After driving down from Vancouve to Bellingham, just over the US border, we boarded the Alaskan Marine Highway Ferry, Malaspina, which took us, via the inside passage, to Alaska over the next few days.

The ferry journey was a great experience. The top deck had people campinhg out in tents, just held down on the deck with masking tape. In the lounges there were all manner of sleeping arrangements with foam mattresses, pillows, sleeping bags all over the place. People with kids, back packers, older generation represented also. We, however felt like royalty as we had our own cabin with a lovely big window, and an ensuite. It was a 4 berth which we shared with Amy. Ross and Mary Anne had an inside cabin however when they saw where the deck groups were sleeping, they were happy to have a bed and own bathroom.

It was all very friendly on the boat - everyone talked to everyone and we got to know lovely people who were taking their RV'to tour Alaska. all sorts of characters, like Harley (as Ross called him) who was going to a Harley Davidson convention.

The boat stopped at Ketchikan and we had the morning looking around the tourist shops. There were 4 big ocean liners in port also, so the big boats were in force.

The passage was lovely and we had great weather, so it was a stand out: looking out at the islands the fabulous scenery. snow capped mountains, the water, the wild life. porposes, eagles, whales, and the ferry life was very relaxed and peaceful - as well as interesting. There was a Parks Ranger - Amy, on board who gave informative talk on whales, glaciers, wild life, flora. etc, We all fell in love with her as she was such an engaging personality. The boat stopped at cute fishing villiages all the way up the coast. Sometimes, only for a few hours as new passengers got on and all the people with dogs took their puppies off the boat for a run.

All in all, it was a fantastict trip. The days were long, as it does not get dark till 10.3pm and it is light at 2.30 am Jack was up in the early hours,looking at the spectacular scenery, glassy waters, mountains. all breathtakihng.

Once arrived in Juneau, we then got a flight to Gustavus in our our charter plane. over the mountains, throught the pass, just fantastic.

Gustavus was another stand out as it is this small gorgeous Alaskan villiage - slow life style, friendly, (they were all embarresed by Sarah Palin, as we were about Pauline Hanson). We stayed at a B&B - Debbie's Blue Heron. She looked after us as though we were her long lost children. She fussed and made sure everything was perrrfect. Such a darling. Went to Dinner at the Gustavus inn, very home cooked meal, Salmon then strawbwerry and rhubarb crumble - it was wonderful. Had the afternoon on a boat whale watching, we had a whale breech just beside us as well as a big tale flip. saw lots of whales, all over the place.

Next day, after a gourmet breakfast with Debbie, we all saddled up for a cycle through the National forest. Gorgeous fir and spruce trees, went for a forest walk - like the enchanted forest, moss, light filtering thought massive trees, ferns, lichens, dragonflies,. we were waiting for the bear to attack us but he remained absent.

However we did have bear sghtings on our chartered boat, which we joined the next day. Captain Mike took us north to Glacier Bay. The trip was lovely, snowy mountains galore, great weather, we went up to the glacier area and did kayaking there. The pictures tell the tale with that. Fabulous birds everywhere, sitting on ice bergs, screeching above us. The galcier ice was majestic, icy blue, scary, gorgeous, glamourous. One day it rained but we went kayaking anyhow.

We had lovely meals prepared for us and it was nice after being out on the kayaks to come back to the boat and have some home cooked soup and fresh chocoate cake ready for us. Over the 4 days we went to many different areas and enjoyed each one.

Back to Gustavus and the flight to Juneau where we celebrated our last night in Alaska with an Alaskan crab dinner. Felt we had had a wonderful Alaskan experience.