Month: July 2013
Alaska Here We Come!
If you are like me, planning and preparing for the trip are almost as thrilling as the travels themselves! I spend an entire year drooling over travel blogs and books, and scouring TripAdvisor reviews in order to pack as many bucket list items as humanly possible into an itinerary. But this year was a little different. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still spend an enormous about of time surfing the web and gather tips and ideas for our trip this year, however it wasn’t until about MARCH that we actually had the summer trip destination finalized (this is VERY unusual for us!)
We threw out lots of fabulous destinations this year, but neither I nor my husband could/would be the one to decide. You see, I years past we have alternated who gets to pick each Summer travel location (he likes the beach…I like cities…) but this year we really wanted to pick a destination together that we would both be really excited about! We had a huge list, and we narrowed it down to a few locations: Iceland, Thailand, Israel, or Vienna/Budapest. These locations were all so very different from one another that we were really having a hard time choosing….and then….BABY ADDIE CHOSE FOR US!
We found out that we were pregnant at the beginning of March, and that pretty much our travel destination. Hiking glaciers in Iceland, touring a conflict-zone in Israel, traveling through sketchy (albeit beautiful) locations in Thailand, and sweating it out with the other millions of tourists in Europe just didn’t fit into the plans this year….
Needless to say, being 5 months pregnant I still want to have an adventure, but I would also like to safety of an American hospital for emergencies (covered by my health insurance!) and a little relaxation, which is not the norm for many of our vacations. We chose to cruise next week with Princess Cruise Lines to several Alaskan ports within the Inside Passage. We will be leaving from Seattle on SUNDAY!!!
Here are some of the adventures we are most excited about:
1. Ketchikan: Lumberjack Competition and Totem Bight National Park
Waring really wanted to see the Lumberjack Competition. Will it be cheesy? Yes, but that is part of it’s charm! Next, we will head to Totem Bight State Park (This is the nerdy part of me…remember, I am a history major!) Here we will see a model of a native american village and historic cedar totem poles that have stood the test of time! (Can you tell I am super excited!?)
2. Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier
After several hours searching various travel sites, I finally decided to use Orca Enterprises for our Juneau Whale Watching Experience. Many sites suggest using Harv and Marv’s (which has excellent reviews), however we opted for a slightly bigger ship so that the water wouldn’t be quite to rocky. Although we will be travelling through an inlet, baby Addie is precious cargo, and I figured that we would err on the side of precaution! This company touts a 99.9% whale sighting records, and will refund 50% of your trip costs if you do not see one of these beautiful creatures! I. CAN’T. WAIT!
After a (hopefully) amazing morning of whale watching, we will then arrive via taxi to Mendenhall Glacier. (Bucket List Item 21: SEE A GLACIER…check!!!)
3. Skagway: Yukon Discover Tour
THIS was by far the hardest tour to book. We knew that we wanted to explore past the cruise port, but we just weren’t sure which route to take. Many visitors seemed to take the historic railway through White Pass Summit and into the Canadian Yukon, however I just couldn’t image paying the $$$ price and spending almost 7 hours (!!!) on a train!
So, we opted to travel with Frontier Excursions and Adventures. We will ride in a 20 passenger van/bus along a similar route as the railway, but we will get to stop, stretch our legs, and take LOTS of pictures along the way. We will down Klondike Highway from Skagway to Carcross and the Emerald Lake. We will stand on the shores of Lake Bennett and view the world’s tiniest dessert (how strange!), as well as visit the summer dog sledding training camp for the Iditarod!
Our trip is going to be filled with so much adventure, I am so glad that BABY ADDIE helped pick this trip for us! Whenever I get back I will post my tips and reviews, as well as an inordinate amount of pictures!
Love Traveling But Loathe Flying? Tips and Tricks for the Fearful Flyer!
With the annual Hubby/Wifey (and baby on the way) adventure planned, payed, and (partially) packed for, there is only one thing left to do…(gulp)…FLY!
I have traveled on air planes since I was less than three years old. I used to find it thrilling, however after a few maintenance issues and troubling flight misadventures, flying seems now to be a necessary evil that I must overcome every few months! To make matters worse, dear hubby is not to keen on flying himself. We are a pretty sight to be seen right before boarding time I am afraid!
I can’t be the only one out there with a semi-irrational fear of flying!? Being the teacher that I am, I firmly believe that knowledge is power, so naturally I have turned to the web to gain some tips/tools/and strategies to combat my case of cold feet when it comes to flight.
1. Budget Travel: Cockpit Confidential: Insider Secrets and Tips From and Airline Pilot
2. Budget Travel: Fear of Flying?
3. Budget Travel: Does Knowing More About Planes Help, or Is Ignorance Bliss?
4. Budget Travel: The Strange Rituals Things People Do to Beat The Fear of Flying.
5. Budget Travel: Ten Tips to Combat Flight Anxiety
What I learned:
- 25% of travelers claim to have a fear of flying.
- I feel better about myself knowing that the editor in chief of Budget Travel Magazine herself is fearful of flying!
- If you find yourself in turbulence, close your eyes and imagine you are on the back of school bus driving down a dirt road.
- Bring a photo or guide book of your destination and focus on the end result!
- If you are really scared your are going to freak out mid-flight, let your flight attendant know your a little fearful at the very beginning of the flight, not when you start to go ape…
- PRAY!!!! (You should probably be doing this already…We all should be doing a lot more of this I am afraid…)
And if all of these tips don’t work….there is always Valium!
The count down is on…Seattle on Saturday and Alaska on Sunday!
Daily Drops in the Bucket 