Cat's - Maxwell Smart and I were buddies - he got 99, I got Oh Oh. Would you believe 'I am just kidding'? How about - Oh forget it Chaos is about to take over!

Hi Karalin and Fierce Koala,

Thanks for your advice I am sure that I will be looking out for bears(from a distance).
I am going on the TT Trans-Canadian Rail& Rockies starting on 17August.
We went onto the Princess site after getting our booking numbers from the lovely Kirsty at TT. We have booked all our off shore visits and still have time to explore on our own. I am looking forward to the helicopter ride, although my mum is still unsure. I have done the immigration, ship book in and also obtained our cabin details, so all is well.
We have 9 weeks to go and cannot wait. I am going to be happy to hear your trip tales and I will be happy to place mine here on return.
9 weeks is 8.5 weeks too many!
Maureen David and mum in tow.

Go for it Maureen...You will love Canada.

Cheers

I worried about bears before our August 2003 trip to Alaska. When we were in our hotel in Anchorage I heard announced on the news that a bear pulled a child from its stroller and killed it. We listened in horror at the report, anxious to hear of the location, assuming it would be in Alaska or out west somewhere. The incident occurred in the "wilds" of New York State in the Catskill mountains, about 1 1/2 hours from NYC. Here I worried about bears in Alaska and the problem occurred in my own backyard.

Hi Maureen
I know what you mean about counting the weeks down. Everymorning I wake up and tell my husband its only 6 weeks, now its 5 weeks.. think he is getting sick of hearing it. lolol. We are going on the Diamond Princess and the travel agent gave us our booking number think I might also book some land tours but there are so many can't decide. There seems to be alot on television about Canada at the moment. I even purchased a new camera so i can take heaps of photos, and have started packing the bags. Andrew (husband) thinks I have gone crazy, plenty of time in his opinion to throw everything in the bag the night before... eeshh men!!

Karalin,
Use space bags when you go away and you can fit so much more into your bags. They are very effective and keep your clothes from squishing up in the cases. When I got onto the Princesss site and looked up the tours, it was so much easier as they have choice of times to do the trips and allows you the flexibilty of having trips and time to discover yourselves.
We have booked Mount Roberts Tram as you get a day pass to go anytime. Gold Panning and History tour. Alaska Sled and Dog Mushcers Camp. Valley of the Glaciers Helicopter Tour. Totems and Lumberjack Combo. The total we can see for these is a base price of around $455 per person. It also gives us a chance to do some other things as well.
We are all so excited. The only hard part we have is try to think about summer type clothes to pack as it is getting cooler every day.
Have great fun and let us know about your trip when you return.
Cheers
Mauree David and Mum in tow.

Hey Maureen, Thanks for the spacebags advice, I had actually purchased some a few weeks ago. Great idea!! I have not booked the trips as yet, there are soooo many can't decide which ones, but the dogs and sled was one on the agenda we had thought about. We are stopping in Hawaii on the way for a few days, my son has given me a shopping list lolol...so need plenty of room in the case.

Hi Karalin,
My kids and the family not going away has just realised about duty free! They think they are going to give the three of us a list of what they would like. Boy I have news for them, postcards are looking good, maybe the odd call, but I am looking forward to the shopping myself. Our last trip was a very squashed return with our bags filled to the brim.
I hope as your time draws near you have great fun, and I look forward to hearing about your trip on your return.
We have not yet worked out the trip to the airport as we have to be at Melbourne airport at around 4.30am! Looks like a long sleepless night for a early morning start.
Cheers,
Maureen

Hi Maureen
Talk about the Bears...my daughter sent me a news clipping about a jogger who was killed by a grizzly bear the other day...dont think I will be jogging anywhere, apparently she climbed a tree to get away and her friends ran for help when they came back she was dead... eeshh... I have booked the shore excursions we intend to take and was so glad we did most of the ones we had contemplated are booked out and even now we are on the waiting list for some....counting down the weeks 4 till we leave....

Karalin,
Thanks for the bear warning! I will not be jogging anywhere and certainly will not climb trees as I have seen that bears can do that too.
I wish we only had four weeks to go, but with us it is just as well it is 8 weeks. I am just waiting to hear about the tickets and when they may arrive, then I know all is on track. Good luck with you trip, cannot wait to hear about it when you return.
Cheers, Maureen

Hi all visitors,
We have just returned from our trip to Canada and the Inside Passage cruise. What can I say!! It was the best. The organisation was excellent, the planning was slick and the TD(Corinne) was the funniest,and very knowledgable person around.Booking all the extra tours were easy, the trips were the best and allowed us to see the maximum during our stay. Loved Canada and the people, cannot wait to return to do more and catch up with our new Canadian friends. The cruise and transfers were easy and quick. It certainly pays to book all the off shor activities over the net, as on the ship all our tickets were waiting and we had no lines at the booking table. The only one we would consider to be a waste of money is the Totem Pole and Lumberjack Combo.This was not at all like what was on the internet description.The guide was horrible and the tour did not show us anything we could not find in the town of Ketchican. We did hear that the jet boat ride enabled alot of wild life sightings. Overall the trip was great, the country was great, the people great, we will go back.
Cheers from another traveller returning home.

Hi Dave&Maureen

Can you tell me which off shore optionals you did and which shipping line you were on.

DAVE & Maureen, when I did the Alaska cruise there were two totem pole tours offered. I think we must have taken the other one (there was no lumberjack), and we thoroughly enjoyed it - lots of totem poles with carving demonstrations and folkloric entertainment. It was one of the best low-key cultural optionals I've ever had.

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. Isn't Alaska awesome?!

Hello MonaP and Missie,
Yes Alaska is awesome and very fragile, I have been pleased to come home and let my grandchildren know that we have to look after our world. We met an Sioux Indian on the Trans Continental Train and he gave us any incredible insight to his culture and how his family have lived in the past and now. We were very lucky to have his company at our meal table.
Missie, the cruise line we went on was the Princess Line onboard the Diamond Princess. This ship is only 18 months old and is filled with every type of entertainment, bars, food etc. We always had heaps to do on the days we sailed. The off shore activities we did were:
Juneau Mount Roberts Tram day pass very good. There was a 25 minute documentray about the Native Indians of the area which we thoroughly enjoyed;
Gold Panning and History Tour with a really great guide, great group, and very informative tour with the gold panning taking place in a river in the bush.We also had time to walk around the town and get lunch etc.
At Skagway we did the Alaska Sled Dog and Mushers Camp. This was fantastic and the talk we had from one of the mushers was a real insight to the passion and life of the special people. We got to pat the dogs and see the camp. We then went on the Valley of the Glaciers Helicopter Tour. Although a bit expensive($219 American) this was the best thing we did. The trip allowed us to see the valleys that the glaciers formed along with spending time on a glacier with a guide. The explained about the formation of the glacier and we could spend time walking along the crevasses.In Ketchikan we did the Totems and Lumberjack Combo. It was a dissapointment to us and now we know it would have been better to spend time at the discovery centre where the largest gathering of totem poles are.We heard the jet boat adventure nad sea plane tours were good.
Overall we loved the country, loved the people and we will probably return.
Cheers
Maureen

D&M, I am so jealous that you got to do the dog sled trip! We wanted to, but we were there in September and the snow was just too soft. Maybe next time . . .