Arriving in Seward, disembarking cruise and train to Anchorage - 20th June

Friday 20th June

Today we are leaving the cruise, spending the day in Seward and then our big train journey to Anchorage through the Rockies!!!

We arrive in Seward at 5am but we have opted to go for a later disembarkation of 9am.  So today we will be exploring Seward as the train to Anchorage doesn’t depart until 6pm and arrives in Anchorage at 22.15pm.  So late night tonight but there is only one train to Anchorage or we had to fly from Seward or hire a car.  We chose the train as we thought it would be an amazing journey through the Rockies!

 

Friday already, oh yeah it’s the weekend the day you used to always long for but now everyday is the same, no routine we just know how many days we have in one place and then move on!  Colin has started laying out his contact lenses so when I see the little pile decreasing then I know it is time to move on!!!  Scary how time is flying by though!!

 

Final breakfast on the ship, oatmeal, pancakes and the croissant has already gone!

 

Our check out time is 9am so we have a dander around on deck to check out the views of Seward

 

Those are pretty mountains

 

A bit industrial around the port

Lovely marina next to us



 

Looking towards Seward

 

We went for a wander round the decks as Amy wanted to show Colin the glass area to look all the way down to the Centrum

 

Wow that is a long way down!!  The Centrum felt like the hub of the Legend of the Seas but on Radiance it is certainly lacking in space around the Centrum.  It felt quite close nit on the Legend as we met some lovely, lovely people but we haven't met any new friends on Radiance, it just felt more disjointed!  We enjoyed it all the same but did find the Centrum made a huge difference on the ship!

 

We went to have a look in the Royal Suite as when people check out the staff prop open the doors but this door is closed with ‘Do not disturb’ sign so there must be somebody still in it, wow that would have cost a pretty penny

Just before we disembark we see Mac N Cheese one of the kid’s club staff so we ask how many children were on board and she tells us 280, WOW!!  No wonder Amy struggled with the amount of children at kid’s club at the start of the cruise that is a massive difference between 40 on the Legend of the Seas!  But wait for it next week as in check in later on today there are going to be 350 children on board, wowcha!!

 

Ok here we go, we have our hand luggage now time to disembark and find our suitcases in the terminal building

 

The crane lifting the luggage on and off on the cage

 

The suitcases have been found in the terminal building, just an array of suitcases in rows!

 

The gateway to Alaska Seward is going to be our gateway to Anchorage and then fly to Las Vegas

 

Here is some interesting facts about the Alaskan Flag.  They ran a competition in 1928 and a 13 year old boy who lived in an orphanage won, Ben Benson.  The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, the Alaskan state flower. The North Star  is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear —symbolizing strength.  That is so cool he must have been so proud of himself and what a great honour to have his flag flying high!  What an amazing story of how the Alaskan flag evolved!

 

See you later ship, no hard feelings we loved you by the end of the week!

 

That is exactly where we are heading.  So there are people sitting in the terminal building giving out maps and directions, so I ask which way to the railway.  The woman laughed at me and said it is too windy and too far to walk today so jump on the free shuttle which is a yellow school bus and they will take you there.  The sign says the Railway is just half a mile away so easy walking!  The woman is a bit reluctant to give me directions but she does and we didn’t find it too windy, it was an okay walk!

 

 

 

Nearly there, woop woop!

 

Okay so tonight we are going to Anchorage and it is 75 miles away from Seward but look how far we are away from Hawaii 2705 miles, wow and Los Angeles 2303miles!

 

We made it to the railway station and we can get our boarding passes and check our suitcases in, phew as didn’t fancy exploring Seward with 3 suitcases too!  Colin helping the luggage guy, oh maybe a change in career again, maybe and then again maybe not!

 

 

We walked a while and then stopped at the Harbourmaster’s station to use the free Wi-Fi just a quick check of the emails and some very good news my good friend in Adelaide at the big hospital  has looked into my case and I can now apply for a casual position at the big hospital and she will process it as soon as possible once I have applied!!  How great is that, just need internet access and some quiet time to concentrate!

Walking through Seward and I could live in those houses, they look smart

 



 

We came across a play park called Balls Park as there were large areas to play Baseball, Softball or such like but Amy was on the tyre swing for ages

 

There was a big RV which stands for Recreational Vehicle park on the seafront, ideal spot with the snow-capped mountains on the other side too, idyllic

 

Yorkie and I having a turn on the swings

See-saw before we head off further into Seward.  Seward is a bit spaced out but we have loads of time so we may as well explore!  Got to be the best view ever on a see-saw!!

 

 



 

Oh I have never seen a sign like that before, but there was an earthquake here in 1964 so they must be cautious and warn people just in case it happens again!

 

Little fishing boat going out to sea

 

Nearly time for the new holidaymakers to check in!

 

 

 

Perched on the post a juvenile Bald Eagle

 

This is giving Colin ideas when he gets a Yute in Australia, we’ll see Mr A we need to get there first and remember you need a JOB!!

 

Beautiful here so we wander a bit along and then we find another …..

 

 

 

Play park, so off Amy goes again!  Colin and I are sitting enjoying the sun with a temperature forecast of 20degrees C but it doesn’t feel like it!

 

The little monkey on the monkey bars

Beautiful backdrop Amy maybe if you turned round you could swing and look at the view but she enjoyed swinging on the normal swings and facing into the park keeping an eye on all the other children as there were lots of children around, lovely to see a play park being used!

 



 

No I like swinging this way, thanks!!

It is a big play park

 

We headed out for a wander and came across these apartments up for sale, advertised as a second home/holiday home!! 

One home would be sufficient for us poor homeless family of no fixed abode hee hee!!

When we were at tea on our last night Andi our waiter asked if we were all packed for home, well you know what came out of Amy's little mouth.  'We don't have a home' the look on Andi's face was a picture so we explained what we were doing and he kept on saying wow and told Amy she was a very lucky girl!

 

Beautiful with the mermaid on the front made of wood and next door to the holiday homes, either one's would do me, the mermaid does make that one more special though so maybe this one please, thanks!!

 

We walked all the way to the Aquarium but didn’t go in as Amy not keen on Aquariums then headed up to the shops to get some water for the thirsty girl after bombing round the park

 

 

I wouldn’t have thought the white and blue building was a church if it didn’t have the sign up, it is in the middle of a residential area blending in well

 

Amy thinks this could be a Fisherman’s Christmas tree but as it transpires it is ….

 

an old man having a Garage Sale, wow what a load of rubbish it must have taken him hours to move this rubbish into the garden!!

 

Wow really are you going to get any $ for any of this??

 

All the buses had names but this is a great name for the bus!!! 

 

 

 

When we eventually find somewhere for lunch we find a cracking spot right on the marina overlooking the cruise ship and snow-capped mountains

 

I am for sure staying away from the Alaskan beer, water for me thanks very much!

 

 Beautiful view and the food was gorgeous too.  Amy and I tried the Alaskan fresh caught Cod, it was delicious, yum yum!!

 

 

 

We went across the road and got our pudding!!

 

I think Amy has started her ice-cream already, mmmm not sure though ha ha!!

 

Amy looks like she is auditioning for being a clown with the state of her chocolate face hee hee!!

 

Here we are, we can board the train at 5pm, woop woop or should I say Choo Choo!!!

 

The carriages have a gold or standard class, the gold carriages have the outside deck bit and bigger windows but we couldn’t justify the extra $’s so we went standard hopefully we don't regret our decision!!

 

Here are our seats though, wow this is standard class with big seats like that and they recline

 

The girls are on one side and ……

 

 

Colin chilling on the other side of the aisle!!  There are only 16 seats in this part of the carriage

 

Colin and Amy went off for a wander through the carriages before we departed, upstairs in the snack bar area

 

Upstairs in the snack bar

 

Look at these guys messing about with the camera still in the snack bar area, Amy’s shot and then ………

Colin’s shot!!

 



 

Snack bar

Tables at the snack bar

 



 

Back in his seat now behaving for a change and enjoying the scenery before we depart Seward

 

Now we have departed the Dome area has opened up and this is upstairs from our carriage with the big windows that go all above so you can enjoy the view above too!  You are only allowed to spend maximum 20 minutes at a time to allow everyone a chance to look out of the Domes.  It is amazing being on this train.  We are all excited about what we are possibly going to see along the way through the Rockies

 

Oh cool I can see the carriages in front of us up in the Dome

Enjoying the views from the Dome

 



 

People in the gold star carriages

 

Not sure what Amy has spied but we just went past a Bald Eagle’s nest with an Eagle sitting in the nest

 

 Having a wander again through the doors, I went to check out the snack bar and the restaurant car, cool!

 

We now have the carriage to ourselves as the group of 10 decided the commentary that was telling everyone of the places we were going by was too noisy for them so they moved into the carriage that had no commentary and they were also getting annoyed with people walking through the carriage to go to the Dome so they went to the last carriage that had no volume and no people passing through!  Not sure what they thought they were on but they were searching the internet to check out how fast the train would go as they wanted to get to Anchorage sooner than 22.15pm.  It is the Coastal Classic train service on the last full-service railroad in the USA, you are supposed to sit back, relax and enjoy the views!!

 

Snack time

I have Grizzly Bear crisps, we are hoping to see a bear from the train.  As we were having snack the announcement came over the tannoy that there was a moose in sight so we saw a MOOSE!! 

 

 

Moose Pass where there are a few houses but the amazing thing is that there are more moose population than people in this area, wow!

 

Lake Kenai which is 26 miles long

 

Amazing scenes going by our windows!

 

Heads out of the railway carriage door!!

 

Looking back down the train from the door

 

Amy chilling with all her toys around her and enjoying the views!

 

Our first glacier from the train, Trail Glacier in Trail Creek and Trail Canyon

 

This waterfall going all the way down the mountainside

 

And another massive waterfall, beautiful

 

And then all of a sudden we stop and 4 guys get on the train they have been at the Glacier as there are guided tours to the glacier

 

Looking forward

 

Trail Creek

 

Bartlett Glacier but this is nothing startling to us now after seeing the Hubbard Glacier yesterday!

 

The full train

 

Amy playing with her bendy man hee hee!!

 

Not sure if you can see it but we went past a Porcupine next on the train journey!!

 

The tunnel is coming, choo choo!!

 

Looking down into the Canyon

 

 

Another glacier called Bartlett Glacier where Frank Bartlett disappeared with a large sum of money in a tin box!  They found his body bud they have never found the $’s I’m not willing to look for it!!

 

 

The loop an old section of the railroad

 

Another glacier, these are two a penny now!!

 

Amy loving her binoculars that Father Christmas brought her, he obviously knew that Amy was going to use them on this train journey and on our Big Holiday Adventure J

 

 

 

 

 

The sun is going down now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is our approach to Anchorage hopefully we are not heading towards that rain cloud!!

 

 

 



 

Civilisation we must be nearly there now!

 

We went past some Dall Sheep on the side of the mountain next to the railtrack and we went past a couple of Beavers in one of the lakes.  So in total we saw two moose, porcupine, two beavers and about 10 Dall Sheep.  Pretty good going but we didn’t see any bears but that is okay we saw some amazing scenery as we made our way to Anchorage

 

 

This photo is a bit blurry as we were going a bit faster than we had been previously on the train but it shows the private propeller aeroplane’s in people’s back gardens.  Sso here is a crazy fact from Alaska, you can learn to fly an aeroplane at the age of 14 but can only learn to drive a car at the age of 16.  Amy promptly starting counting how long she needs to wait to fly a plane, scary thought!!   1 in 7 people own and fly an aeroplane but some areas of Alaska are only accessible by aeroplane WOW!!

 

We have made it to Anchorage what a pleasant way to arrive!

 

Now the bedlam starts of collecting our bags from the cages which are getting forklifted to the collection area

 

So we have grabbed a map and off we go to the Alaska Backpackers Inn, yes our only visit to a Backpacker Hostel but we have booked an en suite and we only need a bed for a few hours!  Not looking forward to staying there though.  Just as we start walking there are a few spots of rain but nothing that would harm us so off we toddle with the suitcases!

 

Ok Amy is tired and wet now as not long after I took the previous photo the thunder and lightening started and boy the rain was teaming down!  We took shelter at its heaviest but still not pleasant walking in the rain.  So we thought the hostel was going to be a straight run all the way down the road and round the corner but when we get near the straight road at the end there is an extremely steep hill and no sidewalk so we need to get a Plan B going and get one FAST as it is raining!  Colin takes out his map which is now getting drenched too, oh this is causing a few fraught moments!!!  Ok so there is another road but we start climbing up and it is steep windy, windy road, oh boy this is horrendous!!  Amy starts crying as it is raining and she is tired as it must be nearly 11pm so don’t blame her really.  So as it is I run up the rest of the hill, put my cases down and then come back down for Amy and carry her up to the top.  We weren’t looking forward to the Hostel and then this welcome is horrible through her tears Amy said ‘I am never coming back here again’

I second that tooty!!!

 

So we take a few more turns and then we see a bright blue building and that is the Backpackers Hostel.  This shows how bad the rain was I didn’t even stop to take a photo of the outside we went straight for the shelter of the entrance.  We took our cases to the front door and then we see a sign saying to check in you need to go across the street and up a bit so Amy and I stay put and Colin goes to get the keys.  Colin comes back and says there are no rooms with en suite available now but we could have a bedroom with a double bed and a bunk bed on top and share a bathroom with everyone else in the hostel (well not quite!) or get a room with an en suite that is only meant for 2 people in a queen bed!!  So we check out the room with the 3 beds and bathrooms before we make a decision, the bathrooms are okay and by this point it is after midnight so we need to just get Amy into a bed so for easiness sake we take the room without an en suite as that is the key the guy gave to us.    

 

 

Oh don’t remind me what the differences are with hostels and hotels as Colin is away back to the guy to rent towels for our shower in the morning!!!   Aaaaargh!!!!

 

 

Our corridor to our room

 

Hilarious as we didn’t really say to Amy what a hostel was before we arrived as we didn’t think it would make a difference to her but as soon as she walked in the room she looked around and said ‘Oh where is the bathroom?’ That was when the bombshell was broken that we have no bathroom and you need to share with everyone else, her face was a picture.  Observant though for it being midnight!!!

I’m not sure what type of traveller Amy will be if she ever decides to go travelling in the future!?!?!  Maybe not a backpacker?!

 

Colin collects the towels and the guy says they are damp but they are not used they have been mis-dried, icing on the cake really!  Get me out of here now.  As you can imagine my face was a picture by this point and I wasn't best pleased!!!  I did say to Colin I am just going to sit on this metal chair until morning, part of me was half joking but also half serious as I didn't fancy the look of the beds and Amy wanted to share the double bed with me which meant being squished just to round it all off!!!

 

 As soon as Amy's head hit that pillow she was asleep!!!  Amy wasn’t bothered but she won’t sleep up on top bunk so Colin is up there and I need to squeeze into that space that Amy has kindly left for me!!

Can't wait for the morning and we can check out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!