2 weeks in Alaska: June 6, 2011
The sun is still shining bright in Alaska and it’s 11pm. Thank God for the dark cabins. I would never get to sleep. For a guy that napped and had little to do the last 6 years, this is quite a schedule. I was just on stage welcoming the 600 new passengers as we sail to Vancouver, BC by way of Juneau, Ketchikan and Glacier bay. I have my alarm set for 5.30am so I can call the bridge and ask when I should be there to narrate our arrival at College Fjord for ‘scenic cruising’. We will enter this narrow area surrounded by high mountains and century old glaciers and fjords discovered hundreds of years ago. The picture on this blog was taken on an open deck at Glacier Bay. Nothing more looks like full page pictures in National Geographic of Alaska. Ice chunks floating in the water, huge baby blue glaciers with black bears, mountain goats, sea otters and eagles soaring overhead. I will narrate the entrance into College Fjord from 6.30-7.30am, host a live interview presentation with the manager of Shore Excursions at 9.30 and another scientific talk from 2-3pm. In between, I will host a luncheon in the fine dining room with singles and solo Guests. Then desk duty. Just a normal day. I enjoyed making a few personal calls today and hearing loving voices. My friends keep me grounded. Oh, I had a manicure today too. With a crew discount of 50% it still costs $27. Quite a luxury and expense… but worth every penny. I love having a manicure and with all the handshaking and pointing that I do I am very self conscious of my hands and nails. I love the way it feels. I want a hot stone massage and may have to do that. This week I will take a helicopter ride and land on a glacier and zip line through mountains and who knows what! This is a life that is quite different than anything I have ever experienced. The people come from everywhere on the globe with just as many different stories. It is very upbeat and heart pounding. I have to intentionally stop and look out the windows. Running from assignment to assignment is work, but the surroundings are magical. Imagine stopping to get a cup of coffee at 6am on the way to the inner sanctum of the bridge to watch this huge ship pull in to a field of glaciers at sunrise! I am listening to George Winston playing piano in my cabin wearing my bathrobe sipping Johnnie Walker Scotch, getting tired and feeling relaxed. I will probably wake up even before my alarm eager to start another day. My loving thanks to my son Lee for believing in me and encouraging me to do this. Another chance to have the greatest job in the world. I have to make some friends… I am lonely but too tired to do anything about it.
Goodnight!
