Ah! Life at sea - that's for me. Day 1 saw us board our cruise boat, the Norwegian Jewel, with a sleek, polished efficiency. We set sail mid-afternoon on a calm sea under a clear sky. The Seattle skyline faded to the south and after some coastline watching we set about exploring the ship.

Naturally it has all the comforts of home, plus some. (I tell a lie - it has plus a lot.) The cabins are very comfortable and quite roomy. Roger, who is very jolly, tends our every cabin need with zeal and dedication. We are still discovering all the interesting activity areas and we are still counting the restaurants and bars.

Day 2 - a sea day as we sailed further north to Alaska. I am exhausted with all this exploring and attending activities. Memo to self - you don't have to do everything. I did start the day peacefully, almost alone on deck at 6 a.m. as a beautiful rosy glow began to show in the east. The wind was a little chilly as it whipped along the open decks, but it was worth it to watch he spectacular sunrise.

I learned many new things as I roamed the ship. I attended an interesting presentation on glaciers and how this northern area has changed over time. I attended my first ever art auction and almost picked up an original Picasso and a Goya for a bargain, but I just wasn't brave enough. I sweated in the gym and then had to eat heartily to replace my calorie loss. I learned that happy hour is aptly named and I ended my night with an upbeat show featuring music from the seventies.

Tonight I will sleep like a log. I'm exhausted, but happy. Tomorrow we dock at Ketchikan.