The last sunset

As the golden rays illuminated my cheeks, I breathed in the sunset craving to absorb this last moment of Alaska and imprinting every radiant beam onto my core memories.

A few tears escaped, leaving damp trails and finding a resting place in my smile lines. It felt as we’d been away for a month, but at the same time, only a few minutes. It’s funny, the 

passage of time; while we can measure it in hours and minutes, the moments are marked by the meals we ate, the drink savoured and all those “oh wow” moments.

Sea daze

There’s something about a sea day I just adore. There’s no rush to explore a port, you can discover parts of a ship in closer detail and just s l o w down. As with every last cruise day, the ticking of the clock is an unwanted reminder that indeed the voyage as drawing to a close, but I wasn’t going to waste time. I had things to do!

Breakfast was berry pretty affair, gosh I’m going to miss the meals, the smiles, the service. 

Next stop was the ‘Ask the Captain’ talk. Now you all know I swoon when it comes to ship captains, and this very charismatic man was no exception. I loved the information he shared and the audience was hanging on his every word.

Chit chats 

The day was speeding by, but two wonderful crew members had made time to have chat and share some insights into life aboard the Koningsdam. First up was the delightful and super talented Chenaye Meyer – all the way from Port Macquarie in NSW! I was in awe watching her the night before during the beautiful show Humanity and incredibly impressed with her dedication and achievements. 

Watch my interview with Chenaye here.

Watch my interview with Jayme here.

Was it really time to pack?

The saddest part of any cruise is pulling out the luggage from under the bed, packing the clothes and toiletries and knowing this signalled the end. With a humph and grump I filled my cases. Done.

The rest of the afternoon and early evening was spent running around the ship taking more videos and admiring the artwork. 

Honestly, there was so many gorgeous pieces, from paintings, photographs and sculptures – and even a Swarovski crystal globe!  One day, when I’m back on board, I will write an entire blog JUST on the art.

Until we meet again

As I laid my head down for my last sleep aboard the Koningsdam, images of the last seven days swirled in my mind. Before setting off on this once-in-a-life adventure, I had a pre-conceived notion of what the experience aboard Holland America would be. I knew it would be elegant and tasteful with a focus on great food and fabulous entertainment. But, in all honesty, the cruise far exceeded all my expectations. It will remain as one the best cruises of my life; not only because of the destination but the ship.

And this is the thing about cruising. You leave a piece of yourself on every ship you cruise, and then hope that one day you’ll return to retrieve it to embark on your next journey through this thing called life. 

Ketchikan

Again, my preconceived ideas about Ketchikan were blown away. We both loved exploring the salmony-scented shops, laughing at the old brothels in Creek St and eating some fish tacos. 

In truth, I thought it would be really cheesy – and it was -  but in a good way! The lumberjacks were SO entertaining and very athletic. It was a good ol’ fashioned family show with lot of merriment and audience participation.

Lumberjack Show Part 1

Lumberjack Show Part 2

Lumberjack Show Part 3

Bye Ketchikan

Spa splurge

I do not like getting my hair done. Generations of my family have made their career in hairdressing (my grandfather was the hairdresser for the Royal Jordanian family for decades) and the ONLY person that will tolerate my whingeing and whining and fidgeting is my darling sister who gently cuts and colours my hair. My dear sister has sliced her fingers open numerous times cutting my mop, as I just can’t sit still long enough. Sorry Judy.

Anyway, I was given a $70 voucher to use at the spa so I thought I’d get my hair blowdried. The Red Carpet blowdry would be covered with my voucher and with taxes, I was only out of pocket $19. Bargain. My curly mane needed a good treatment and boy was I pampered!

The lovely Bosa washed and massaged and treated and blowdried, transforming my mess into a silky creation. YAY, no more frizz.

 Watch my hair (BEFORE) transformation here

And after

Funk and more

As we left Rudi’s, I could hear one of my fave funky songs by A Touch of Honey – Boogie, Oogie, Oogie. I raced to the dance floor at BB Kings and had a little boogie on my own. SO MUCH FUN! The band were on fire and it was an electric atmosphere.

After about a half-hour of dancing, I reluctantly slipped off my blue-suede stilettos and walked bare-foot back to our stateroom.

THIS is what I love about cruising; a date with a hairdresser, a photo shoot with the most incredible backdrop, a 5-star dinner, a dance and live music and then a very short walk back to get into bed in luxurious surroundings. Where else can you have all this in one evening? 

I was ALMOST going to start packing, but did not want to break the spell. Tomorrow will be our last day on board and I didn’t want to think about having to return to reality just yet.

Glacier Bay National Park

 

We laughed and bantered with our fabulous bartenders Julian and Jonathan who loudly proclaimed, every time we ordered a drink, that it was an “EXCELLENT CHOICE”. And, it always was!

Sushi and more

Tamarind was the dinner venue for tonight, and I will elaborate further on this wonderful restaurant. While the food was EXCEPTIONAL, the company was also EXCEPTIONAL. Mr CWH and I were invited to join a handful of Aussie and Kiwi journalists who were on board - amazing people. 

Skagway - A step back in time

You know that feeling like you’ve been transported into another world, one that is so breathtakingly beautiful you almost have an out-of-body experience?

I’ve felt that before; the Isle of Pines, Papua New Guinea and now Skagway, Alaska – more specifically the White Pass Summit.

I was urged before leaving Australia to take the White Pass Summit railway, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer sensory overload of the train journey.

Watch a snippet here

Skagway was blowing a gale; the wind was so powerful it was hard to walk. Luckily it was only a short walk to the train, and before we knew it, we were off. 

She’ll be coming round the mountain…

As we snapped our pics and tried to document the immense beauty, it dawned on me that no camera can fully capture what our eyes can see. 

As the train chugged along, the magnificence of the trees, mountains and sheer rugged environment had the passengers in awe. We stood outside, craving to be a part of this splendour and soak in the scenery.

The train made its way up, up, up, passing rivers and ice, the original bridge and snow peaked mountains. I never was a ‘train person', but this was beyond. A fun fact, when we entered Canada, the train had to stop to exchange paperwork. 

Three hours later, and with a new sense of admiration for the pioneering spirit that drove this marvel to be built, our train trip ended. 

A snapshot of old 

As this was my first time in America, everything intrigued me. The star-spangled banners, the old-town charm and this feeling we had stepped back in time. Skagway is historically significant for its role in the influx of prospectors, looking to find their fortune in gold.

These days, with a population of just over 800, workers (and even the fire fighters) come from other parts of America and descend on this town to peddle their wares, serve ice-cold beer and pop lots of corn for the tourists.

Watch my town tour here

After sculling the local brew and eating my weight in popcorn, I decided I REALLY liked this town (despite the fur store we reluctantly went in to. Look, the guy was friendly, but the hundreds of dead animal fur made into fashion was macabre and made me feel gross).

Pier runner, me?

The wind was still howling, so I thought I’d have a little fun and ‘run’ back to the ship. I think I was trying to escape the cold and maybe give the crew manning the gangway a giggle. In truth, I just couldn’t wait to get back on board and head to the thermal suite – again.

When I woke this morning, I couldn’t have imagined today would be as memorable or as transformative as it was. 

This day will live in bright technicolour, tucked away in the recesses of my mind to re-live with a wistful smile - when I’m old and unable to travel – and I'll be forever grateful for the wonders cruising has brought into my life. 

First Port Stop – Juneau

Jewels and diamonds and gems, Oh my!

Yes, this is a REAL bear

I spy a glacier

Red Dog Saloon and Crabs

Not to be disheartened, I headed to Tracey’s King Crab Shack and, lucky for me, I got to meet the famous owner! If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. Check my interview with Tracey here.

Midnight Margaritas 

Thermal suite start to the day

Jet lag and room service