Alaska ho!
 

With just over a week to go, I'm getting fired up about my Alaska trip. We are flying up to Fairbanks getting a van and driving down to Denali national park. Staying there a few days to take the bus trip into the park, horseback riding (wonder if they have a gold one...), and some Class IV whitewater rafting.

From there we go down to Anchorage for a day visit to a glacier, followed by a four hour "26 glacier" cruise out of Whittier before we board the big boat (Island Princess) for the trip down the coast to Vancouver, BC with stops for a hike/raft/train trip in Skagway, Whale watching in Juneau, and Halibut fishing in Ketchikan.

How are your plans coming along Wendybeth?

OMG....and here you were, envying US? :eek:

I'd wish you a good time but it's obvious you'll have one whether I wish it for you or not! :cheers:

Envious? Of course! But this trip does help ease the pain a bit ;)

Apparently this is the year for Alaska cruises -- I'm going the week after wendybeth, I think -- same boat.

Although my trip is free to me.

There. That's it. The only boasting I can muster. I'm soaked in jealosy over missing the 50th festivities and this is the best I can do.

You'll have to tell me how the fishing goes, Moonliner. We opted for distinctly more sedate activities.

It sounds like a great trip, Moonliner. We did an inner passage cruise a couple of years ago - our only regret was that we didn't go much deeper into the state. It sounds like you're doing it the right way. Have an amazing time.

Sorry to hear that you and WB are going to just miss each other. As I remember from an earlier thread, WB hits some of the same ports as I do either a day before or a day after. I'm going as part of a larger group (about a dozen) of extended family. All together we are booked on activites from White Water rafting to the town trolly.

Alaska ho? That's not a very nice thing to say about your wife.

I'm very jealous! Alaska is one of the 7 states I've never visited and it is a goal to get there - and soon! Your trip sounds like a perfect combination of all of the many things Alaska has to offer. I find the Glacier cruise and the whale watching to be especially appealing, not to mention Denali!

Tell Alaska Jingles I said hi! ;)

Hey -- If I get down to the port early enough I can say hi to WB as she gets off the boat. :D

We're going as an extended family group, too -- 10 of us. My parents, my brother and his wife, my aunt and uncle, and my cousin and his wife. My grandmother's estate was finally all settled and my dad and aunt agreed to use the remainder (their inheritance) to take us all on one big family outing. As my brother said, it's like winning a game show. Everything's included! Shore excursions, tips, spending money on board -- a week free from responsibilities.

We're not doing group activities, though. We had a hard enough time agreeing on one ship, much less activities!

Pretty much the same story with us (except for the 'free' part). Each sub-group is doing their own excursions but we plan to all meet up for dinner each night to share our days adventures.