Alaska Bound

Billy and I will soon be departing the southern furnace for the northern refrigerator! It is our first trip that far north and we are excited to see the beauty and escape the heat. We're also excited because my sister and her husband are going with us. They haven't been on a vacation in a long time and they've never cruised so we can't wait to share the joys of life on a ship with them! They are in for such a treat.

I wanted to share with you our plans because I thought you might enjoy hearing about them. Some of you are groaning already - thinking that I am bragging or maybe that you are jealous. Please keep reading.

For the first time in our cruise-history we planned ahead and went online booking our excursions. Excursions are side trips you take when you go into a port. They are extras that you have to plan and pay for but the cruise ship makes it simple for you to book and travel to and from the excursion and they actually enhance your experience of the place to which you are traveling. We chose two this time. One will be on Saturday and we will go on a 'guaranteed' whale watching trip followed by a salmon bake.

Billy has decided that the only way you can guarantee that a whale will come around for you to watch is that they are fed by the cruise ships. I will be watching for that. I bet that means the whales are extra fat. I digress.

It's the second trip I want to tell you about. It is on the Lord's Day. Fitting.

We are riding on a train up a mountain and then going on a short hike - it seems they mentioned bears and other wild animals. I desperately hope no one has been feeding them. I don't want to see them. I digress again.

This brings us to a lake where we will get on our TWO-MAN KAYAK. I had to talk Billy into this. My rationale is we should do things on these excursions that we haven't done before. His is that kayaks must be balanced to avoid tipping over and the water is going to be COLD. I emphasize the 'cold' because it was at this point he looked at me with a cocked eyebrow and rolling eyes. I prevailed and we booked it.

We leave the kayak and they give us a snack (I think this is partly why I booked it - doesn't that sound cute?) and drive us back to our ship in a motorcoach. They did not mention anything dangerous or scarey. It would be bad press to drown or allow your paying tourists to get hypothermia, right? I feel safe. Billy - on the other hand - says he feels a tremendous burden to keep the craft UP all by his lonesome. I think he thinks I'm not going to be any help. I think that's sexist. Everyone knows that women have better balance than men. AND I'm short so I have a lower center of gravity which is very useful for some things. Not really sure if it will help me in a kayak but I can do all things through Christ which keeps me upright. (my paraphrase)

By the way, my sister and brother-in-law passed on the kayak adventure so there will be no pictures or ahem, truthful commentary. You will hear only what I want you to hear. :)

But as you sit in your toasty pew Sunday morning and a sudden chill runs down your spine - it could be the Lord stirring you to pray for Billy who will be doing his usual man-thing - trying to keep his wife upright!

Love you all and will DEFINITELY give you the blow-by-blow from MY PERSPECTIVE when we return!


PS I just read this to Billy and he said he might write his first blog upon returning. I'm not afraid - he can't spell, I will have to proof-read it and hence, corrections will be made. :)