Well, been back for over a week now. Caught this sore throat bug a couple of days after landing. Im still coughing!
Ill get the downside out of the way right at the start partly because it happened at the start. I lost my digi camera I temporarily lost my membership of the Fuji 2600 club. I left it on the coach which took us from the airport at Calgary to the hotel for the first night. And I didnt see it again. A camera, in a case, one 64mb and one 8mb SmartMedia Card, and, of course, the rechargeable batteries. I was quite miserable for the next five days until I bought a new one in Vancouver. Fortunately, Tony had his camera with him but its not quite the same. I am claiming on my travel insurance and hope to get the full value as it was new at the end of January this year.
Now to continue with the trip.
The scenery is truly magnificent. So many superlatives are bandied around these days that there just isn't one to convey how wonderful it is. Lake Louise is just "out of this world". One of those scenes which you could sit and look at all day and never tire of it. The trees lining the mountains at the sides of the lake look as though they have been combed, they are so pristine. And the lake colour! Well, .... just like the photos in the brochures - deep turquoise green. The walk on the Athabasca glacier was something. We wore our walking boots, someone in our party wore open-toed sandals but said her feet were not in the least bit cold - it was just a bit slippy to walk.
All the hotels were superb there were five it might be called a whistle-stop tour. Our coach drive was an excellent guide what he didnt know just isnt worth knowing. We reckon we saw all the best bits but it wasn't at all rushed and stressed.
The cruise with Holland America was superb but I'll leave the best bit 'til last. The cabins, oh, sorry staterooms were spacious, well equipped and very comfortable. The ship was full with over 1,500 passengers but did not feel in the least bit crowded. The food was good and, of course, justice has to be done it would be an insult to the chefs not to sample everything!
In Juneau Tony and I did a (mild) white water rafting trip. For the part of the trip I had a mini iceberg as a companion. Believe it or not it wasn't cold. I had to chuck it back into the water when it kept sliding along the seat with me. Oh boy, did we get wet or did we get wet - despite the shower-proof suits they gave us, we got wet. The only things that were dry were our feet - in wellies. This was not so much from the spray from the river as the rain. After we hit dry land, we were greeted with hot chocolate, which was extremely welcome.
At Skagway we went for a ride on the White Pass Mountain Railroad up the same line (but relaid track of course) as the gold prospectors who were going to the Yukon. Gosh, they must have been I was going to say brave, indomitable, etc. but I think Ill say just plain daft!
Ketchikan Salmon Capital of the World is wet!!! It has about 150 inches of rain per year! I couldnt live there too much grey for me. I like a bit of sunshine.
Now the best bit Im not a player of bingo except for, perhaps, the odd social evening at the golf club etc. I played bingo on the ship and, on the last night, won the jackpot!!! Yippee. Enough to pay for the basic cost of the holiday! Ive still got the grin on my face.
If anyone is contemplating the Canadian Rockies as a holiday, I would say dont hesitate it is wonderful.
Ill get the downside out of the way right at the start partly because it happened at the start. I lost my digi camera I temporarily lost my membership of the Fuji 2600 club. I left it on the coach which took us from the airport at Calgary to the hotel for the first night. And I didnt see it again. A camera, in a case, one 64mb and one 8mb SmartMedia Card, and, of course, the rechargeable batteries. I was quite miserable for the next five days until I bought a new one in Vancouver. Fortunately, Tony had his camera with him but its not quite the same. I am claiming on my travel insurance and hope to get the full value as it was new at the end of January this year.
Now to continue with the trip.
The scenery is truly magnificent. So many superlatives are bandied around these days that there just isn't one to convey how wonderful it is. Lake Louise is just "out of this world". One of those scenes which you could sit and look at all day and never tire of it. The trees lining the mountains at the sides of the lake look as though they have been combed, they are so pristine. And the lake colour! Well, .... just like the photos in the brochures - deep turquoise green. The walk on the Athabasca glacier was something. We wore our walking boots, someone in our party wore open-toed sandals but said her feet were not in the least bit cold - it was just a bit slippy to walk.
All the hotels were superb there were five it might be called a whistle-stop tour. Our coach drive was an excellent guide what he didnt know just isnt worth knowing. We reckon we saw all the best bits but it wasn't at all rushed and stressed.
The cruise with Holland America was superb but I'll leave the best bit 'til last. The cabins, oh, sorry staterooms were spacious, well equipped and very comfortable. The ship was full with over 1,500 passengers but did not feel in the least bit crowded. The food was good and, of course, justice has to be done it would be an insult to the chefs not to sample everything!
In Juneau Tony and I did a (mild) white water rafting trip. For the part of the trip I had a mini iceberg as a companion. Believe it or not it wasn't cold. I had to chuck it back into the water when it kept sliding along the seat with me. Oh boy, did we get wet or did we get wet - despite the shower-proof suits they gave us, we got wet. The only things that were dry were our feet - in wellies. This was not so much from the spray from the river as the rain. After we hit dry land, we were greeted with hot chocolate, which was extremely welcome.
At Skagway we went for a ride on the White Pass Mountain Railroad up the same line (but relaid track of course) as the gold prospectors who were going to the Yukon. Gosh, they must have been I was going to say brave, indomitable, etc. but I think Ill say just plain daft!
Ketchikan Salmon Capital of the World is wet!!! It has about 150 inches of rain per year! I couldnt live there too much grey for me. I like a bit of sunshine.
Now the best bit Im not a player of bingo except for, perhaps, the odd social evening at the golf club etc. I played bingo on the ship and, on the last night, won the jackpot!!! Yippee. Enough to pay for the basic cost of the holiday! Ive still got the grin on my face.
If anyone is contemplating the Canadian Rockies as a holiday, I would say dont hesitate it is wonderful.
Shame about your camers 
