Day 50 Ketchikan and Farewell

At 10.00 am this morning the Diamond Princess docked alongside the pier in Ketchikan for our final stop in Alaska. The sun was shining, and we took wallets ashore to spend our final American dollars before we leave for Canada.

Ketchikan is a traditional Alaskan town full of wooden buildings and local handicrafts which celebrate the ethnic heritage of the region.  A funicular railway ascends the steep hillside, and waterfalls and walkways are landscaped into the slopes.

 The harbour and dockside are set against a background of snow capped peaks and tiny sea planes.

Sorry, no photos today...the ship's internet is being difficult! I'll add them later.

 This last port of call coincides with the final and 50th post of my charity challenge, ’50 Bloggin’ Days’.  To those of you who have regularly clicked on these pages, I say thank you. The blog has now received over 9000 hits and will hopefully reach 10,000 by the time we return home.

If you have already donated to my justgiving charity page, or are intending to do so, I send you my sincere gratitude on behalf of the growing number of people worldwide who benefit from continuing research in improving the treatment of Diabetes. This chronic condition did not prevent Chris from enjoying an amazing trip, though we did experience a few near catastrophes along the way!

When we return to England, I will write at least one final post with links to more photos and an index of pages. Feel free to contact me through the blog comments section or another site if you have any questions about the ship, our ports of call, or travelling with Diabetes.

Please donate by clicking on www.justgiving.com/ClaireBaldry

Day 49 Watching the Whales

Juneau is the capital of Alaska. Like many Alaskan towns it is only accessible by plane or ferry. If you drive out of town for 7 miles, you will reach a barrier and a sign which reads ‘End of the Road’.

 The town is famous for the Birdman of Alcatraz, the Red Dog Saloon, and, of course, Sarah Pallin. Our ship docked close to town, and we would happily have spent a few hours wandering around the many tourist shops and attractions.

But we had booked what appeared to be an exorbitantly overpriced Princess trip to watch the whales.

On average it rains for 220 days in Juneau. Being so early in the season, we were fortunate indeed to climb onto a coach in sunshine. The coach took us the 5 miles to our ‘whale watching’ vessel. I had expected to embark a chilly and exposed water craft overcrowded with camera yielding passengers. The reality was far better. We found ourselves on a 2 storey, spacious, glass protected catamaran. There were only about 50 of us onboard a vessel designed to hold 250. With free tea and coffee and generous use off binoculars, we set off comfortably into Auk Bay.

The opitical zoom on my medium priced Fuji camera reaches a maximum of 18x. This was barely sufficient for the next 3 hours, but, thanks to my cheap portable bendy mini tripod (which I would recommend as a purchase), I did manage to focus a few photos on the experience which followed.

A Bald Eagle

Sea Lions

And now for the whales....

Hump Back Whales are longer in size  than a coach. The ones we saw spend their winters in Hawaii giving birth to young, then head off to Alaskan feeding grounds for the summer. 

The first indication of their presence is a misty spout, as the whales exhale air and water in their approach to the surface. The boat then goes silent and we wait. A whale can dive for over 10 minutes and we have no idea where it will resurface.

Someone points to movement.

A dark shape appears on the surface of the water. We snap our cameras and hope we have caught the scene.

The shape turns into a fin.

The fin turns into a tail.

The whale descends into the depths and the cycle starts again.

Conservation rules prevent us from watching the same whale for too long, so we move on every 30 minutes. The time passes extremely quickly.

Unmissable!

    

Day 48 Close Up with a Glacier

If you have not yet put Alaska on your ‘must do’ list, fetch a pen and update that list now.

This is the reason.

 We entered Yakatak Bay at 12.30 pm today and sailed slowly into the bay until we reached the Hubbard Glacier. The rain had cleared, and sunlight reflected on the glassy seas. It was chilly...gloves, hat, leggings under trousers, 2 pairs of socks....And I stood outside in the icy Alaskan sunshine all afternoon mesmerised by the views. The Captain had manoeuvred the ship as close as possible to the Hubbard Glacier.

Pieces of ice crackled on the surface like a bowl of Rice Krispies.

We felt so close to the cloudy mountain tips, I wanted to reach out and touch them.  

Save up your pennies and visit Alaska. You will not be disappointed.

Day 47 A Taste of Alaska

In 1964 a massive earthquake rocked the east coast of Alaska. The consequent Tsunami destroyed half the houses in Seward killing 75 people. Despite this tragedy, a community of just over 2000 residents has thrived in the little Alaskan town of Seward.

 

It was here that we docked yesterday, surrounded by snow capped mountains and clear reflective waters.

his was the first cruise ship visit of the season, and our arrival temporarily doubled the population the town. Traditional wooden churches and veranda fronted shops filled the main street in downtown  Seward. We wandered happily buying souvenirs and gifts which will probably look a lot less attractive when we return to Sussex. I asked the seller in the bookshop if they were pleased to see so many visitors.  “It’s sure been a long dull winter” she replied. “We’re pleased to our little ‘ole town wake up”.

As we sailed out in the early evening, the scenery grew in stature.

Daylight continued until after 9pm and several whale spouts were visible in the distance as we ate our dinner.
For a first ever taste of Alaska, this visit was compelling

Day 46 Snow

It snowed all night. Small, persistent flakes showered the ship. We awoke to find an inch or more on our balcony. At breakfast a crew team were busy clearing the snow from the open decks. It is hard to rationalise during 4 weeks the difference between temperatures over 35 deg in Bangkok and the -2 deg, we are currently feeling. We have experienced a world of weather.

It is currently 2 pm ship’s time, midnight in the UK. The snow has started to fall again and looks set to continue. We are already planning our layers of clothing for Seward tomorrow. The sea is very calm, with excellent visibility despite the snow. Every so often I grab my coat and camera and set foot outside. Land has now disappeared but my whale count has risen to 3 spouts, 1 fin, and a large tail ( all separate sightings).  We expect to be passing the Alaskan Island of Kodiak shortly before entering Resurrection Bay very early tomorrow morning.

Our longitude is 56 deg North and the daylight hours are extended.  Sunrise will be at   5.19 am. The clocks go forward another hour tonight. I am undecided whether or not to set the alarm!

Day 45 Peaks and Spouts

After 4  full days at sea in very calm water without sight of land, we began to empathise with the Ancient Mariner. There are only so many Trivia Quizzes, a person can tolerate.

Then at 11 am this morning, the officer of the watch announced a whale sighting on the port side. I grabbed my camera and rushed downstairs to the outside promenade deck in the freezing cold with no coat. There they were....3 water spouts bursting from the ocean at a considerable distance. No photo was possible, but I have technically seen my first whale.

Within minutes, land appeared on the horizon, numerous snow capped peaks which have emerged in the view from our balcony....these are the Aleution Islands. Wow!

We are currently sailing due East just North of the islands ready to enter the Unimak Passage which links the Pacific Ocean to The Bering Sea. The temperature is barely above freezing, but I am now prepared. My camera is charged up, and my coat and hat and gloves are lying in wait by the balcony door in case Mr Whale pays a second call.  

Day 44 Cruise Food

Everyone knows that the food on cruise ships is generous and of high quality. Diamond Princess is no exception, though it appeals more to me than to Chris, in so far as there is a particularly good selection of fish and oriental food.

At lunchtime there is a choice of restaurant service, burger or pizza bar, extensive cooked and cold buffet, and daily speciality buffet on sea days.

We did not try the ‘pay extra’ dining options, but In the evening, those guests on flexible dining have a choice of 4 included restaurants. Each venue has the same basic menu, a daily a la carte range, and one restaurant speciality.  For example, the ‘Pacific Moon’ speciality is scallops and noodles. The full menus can be downloaded from the Princess website, but here are a couple of tasters.

A smoked salmon starter with potato pancakes

Citrus souffle

Day 43 Sir Francis Drake on TV

When the ship docked in Beijing, the passenger profile changed significantly....more Canadians and Chinese, less Americans and Brazilians, and even fewer Brits. It’s difficult to generalise the changes without stereotyping the range of nationalities, but the ship seemed to grow quieter, but far busier. Board game playing and formal wear increased. I was fascinated by the tables of Majong which emerged every morning by the pool.

Our entertainment continued largely unchanged. I went swimming every day until the temperature dropped, and we met regularly for trivia. We have never considered the onboard entertainment a great strength of Princess, but occasional entertainers stood out, especially the hypnotist (how does he do that?) and some acceptable, but not outstanding, comedy. For us, surprisingly, the highlight of the entertainment has been the daily ‘Wake Show’ led by the Cruise Director and his deputy.

 These 2 are such naturally funny people, and they make each and every passenger feel special without patronising or belittling anyone. Each day they hold a daily quiz question, either a music theme or a lateral thinking problem. One day Chris signed himself ‘Sir Francis Drake’ after our ‘duck’ blog mascot and Sir Francis was invited on to the show. The result is in video, and I will download the result when I can find some free wifi.

Other highlights for us have been the wide range of up to date films on TV and in the theatre....but not (in this weather) ‘Movies Under the Stars’.

   

Day 42 Crossing the International Dateline

Since we left Japan 3 days ago, the ship’s clocks have moved forward one hour daily. This will continue until we reach Alaska on 14^th May. Today at 8pm, in the middle of this time transition, we crossed the International Dateline. (9 am UK time).

 Today our time moved back 24 hours so, in effect we repeated the 10^th May and lived through 2 Thursdays in succession. Confused? We were, but I think I’ve finally got my mind around it. As an added element, UK time has now overtaken us, so the UK is now 12 hours ahead, instead of 12 hours behind....easy to explain...it used to be yesterday in the UK, but now it is tomorrow!  

The poor crew get no extra payment for their additional day’s work, but, when they do the journey in reverse (East to West) and lose a day, their pay is not deducted.  

Unlike the Equator, there is no special ceremony for crossing the International Dateline .There are no markers in the Ocean to indicate its presence. However, we have also each received a special certificate to celebrate. I shall add this to my Great Wall Certificate, and maybe find a couple of photo frames and a piece of blank wall.  

Day 41 The Terrific Pacific

We have been incredibly lucky with the sea conditions so far. Here we are in the middle of the deepest ocean in the world, over 200 miles from the nearest land, and the sea state is described as ‘slight’.

It is cold. The outside temperature at noon is just above freezing, but there is very little wind and our balcony is protected in full sun. It is possible to sit outside, albeit wearing a thick sweater!

The information on the cabin TV system is very good, with maps and navigational data. We will finally cross the international dateline this evening at 8 pm (8 am GMT).

We have 3 more full sea days before reach Seward in Alaska. Internet willing, I am planning further sea day posts on the following topics.

Two Thursdays, as we cross the international date line

Ships food

Entertainment and the ‘Wake Show’, including a special appearance on TV by our blog mascot,  Sir Francis Drake.

I should be able to include a few more pictures of the ship, but will post full Picasa links on our return.

Day 40 A Japanese Farewell

It is 2.30 pm (5.30 am UK time) and we are sailing in an Easterly direction across the Pacific Ocean towards Alaska. We will now spend 6 days at sea, though only 5 dates, as we will experience 2 Thursdays when we cross the International Dateline.

Yesterday, sadly, was our last stop in the Far East, and I am already missing the wonderful culture and sights. The ‘cruise critic’ tour which we took in Japan was amazing, even though the tour company didn’t quite grasp the gender of our female cruise critic organiser.

The day started onboard with a compulsory thermal imaging scan for all passengers by the Japanese authorities to check we were not bringing any deadly viruses into the country. Thankfully we all passed despite the hot flushes of anxiety as we walked past the sensor, and the men in white  masks.

Our ship had docked in Muroran, on the Southern tip of the North Japanese island of Hokkaido, and our day led us through a magnificent range of experiences and entertainment.

We visited the restored Ainu village and learned about the former lives of the indigenous people of of the Tohoku region.    

We breathed in Sulphur as we walked along paths in ‘Hell Valley’ Hot Springs.

This was followed by a traditional hot buffet lunch of noodles, soup and a range of dishes. I have no idea what was on my plate, but it tasted delicious, and my chopstick skills are improving.

Our next stop was to take the cable car up to the top of Mount Usu. From there we climbed in thin air to the rim of the volcano and stared into the smouldering crater.

The outlook over Lake Toya was breathtaking. My photos do not do justice to the view.

I loved Japan. It felt secure and friendly. The housing was well developed, though mostly much closer together than in similar areas in the UK. The devastation of the Tsunami was in our minds.

Our return to the ship coincided with a local dockside ceremony led by the mayor to say farewell to the ship before she set sail for Alaska. Diamond Princess only visits this part of Japan twice a year, and the Japanese gave a very strong welcoming message.

So that’s it for now....goodbye Far East and no land in sight for 4 days at least.   More about the ship tomorrow.  

Day 39 KIndles and Internet in the Far East

Before lose internet access in the Far East, I am adding this post as a reminder so I can answer questions when we return home.

Wifi internet access was available (at a cost) at all times onboard except when we were in Japanese waters. Free wifi  was available in cafes in most ports, also in Vladivostock station and the port in Pusan, South Korea. Facebook and Google were never blocked by the ship’s wifi system but were not always accessible on shore.

The ship’s wifi was quite slow, but we had 1000 free minutes for 35 days, which was just about sufficient for downloading my daily blog with photos, and paying a very quick visit to my email, facebook, and occasional other sites.

My 3G kindle could access the Amazon shop in every far East Port, except Vladivostock. I could also use it to view my email account in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Kindle email could not be opened in China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan.

I think that covers it. I’m now off to visit the Japanese Immigration Point. Japanese Officers are onboard and they need every passenger’s fingerprints (again) before we disembark tomorrow.

I’ll be back with post 40 in about 2 days time.

Day 38 From Russia With Love

For the first time since we left the UK, Chris wore a jumper this morning. Cooler temperatures and light rain swirled around us as the ship docked adjacent to the Trans Siberian railway line in Vladivostock. We have reached the far eastern tip of Russia. It takes 7 days to reach Moscow from here by train.

I’m so  glad that I visited lovely St Petersburg on an earlier holiday. Vladivostock is different, very remote,  dismal even. It does not show its home country to advantage .Having booked a Princess tour we are taken by coach to a local museum. The first set of exhibits are  ‘ancient books’, mostly copies, housed in rooms full of Ikea type display cases. The labels are all in Russian. I normally enjoy museums, but this one tests my concentration to its furthest limit.

 Then the curator approaches me (why me?) with an exercise book and asks me to write my comments on the museum. I scribe a few polite words and sign myself ‘Claire from the UK’.
Our next stop is to an ‘unmissable’ viewing point at the top of a steep hill. We are led up flights of steps to see what is described as a spectacular view. It is far reaching and we can see the extent of the town and harbour. The Russians are building a new road  bridge in time for next year’s Asia/Pacific summit.

 Investment in smaller infrastructure is less obvious. The steps up to the view point are hazardous and in desperate need of maintenance.

Our final call is by far the most interesting. The submarine museum allows visitors to walk inside the length of a Soviet submarine. We see missile launchers, periscopes and narrow bunk beds. Submariner Baldry  gets to issue instructions through the speaking tube.

Tomorrow we will begin our journey towards the North of Japan. At some point we will once again lose internet connection, so this may be my last blog post for a couple of days.

See you in the Pacific!

Day 37 Impressions of China

During our travels we have visited China 3 times. The brief opinions which we have received from our tour guides have been mixed .It is unclear how much the central messages really influence their commentary, but it appears that central control is strong. It is also obvious that rural communities are much poorer than urban ones. However, they also have more freedom, in so far as they can to some extent avoid ‘the rules’ (for example by the size of their families). I can only describe my observations through pictures:

Smog

Limited Health and Safety

Building Everywhere

Rural Culture

Wonderful Architecture

Dense Urban Housing

Quirky Transport

Day 36 A Korean Welcome

When it comes to welcoming tourists, the South Koreans are experts. (Take note London Olympics!)

Yesterday was our second visit to the port of Pusan, and once again we were made to feel like celebrities. A large stage had been erected on the port side. Behind it a digital display welcomed the Diamond Princess into South Korea with changing electronic messages. Folk dancers entertained us on arrival and departure.

A tourist information desk provided advice and maps. A portable ATM was there for passengers to exchange currency.

 Reasonably priced souvenirs were on sale at the dockside. How easily and willingly we parted with our money!!

We wandered round the town centre market stalls and visited the famous fish market, the second largest in the world.

I liked Pusan in South Korea. It demonstrated all the unplanned variety of Bangkok and Vietnam, combined with the obvious benefits of economic success. Kia motors dominated the roads and LG phone shops were in abundance. The town was obviously oriental, busy, chaotic at times, but welcoming to all visitors. It felt like a town where East met West.    

We are now sailing North through the Sea of Japan towards the far eastern coast of Russia. North Korea is to our West, and the Chinese smog has finally lifted. We should arrive in Vladivostock at 4 am tomorrow morning.

Day 35 Impressions of Dalian

 Dalian is the second largest city in North East China. As well as being an important port, it is also a major destination for Chinese tourists. It is Located at the Southern tip of the Liaodong peninsular, and in its own sub-peninsular. Dating from 1898, Dalian’s development stems from colonial occupation by Russia, and subsequently Japan.  China regained control in the 1950s.

We sailed into Dalian yesterday morning. This was our third and final stop in China. Of our 3 Chinese ports, this was my least favourite, being an outpost of the mainland at the far end of a peninsular. We were transported by shuttle bus to a high end shopping centre and the warm welcome with maps, well prepared emergency information, and life size fluffy animals did not hide the expectation that our role was to spend money in Chinese shops.

After a brief look round the very expensive shopping centre, Chris and I took a tour of the busy square. We were most grateful to the ship’s tour guide for his advice about crossing Chinese roads. ‘Do not expect cars to stop at red lights or zebra crossings. The only way to cross Chinese roads safely is to find a local and follow them closely’.

My favourite part of the town was the farmers’ market. We seemed to be the only non-Chinese wandering past the stalls of exotic food and I still can’t identify much of the produce.

 As with most of China, there was building work everywhere and a pollution filled smog hovered over the skyline. Later this week, I will post some overall impressions of this remarkable and rapidly developing country with its range of personalities and mixture of centralisation and freedom.