After we got back from whale watching, we met Brooke and her family in town and were ready to do this hike up the mountain.
Another jellyfish we spotted on the way.
We had heard good things about the hike and were excited to see the views.
First we had to go up a tram.
Here's the tram going up. It was straight up the cliff. I had a great time going up there.
The views just from the top of the tram ride were amazing.
When then started to look for the beginning of the hike.
But first of all we saw this Bald Eagle that was in a cage. It was nice in a way cause we could see her close up, but it was also sad as she'd lost and eye and so that's why she needed extra help.
She's beautiful right?
Emiko's face hahahahaha
We then got a map and headed up the hike.
The sad thing was, was that we couldn't do the whole hike as it was longer than we'd been informed, or at least researched.
I was under the understanding that we'd be able to make it to the top for the full 360 view, but that wasn't the case.
So everyone hiked at their down will. I wanted to get as far up as possible. So Takeshi, Audrey and I boosted it up as far as we could.
Here are some of the cuzzies at the beginning.
A little of the way up.
Me trying to capture the view. New quite being able to do it.
Dru with cocopops.
Once we got to a certain point, Dru ran up and said we needed to head back.
Again I was gutted cause that ship and it's 'docking time' was ruining my outside time, which I'd WAY rather have than being in the jail cell cruise ship.
So we took some pictures and slowly started heading back.
I would've LOVED to had hiked to the very top and stayed there for a while.
I really hope I'll be able to do that hike again some day. I don't regret seeing the whales though, so it is what it is.
I know no one is feeling sorry for me and my little tantrum.
Once we got to the bottom we had a little bit of time to shop around before heading onto the boat.
Another Eagle.
Kristin and I found these bracelets that we loved so got. Pretty much sums us up.
I also found this card that cracked me up so much I had to buy it. Who knows who I'm going to give it to, someone awesome.
Good right!!! Hahahahaha
Then I had to face the music, once again, and head back onto the ship.
Back on the ship Emiko decided to have some fun.
Which we all did.
Don't get me wrong, once I was back on the ship I hung out, knitted, read, played games, ate, slept, worked out. It was a great time and a wonderful, wonderful day.
So today we had to get up and get out early. We were going whale watching and were all super excited about it.
I took a video of getting off the boat and walking down to our whale watching people.
They took us all on a bus where we had the bus driver tell us a little about Juneau. Let me try to remember some of the things he said.
Juneau is the capital of Alaska, I'm pretty sure, and it bounces between the 2nd and 3rd largest city in Alaska. Alaska is the biggest state BY FAR in the USA. It was purchased for 7 million dollars and with all it has in its state, was a very good investment for the USA.
Juneau can only be visited via plane or boat, there are no roads that can get you to Juneau.
There's two high schools and everything Juneau has is flown in, which is why it's so expensive. There's only one other state that is more expensive than here and that's Hawaii.
It only has one fast food place and that's McDonald's. Every other fast food place that's tired to open in Juneau hasn't been successful.
That's all I can remember.
There were bald eagles everywhere just hanging out eating fish and flying around for more fish. Here's a video I got of one.
Here's a cute but weird jellyfish that we saw just hanging out in the water.
We then hopped on the boat and were given instructions about our adventure.
Our guide seemed nice and on the way out to the whales he told us all about the whales.
Let me try to remember some of what he said.
These whales are humpbacks. These ones always come back here to feed because of the massive amount of food up here in Juneau. Because of the glaciers it feeds into the water and has a certain something that the krill love that attracts the other fish, seals, whales and orcas.
Whales only have a small throat part and so can't swallow anything much bigger than krill or a tiny fish, otherwise it has to spit it out, so it's very limited to what it can eat.
A whale will hang out on the surface and eat and bob it's back up, but when you see it's tale, it means it's diving down and you probably won't' see it for at least 5 mins or much longer.
A whale can slow it's heartbeat down so it can stay longer under the water in the deeper parts.
The mother will have her calf in Hawaii and won't eat the whole time while feeding her baby. She'll live on what she ate up here in Juneau. They lose a massive amount of their body fat but still have to make it back to feeding where they eat until they can build up their storage even longer.
A baby calf grows a huge amount (I can't remember exactly) in one year of it's growth.
Sorry I can't remember proper details. I should've taken notes.
So these pictures aren't really doing it justice, but the views were spectacular. There were glaciers all around and the hills, even though they look black here, were lucious and green. It didn't rain on us at all and we were told that we were very lucky and that it usually rains every day bar a few days a year.
So weren't we lucky to get one of those days!
We then started seeing some whales.
We never saw any up close, but it was close enough to have said we'd seen them, which is great.
Again I was a little disappointed as I wish I could've seen one right up by the boat, but I realize that that's a huge ask and should be grateful for what I DID see, which I am.
Whales are majestic man.
Here's one a little closer.
Had a bit of time to get some pictures together which was nice. I don't think we got many pictures taken as a family while we were on our trip.
I was too busy watching the whales in real life and got a little off course with my video taking. Sorry guys.
It was pretty awesome to be there and to see the whales together. I was very grateful to have seen them and for it not raining as well.
We then headed back and got on the bus and were taking back to the town so we could go on a hike we wanted to go on.
I WOULD recommend the guys we went with for this one.
They were great.
Look at the cute towel animal? This one I KNOW is an Elephant. Pretty talented man. I guess you could buy a little booklet with information on how to do all these towel animals. There was also classes!! I liked the surprise every morning.
Today was an exciting day as we were allowed to get OFF THE BOAT. And it was Dru's 40th birthday. I feel bad in one way that we couldn't celebrate it at home but in another breath I was thinking "Who gets to spend their birthday here?"
So it was mixed for me. Who knows what it was for Dru, he seemed great and fine with whatever, probably like most men.
What it looked like we we docked.
Getting off the boat.
So we were doing an excursion this day. We decided to do some ziplining with a company that I forget the name of.
They were late picking us up, to the point of us thinking they weren't gonna come. So that was weird.
Anyway they took us to a bus and told us some cool things about Skagway.
Let me try to remember some of the cool things.
Skagway can't be accessed by road, only by plane or boat.
The last child to be born in skagway was over 50 years ago and that baby still lives there. Women who are due with child will be flown to Juneau to give birth there.
It was said to be a gold mining community but there was never any gold found. Some say if was a lie to draw people into that town. The forest we were ziplining in is the second largest rainforest in the world. Who knew right?
I can't think of anything else.
Here we are getting ready.
It wasn't too cold or too hot. It was pretty perfect.
They got us all there and got us set up with helmets and our ziplining stuff.
We then walked up to the first area where it was a practice run with heights and such.
It was like an obstacle course.
Here's Yuki on the weird ladder thing.
Here's Emiko walking on the first obstacle.
I'm not that great with heights, but usually can talk myself out of a panic attack. So I was cautious but excited.
Here's a real life video of my nerves.
Emiko did amazing and totally rocked it, so I knew I could do it if she could right!!!
After we passed the practice test they then started the 'real' ziplining.
Everyone did amazing.
I did great and went at my own pace. It was awesome, mostly, as the views were amazing and it was so wonderful to be doing this with the cuzzies.
Emiko was a total champ with it all, as were all the other kids and cuzzies.
They stopped us halfway through our ziplining to come and have a look at this view. Beautiful right?
Here we all are. Yuki must be doing her stoick position.
Me and the birthday boy.
Some cool art we saw drawn on the side of the cliffs. Maybe Dru remembers what this was about?
We did a total of 5 ziplines but they were all super short and I was pretty disappointed in that area. The people were pretty nice but I wouldn't go around telling everyone to go with this group that's for sure.
I figured the ziplines would be longer and faster and they weren't. They were short and not that fast. So I'm sad about that.
BUT it is what it is and we had fun with what we were given. It's so beautiful in there that it's hard to be sad for long.
I can't put into words how beautiful Alaska is people!!! It has the same beauty that New Zealand has, and I don't say that lightly people, New Zealand is my first love.
They bussed us back to the town and we said thanks.
I didn't want to go back to the ship. I loved being off the ship and in the beauty.
So I made sure I stayed out the ENTIRE time I was allowed to be off the ship.
Masaru wanted to go back to the ship to be with his cuzzies and new friends he'd made, which was a little disappointing, but whatever, it's his trip too.
I wanted to see this little town and wander around all the shops and take it all in.
I brought myself a Christmas ornament that I love.
Yuki and Takeshi eventually wanted to take off back to the boat, which I was fine with. So it was down to Emiko, Dru and I.
Some of the highlights of Skagway's town.
So this train with this weird part on the nose is used as a snowplow!! Can you believe that?
Fry bread. Man it was REALLY good, as you can tell by Emiko's face hahahaha
Here's another random picture of another towel animal from someone else's room!!
View of Skagway.
Dru and Emiko in front of this massive thing. Emiko spent her money on this wolf hat and didn't take it off almost the whole trip and slept with it. She feels like she's part wolf now.
A closer shot of our ship.
Eventually Dru and Emiko were over it as well and left for the ship.
Not me man, I stayed out till the last possible moment. I did NOT wanna get back on the boat hahahahaha
It was just so beautiful man and the boat seemed like jail in comparison.
So I continued to wander around looking and walking and basking in the beauty and the cool weather. I loved it.
Eventually, however, I had to face the music and come back to the ship.
I met up with Dru and we all went to dinner and were entertained.
We had a magician come to our table this night and he was AMAZING people!!!
He was the REAL DEAL. He did all these tricks with people behind and infront of him and under and over him. It was crazy how good he was.
We were hoping he'd come back another night, but he never did. I'm sad cause we would've given him more money. No one had much cash on them and everyone wants a tip right? That's what I've discovered.
I tell you what mate, just paying for the cruise and your excursions is the beginning of it. I'm not sure if they're paying their people but tips are HUGE here man, and NOT coming from a tip country I just wish they'd put it all in the price so we could relax and not have to carry around cash for every single person that does something for us you know. I'm not opposed to giving people money, but it's a hassle. I know man I know #firstworldproblems
Dru wanted to hang out and do something for his birthday, but it ended up not working out and we just hung out for a little while then going to bed.
I felt bad for him.
He wanted to play games and hang out with his siblings, but they all went to bed or a movie so he was stuck with just me. I told him I'd do whatever he wanted, but it was just me and I think he was deflated by then so just wanted to go to bed.
He had a good day though and I hope he felt like he's loved and such. I'm sure he does.
It was a wonderful day that I thoroughly enjoyed.
It was so nice to be off the boat and in this beauty.
