We drove down to Seattle and got all set up and on our way.
Our first stop was Ketchikan for kayaking. We got an early start and got to check out a few shops before getting shuttled to the kayak company and get suited up. It wasn't rainy or too cold so we were able to just wear the crazy waterproof pants and our tops. We were really lucky to have amazing weather and see the bald eagles flying around like seagulls, swooping down to catch fish, fighting in the air.
We love kayaking and even though my dad had a hard time waiting for the slower people in our group and not jetting away it was a ton fun.
Our kayak guide brought a fish to throw out on the rock and lure him out of his nest and get another really close look. He eventually cam down from his nest and we did get to see him scoop down to the rocks by us.
We loved getting to be out on the water, kayak around the beautiful bay and enjoy all the wildlife!!
We made it back just in time for the start of the lumberjack show. It was an entertaining little show put on to be funny but the skills they had to do as lumberjacks were pretty impressive. One of the guys was the top log roller and definitely put the other guy he battled, or "rolled against" to shame. I had a fun time even though my mom said it was a little more fun with all my sisters last time because they were flirting excessively with the performers... I'm not surprised.
Our next stop was Juneau where we did some shopping at the cute shops and got a lot of our souveniers. We also hitched a ride on the local bus and got off at a stop about a mile and a half down the road to the Mendenhall Glacier. We walked to the park, and saw a porcupine just on the side of the road in the grass. Crazy!
We walked the little trail path do to the glacier and got to see both Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls. The water was a really pretty blue from the glacier, but the amount of water coming from the falls was pretty crazy, it was lots.
My parents took some really cute pictures.
We tested our luck at seeing bears on the little loop trail they have with a raised walkway to be a little more safe, but no luck.
We took a cab back to avoid the bus and save some time, which we spent looking through a couple more shops and eating delicious kettle corn.
On the way to Skagway the ship went up the Endicott Arms to look at another glacier, the Dawes Glacier. We made sure we got seats for us saved on the back of the boat early for the slow ride up. We got to see tons of seals floating on the pieces of ice in the water that had fallen off the glacier.
Once we got to the glacier the boat started to turn so everyone on board would be able to see no matter which side of the boat they were on. When the boat turned enough that we could feel the wind coming off the glacier we froze!! I cold only be outside for a couple minutes before whimping out and going inside away from the frigid air.
It was really cool to see how massive it was and feel how intensely cold it would be to have such a large chunk of ice around.
We stopped in Skagway next where we were shuttled to the train. The train took us up the mountain pass where we go to see one of the longest waterfalls ever. It was called Bridal Veil Falls, which we learned on the train is actually classification of waterfall not so much an individual name.
It was the first time I had ever ridden on a train. I lived with them driving behind my house for almost 16 years and had been inside rail cars but never actually ridden in one. Way fun. We got off the train at one of the stops to hike up to see another glacier.
The hike was really fun, we saw bear poop and fur on the trail but both were old so I didn't freak out...too much. My mom had to stop every time there was a new flower along the trail so she could take a picture. Luckily for my mom there were lot of flowers and beautiful scenery.
We made it to the glacier and I almost didn't realize we did because it was brown from being covered in dirt. There was a small stream of water coming off the glacier that my mom and I felt with our hands.
The boys were more...brave/dumb? They put their heads under the glacier water. After a few attempts to get the camera working my dad had some water come up over his face and said it froze his eyes it was so cold.
After that we started hiking on the glacier, with all the creaking, and paranoid mom thoughts in my mind I decided I didn't need to hike all the way across the glacier to see the white part that was closer to the mountain. My mom thought the same thing and we hiked back down and had a snack while we waited for the boys. When they got back they said it was really cool and found some pretty cool crevasses which they dropped rocks down but couldn't hear where it ended.
We made great time on our hike and had lots of time to get back before our train, so we stopped a few times along the way to lie down and relax, throw rocks, eat a snack and just enjoy our time on the river which was an interesting color from all the silt in it.
We had to race back to the boat because of course our train was late, we had to have a customs agent come through and inspect every car and check ID, and we were in the last car. Man it was crazy. Luckily, we made it back in time and they didn't leave us in Skagway.
Our last stop was Victoria, British Columbia. We did a ropes course. When we first arrived we thought it was a place for little kids from the ropes we saw, but we shortly found out that what we saw was the little kid and training area. What we did was not for children, and was so much fun! There were different platforms that got progressively higher and sort of eased you into how high we ended up being. There were different rope nets, zip lines, ladders, logs, and swings that we climbed, rode on, and in most cases just desperately clung to.
At the end there was a a 40ft jump off a platform, it was really hard for me to get the courage to actually jump off of my own free will and I was so relieved I didn't die that I forgot I was still heading toward the ground. Even though it catches and starts to slow you down I forgot to put my feet down so I landed on my butt, lying on the ground. It was so much fun I would definitely do one again!
We didn't have any other plans in Victoria so we shopped a little then stopped off and got Canadian Slurpees, Tim Horton donuts, and walked along the water back to the ship seeing some of the gardens, and historic buildings downtown.
On the boat we had a good time, going to different shows, playing games, participating in trivia and of course eating.
My favorite was probably the pot stickers in the Chinese restaurant we went to, and the ribs, mozarella sticks and wings from the Irish pub, and the chocolate chip gelato from the more formal dining room.
The hypotist was great. The shows were amazing I can't explain or write out exactly everything that happened but since this is for me to document I just want to remember some things: 'I'm Batman", body building competition, alien handshake, expert sandcastle builder, poo poo, honking horn-pinching bums-and the laughing lady.
We had a great time with my parents, playing shuffleboard and other card games, we also played dutch blitz, which was eventful as always.
It was so much fun to get to spend more one-on-one time with them on vacation. We will never forget the amazing adventure we had!! Thanks again Melissa and Lindsay for watching our kids; and thanks Mom and Dad for the memories...we love you!
