North to Alaska
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 It was a beautiful 20-mile drive from the airport to Seattle as we followed maps to our home for the next two nights, the Quality Inn. It was surprisingly close to the Space Needle where we planned to visit. After checking in, we drove looking for an interesting place to have dinner and settled on an Irish Pub, T.S. McHughs, at 1st and Mercer. I chose Irish Pot Roast and it was delicious! Thursday, June 21 Seattle We had decided to sleep until we woke up which turned out to be earlier than we expected. After breakfast at the hotel buffet along with a large group of foreign students, we ventured out to see the city. Our first goal was finding the Pike’s Place Market, which we thought, would be a piece of cake. We found the water front and knew it had to be close by so we started looking for a parking spot. After parking and paying the meter, we walked and walked only to discover we had walked the wrong direction about 6 blocks and needed to turn around. I was thankful for my son at that moment because he planted me on a bench near the street where we thought I would be safe and trotted back to get the car. After driving in the other direction and parking, we discovered the market was up the hill so we climbed 4 flights of stairs (with me panting,) only to get on the elevator and go up 6 more floors to get to the ground floor. There it was, the Pike Street Market I had read and heard so much about. I was anxious to see and photograph the home of the “flying fish”. It was a fun place as I had imagined but we didn’t tarry long as we looked for something with a sweeter aroma. We found all kinds of different small groups of people peddling their wares. It was a very interesting experience as we had anticipated. We found our way back to the car, this time on the elevator most of the way and started out again. We wound up in the old part of the city, which used to be called Skid Row when I was there the last time in 1945-46. It has been largely renovated and is now called the Pioneer Square area. At 11 a.m. we found ourselves resting in a cozy little coffeehouse called “Planet Java” where we enjoyed relaxing with coffee and ice cream. Nearby was a little shop called “Emerald City Guitars” that caught Jim’s eye. He was obviously excited as he talked to the manager as if they were old friends. Some of the old, (Jim says “vintage”,) guitars and amps did indeed seem like old friends. We already had reservations for lunch at the Space Needle so we decided we had better head that way. We parked at the hotel because it was free parking for us and walked the 3 or so blocks to the Space Needle. We soon found ourselves in the middle of the Seattle Center, which features not only the Space Needle, but also several other attractions. The Needle is not hard to find because it can be seen for miles around. We had lunch in the revolving Sky City Restaurant 500 feet above ground where we both took many pictures of the beautiful Seattle landscape. Jim ordered a seafood gumbo called Cioppini that he said was quite tasty. I, being a bit more conservative, ordered pan-seared halibut. Yum! We decided to go on up to the observation deck after eating but it was quite windy. Since we had already spent 1 and 1/2 hours looking at the Seattle view, we decided to leave because we still had more sights to see. I had wanted to locate the place where I used to work at the Pike Street Attended Pay Station so we drove up and down Pike but I never did decide for sure where it was. I knew it would no longer be there due to all the rebuilding of the downtown area. It is so modern now and I didn’t see hardly any of the architecture I had remembered from the 40’s. I’m sure the station was located close to 3rd and Pike. We didn’t see any parking spaces so we didn’t explore by walking. I didn’t even spot the Pacific Telephone building where I also worked a short time thinking it would be nearby. Time sure changes everything! My one request was to once more ride the ferry across Puget Sound as I had with my sailor, Vern, many, many years ago. This time Jim and I boarded driving a car. We got out as we were crossing and I was able to fulfill my dream as I lived those memories of feeling the cool wind in my face and watching the water and the waves from the breezy deck. Vern used to say he was afraid I was going to jump in as I leaned up against the rail. The beauty and thrill of watching the water and the beauty of it all had mesmerized me. At that time I had been a young woman from Kansas who had never been out on the water before. It was “old hat” to him because he had just returned from two years in the South Pacific aboard the navy destroyer, William D. Porter. Jim’s goal was to visit Bainbridge Island and the Norwegian village of Poulsbo where he and Louise had traveled several years before. It seemed that we were (for a short time) out in the wilderness compared to our experiences in Seattle but we soon arrived in Poulsbo. It is a great little community similar to our Swedish community of Lindsborg , Kansas . We walked around taking pictures before we stopped for pizza in a little place called “That’s-a-Some-Italian” and ate our pizza in the breeze of the sidewalk cafe. Our trip back to our hotel was uneventful except that I couldn’t get out of the car on the ferry because Jim had mistakenly parked too close to the wall. It was okay though because I was exhausted and took a short nap. Friday, June 20, Seattle , and boarding ship After breakfast at the hotel, we checked out but left the car in the parking garage (with permission) and walked back to the Seattle Center once more. I marveled that we were able to walk under the monorail train that was zooming overhead. This time we visited the Experience Music rock museum. What a crazy looking building! ----Very modern! As we entered the foyer, I was totally amazed at this strange looking display, three stories high. It was made up of hundreds of guitars with a few other instruments thrown in. I found out later there were over six hundred guitars that represented the collision of forces that created rock ‘n’ roll. As we watched closely we realized that the music we were hearing was made by the instruments we were watching. I guess it worked kind of like a player piano. I stayed pretty close to the guitar gallery, which housed many vintage instruments that told the story of the guitar. Jim especially enjoyed the section that told the story of the steel guitar. There were continuous videos playing that included some of my favorites, Merle Travis, Chet Adkins, Les Paul and others. After scanning all the displays, we had burgers and fries at the adjoining cafe before heading back to get the car and going to the ship where we would be spending the next week. It was a slight ordeal trying to get to the dock with so much traffic. We finally pulled over to the curb in a “no parking” area so Jim could unload our luggage and me. It was drizzling rain so we crowded to a spot where I would be dry even though the lady said I couldn’t stand there. I needed to “move on” or so she said. There were so many people her attentions were soon diverted to others so I stayed put! The problem was, I didn’t have the tickets so I couldn’t do anything until Jim could get back from the car rental which was about 20 blocks away. He had his own problems as he was told to wait for the shuttle to take him back to the boarding dock. He made the assessment that he could walk or run back and get there sooner, so that’s what he did. In the meantime, a fellow working at the dock saw me in distress hugging all our suitcases and asked if he could help? He was tagging the luggage. I explained my situation and that my son had our tickets. He said. “Oh, I believe I can help you, lady. Come over here! What‘s your name?” So he got the luggage all tagged and even directed me to a chair so I could sit down. I continued to watch the crazy bunch of people from all cultures, wearing everything imaginable, walk by. I was amused thinking of all the planning Louise and I had done so I would have the right thing to wear for every occasion. At that point, I felt overdressed in what I thought was my comfortable traveling clothes. Soon Jim appeared and we quickly joined the throngs of happy people as we zigzagged through the maze to get on board our ship. The Vision of the Seas is a beautiful ocean liner that accommodates 2400 passengers and a crew of 755. We later found out the crew is made up of people from 51 countries. They were all so helpful and friendly and seem to be having fun all the time. We were amazed at the size of this vessel! It is huge! Before long we were in our stateroom that would be our home for a week. We were expecting a very small room as we were traveling “economy” with no outside windows. We were surprised at the room size and the fact that it was so well planned. We did get there before our luggage, which arrived shortly, and we were able to unpack all we had brought. There was a place for everything. We took a quick tour of our nearby surroundings and were very pleased. There was a wonderful area just a few feet from our door where Jim could work on his computer and I could just watch the water and daydream from the comfort of an easy chair. At 4 p.m. we shoved off for Juneau , Alaska , and watched Seattle fade away. At that point, Jim and I realized we could just relax and let the staff entertain and serve us and that they did! We attended the Masquerade Theatre and enjoyed the first evening of entertainment by the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers and the comedy of Carl Banks. Our hosts and cruise directors, John and Katrina Blair, gave us a warm welcome. Since we had reserved late seating for dinner each evening, we were directed to our table in the dining room where we met our new friends, a retired couple from Texas, Don and Cece, (he was a retired airplane pilot) and two charming, fun-loving ladies who were sisters, Rebecca and Elizabeth. One was from Seattle and the other from Arizona . They were all full of fun and we never did talk about anything seriously, but we laughed a lot. After eating, we stopped briefly to enjoy the music of Sherri Cafaro in the lounge area before calling it a night. Saturday, June 23, Cruising Today was our first day out at sea as we cruised on toward Juneau . For us, it was a time to relax and catch our breath. We had breakfast and lunch at the Windjammer Buffet and generally explored our surroundings. I enjoyed the Alaska shopping show in the theatre and then shopping at the ship’s store. The evening show featured Billy Fellows who sang and was very funny. The big event was the Captain’s Reception and the first formal dinner. Our table was right next to the Captain’s table and after dinner, we had our picture taken with him. His name is Captain Stein Roger Bjorheim and he lives in Kristiansand , Norway . We were surprised that our new friends did not attend dinner with us but we had fun anyway. (We found out later that they had chosen not to attend the formal events and did not bring formal clothes.) Jim and I marveled at the beauty of all the people dressed in their finest and Jim asked, “are these the same people who boarded the ship with us?” They sure did look different! Sunday, June 24 Juneau , Alaska Today was the most spectacular day yet! We started with an 8 o’clock breakfast at the Windjammer before going to the theatre for a special Praise Service. The “Sonshine Group” who were on board as a private tour had asked permission to open their Sunday Service to the public and we were glad they did. The theatre was not filled but there was a pretty good crowd. We didn’t find out much about them but we decided they were definitely Southern Gospel and I especially enjoyed their wonderful harmony. Their preacher had a good outreach message, which included the plan of salvation. The service concluded with everyone singing the familiar “God is Good” chorus. We definitely felt like we had been to church! After a short visit to our stateroom to regroup, we returned to the Masquerade Theatre to report for our planned tour. This was a rather challenging and confusing time as the guides attempted to group the many people according to their scheduled tour. After moving a few times and regrouping we were about the last ones to embark as we stepped in our assigned powerboat called a “tender” that holds about 120 people. After a few minutes we took our first steps on the dry land of Juneau , Alaska . We moved quickly as we looked for a sign saying “helicopter-dog sled tour” and we finally found the right one. We realized we were missing lunch but we reasoned we had enjoyed a big breakfast and lunch was a small priority as we anticipated our day ahead. A bus took us to the Juneau Helicopter Airport where we were fitted with snow boots, watched a safety video and signed legal papers explaining the business was not responsible for any accidents, (in case we didn’t make it back). That was a little scary! We then went out to climb into the 8-passenger helicopter that was waiting. I almost panicked when I saw the height of the steps. I had never attempted anything like this since I had my knee replacement 7 years ago. Up to now, getting in a normal van had been my greatest accomplishment. There was one BIG step that I made with no difficulty but the biggest challenge was the next step into the helicopter which, was equally as high. After straining to reach a safety loop with my right hand to pull my creaking body up, I was assisted by a double boost from behind from Jim and the attendant! Success! What a relief! The rest was pure enjoyment! We were privileged to be seated right behind the pilot and we were equipped with headphones that served two purposes. One was to block out the noise but the main one was to hear the pilot as he pointed out the places of interest we were flying over. This was the first time either Jim or I had been in a helicopter and it was really a treat for us both to watch the city of Juneau fade into the background and to soak in all the breath-taking scenery for about 20 minutes as we glided through the mountains over Mendenhall Glacier and landed on the ice field. We found ourselves in a dog camp with about 150 dogs staked out and snow as far as we could see. It was warmer than we expected but very still and would have been quiet except for the all the dogs barking. We were in another world where several hardy people live in isolation all summer long. Our “musher” was a very friendly young man named Joe, who was in shirtsleeves and said he worked there every summer. He first introduced us to the dogs that would be pulling our sled for our tour over the glacier. Each one had it’s own personality but most were very friendly and loved to be petted. There were also loving puppies in the camp that were a joy to hold. We next got in the sled where I learned to hang on for dear life. This was not a luxury vehicle! There were definitely no springs. Actually, I was seated in the sled on a very hard seat and Jim stood behind where he could help put on the brakes. The “musher” was on a sled in front of us with ours being more like a trailer. The dogs were excited and ready to run. I don’t know when I ever saw such energy! They were all barking and jumping up and down with excitement. When the brakes were released the dogs lunged forward and we were off on a very exhilarating, but fun, 50-minute ride over the ice field covered with about 30 feet of snow. We stopped two or three times during the trip so the dogs were forced to rest. They tend to get too hot if they don’t get a break but they didn’t really want a break. Run is what they want to do! I was surprised at how fast we traveled. It was a rather rough ride at times and once I thought we were going to turn over going around a bend but of course, we didn’t. Back at the dog camp we were treated to a tour of the facility. Joe showed us the food tent where a woman was already busy preparing their evening meal. They had plenty of supplies and it looked like they were eating very well. It was finally time to reluctantly say our goodbyes and climb back into an awaiting helicopter. I didn’t panic this time because I knew I had made the climb before and it could be done. Again, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery as we returned to Juneau . What a great experience to take two rides in a helicopter and go dog sledding all in the same day! After returning to Juneau , we had a little time to explore and shop. It was too late for lunch but we were hungry and decided to gorge on some wonderful Italian Ice cream. We finished off with hot coffee for me and cappuccino for Jim. Then we made our way back to the pier in order to wait for the bus that would take us to the salmon bake. Our driver was a burly man with a heavy southern accent. He said he was from Georgia where he lived during the winter. He gave us good information about Juneau , which is the state capitol and pointed out the capitol building during the short trip out to the country. The set-up of the salmon bake reminded me of a time several years ago when we had visited the Flying ‘W’ ranch in Colorado only this was much smaller and a little more primitive and in a woodsy area. There were no parking lots here, but rather a bus stop with buses coming and going. It was a cloudy, cool evening with the aroma of wonderful food in the air. We dined picnic style on delicious salmon steaks that had been cooked over an open fire and served with baked beans and all kinds of salads. No one went hungry here and Jim went back for seconds. In the midst of it all, a woman was playing the guitar from a makeshift stage and taking requests. It was all very casual and relaxed. We ended with a second glass of lemonade before taking a short walk along a rushing stream until Jim reminded me we needed to get back to the bus stop as it was 7:30 . I didn’t want to leave but we had been told the last tender to the ship would leave the pier at 8 p.m. and it was very important that we be on it! There was no time to go on to the water fall or to see the old mining camp so we bade farewell to the salmon bake as we boarded the next bus. On the tender, we were joined by a small wedding party with the bride, groom and all the attendants still in their formal clothes. They were returning from their wedding in Juneau and were having their reception back on board the Vision of the Seas. They were all having a great time but they didn’t invite us to the reception so we didn’t see them again. We had to go through a screening process to get back on board this time and every time hereafter. We found the need to always keep our sea-card, photo ID and passport handy. I think Jim was ready to crash when we got back to our stateroom but I reminded him we still had time to go to the Masquerade Theatre and take in the evening show. Jim soon forgot how tired he was as the entertainment was a very lively and fast-moving production, “Boogie Wonderland” by the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers. He didn’t go to sleep during the performance! I regret that we were not allowed to take pictures of the Masquerade Theatre shows because they were so colorful and beautiful with all their costumes. As we returned to our stateroom, we agreed this had to be the most exciting and rewarding day of the trip! It was fantastic! But this was just the beginning. We had five more days to go! Monday, June 25 Skagway , Alaska This was another busy, yet fantastic day! We were up about 7 as usual and made our way to the Windjammer for breakfast. I’m getting spoiled having scrambled eggs and all kinds of fresh fruit each morning. Then I top it off with a small piece of French toast and strawberries for a breakfast dessert along with orange juice and coffee. Actually, there is a large variety of choices but this is my favorite! After a short trip to our stateroom, we again walked the plank to dry land and shopping. Skagway is a historic old town and we learned quite a bit about the folklore during the day. About 11:30 we headed back to the pier and found the pick-up stations for our tours. Jim and I went on different tours so I was on my own for the first time for about four hours in this faraway place. About 12:15 I boarded the bus to go to the train station even though it was not far away. The hostess on the bus said it was a good way to make sure everyone was going to the same place and had our passports handy because we would need them later as we entered British Columbia . We were delayed because 2 people had forgotten them and had to make a quick dash back to the ship. There were about 35 people on this particular tour as we boarded train car #260 for White Pass , all with cameras in hand. The trip was only about 20 miles from Skagway but it was mostly uphill, around curves and moved rather slowly. I tried to take pictures but didn’t do very well through the moving train windows. The scenery was gorgeous with beautiful mountains, streams and waterfalls. I had a double seat all to myself and realized I was about the only one alone. Most were in couples or groups but all were from Visions of the Sea. I talked to people more and found out many were with large groups of relatives or friends but were taking different tours like I was. I think Jim was on the same train but with another group who would ride bikes back down the mountains. White Pass is on the border between Alaska and British Columbia but there wasn’t much there except the needed border station and highway construction going on. We went on about 10 more miles to Frazer B.C. before getting on awaiting buses for our return trip. Mine was bus #111 and my driver was Tim, a very friendly red-headed fellow who said he and his wife were both Skagway tour bus drivers during the summer and went to the University of Idaho during the winter where they were both working on teaching degrees. They loved Alaska and hoped to return there after graduation to work in the school system. The bus ride was a little scary as I was sitting near the front of the bus where I could watch the highway. It seemed narrow and treacherous to me going downhill even though I loved the scenery. I had sat down next to a woman I found out later was feeling ill. She said it was nothing catching but she obviously didn’t feel like talking and kept her eyes closed much of the time. I did find out she was traveling with a group of women from Texas . When we got back to Skagway, we stopped at a small theatre to watch a 20-minute documentary film showing the hardships early settlers endured as they came for the gold rush in 1898-1900 and most of them were disappointed. Many starved to death, as there were not enough rations. We then got back on the bus and our driver, Tim, took us on a tour of the city pointing out places of interest. Before ending the tour, we stopped to visit the historic old Gold Rush Cemetery. He told us interesting stories about some of the folks buried there. They included bad guy Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith whom I had not heard of previously and the city hero who shot him, Frank Reid who was a prominent architect having designed most of Skagway‘s original buildings. It seems Soapy was a fast talker who made a career out of cheating people out of what little money they had and causing the town fathers to eventually try to force him out of town. He tried to crash their meeting and was gunned down by Reid. Soapy still got in a shot striking Frank with a painful shot to the groin. Reid died 12 days later. Most of the group took a little walk up the hill to see a waterfall but it proved to be farther than I had thought so common sense told me to stop and rest along with another lady. Tim offered to take my camera along and take a picture of the waterfall for me to which I consented. After that, the bus took us all back to the pier and I headed for the plank once again where I was buzzed as usual and had to undergo a complete check along with triple ID before entering the ship. By the time I got to the 8th floor, I was so tired I couldn’t even remember my room number. About that time while I was still wandering around, I ran into Jim who said he had been there about 15 minutes from his bike ride down the mountain. We had both skipped lunch again so I grabbed a snack from our stash of fruit and cookies and freshened up a bit before going to the Masquerade Theatre for an early showing of the Los Pampas Gauchos. They were awesome! I couldn’t believe the energy and talent as these young men from Argentina did their stomp dancing, beat their drums, and cracked whips. They were absolutely amazing. Another part of the show was an amazing magic display of puppets through lighting that I don’t have a clue on how to describe. I’ve never seen anything like it! After the show, it was time for our dinner. All six of us were there at table #156 ready to once again be treated like royalty by our waiter, Rex, from India and hostess, Luci from Slovakia . By the time we finished our meal, I was rejuvenated and wanted to linger a few minutes to enjoy the band that was performing in the Centrum. I don’t know who they were but they were really good. After listening and watching the ocean and the mountains go by, we decided to call it a day. By the way, it was still daylight. I don’t know if it ever gets dark! Tuesday, June 26, Tracy Arm Fjord This was a more restful day, as we didn’t go to dry land. Instead, we had a beautiful scenic cruise through Tracy Arm fjord, which lasted a big part of the day. Later it was suggested we watch for whales. I never did see one, however, others did. I mostly took pictures and lounged in the Solarium soaking in all the beauty. There were mountains, waterfalls and large chunks of snow and icebergs floating around. The sun came around noon , which made everything more beautiful. I seemed to be taking a cold so the warmth of the solarium was an ideal place for me to rest. Jim came by during the noon hour and asked me if I was ready for lunch? My tummy had forgotten what lunch was as we had skipped it for two days. Happily it adjusted to a wonderful buffet lunch in the Windjammer. After that we visited the photo shop and viewed the pictures that had been taken of us up to that time and I did some shopping in the ship’s store. We found out there was a special matinee concert starring Sheri Cafaro in the theatre so we decided to attend. It was quite a treat with Sheri performing a variety of music. After that we decided to take a long restful nap. Jim woke me up announcing it was almost time for the next show, so we were off again for the fifth floor and a stroll to the theatre. Kenny James sang his heart out for us with a performance including dance and comedy. He was bursting with energy and won a standing ovation. Next was dining again with our friends at table 156. A surprise this evening was a large group of children dressed as pirates and proclaiming to be taking over the ship. They were really cute and so much fun! Following that, we were treated to a grand march of all the chefs and waiters. This diverse group of people represented 25 different countries. As a collective effort, they entertained us by singing an Italian song, which sounded pretty good, considering they had about 20 different accents. All in all, it was a great day! We remembered to turn our clocks up and hour at bedtime. It’s a good thing we had that nap! Wednesday, June 27, Prince Rupert B.C. We slept a little later this morning so it was 10 a.m. before we left the ship to check out Prince Rupert , B.C. Let’s see, sea-card, ID, passport, we were all set! We had no plans and nothing looked too exciting. Should we go this way, or that way? We decided “that way” because it seemed to be toward the main part of town, only thing, it was up-hill. We decided to go in an interesting looking building which turned out to be the Northwestern British Columbia Museum . We strolled around and viewed a bunch of Indian artifacts and other objects of historical value including several old totem poles. The woodcarvers in those days didn’t put anything on the carvings to protect them. When they finished carving one, they just started another so those that remain are very weather beaten. The next stop was the “Udder” coffeehouse where we stopped for a delicious warm-up latte’. We thought we would check out the local mall but it didn’t seem too exciting. My only purchase of the day other than the museum pass and the latte’ was a 57-cent picture card of the island. I was not feeling too great because of my cold so we decided to go back to the ship to have lunch at the Windjammer before I crawled in bed for an afternoon nap. Jim decided to go back to the island and explored the other end of the island including Cow Bay . This area got its name because the first herd of dairy cows to arrive at Prince Rupert was unloaded there. No dock had been built at that time so the cows had to swim from the ship to the shore. When I woke up later that afternoon I was horrified, as my hair was a total nightmare and this was to be another formal night! But I felt better. Out came the curlers and hair spray and the evening was saved! We were able to get all dressed up in time to go to the theatre. This time was a show called “Broadway Rhythm and Rhyme” starring the Royal Caribbean Singers and Dancers. What a spectacular performance! These dancers have so much energy. It is unbelievable! Following the show, we went to the lobby to wait for the dining room to open, It was fun watching all the people walk by dressed up in their finest for this formal dinner. We both had the lobster and shrimp dinner with peach soup for an appetizer. Dessert was a sampler with three little fancy confections that were delicious. We finished up with coffee before going to the Centrum to watch the dancing and listen to the most beautiful classic melodies. I could have listened for hours but they packed up at 10:30 and we didn’t want to go to another party so we decided to call it a day also. When we got to our room, we cracked up as we spotted a “towel critter” hanging over our mirror. There had been a different one every night perching in our quarters but this one especially touched our funny bones. It appeared to be a monkey (I think). Anyhow, we sure had a big laugh! Thursday, June 28, Cruising Inside Passage This was the final day of our adventure. Our main activity after breakfast was a backstage tour at the Masquerade Theatre. Gone was all the razzle-dazzle except for the sight of the many glamorous costumes and accessories on hangers. It was a very interesting place as we wound around among the shelves of props. There were many wigs and hats along with shoes and gloves of all kinds. Jim joined the guys while they got an overview of all the sound equipment. At 12:05 we gathered on the top deck for the international grand parade of flags led by our Norwegian ship captain. The officers, staff, and crew were all waving flags from their respective 51 countries and it was a sight to behold! It was windy and rather damp but that didn’t bother anyone. It was like a gathering of the United Nations and very touching. After a nap it was time for final shopping for me as I browsed through the big bargains in the ship’s store. We made a final picture taking tour and I was beginning to think I finally knew my way around ship. That was before I got turned around again! We had deadlines today as to paying our tips and getting our bags packed. We enjoyed the farewell show hosted by our cruise director John Blair and starring the comedy and ventriloquism by Brad Cummings. The talents of the singers and dancers completed the show. We said our goodbyes to our dinner friends and our servers, Rex and Luci after a delicious evening meal. Saying goodbyes are always hard for me. I wouldn’t allow myself to think even for a second that I would never see these wonderful people again! If I did I would cry. We had a deadline, (11 p.m.) to have our bags all packed and out in the hall before we went to bed so they could be loaded during the night. It wasn’t too hard except I found my bags to be fuller because of the small amount of shopping I had done. I accepted Jim’s offer to let my “moose” travel in his bag. We were reminded to keep out our wearing apparel for the trip home. Friday June 29 Home at last! Our departure time was posted for 6 a.m. but we had time for a final breakfast as our group who already had shuttle passes were not called until about 9:30 . We gathered for our call in the Viking Crown Lounge. Our airline tickets were to depart Seattle at 1:15 p.m. PDT . After waiting in the lines for the shuttle to the airport, we didn’t have much time to spare before loading on Southwestern Flight # 1436. It was a cool, cloudy and misty day in Seattle and the flight home went very smoothly. Due to a late take-off, we didn’t arrive in Kansas City until about 7:15 p.m. We were tired but happy. It was a wonderful, memorable trip, thanks to my wonderful daughter-in-law, Louise, who planned and arranged the whole thing! I thank God for her! And there she was, waiting, and ready to welcome us home! Joan Mathis
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