan die glacier.Het vir my n mooi borduur lap gekoop toe ek die eerste keer Alaska toe is en het dit gister klaar gemaak so reg vir ons tafel tuis.Gisteraand was weer Gurka aand ,wat die sekuritiet manne wat van Napoli kom maak en ons was weer aand die brand!! ,liefie het geeindig met n glas melk en die ander se jy moet jou toilet rol in die yskas bere,so dit se alles.Was ook wave aand en liefie se beurt so die is 19h00 en 21h00 verhoog toe,sleepstert maar gelukkig maak hulle beurte, so net elke 2 de week.Die ander offisiere moet soms met die passasiers ook aan tafel gaan sit maar gelukkig het hulle department  uit dit gekom agv hulle werk en noodgevalle wat enige tyd opduik. Met tee vamiddag het ek afgekom op die praaitjie waar die passasiers vir die kaptein enige vrae kan vra en dit was heel intressant gewees.Nou ja dis eers al vir nou en more is dit hopelik mooi weer sodat ons die stap roete kan aanpak want ons laaste besoek aan Seward.

13 July 2015: Seward

The Alaska weather is not letting up ,overcast and miserable .Our last day in Seward so decided to go out anyway,so armed with umbrella and ponchos ,off we went.On our way we passed the lagoon and could not believe my eyes Salmon!!!! At last I have seen real, live salmon!!So they are on there way and saw 2 coming up from the huge pipe that feeds the lagoon from the sea.Beautiful and peacefull took some pics so can show you what the lagoon and salmon look like.After that excitement, the heavens opened up and it started raining! So our walk on the Two Lakes Trail was short and sweet! Must admit the sigh with a picture of a bear and no other people in site did leave me a bit nervous,did not feel like running for my life today.So took a few photos and just when we were ready to leave a young lady came past with her 4 over excited dogs, so was sure to chase all living animals away and hopefully any bears! She dropped her cellphone while trying to get her dogs under control, so hubby had to run after her to give it to her.Well after this we decided to visit the library and just wanted to get out of the rain, for our tekkies were sopping wet.There we got stuck for at least 3 hours and did all our business but no view today ,just rain and mist.When there was a break in the weather we made a dash for a warm cupp of coffee and our muffin.Then we hit the road again all along the sea on our way back to the ship in the rain.Passed fishermen that had caught 2 salmon  so they are on the move.The closer we got to the ship the harder the rain came down so was very glad to eventually get back,cold and wet.Then the best of the day was the warm shower and getting under  the blue blanket.At dinner we met the safety officers wife that had just got on a very nice girl that comes from Canada, she brought maple syryp cream cookies for the medical dept on her husbands request, I teesed him and  said it was bribary for he is due for a medical on Wednesday and is petrified of needles!! Back in the room we could not leave the packet unopened so out came the cookies.

14 Julie 2015: @ SEA

Vandag weer op die see vir die dag en is vamiddag so 14h00 weer by die Margery Glacier,dink ek gaan maar weer n draai buite maak aangesien dit my laaste keer is.Eers vanoggend weer gym toe en toe weer ontbyt gaan eet.Die week is daar weer 2100 passasiers en al die kajuite is vol,die ander dr klim af in Ketchikan en dan is dit weer n nuwe en wat kom.Vat so n paar dae om aan mekaar gewoont te raak maar dan gaan mens weer aan.Dis nou een ding van die werk, jy moet kan klaar kom met verskillende mense ,aanpasbaar wees.Moes ook my paspoort weer ingee en solank my bus rit na die lughawe bespreek, so all sorted vir Maandag.So gaan hier weg in die somer en sien die koue wag alweer vir my by die huis,nie dat ek eintlik hierdie somer noem nie maar so se hulle!!

15 July 2015: Icy Strait Pointnt Hoohna Alaska

Today we are back in Icy Strait Point for the last time.So off to shore in the tender boat for a walk about.The weather not great but no rain so am glad about that.Decided to catch hubby when we got there for a picture or two voor hy vastrap en niks wil weet nie but  did not even try to get one of him! Then we were off  to the lovelly wooden building right on the waters edge for our cupp of hot chocolate with cream! Wi Fi terrible so that did not last long.Went for a walk along the beach and then it was time to say goodbye to this beautiful  remote place and  went back to the ship.Just when we were in dreamland en ons lekker slaap toe arriveer ons kamer skoonmaak dame en dit was die einde van ons lekker middag slapie.Tomorrow it is hubbys birthday and  so glad I am here with him even if he is on duty so I will be doing my round on my own tomorrow in Juneau.Bye for now.

16 Julie 2015: Juneau

Wel vanoggend was dit verjaarsdag celebrations vir Liefie,51 jaar oud vandag, ook nou oor die half pad bult!Wakker geword met n gesingery toe liefie by ons kajuit uit is en hom vasloop in sy kollegas,fotos opgeplak en happy birthday  letters opgeplak teen sy deur,so lekker bederf.Ook n heerlike chocolate mouse koek gekry wat vrek lekker was net soet,die moes ek eet met n tongspatel!! N foto van liefie wat geneem is met n games aand is toe gepos op die skip se rekenaars na alle departemente  en so boodskappe van orals gekry,dink die verpleegster wat dit aan die gang gesit het moet maar lig loop,hy gaan haar wil terug kry!Opskrif bokant foto, would you trust this guy with your life!! So was n pretige verjaarsdag en lekker bederf.Ek was uit vir die dag en het my laaste rondtes gaan stap in Juneau maar die weer was maar mislik en koud.Ons het vroeg vertrek uit Juneau so moes teen 12h00 weer terug wees en die middag is ons na Tracy Arm om weer n gletser te bekyk.Dis een van die plekke wat vir my vreeslik mooi is.Aandete was weer n vol tafel met baie stories en lekker lag.Tot die ander offisiere begin nou al terg oor ons klomp wat so lekker kuier om die tafel.Ian en sy vrou was met die helicopter na die gletser en op n rit met die sledge dogs, ook die klein hondjies ontmoet,so hulle het n fantastiese dag gehad,en alles kom vertel.Nou weer oppad Skagway toe, so tot more.

17 Julie 2015: Skagway

Terrible weather,wind howling,cloudy and cold! First a drill exercise and then the two of us have to go suitcase hunting,hope we make it back to the ship without been blown into the sea!! If  not for the suitcase story, I think I would stay on board for the day.So glad we had the chance to do the trail last week.Vandag my mussie gedra in die vreeslike wind anders is hierdie grys krulle die wereld vol,eers is ons rivier toe en net betyds om die white pass stoom trein te sien verby gaan met sy waens vol passasiers.Then it was time to go suitcase hunting and luckily we found one in a hardware shop so then we had to cart this bright red suitcase around, all over town!! Kan julle die prentjie sien liefie en die rooi tas!!!  Wou n foto neem maar geweet hier soek ek nou moeilikheid en teen dit besluit!!!Also had time for a last strawberry icecream before we decided to rather return to the ship with the wind getting worse by the minute.Tomorrow it is Kethcikan and still hoping for the salmon run.Will also be my last blog posting on this Alaska trip.Hubby s itinary has been changed, so no South America for him,next trip will be to Seattle ,2 weeks of Alaska before the ship goes to San Francisco,Los Angeles,Mexico,Guatemala,Costa Rica,Panama Canal,Columbia,Belize,Honduras and Miami.Will also be doing charter trips which means the ship is booked for private people or should I say companies or people with big bucks,or maybe someone famous!!So that could be very exciting who knows what awaits us! I am very excited to see the Panamal Canal and Miami, for Miami is where hubbies new adventure started nearly 3 years ago.Monday I get off and fly from Vancouver to Heathrow then JHB and HOME !!! Very excited and hubby follows a week later.Hope you enjoyed my blog ,enjoyed sharing all our stories with our family and friends,so until next  time, GOD BLESS XXX