The Griswolds (alias Jack and Sue) Prepare for Alaska

Our September trip to Alaska started in March of 2013.  This is not because Alaska is so far away and we planned to walk there, but because any good Dallas vacation starts with excessive planning.  Sue had a suitcase packed and plopped on the treadmill in the early part of this year.  This accomplished two things.  First, we could no longer use the treadmill.  Second, it gave Sue a sense of accomplishment.

Now we are in August, literally weeks before our departure.  Sue's suitcase does not now contain even one item packed back in March.  Everything has been replaced with new stuff from Amazon.  Even though we are usually frugal packers and have done month long vacations to Europe with just two carry-on bags, this vacation is somehow different.  One major difference is shoes.  Alaska requires big shoes.  We set aside one formerly large suitcase to hold our two pair of large shoes.  Just add some wool socks and a tripod and one large bag is full.

Seeing the completely full checked bag, I ordered a new (larger) suitcase from Amazon.  It is due tomorrow.  You now see how important is was to start packing our old suitcases back in March.  The new bag will replace the old bag and should provide a single extra cubic foot of valuable space.  I may now have room for some shoe fresheners and a change of underwear.  Sue is already thinking about that extra cubic foot.  If I could see the thought bubble above her head I'm sure it would include three cubic feet of stuff she would like to put in there.

I also realized that my camera bag is quite a bit heavier than on previous trips.  It now holds my long lens and a 1.4x converter.  Since this was my personal item and I was checking my clothing bag, I could now order another suitcase (roll-aboard) from Amazon.  This bag will arrive by Wednesday.  We are now up to two checked bags and two carry-on pieces.

On a lighter note, we now may have to cancel the trip.  We just watched the movie, The Edge.  It takes place in Alaska (filmed in Canada), and features Bart the Bear.  Sue and I met (saw) Bart on a trip out west many years ago.  He was a pussycat.  In the movie, he eats people.  If we go on the cruise, Sue now plans to stay inside.  On Wikipedia I learned that bears kill someone only once every other year.  One such famous incident occurred in 1999.  If bear attacks skip a year, and one happened in 1999, one can assume that odd numbered years...., like 2013, would be...., Uh oh, don't tell Sue.

While the picture below looks like a before image from a tooth whitening commercial, it was just a visitor to Sue's dream world last night.





Our cruise leaves the dock in Vancouver September 1st.  Our captain is none other than Francesco Schettino, recently hired away from the Costa Cruise Lines.  He formerly skippered the Costa Concordia which is now in for extensive repairs.  Their loss, our gain.  We hope to get some really close up views of the Alaskan coastline with such an experienced captain.



We eventually end up in Anchorage where we catch a train that takes us north to Denali.  Our conductor for the trip is none other than Francisco Jose Garzon, who has taken a leave of absence from the Spanish train service to work in Alaska.  A speedy exciting ride is promised.

We then take a bus ride into Denali National Park.  We don't know who our driver will be, but we have heard rumors.  Sarah Palin is looking for photo ops for her 2016 bid for the presidency and we hear Sandra Bullock is planning to film Speed III and wants to get into character.  I am personally hoping it is Sarah so she can point out Russia.  I have my long lens and would like to get a picture.

We end up in Fairbanks for a few days and eventually head out to the Chena Hot Springs to see the Ice Museum where I guess they have some really old ice.  The whole place is made from ice and, while I could care less about the old ice, they have a really neat bar.  We are also here for the Northern Lights.  If the drinks in the Ice Museum are made properly and I am cold enough, I am sure I will see something resembling the Northern Lights.

Ice Museum Bar

If you are still with me in this blog entry, just know that all you have read so far is what has been planned.  With such extensive and careful planning, what could go wrong?  If you have read my previous travel blogs, you know that there is no way that any of this vacation will go according to plan.

A famous movie quote comes to mind:

Renault: And what in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca?

Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.

Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.

Rick: I was misinformed.

Stay tuned for further updates as to what really takes place.  As there is virtually no affordable or reliable Internet availability on the cruise ship, postings may be delayed.