Hubbard Glacier
Alaska (May 29 – June 10, 2023) I’m not a fan of broadcast or cable TV; I haven’t been for years. In fact, the TV we own spends most of the time in our third bedroom closet; it only sees the light of day when Debra and I watch an occasional movie through Amazon Prime.
Instead, I love to spend my free time with a good book, and preferably one – fiction or nonfiction – that takes me to a place and time (past, present, or future) that I would like to visit. Perhaps this is part and parcel to my wanderlust – my love of travel, whether virtually or in person. This year, it seems, my author of choice is the all-time best (IMHO) writer of western fiction, Louis L’Amour.
And so, it was one evening in mid-February.
I sat in my easy chair, a chocolate brown leather recliner with an ottoman. In one hand, I held a copy of Silver Canyon, a novel by L‘Amour about a range war in South Central Utah Territory in 1881. In my other hand, I held a glass of The Arcadian, a single malt scotch whiskey I bought when Debra and I visited the Orkney Islands in Scotland a few years back.
As I turned the page, I heard the unmistakable Ping! from my phone. Not just any Ping! mind you; rather, this one announced a new text message. And like Pavlov’s dog, I reacted to the stimulus.
I set my book aside (you didn’t think I’d set aside my glass of scotch, did you!), picked up my phone, and with a couple of finger taps on the screen, I opened the text. It was from Jill.
“Hey dad, do you want another shot at seeing Denali?”
Yes, I would! I thought.
Jill and I visited Alaska last September – a twelve-day adventure from Seward to Fairbanks. Our journey through the interior of Alaska, which included a day-and-a-half in Denali National Park, was awesome from start to finish! But…we did not see Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. Our guide – we went on the Tundra Wilderness Tour – blamed it on the weather, which covered Denali and the surrounding mountains in a shroud of clouds.
“Tell me more,” I texted back.
“I was invited on a press trip – a 12-day cruise tour with Princess – and I can bring a guest. You’re retired. Let’s go!”
I’ve mentioned this in other stories – stories about my travels with Jill – but it’s worth saying again: Jill is a freelance writer – a journalist – for many national magazines and publications. She covers a range of topics, but her favorite topic is travel. And with her reputation in this space, Jill is often invited on press trips to destinations across North America, Europe, and elsewhere, and many times, she can bring a guest.
I read the description of the cruise tour on the Princess website and then called Jill.
“Wow – this trip looks amazing! Five days on land from Fairbanks to Whitter and seven days at sea from Whittier to Vancouver.”
“I know!” Jill exclaimed. “Are you in?”
“I want to say yes, but I have to chew on it, as it may be too long for me to be away from work.”
Yes, I am retired. And yes, I do work…as a part-time bookkeeper for a small business in the mountain town in which Debra and I live.
“Really?!” Jill shot back. “You’re going to let a part-time job – one you told me you don’t really like, and only fills a few hours of time each week – stand in the way of a bucket-list trip.”
“Maybe yes, maybe no,” I replied. “I’ll let you know in a few days.”
And I did…and I said ‘yes’…because Jill was right. The Cruisetour of Alaska had been on my bucket list since my first trip to America's 'Last Frontier' – a coastal cruise with Debra in May 2010.
(From here forward, I’ll use ‘Cruisetour’ rather than ‘cruise tour’ because this is the term that Princess and other cruise lines use for an itinerary that combines a land tour and cruise.)
On that cruise, we made the usual port stops – Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria – and had a blast! And I recalled thinking at the time, How wonderful to experience Alaska by land AND by sea in one trip.
And now I would.
I made another decision soon after I committed to the Cruisetour – I gave notice at work so that I wouldn’t have to weigh future travel against a job that wasn’t important to me.
It was the right call, because Jill had lined up two more trips in 2023 for us – a seven-day cruise on Holland America in August (Venice to Athens) and a twelve-day tour of Thailand in October.
Instead, I love to spend my free time with a good book, and preferably one – fiction or nonfiction – that takes me to a place and time (past, present, or future) that I would like to visit. Perhaps this is part and parcel to my wanderlust – my love of travel, whether virtually or in person. This year, it seems, my author of choice is the all-time best (IMHO) writer of western fiction, Louis L’Amour.
And so, it was one evening in mid-February.
I sat in my easy chair, a chocolate brown leather recliner with an ottoman. In one hand, I held a copy of Silver Canyon, a novel by L‘Amour about a range war in South Central Utah Territory in 1881. In my other hand, I held a glass of The Arcadian, a single malt scotch whiskey I bought when Debra and I visited the Orkney Islands in Scotland a few years back.
As I turned the page, I heard the unmistakable Ping! from my phone. Not just any Ping! mind you; rather, this one announced a new text message. And like Pavlov’s dog, I reacted to the stimulus.
I set my book aside (you didn’t think I’d set aside my glass of scotch, did you!), picked up my phone, and with a couple of finger taps on the screen, I opened the text. It was from Jill.
“Hey dad, do you want another shot at seeing Denali?”
Yes, I would! I thought.
Jill and I visited Alaska last September – a twelve-day adventure from Seward to Fairbanks. Our journey through the interior of Alaska, which included a day-and-a-half in Denali National Park, was awesome from start to finish! But…we did not see Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. Our guide – we went on the Tundra Wilderness Tour – blamed it on the weather, which covered Denali and the surrounding mountains in a shroud of clouds.
“Tell me more,” I texted back.
“I was invited on a press trip – a 12-day cruise tour with Princess – and I can bring a guest. You’re retired. Let’s go!”
I’ve mentioned this in other stories – stories about my travels with Jill – but it’s worth saying again: Jill is a freelance writer – a journalist – for many national magazines and publications. She covers a range of topics, but her favorite topic is travel. And with her reputation in this space, Jill is often invited on press trips to destinations across North America, Europe, and elsewhere, and many times, she can bring a guest.
I read the description of the cruise tour on the Princess website and then called Jill.
“Wow – this trip looks amazing! Five days on land from Fairbanks to Whitter and seven days at sea from Whittier to Vancouver.”
“I know!” Jill exclaimed. “Are you in?”
“I want to say yes, but I have to chew on it, as it may be too long for me to be away from work.”
Yes, I am retired. And yes, I do work…as a part-time bookkeeper for a small business in the mountain town in which Debra and I live.
“Really?!” Jill shot back. “You’re going to let a part-time job – one you told me you don’t really like, and only fills a few hours of time each week – stand in the way of a bucket-list trip.”
“Maybe yes, maybe no,” I replied. “I’ll let you know in a few days.”
And I did…and I said ‘yes’…because Jill was right. The Cruisetour of Alaska had been on my bucket list since my first trip to America's 'Last Frontier' – a coastal cruise with Debra in May 2010.
(From here forward, I’ll use ‘Cruisetour’ rather than ‘cruise tour’ because this is the term that Princess and other cruise lines use for an itinerary that combines a land tour and cruise.)
On that cruise, we made the usual port stops – Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria – and had a blast! And I recalled thinking at the time, How wonderful to experience Alaska by land AND by sea in one trip.
And now I would.
I made another decision soon after I committed to the Cruisetour – I gave notice at work so that I wouldn’t have to weigh future travel against a job that wasn’t important to me.
It was the right call, because Jill had lined up two more trips in 2023 for us – a seven-day cruise on Holland America in August (Venice to Athens) and a twelve-day tour of Thailand in October.
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The map at the left shows the land portion of our trip, which started in Fairbanks and ended (five days later) in Whittier; it included a two-night stay at Denali National Park. The map at the right shows the sea portion of our trip, which started in Whittier and ended (a week later) in Vancouver; it included a scenic cruise through Glacier Bay National Park.
Without giving anything away, I can tell you that my Cruisetour of Alaska was everything I had hoped it would be and more!
I look forward to sharing my experiences with you.
Without giving anything away, I can tell you that my Cruisetour of Alaska was everything I had hoped it would be and more!
I look forward to sharing my experiences with you.
My Stories, One Port at a Time
On the Banks of the Chena River
A Stroll Through the Golden Heart of Alaska
The Spirits Moved Me!
Rollin' Down the River
From Fairbanks to Denali
Into a Vast and Rugged Wilderness
Four-Wheeling in Healy
Ridin' the Rails to Talkeetna
Cruisin' on the River
Onto the Kenai Peninsula
Of Glaciers, Whittier, and the Majestic Princess
