Terri & Mary's Alaska Cruise on the Wilderness Discoverer

It was certainly a worthwhile commitment of time to get into Denali and Mom was a trooper. After a 6 hour train ride from Fairbanks to Denali, we had another 6 hour bus (as in school bus) ride to get to Kantishna Roadhouse, our digs for 2 nights.

Our time in Denali was short, but so memorable. We went hiking in the shadow of the Mountain, visited with native Alaskan's and went on a light plane ride over, through and around the mountain. It was awesome and my mom loved it!

So, Anchorage was really just a stop over. Seems like a nice place.

Mom and I were pretty tired after the flight from Baltimore to Fairbanks and then the 12 hour trek into and then out of Denali. We were happy we would stay put for the next 8 days. We like wine, so it was quite fitting that my first pic of Mom was with a glass of wine on the deck.

I totally lost track geographically of the places we visited. And, when folks ask, I tell them I don't really remember. That is because for me the experience with my mom was what was important. On the Wilderness Discoverer, she had the opportunity to do things she had not done for quite some time. She is a certified scuba diver and damn proud of it if you ask her. But she has not had a dive in 30 years. So when she had a chance to snorkel in Alaska, she was all about it. I have included pics of her suited up!

We also kayaked so far out (with a guide) that we were too pooped to get back to the boat under our own power. We were so excited when a skiff came, picked us up and towed our kayak behind us. The pic of my mom, Mary, in short sleeves and a hat is a picture of someone content to be rescued! We laugh a lot about that day.

The sight of the glacier was breathtaking. Listening to the sound of the ice calving and seeing it plunge into the sea was just awesome. It was really neat to see the animals that live in the area...sea birds and sea lions (that were playing in the icy flow of a waterfall).