Juneau

From Ketchikan, our next port of call was Juneau, the capital of Alaska (bet you thought that was Anchorage, everyone does!). In the morning I headed off to do some walking on a glacier, while Mum and Annie elected to explore the town instead, but in the afternoon we all went on a float trip down the Mendenhall River... it could be called rafting if there had been any real rapids, or if we had been required to paddle! But instead we just sat there while we got paddled along! Hardly an adventure sport, until we got stuck, and were required to "shimmy" or "bounce", but fortunately we never had to go "high side"!

The Radiance (as you can tell, we were quite attached to the ship!). Our balcony was two cloors above the bright yellow life boat:

Mum looking back on the five cruise ships in on the day we were there!

Annie, at the naffest saloon we have come across so far (although we have not been trying):

The interior decor of the Red Door Saloon:

On a helicopter flying to a glacier!

Landing and taking off from the glacier:

Looking sexy in crampons and full survival gear on a glacier:

Yep, walking on water!

More beautiful glacier views, spoiled only by me!

Looking amazing in our rafting / float trip suits, with Mel and Andrew, a honeymooning couple from Sydney who know some of my brother's friends! Small world...
The Mendenhall Glacier, not a bad backdrop:

Floating down the river, huge mountains in the background:

Iceberg, dead ahead!

Say what you will about cruise ships (and believe me, we have said plenty!), the service can't be faulted. Every night, as they turned down our beds, they would leave us a little present in the form of animals made from towels. The sunglasses were our own addition after a couple of drinks in our favourite bar...

Ketchikan

Our first port of call on the ship was Ketchikan, apparently the wettest place in the south-east of Alaska, but happily sunny for us! It was a day of eating and sightseeing, and we had a fabulous day!

The float plane to the crab fest, the only way we could get Annie on a float plane, but in the end, she loved it!


Mum on the float plane:

Annie on the float plane:

Me on the float plane:

The three cruise ships in port, from the air (ours is the furthest left):

The beautiful mountain scenery:

Float planes are a regular way of getting around in Alaska:

Annie at the crab fest! All you can eat Dungeness Crab... it was sooooo good!

Mum at the crab fest:

The aftermath...

Taking off:

Me and Mum:

Me and Annie:

All of us outside Dolly's House (formerly a brothel...) in downtown Ketchikan:

The view from our "stateroom" when we were docked:
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show:

Mum on our balcony, overlooking Ketchikan:

Me up on the deck, overlooking Ketchikan:

Looking back at the Radiance:

And again:

Vancouver and Cruising

Sorry it has taken so long to put some photos up, but at US$28 per hour for internet on the cruise ship, we figured the money was better spent on drinks...

Despite this being a holiday, we haven't had time to relax, so unfortunately haven't had time to put together any text to let you know what we have been up to, but hopefully these pictures will give some idea!

Sunbathing (yes, sunbathing) in Vancouver with Shaz:

Kerri sunbathing:

Beautiful rhododendrons in Vancouver:

With Annie, overlooking Kitsilano beach
With Mum, with the Vancouver suburbs behind us:
On Kitsilano beach with Mum

Me and Vancouver

The good ship Radiance of the Seas

Our stateroom (everything is very posh, couldn't just call it a cabin!)

The pools, all heated of course... With the carbon footprint of cruise ships, I will never again feel guilty about flying!

The central core of the ship

The indoor pool

The rock-climbing wall which I ran out of time to use!

Mum preparing for the evacuation drill

"Set Sail" cocktails on deck

More cocktails

The beautiful city of Vancouver

Lion's Gate Bridge

Gorgeous night to set sail!

Sunset

Bit more rugged up now... cruising up towards Ketchikan, our first stop

Annie on deck

Whale watching, Archer style, with a glass of wine in hand!

All frocked up for our first formal night!

Annie's dream come true, a picture with a Mountie!

Can't complain about the view!