Yesterday’s visit to Juneau, Alaska…Skagway today…No tours for us…..

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Me, sitting in a bear-shaped chair wearing the hat, gloves, and scarf I’d purchased on-board using some of our $500 cabin credit. (Thank goodness, that’s not our wheelchair).
Note: We’re finalizing the headcount for the “Meet & Greet” for our readers in Minneapolis on June 9th from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at:
Grizzlys Wood Fired Grill at this location in Plymouth, Minnesota:
220 Carlson Pkwy N, Plymouth, MN 55447Please RSVP if you plan to attend and haven’t already done so.  Hope to see you then!

After visiting these ports of call during this Alaskan cruise, we’re convinced we’d like to return to Alaska somewhere down the road (when we finally decide to travel the US and Canada) to stay for a summer.

 
This tram takes tourists up to another shopping area.

A few years ago, we tried finding a vacation home in Alaska and gave up when prices were through the roof for even the smallest cabin. Unfortunately, it appears the best way to rent a summer home would be with another couple or two, sharing in higher costs.

Popular crab restaurant,

For now, with our budgetary restrictions as a result of the upcoming expensive Antarctica cruise in eight months, we’re making the best of each port of call by getting off the ship and wandering through the towns packed with cruise passengers from several ships.

There were many the same shops we’d seen in the past ports of call in Alaska.

Most of the shops consist of various popular gems and stones typically mined in Alaska and a wide array of tourist-type artifacts and products, none of which has any appeal for us when we don’t have a home in which to put such items on display.

The road wasn’t busy, nor were the sidewalks with many cruise passengers out on various tours.

Had we visited these towns in our old lives, many items would have been suitable for our former lodge-like home on a lake in Minnesota.  Natural products, many, including stone, wood, or a nature-driven theme, would have been suitable and difficult to resist.

A large stuffed eagle.

Jewelry has no appeal to me at this point in my life. With the likelihood of our bags being lost or stolen somewhere along the line, accumulating pricey jewelry makes no sense at all. The few costume jewelry items I wear to dinner on cruises can easily be replaced in a Target store for under $15 each, at most.

Carissa couldn’t have been more enthused to hear about our alpaca experience in New Zealand last year.

The day-to-day earrings I wear, mostly nickel-free or non-irritating, are also easily replaced in a cheap jewelry store. I don’t need or want precious or semi-precious gems to add clutter to my otherwise simple zip lock bag of items that I’d hardly miss if stolen.

Yesterday, late morning, we disembarked the ship for a $5 per person bus shuttle into the town of Juneau, the capital of Alaska, with a population of around 34,000 as follows from the web:

I fell in love with these brown alpaca-trimmed boots.  But, they weren’t a practical addition to my five pairs of shoes.

“Juneau, Alaska’s remote capital, sits in the state’s panhandle, at the base of 3,819-ft. Mount Roberts. It’s a popular cruise-ship stop, reachable only by boat or seaplane. A tram carries visitors 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts to an alpine area with hiking trails, wildflowers, and views of Gastineau Channel. This is also the site of the Juneau Raptor Center, dedicated to local birds.”

This soft stuffed alpaca certainly attracted shoppers into the shop.

We weren’t disappointed we hadn’t booked a tour when it rained all afternoon, and the weather was almost cold enough to snow. The surrounding snow-capped mountains were pretty to see, but unfortunately, this town, like others along our route were geared toward shopping.

The store also contained a variety of sheepskin and wool products.

As we wandered through the town, we stumbled upon an alpaca products store and were approached by a charming young woman from Los Angeles who comes to Juneau to work in the store each summer. We chatted with her and were enchanted by her enthusiastic demeanor. 

Fluffy wool and alpaca toys.

We couldn’t resist telling Carissa, who obviously had a great adoration for alpacas, that we’d lived on the alpaca farm in New Zealand for three months, from January 19, 2016, to April 15, 2016. She squealed with delight when we shared our story of living among the exquisite animals. 

Warm sweater coats for those in cold climates.

She gushed with enthusiasm over the prospect of reading about our adventures in New Zealand and throughout the world. Of course, we handed her a card and promised to post her photo and information on the quaint shop, which is:

Simply Natural
406 S. Franklin Street, Suite C
Juneau, Alaska
907-586-1224
302-276-1317

The company has a beautiful website at https://simplynaturalalpaca.com/
If you ever head to Juneau, this enticing store has nothing short of breathtaking alpaca products. It’s well worth a visit. We didn’t make a purchase when cold weather clothing isn’t needed for our upcoming travels. 

The Celebrity Cruise Line “X” atop our awaiting ship, the Solstice.

When we sail to Antarctica, we’ll be renting full sets of warm clothing for getting off the ship to board the Zodiac boats heading out to the ice floes and glaciers for up close and personal experiences with wildlife. But, until then and well after, we’ll be living in hot climates.

In each port of call, we’ve noticed several fur shops.

After that serendipitous experience with Carissa, we continued on the main road walking for some time, taking many photos we’re sharing here today. No doubt, we got wet in the rain and heavy humidity, but we were refreshed after the brisk cold walk and happy we’d ventured out.

Candies on display for sale in a local chocolate shop.

Today, we’re docked in Skagway and will do the same, wander off the ship on our own to check out the town, take more photos and see what interesting morsels enter into our realm along the way.

Cute, decorative clocks in a local products shop.

As always, we’re having a great time, although slightly preoccupied over the upcoming visits to see family and friends in Minnesota and Nevada. We can hardly believe we’ll be in Minnesota in a mere five days.

This train clock made us smile. Had it not been for Tom’s 42.5 years on the railroad, our world travel may not have been possible.

Be well. Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, May 21, 2016:

This photo was taken at 4:00 pm of the cloud reflection in our pool in the villa in Bali. For more photos, please click here.

A stunning day in Ketchikan…Sunny and warm…Lots of photos to share…Juneau today with photos upccoming…

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The Ketchikan sign over the boulevard.

For our readers in Minnesota: We are planning our “Meet & Greet” on Friday, June 9th, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at:

Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill at this location in Plymouth, Minnesota
Address: 220 Carlson Pkwy N, Plymouth, MN 55447

Please RSVP by email (our email addresses are on our homepage under the photo of us in Petra, Jordan) if you haven’t done so already. We are looking forward to seeing you then!

I must admit I’m a bit preoccupied about arriving in Minnesota next Friday and then in Nevada on July 7th to see our loved ones. In a way, it has impacted my embracing this Alaskan cruise as much it may have at another time.

Almost every cruise passenger was carrying stuffed shopping bags.

That’s not to say that we aren’t awe-stricken by the beauty of this magical place, nor has it prevented us from getting off the ship at each port of call. The historic towns, all are possessing a “wild west” type persona of a century ago, are only hampered by the massive numbers of cruise passengers bombarding the area.

A little bit of snow atop a mountain near the town.

Yesterday, I told Tom how much I’d enjoy “living” in Alaska during the summer months away from the crowds and commotion. It truly is breathtaking, and no doubt living in more remote locations would provide that “small town” feel we both love so much.

At times, we forgot we were on US soil once again.

But, cruise ship’s visits to ports of call are all about the shopping, restaurants, and tours offered through the ship, many of which are often overrated and overpriced.

A famous crab and seafood restaurant.

Yesterday, as we roamed through Ketchikan, struggling to maneuver through the crowds, we were easily reminded of why we always prefer more remote locations as a result of six cruise ships in port.

The streets were lined with shops offering a wide array of local and imported trinkets.

The excellent part about cruising is the opportunity to have at least seen some of these popular ports of call, which in the long run enhances our experiences as we continue to peruse the world for its wonders.

This popcorn store attracted lots of attention and purchases.

A few tours offered through the ship were somewhat appealing, especially the dog sled ride after a plane ride to a remote glacier. But at over US $600 per person, it didn’t fit into our budget at this time. 

Totem poles are popular tourist purchases.

We must remain determined and diligent in “tightening our belts” with the pricey Antarctica cruise upcoming in eight months. After that, it all becomes a matter of picking and choosing what ultimately is most important to us. 

Large totem pole outside a shop.

We’ve had no delusions about the sacrifices we’d have to make in leaving the US long ago to travel the world and the subsequent sacrifices we’d be faced with in our day-to-day lives.

This salmon shop carried a wide array of products that may be shipped.

As we share our story with cruise passengers, when often asked dozens of questions about how we can do this, we’re reminded of how much we’d had to leave behind in our old lives.

Diamonds and jewelry are some of the top purchases of tourists.

My current wardrobe is sparse and worn;  I’m stretching the use of cosmetics items until there isn’t one more application I can squeeze out of them; I’m wearing the cruise’s flimsy bathrobe with such pleasure as if it were spun with gold and cashmere. We take nothing for granted how we’ve changed.

Large handcrafted chess set.

My shoes desperately need to be replaced, as does Tom’s. But, unfortunately, he’s still wearing the pair of Adidas knock-offs he purchased in Hanoi last summer for $13. Amazingly, they’re still wearable for a little longer. 

Ornate, smaller handcrafted chess set.

It’s not so much that we’re “tightwads” but more because we don’t necessarily have access to replenish the supply of the items we find we need in our travels. 

Milano Diamond Gallery.

Indeed, time in the US will provide us with an opportunity to replace some vital items, tossing out the old and replacing them with the new and better.

A giant stuffed bear in a souvenir shop.

And yet, through it all, we never fail to keep our eyes peeled for the sighting of a whale, a playful dolphin, or an eagle soaring the skies in Alaska. Then, of course, there are the people of Alaska that we observe through the lens of a cruise passenger’s lens, hoping for that special moment that brings us together, a commonality of interests as humans, that proves essentially we all want the same things in life.

The boardwalk on the way back to the awaiting tenders returning passengers to the ship. It was a gorgeous sunny day.

It’s not always about a sense of adventure or exploration and wonder. Instead, it’s the little things that imprint upon our souls, making memories we’ll never leave behind in one vacation home after another, one cruise ship after another. 

Popular tourist “Duck” transportation.

Be well!

Photo from one year ago today, May 20, 2016:

In Bali, the young white horse and the boy return for a swim in the river. For more details, please click here.

Ketchikan, Alaska…People we meet…Ketchikan photos tomorrow…Land of the midnight sun…

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Tom took all of these sunset photos last night at 9:30 pm as we made our way to Ketchikan, Alaska.

Each time we arrive in a new port of call, we deliberate over getting off the ship early and deal with the long lines and considerable waiting time to get ashore or hold back for a while after the crowds thin.

With our motto of “Wafting Through Our WorldWide Travels with Ease, Joy and Simplicity, waiting always seems to make more sense. In most cases, we complete and upload the day’s post before we disembark the ship, posting the photos the following day.

On some other occasions, we may wait to post until later in the day after the visit to the port of call, including the new photos later in the day. Over the next several days, we’ve decided to hold back until around 10:00 am while attempting to upload a post before we go. That doesn’t always work when many days it takes into the afternoon to complete the day’s post.

Tom took all of these sunset photos from Deck 5.

There are five massive cruise ships in the port right now, and Ketchikan will be mobbed with thousands of passengers doing the “shop until you drop” thing we try to avoid when visiting ports.

Even in these short years of sailing, now on our 19th cruise, we’ve noticed an evolution from quaint ports of call to massive, hopping shopping areas. Many passengers bring along an empty suitcase to accommodate their purchases. That’s just not us.

Many passengers choose specific ports of call for the shopping more than any other reason. I suppose, in our old lives, I, too, may have been enticed to shop. But I no longer feel the desire or motivation to spend hours perusing shops for trinkets and pricey gems. But, of course, Tom concurs. 

From the web: “Nearly one-third of Alaska lies above the Arctic Circle, but Alaskans are fairly informal about claiming they live with the midnight sun. All parts of the state enjoy long daylight hours in summer, even Ketchikan, the state’s southernmost population center, where there are more than 17 hours of daylight on June days.”

Nor do we enjoy fighting the crowds everywhere we may go as we walk through a port we’ve never visited in the past. Our goal is simple…see the quaint features beyond the shopping and take as many interesting photos as possible.

Regardless, we still love cruising, mainly for the easy days and nights and the social interaction. But, we both must admit, we’re missing the outrageously friendly and fun Aussies and Kiwis who sure know how to have a good time and include us into their playful world.

There are few Aussies and Kiwis on this ship, although we’ve yet to get a count of the actual numbers. So far, we’ve heard only a few Aussie accents, one this morning at Cafe al Bacio and another at breakfast yesterday. 

The waning sun creates an impressive beam of light of the sea.

No doubt, we were spoiled after almost two years in the South Pacific. We never entered an elevator or sat at a shared dining table when the conversation wasn’t lively, inclusive, and filled with loud laughter.  We kind of miss that now.

Thus far, we’ve dined at a few dining tables in the past few days that have been very enjoyable but not quite the same as the past seven cruises starting or ending in Sydney, Australia.

I don’t mean to stereotype people from certain countries. But, as we’ve traveled and lived in many countries, it’s easy to spot cultural behavior as to a degree of openness, friendliness, and ability to laugh and cajole. 

The sun begins to fade away behind this bank of ominous-looking clouds.

After spending long periods in many countries, this becomes clear during our first few weeks as temporary residents.  In some countries, we can immediately develop close relationships, many of which become lifelong friends.

It’s no coincidence we’re excited to get back to South Africa, not only for the wildlife but also for the many friends we made during our three-month stay, more than in any other country thus far, all of whom we’ve stayed in touch via Facebook and email.

The quality of this nomadic lifestyle is enhanced by building friendships. We’re so grateful and humbled for the friends we made along the way, looking forward to more in the future.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today. May 19, 2016:

Giant statue located in Negara, Bali, near the main highway. For more details, please click here.

We’re sailing in Alaska’s Inside Passage on our way to Ketchikan!…Long wait at Canada Place, port of Vancouver…

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It’s not as cold outside on the decks as one might think. So we wandered outdoors without jackets, and it was cool but not intolerable. 

We stuck with our plan to leave for Canada Place, the port in Vancouver, at 2:00 pm. However, the drive through traffic and the short line of taxis made us hopeful we’d made the correct decision to wait until later in the day instead of an early morning port arrival.

Overall, our instincts to arrive later than the allowed 11:00 am attempts to board were correct but not by much. Most likely, we avoided only about 30 minutes of waiting time to get onto the ship.

Dark, cloudy, and foggy through the Inside Passage today, photo ops are limited. But, as we move along on this journey, more will transpire.

Never, in all of our past 19 cruises in these past 55 months, have we waited in such huge lines with so many people. Luckily, we are “Elite” members, which allowed us to wait in shorter lines for cruise check-in and immigration. 

Had we not been members with Captain’s Club perks, our wait could easily have been a four-hour wait instead of our two-and-a-half-hour wait. Instead, in many cases, we scurried along into much shorter queues along with many others with similar designations. 

Logs along the shore.

It pays to sail with one cruise line (the same parent company owns celebrity and Royal Caribbean, and perks are interchangeable). By 4:45 pm, we were seated in the main dining room for the muster drill along with other Captain’s Club members while many others stood outdoors for their muster drill. We were grateful to be indoors when it was very cool in Vancouver.

Our luggage arrived in our cabin before dinner, but there wasn’t ample time to unpack everything, especially when we had piles of dirty clothes we needed to sort to have it laundered, a task we never handled in Vancouver.

We’re not expecting to see a lot of wildlife on this cruise since it’s early in the season. However, if we have a little “safari luck,” we’ll be thrilled.

As Captain’s Club Elite members, we’re entitled to two free bags of laundry to include up to 20 items. Upon returning to our cabin after the 9:00 pm movie (“Fences,” worth watching), we completed the unpacking, leaving a huge pile of dirty clothes.

This morning we neatly folded the dirty laundry into the paper bag and completed the “laundry list” to be submitted with the order. There was no problem coming up with 20 items.  Our cabin steward assured us we’d have it all back by tomorrow since few, if any, other passengers had requested laundry service on this first day at sea.

Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas, the ship we sailed for 33 nights that circumvented the entire Australian continent, ending on December 3, 2016. 

Dinner in the Grand Epernay was perfect. First, I met Evan, who’ll oversee my special diet, which seems quite attentive and concerned for accuracy in presenting my meals.

This morning we had a light breakfast of poached eggs and a little bacon. We love interacting with other passengers at mealtime and will try to eat three times a day on this cruise.  I seem to feel better when I eat three small meals rather than one or two large meals a day.

Low-lying clouds drift through the hills and mountains.

Now, we’re situated in the Cafe al Bacio on deck five in the same seats as on the past three Celebrity Solstice cruises. We can’t believe how many staff members aboard this ship remember us! How is that possible? They are so friendly and warm. 

The free drink policy for Elite members isn’t as comprehensive as on Royal Caribbean. For example, the Captain’s Club happy hour is only from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the Sky Lounge, whereby on the last RC cruise, members could drink for free from 5:00 to 8:30 pm. Also, three drinks each were allowed from any bar during this time frame.

So far, the scenery through the Inside Passage consists of mountains and forests. 

Guess we’ll stay put in the Sky Lounge for those two hours each evening while Tom enjoys his favorite cocktail, Cognac and Sprite Zero on the rocks. I’m still not drinking wine and honestly don’t miss it. Well, maybe a little.  Those glasses of Cabernet and Merlot do cause my heart to flutter a bit. So it goes.

We’re content and looking forward to checking out the various ports of call in Alaska on our own time as we see fit. Unfortunately, with some big expenses on the horizon, we’ve had to avoid any of the ship’s expensive tours. 

The budget always supersedes our desires if we intend to do some of the more special locations (i.e., Antarctica and Africa) and continue indefinitely. However, there’s no doubt that certain sacrifices are necessary to continue this nomadic life. 

In our travels, we regret nothing, nor have we missed anything that was ultimately important to us. So may your day, your life, be free of regrets.

Photo from one year ago today, May 18, 2016:

In Bali, note the hat on the woman in red, known as a sedge hat, rice hat, paddy hat, bamboo hat, or Raiden hat, is carrying more rice from the fields while the guy in blue talks on his phone. For more details about rice paddies, please click here.

Boarding Celebrity Solstice today…Boarding issues…Waiting until the last minute never pays for us…Final expenses for two nights at hotel…

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  I ordered this Cobb salad during the two nights at the Showcase Restaurant located in the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel.

Yesterday, we received an email from Vacations to Go to inform all of their cruiser passengers regarding today’s boarding on Celebrity Solstice’s Alaskan cruise as to the following:

“We are writing to provide you with necessary information regarding the Celebrity Solstice out of Vancouver, Canada, on May 17, 2017.

Celebrity Solstice will be docked at Canada Place along with two other vessels.

Due to the increased number of guests from all three ships, port officials estimate the disembarkation process will take longer than usual.

Check-in for your cruise will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the cruise terminal. To facilitate the check-in process, we kindly ask that you complete online check-in at www.celebritycruises.com/onlinecheckin if you have not done so already. Since there are three cruise ships at Canada Place on May 17th, all guests will need to meet at the Convention Centre Hall C (over Canada Place), where they will be organized into small groups before proceeding to the cruise terminal. Once at the terminal, guests will proceed through security and then through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before boarding the ship. Please note that guests from all three ships will be processed through a single security and CBP area. As a result, guests may experience delays.”

On this morning’s Vancouver news, warnings stated to expect over 13,000 passengers at Canada Place (the port) with long delays. Subsequently, we’ve decided not to head to the pier until after 2:00 pm. By then, half of the crowd, which are the disembarking passengers, will have been processed out of the terminal.

Tom also enjoyed his turkey sandwich with bacon and chips two nights in a row.

Now, as I sit in the hotel restaurant with my cup of hot peppermint tea, I see dozens of passengers being instructed to head to the pier at 10:45 am. We imagine most passengers will decide to go earlier rather than later. 

We’re comfortable having decided on the later boarding. Check-in ends at 4 pm and the ship sails at 5:00 pm.

The pier is walking distance, but we’ll have to take a taxi on the road leading to the pier is all downhill. I can only imagine how that would go with our heavy bags!

During the last boarding process in Vancouver on September 23, 2014, we were waiting, standing, sitting, standing and sitting for over three hours while we were herded like cattle from one check-in area to another.  We’ll never forget that day.  

This morning’s cloudy view of the street below.

Today, with three ships in the port at once, it will most likely be as chaotic as it was in 2014, if not more.  However, we’ll have our phones fully charged with books to read and games to play that will help pass the time.  Knowing what to expect helps keep the frustration at bay. 

We remind ourselves that such processes “go with the territory.” Who are we to complain? We’re forever grateful for our lifestyle and a few inconveniences along the way are to be expected and, tolerated with grace and dignity.

Over the past two days in the hotel in Vancouver, with a better Wi-Fi signal, we knew it was time to get some things done that we hadn’t been able to accomplish on the last 24-night cruise with the poor signal.

It never pays for us to wait until the last minute. The deals are seldom better, the options and selections become sparse and we find ourselves scurrying and somewhat stressed in booking that which we waited to do for whatever reasons.

Two situations occurred in the past 24 hours; one, renting a car for Minneapolis; two, checking in online for today’s cruise to Alaska., both of which we’d hope to complete on the past cruise. Unfortunately, the poor signal prevented us from achieving these two tasks.

Yesterday, while attempting to finalize the car rental transaction the hotel’s Wi-Fi wasn’t working well with many guests online in the morning.  We had a heck of a time booking a car at a decent price for the six weeks in Minneapolis. Prices were high and availability limited. When we hit “submit” to complete our order, nothing happened. I kept trying.

As it turned out, we received three email confirmations for three cars! Luckily, a credit card number wasn’t required to book the vehicles, although we’d have been able to cancel two of the transaction which we did promptly. 

Vancouver is comparable to many cities with lots of skyscrapers and business centers but is impeccably clean and friendly.

We’re were left with one confirmation for one car, a Ford Explorer SUV, which will be ideal during the six weeks.  Tom had been an Explorer fan having purchased a new version in fall of 1998. So he was thrilled to try a new model. 

Next, we were unable to do the online cruise check-in.  We missed the window of time required to check-in online which we’ll have to do once we get to check-in processing desk at the terminal. We called Celebrity to confirm it was OK for us to do it, which they confirmed. 

Tom had tried checking in while on the last cruise (ending two days ago) but it was impossible due to the ship’s poor signal.  We had no other option other than to try once we checked in to the hotel.  Alas, we were unable to do the online check-in. No worries. It will all work out.

Sorry, we don’t have many photos today. With the cold rainy weather after walking almost five miles on Monday, we were both needing a quiet restful day indoors.

Here are the final expenses for the hotel, drive from Seattle, shopping, and meals for our two nights in Vancouver:

 Expense   US Dollar 
 Hotel – 2-nights   $                     317.86
 Driver – Seattle to Vanc.                          792.00
 Airfare    $                          –
 Taxi to Pier    $                        20.00
 Pharmacy (probiotics)   $                     310.42
 Meals in Hotel (incl. tips)   $                     105.92
 Additional tips   $                        20.00
 Total   $                  1,566.20
 Avg Daily Cost    $                     778.10
These costs were higher than we’d hoped but we chose the “easy” type of transportation from Seattle to Vancouver with the private shuttle. With our three checked bags and two carry-on bags, it wouldn’t have worked to find other passengers to share the vehicle.
That’s it for today folks,  In a few hours we’ll be on our way by taxi to the pier, Canada Place, with the hope our later arrival will serve us well. We’ll be back tomorrow to report if our assessment of the situation was correct.
Back at you soon on our way to Alaska. If at any time you don’t you don’t see a new post come through on any of the nine days on the ship, please know that it’s entirely due to a poor signal.  We’ll be taking plenty of photos that we’ll be anxious to share as soon as possible.

Photo from one year ago today, May 17, 2016:

This is the exterior of the photo shop in Bali where we each had visa photos taken for a nominal price for our visa extensions. For more photos, please click here.

Memorable dinner with a loyal reader in Vancouver…

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Tom and I with our friend Sheila, a Vancouver reader and resident.

Several weeks ago, we received an email from a loyal reader and Vancouver resident, Sheila, who’d found us long ago due to Tom’s frequent posts on Cruisecritic.com. On many occasions, including the 24-night cruise we just completed, we’ve met many members/passengers who’ve seen Tom’s posts.

We invited Sheila to join us for dinner at our hotel in Vancouver, the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown. She was able to arrive at the Showcase Restaurant by 6:15, arriving by public transportation from work.

We became fast friends with Sheila and hoped to see her again someday.

Seeing her warm, friendly smile and hearty welcome warmed our hearts. Seated at a comfortable booth in the pleasant surroundings was conducive to our spending almost three hours engaged in animated travel chatter.

Sheila, an experienced cruiser/traveler, was rife with her own experiences we found varied and exciting. We giggled when she explained she felt she’d known us for a very long time, having read almost all of our posts over these past years.

This bed and bedding were outrageously comfortable. For the first time in weeks, we had a good night’s sleep.

Over these five years of posting, I’d hadn’t given much thought to how readers may come to know us from reading our posts; our quirks, our views, our foibles, along with the nuances of our nomadic lifestyle. 

She reveled in our openness and vulnerability in sharing such finite details of our daily lives. Still, She insisted she’s much more private about her personal life and would never be able to “spill the beans” as we do daily.  Although, Sheila didn’t hesitate to express how she enjoys our revealing candor.

Functional and comfortable lounge area in our hotel room.

It interested us to hear this perspective, and we paused for a moment that perhaps we may “overshare” at times. But, as we’ve watched our worldwide readership grow, we’ve come to realize that part of which may most appeal to readers throughout the world is that very vulnerability. 

We’re all human and seldom have an original thought, expression, or emotional response. For the same reason, many can’t stop watching reality TV (which is often scripted in parts); they may be curious to follow our posts.  The difference, though, is that nothing  about our lives is “scripted.”

View from our hotel room at the Marriott Pinnacle Downtown.

Every day, we tell it like it is; no exaggerations, no embellishments, and no fluff. As lived by these two senior citizens traveling the world, it’s simply real life because we can because we love it…a story told in a world of words and photos.

By 9:30 pm, we’d taken today’s photos, said goodbye to Sheila with hearty hugs and promises that, if and when we ever return to Vancouver, we’ll surely get together again. It was a memorable evening. Dinner wasn’t too bad either!

Thank you, Sheila, for taking the time and effort to come to see us, to share your thoughts, your vast travel stories, your warm demeanor, and your kindness. You’ll always hold a special place in our hearts.

May all of our readers find themselves in the company of someone as delightful as Sheila!

Photo from one year ago today, May 16, 2016:

This appeared to be a Balinese boat, called Madurai, one of many designs that we spotted in the fishing harbor in Negara, which is quite a sight to see. For more beautifully decorated boats in the harbor, please click here.

Late posting from Vancouver, British Columbia…Travel day behind us…

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Tom’s photo of this unreal scene of sailboats in Seattle.  Wow!

It’s 5:30 pm Monday. After dropping off our bags after the three-hour drive from Seattle to Vancouver, we took off on foot in the rain in the same manner typical for Vancouver residents, hoofing it to the next location.

We were searching for a pharmacy and a vitamin store to replenish my fast-dwindling supply of probiotics and supplements, now that I’m totally committed to treating my condition with a more natural approach as opposed to traditional medicine.

Ships in the harbor in Seattle.

Getting off the ship to meet the 9:00 am SUV driver at pickup location #2 at the Port of Seattle was relatively seamless. Our disembarking #4 allowed us easy and quick access to the baggage area, where we quickly found our awaiting checked bags.

Since we weren’t flying, we’d actually filled the yellow Costco bag with our recently washed and folded laundry we’d had done on the ship. With a plan to do more laundry in Vancouver, we’d be in good shape clothes-wise for the upcoming Alaskan cruise, which boards in less than 48 hours.

Last photo of RC Explorer of the Seas on which we had an exceptional cruise.

In Vancouver, there are several hotels with the word “Pinnacle” in their name. Due to my error when ordering the driver, I’d accidentally selected the wrong “Pinnacle,” and our driver ended up delivering us to a hotel we’d hadn’t booked.

With the help of a staff member at the wrong Pinnacle, we were given a map with directions to the 20-minutes-away correct Marriot Pinnacle Downtown. Apparently, they’d encountered this situation in the past.

Lopsided photo of the Seattle Space Needle from the SUV as we maneuvered through traffic on Monday morning.

By 1:00 pm, we reached our hotel, checked in after being given two upgrades, including a large corner junior suite and free WiFi in the room that usually requires a US $7.95 a night charge. We couldn’t have been more thrilled.

We’d booked the two nights using “free” credits we’d accumulated on the Hotels.com link on our site. The only out-of-pocket expense we’d bear for the hotel would be meals and tips.

Tom managed this better shot of the Seattle Space Needle when there was an opening between skyscrapers.

Tom moaned a little when he had to reach into his wallet for US cash to pay the bellman for delivering our bags to the room. After almost two years in and out of Australia, where tips aren’t tendered or expected when employees are paid a “livable wage,” it wasn’t easy for him to accept the huge tips paid for services in North America.

As per the agreement for the driver that delivered us from Seattle to Vancouver, a 20% tip was added to the bill. At the cost of US, $550 for the three-hour ride, another $110 was tacked on. George was an excellent driver, and we could hardly flinch over the excess fee.

Zooming along the freeway in Seattle.

After speaking with the concierge, we concluded that doing our laundry at a laundromat in Vancouver would not be an option. The only such facility would have resulted in close to $100 in taxi fares for the distant location.

We investigated the cost of having the laundry done at the hotel, but that is $8.50 per shirt, more than what we paid for shirts I purchased at the Gap Outlet store in Lahaina, Maui. 

Cloudy and rainy with fog rolling in.

We decided to do our laundry in Vancouver and wait to have it done on the upcoming cruise. As Captain’s Club Elite members on Celebrity, we’re each allowed one 20 item bag of laundry at no cost. That works for us. 

Most likely, we’ll be bringing dirty laundry to Minnesota to wash in the laundry facilities located in our hotel. The availability of laundry facilities will be a big plus for us during the six-week stay.

Fluffy clouds rolling through the hills and forests in Seattle.

After we were situated in our hotel room and deciding not to unpack other than clothes for the next two days, we took off for the pharmacy and supplement stores, each of which we huge distances apart.

Preferring not to spend more money for transportation after sitting so long in the SUV, an umbrella and a very long walk was in order. My Fitbit easily surpassed 10,000 steps today. 

Desperately needing new shoes offering some support (which I’ll purchase in the US soon), the walking uphill in the rain for a few hours wasn’t particularly enjoyable. I hadn’t even brought the camera along, figuring I needed my hands to be free to hold the umbrella in the fierce winds and rain.

Overhead signs at the border crossing from the US into Canada. The border agent checked our passports, asking us numerous questions, and finally, let us be on our way.

The last time we were in Vancouver was in September 2014 for six nights; it rained each day except for one.  Nothing has changed since that visit. The beautiful city is shrouded in clouds and rain for most of the year. It’s nice to see all the locals out and about embracing their weather conditions, but for the long haul, it’s not for us.

Tonight at 6:00 pm, our reader Sheila will meet us at the hotel for a visit. It will be fun to meet her, and I appreciate her efforts in coming downtown to meet us. Within an hour, Sheila arrives to meet us.  


I need to get the show on the road and freshen up for the evening after being seriously soaked in the rain. We’re meeting Sheila in the highly-rated bar/restaurant located in the hotel lobby, where we’ll chat and have dinner together.

Have a lovely evening, and we’ll be back at our usual time tomorrow!


Photo from one year ago today, May 15, 2016:

Rambut Siwi Hindu Temple (Pura Rambut Siwi) in Negara, the largest of three traditional temples located in each town in Indonesia. For more details, please click here.

Cruise final expenses including shopping at port and extras…Finalizing details…Favorite photos…

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Mystery Island scene.

Rather than wait until we disembark the ship tomorrow, I decided to post the final expenses and favorite photos today. 

Tomorrow, when we disembark by 8:30 am with a 9:00 am shuttle pickup at the Port of Seattle, we’ll have time to post until after we arrive in Vancouver later in the day.

The sun was shining on the sea.

Once we’re settled in our hotel, we’ll prepare and upload a post with scenic photos of the three-plus-hour drive from Seattle to Vancouver, which we expect will be stunning. Neither of us has ever driven this route by car. It should be interesting.

At 11:30 am now with another time change occurring at noon, we decided to pack earlier than usual and get it all behind us. Tonight, the staff will collect all of our checked bags, leaving the newer duffel bag and computer backpack behind for us to keep in our possession during the disembarking process.

Mystery Island, Vanuatu beach.

Once we’re off the ship, we’ll find the remainder of our luggage in the cruise terminal and make our way to the pickup area, where an SUV driver will be waiting for us for the US $550 AU 744.95 drive over the US border into Canada.

We hedged at this high cost for transportation but after careful consideration decided this was the least stressful means of travel. We always keep in mind that keeping stress at a minimum has always been our goal and our motto.

A reminder of cannibalism in the South Pacific.

It always falls upon the fact that we can only control what “we know” in our world travels, not which “we don’t know,” which would include unforeseen circumstances over which we do not influence our diligent planning.

Sometimes, that includes paying a little more, planning ahead and leaving ourselves free and unencumbered to relish in our surroundings and experiences along the way.

Situated in the Diamond Club lounge for the last morning of this 24-night cruise, we can relax knowing everything is in place: we’re fully packed with clothing left out for tonight and tomorrow. 

King Neptune poolside celebration after crossing the Equator.

We’ve calculated our total expenses for the cruise, as shown below entering the figures into our main spreadsheet; we’ve reviewed our cruise bill for accuracy, handling any necessary adjustments; we’ve paid cash tips to our fabulous restaurant manager Belic who oversaw meticulous handling of my special meals and, over-the-top cabin steward Mira, the best we’ve ever experienced after 18 cruises.

Here are the final expenses for this 24-night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas from Sydney to Seattle:

 Expense   US Dollar   Australian Dollar 
 Cruise Fare – 24 nights   $              5,955.26  $                    8,068.18
 Cabin credit   $                (280.00)  $                        379.28
 Airfare    $                                 $                                     
 Taxi    $                    50.20  $                          68.00
 Laundry aboard ship   $                    49.98  $                          67.70
 Ship Shop Purchases   $                    94.78  $                        124.38
 Tips not inc. in fare   $                   188.17  $                        254.87
 Lahaina Gap purchases   $                   106.00  $                        143.57
 Total   $              6,164.39  $                     8,349.44
 Average Daily Cost    $                  256.85  $                        347.89

We’re please with these totals. The daily calculations are slightly higher than our usual average daily costs. Using this cruise for transportation back to the US actually saved us money when the airfare alone would have been around US $2,000, AU 2,708.93.

During the 24-day period we would have been paying for a vacation home, groceries, transportation, etc. Adding the pure joy of spending this extended period of time with other passengers, it’s definitely money well spent.  Also, we avoided a horrendously long 14-hour flight from these distant locations.

We’ve made many new friends on this cruise and look forward to hearing from them in the future. Who knows?  Our paths may cross again sometime in the future.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii.

As we enter North America by early tomorrow morning, we’ll no longer include Australian money exchange rates for our expenses. All expenses during our time in North America will be posted in US dollars only. For our Australian readers, as you know for one US dollar, it is $1.35 for Australian dollar.

We won’t be posted a foreign exchange rate until August 1st when we enter Costa Rica as we continue on our world journey.

Thanks, dear readers, for your continued love and support during this lengthy cruise. We’ll continue to post daily during the Alaska cruise beginning in three days when we’ll be visiting many ports of call for a hopefully good signal which has been lacking during this cruise.

Goodbye, Australia, New Zealand, and islands in the South Pacific for the gifts you bestowed upon us in this exquisite and fascinating part of the world.  We’ll remain eternally grateful for the experiences.

Happy Mother’s Day to Moms all over the world! May your day be as unique as YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, May 14, 2016:

This dog walked up to our villa in Bali and wandered around the pool. We stayed seated and didn’t say a word. Soon, he wandered away. For more photos, please click here.

FlowRider videos and story….Cruise ending in two days…Final cruise expenses coming soon…

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FlowRider video #1.
FlowRider video #2.

A few days ago, we chatted with another passenger, also a Tom, in the Diamond Club lounge while we were preparing the day’s post.  In speaking with Tom, he shared that he belongs to a group of men who meet on sea days from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm to participate in one of the ship’s most exciting activities, the FlowRider.

 Eric, Darrell and Paul, members of the FlowRider Society determined to surf on a windy and cold day at sea.  Tom was finished for the day and thus, I missed his photo.

Fascinated that men over 40 had become avid and expert FlowRider participants, an activity definitely geared toward youth and/or the fit and coordinated sports enthusiast, we were thrilled to prepare a story on these FlowRider adventurers.

It’s imperative to stay within the white Royal Caribbean logo on the blue platform to avoid risk of injury from hitting the sides.

From Royal Caribbean’s site:

“Perhaps no onboard activity is as synonymous with Royal Caribbean as the surf simulator known as the FlowRider.
When Royal Caribbean started adding FlowRiders to its cruise ships, it generated a lot of buzz and ever since then, the company has been working to add FlowRiders to more and more ships in its fleet.
If you want to give surfing a shot on your next cruise, here is what you need to know about this popular surf simulator. (Continued below).
I wish I could take credit for this photo of FlowRider Tom, taken by a professional photographer aboard Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas.  What a fabulous shot of Tom in his mastery of this difficult and challenging sport!

The FlowRider is a simulator that sends water a very high speed across a small area that mimics what it is like to surf on the ocean.

FlowRiders were first created as a business on land and have partnered with Royal Caribbean to offer guests cruising the chance to try it out there.  The FlowRider supports two surfing styles: stand up traditional surfing and boogie boarding.
Royal Caribbean has added FlowRiders to more of its ships recently and here is the list of ships that offer a FlowRider:
  • Freedom of the Seas
  • Liberty of the Seas
  • Independence of the Seas
  • Oasis of the Seas (two FlowRiders)
  • Allure of the Seas (two FlowRiders)
  • Harmony of the Seas (two FlowRiders)
  • Quantum of the Seas
  • Anthem of the Seas
  • Ovation of the Seas
  • Navigator of the Seas
  • Voyager of the Seas
  • Explorer of the Seas
  • Adventure of the Seas
Guests participating in the FlowRider, for example, must be at least 52″/132 cm tall to use the bodyboard and 58″/147 cm tall to use the flowboard.   Absolutely no footwear allowed, no goggles and no go-pro cams are allowed.”
Paul was on-a-roll.
Use of the fluoride is included in the cruise fare, although there are additional charges for personalized training.  However, staff is available at no charge to assist the passenger in getting started and in becoming familiar with safety procedures.  More of the details of this popular activity may be found at the above link.
Every so often the surfer will restart from the side of the FlowRider.
As a result of the enthusiasm over being RC FlowRider participants, there’s even a Facebook page named Royal Caribbean FlowRider Society, which may be found at this link.  Who knew?
Paul back at it again.
After chatting with passenger Tom, he suggested we join their group to watch one of his group activities on this particular ship, Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas.  From that, I was excited to take photos and videos we could share with our worldwide readers.
A good rider such as these has the option to maneuver their way back to the top based on the pressure placed on their feet on the board.
Had it not been so bitter cold, I’d have stayed outside longer to chat with the group, but I was only wearing a hooded sweatshirt and workout clothes and staying longer wasn’t an option. 
Even with the short length of the FlowRider, an experienced surfer can last on the surf for an extended period.
Paul at the end of his great run.
We commend the brave FlowRiders for their acquired skill and persistence in mastering what appears to be a difficult sport requiring considerable coordination, balance and fitness, especially when the participants aren’t necessarily youngsters.
Eric had an excellent run staying on his feet for quite some time.
In no time at all I dashed back indoors anxious to share what I’d witnessed with my Tom about these athletic “surfers” on Royal Caribbean’s FlowRider.  He was glad he’d stayed indoors in the warm comfort of our cabin.
Inevitably, each rider takes a stumble from time to time.
Hmm… In four days we’ll be boarding the ship to Alaska.  I wonder what the weather will be like while we’re there…
Happy day to all our worldwide readers.  Thanks to each and every one of YOU who’ve followed along with us on this lengthy cruise!
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 Photo from one year ago today, May 13, 2016:
We did a double take in Bali when we saw these two young guys walking their inner tube type boats along the beach.  Later, we saw them fishing from these tiny watercraft.  For more details, please click here.

The cruise ends in three days…On to the next leg of the journey…The challenges oF coordinating dates…

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The beach on a tropical island.

With only three days until we arrive in Seattle and the continual activities aboard this ship, it was time to languish in thoughts of the upcoming cruise to Alaska.

It’s ironic, but the Alaskan cruise was somewhat of an afterthought.  Arriving in Vancouver by hired driver on May 15th after disembarking the ship in Seattle, we had a short period until our grandkids would be out of school for the summer. 

A thatched hut on a tropical island.

Instead of limiting the time we’d spend with the grandchildren with school still in progress, we decided to take advantage of the great prices for an early-season Alaskan cruise on Celebrity Solstice, one of our favorite ships, for the nine-night cruise. 

Most Alaskan cruises are for seven nights ending in Alaska. With the nine-day cruise, the cruise ends in Seattle, where we’ve immediately booked a flight to Minneapolis departing on May 26th, the beginning of the US Memorial Day weekend. 

Ship passengers, browsing the tropical island.

This schedule seemed to work well with our upcoming Minnesota plans in mind. Our lives of world travel is always a volley of coordinating cruise, airline schedules, and holiday home dates to ensure all of our desired stops match up.

In itself, this coordination process is challenging and tricky at times.  When I recall how much time and effort was involved in matching all the elements of the first cruise, we booked with the fact that we book one “vacation/holiday” after another, perfecting this process has been time-consuming and, at times, tricky.

In our usual manner of learning as we go, we now feel no stress or worry about connecting all the dots. We’ve even come to realize that we don’t always have to tie up all the loose ends. For example, we’ve yet to book a rental car for Minnesota and Nevada.

Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas.

We’d hope to book vehicles for both US state visits aboard the ship.  It became difficult to get the booking process completed and payment rendered with the ease we usually experience with the slow signal.

Instead, we’ve left the tasks for our arrival in Vancouver in three days, where we anticipate a much better signal at the hotel to complete the tasks. In addition, it’s time to book the hotel in Buenos Aires from December 23, 2017 (Tom’s birthday) to January 23, 2019.

At the end of this one-month stay in Buenos Aires, we’ll fly to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board the cruise to Antarctica. There’s a tremendous amount of planning and booking on the horizon for this leg of our journey.

Jetty in the coral reef in Vanuatu.

Undoubtedly, over the next several months, we’ll book everything we need to fill in a few gaps in our schedule/itinerary, including renting cars in Minnesota and Nevada.

Today, midday, there’s another one-hour time change from noon until 1:00 pm. Captain Rick prefers to have the many time changes occur midday instead of at night to lessen the effect for hard-working staff members with long shifts.

View across the blue sea.

Tonight, we’ll share the happy hour with our usual group and then meet Alice and Nate for dinner. It will be another fantastic day aboard the ship as we wind down toward the end of the 24-night cruise.

Have a beautiful day!

Photo from one year ago today, May 12, 2016:

In Bali, this bird appeared to be a Blue Kingfisher. For more details, please click here.