A Special Treat ... Inside the US Coast Guard, A Retrospective Tale of Two Travellers, Part 7

While in Sitka, hubby and I were invited to visit the US Coast Guard Headquarters and we got to chat with some of the staff there and even to sit in one of the helicopters.

Hubby has read quite a few Vietnam War stories written by veterans that include helicopters and so actually sitting a big working Sikorsky Helicopter was a thrill for him.

Obviously we didn't get a ride, but having an up close and personal look was the next best thing.

While the Coast Guard in the southern states of America deal with smugglers and the like as well as the odd rescue, the Coast Guard Stations in Alaska are normally involved in high sea rescues in more often than not perilous conditions given the freezing water conditions up that way.

Hubby and our daughter

Helicopter side badge

Helicopter side badge

Hubby and our daughter in the rear crew seats in the rescue area

Our daughter flying high!!

Hubby in the cockpit

Hubby pretending to fly

Cockpit looking from the rescue area

Rescue gear

View from tarmac

View from tarmac looking towards the Sound

Thanks for popping by, I have many more tales, but have been extremely tired while trying to kick this darn head cold and sinus I have had for the past two weeks, and siting down to write is just not a high priority.  Hence the reason this post is fairly picture heave!!   xxxx

Bald Eagles, Sea Otters and Scenery to Die For, A Retrospective Tale of Two Travellers Part 4

On Monday 9th September we travelled from Seattle to Sitka, Alaska where the girls live.  To say the view from the plane window was spectacular would be an understatement, snow topped ranges of mountains dotted with the odd glacier, just seemed to go on and on forever.  The plane stops at Ketchikan, then Sitka, onto Juneau and then Anchorage, obviously we only went as far as Sitka but the landings in both Ketchikan and Sitka are amazing, runways surrounded by water and mountains, but on the way in, both were reasonable smooth (on the way out not so much with a thrilling and bumping landing into Ketchikan) and we were so excited to finally get to Alaska.

Ketchikan airport, waiting for new passengers to join the plane, see the mountains and how close they are?

We had booked accommodation on the Sound, a one bedroom apartment with a deck, but to say we were disappointed would be a understatement.  To get to the apartment you had to walk through a hallway smelling of cigarettes, diesel and who knows what else (I ended up just holding my breath each time we went in and out).  The apartment was basic to say the least, with no toaster and no kettle (although most Americans it seems drink drip coffee and there was drip coffee maker provided).  The bed was comfortable, the chairs a little less so, but we both walked in with a huge sense of let down (and this is after lugging our cases down 2 small flights of stairs as our car wouldn't fit in the parking space, and it wasn't until after we booked that we were notified it could only fit a small compact car in the parking area.  But still, I am philosophical about most things in life and seeing we were only sleeping here and the bed was good, as long as I held my breath through the hallway I could manage.  We complained about the toaster and the kettle and these were dropped off for us the following morning.

What saved the place for me was the view, we were literally 15 feet from the water, with a view across to little island, mountains and Mt Edgecomb the active volcano near Sitka.  This made up for all the wrongs with the accommodation.

First view from the deck, how could you not love waking up here each and every day??
Not glass half full, but glass overflowing I think.
I have just stitched these 4 photos together to give you an idea.

And lo and behold within a few minutes of us unpacking and walking back onto the deck, we spied a bald eagle just perched on the rocks to the left of us.

Our first bald eagle just below our back deck!!

But the icing on the cake was our sea otters, right there in front of our apartment, a daily parade of one, two, three and up to five sea otters at any one time.  Feeding, swimming, frolicking right there without a care in the world.  So close you could hear them using a stone to crack open the shellfish they had picked up from the bottom.  So close you could see their faces while they munched on the goodies they had found.

Our new daughter-in-law was however outraged with our accommodation and after a couple of days she complained to the rental service.  So we moved accommodation on the Saturday morning, thanks to K.  Lucky for us there was space in the cabin right next door to where we originally were staying.  So same stunning views, same otters and eagles with a couple of harbour seals thrown in for good measure.  The new accommodation was fantastic and we ended up with a bedroom that also overlooked the Sound and a window I could open so I fell asleep and woke up to the sound of lapping waves, and one morning a sea otter cracking his shell fish open, crack crack crack - I was up nice and early that morning so I could share some time just watching (that was the morning the movies below were taken).

Here are two short movies hubby shot on his camera (obviously at a lower res than the originals so they would upload here), I'm not sure if you can see them well which is a shame as on my computer screen they are awesomely close and if you click on the full screen icon here it is really pixelated - such a shame as I really want everyone to enjoy them as much as me.  Oh and you can hear me chatting in the background LOL.

We had been told sea otters were very wary of humans given they had been hunted to near extinction for their pelts, the softest fur you have ever felt.  The whole reason the Russians had first come to Sitka was to hunt the otter to trade the fur to the Chinese.  We were blessed with our visits and both of us enchanted by these creatures.

I love nature, I love the ocean (although not swimming in it) and so this was indeed a heavenly place, albeit with a unique smell (not just the hallway) but it was salmon spawning season and so dead and dying salmon where in abundance.

How could you not love waking up to this?  Can you see why I want to move to Sitka?

Thanks for popping by xxxx

Take Me Out To The Ball Park, A Retrospective Tale of Two Travellers Part 3

On our last full day in Seattle hubby and I and the two girls watched a home game of the Seattle Mariners baseball club.  It was something I had wanted to do on our first trip to the USA and we were lucky that they were playing at home that weekend.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, even though the game is slower than I thought it would be, it was great entertainment and it would have been awesome if the Mariners had managed to win, but it seems they are not having a great season in 2013 and lost 3 to 1.

We paid a little more (just under $60 US) for seats in the second tier just to the left of home base (think that's the right term) which were wider and padded with lots of leg room and in-seat service from a bright and bubbly staffer, food itself was pretty cheap and I got to taste my first pulled pork sandwich and a hot dog (both of which I shared with hubby) given I can't eat very much post surgery. I am now a huge pulled pork fan, yum!!

There was a fair crowd, although no where near full capacity but the atmosphere was great, there was mid game entertainment including 'Moose' standing on his head, and dancing - a stunning feat for the person in side of the suit!!

Hubby got to taste his first America beer an aluminium screw top bottle no less, and to by a Mariners jersey and cap at the Team Store (which you have to show your ID to enter and to buy the merchandise which was interesting given we didn't have to do that anywhere else that we shopped).

It was great fun to stand up and sing Take Me Out To The Ballpark half way through the seventh innings (a tradition of the game it seems).

All in all it was a great day and I would love to go again next time we travel (of course if it is season).

Hubby was really impressed with the stadium compared to AFL stadiums he has attended, lots of glass to look out as you walk down the corridors, nice wide carpeted corridors as well and really reasonable prices for food and drink unlike here were they slug you outrageous prices for the pleasure of eating very average food.  He also loved the enterprising young men with bicycle rickshaws outside the game who for a small fee will take you to your car, would be great if someone jumped on that idea and provided a similar service here.

Safeco Field

Great seats with a view of the whole ball park.

Action shots courtesy of hubby's camera

Let's hear it for the Moose

The scoreboard and our pitcher for the first 7 innings

The tourists blending right in

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane

Well today I fly out to Singapore. Everyone keeps asking me if I am excited and I reply 'Not really' and even now just hours before I fly excitement is not the word I would use. I have butterflies in my tummy, but not from excitement from nerves.

This is the first time I have ever in my life flown outside of Australia, I know a little tragic at my age, but never-the-less, the first time. Sure I went on a cruise but that was like taking the boat to Rottnest (small island of coast of WA), you just walked off the boat and onto a new country - you didn't have to take a passport (well you had to have it and leave it on the boat) but no-one checked at that country's customs. Sure the cruise company probably handed over a sheet with everyones' names and passport numbers - but I didn't have to worry, just walk off and back on the boat like I lived there. This time I will be going through a real customs set up - not that I have anything to declare - but real customs.

It is going to be hot and humid (2 conditions I don't do well), so how will I cope with that. Taken lots of cool clothes (loose fitting and cotton), taking my new walking shoes (joggers - not trendy but comfort is what I need), got a hat (oh good thing I wrote that just remembered I didn't put it in the suitcase), got my meds (and boy there is a lot of them - bought my scripts just in case someone thinks I have illicit drugs), got my sunscreen and insect repellent, got my camera and spare batteries. My passport is ready, with a photocopy in case it gets lost, I have the travel insurance docs, the address and number of the Australian Embassy, the print out of my limo pickup (looking forward to the meet and greet and not have to try and get a cab - money well spent I think), I have had my swine-flu jab and the paperwork to prove it. I have my flight itinerary and numerous other bit and pieces of paperwork all together in a folder (I know I am being anal but did I mention this is the first time I have done this). I think I have watched too many TV shows like Border Security and Flights from Hell and I am over-reacting in my preparation but hey it makes me feel more in control.

I have my iPod (fully charged), my puzzle books and pen, a novel to read, my phone charger, my iPod charger, some Singapore dollars to cover the limo and incidentals, my glasses (both sunnies and reading), some tissues, lollies to suck on take off. So I think I am fairly well ready - now if I could just find my excitement and pack that things would be looking up, not sure where I have put it, but it is not here - just trepidation and the thought I have forgotten something.

Did I mention that my DH wasn't coming - perhaps that is what I have forgotten - my security blanket in the shape of a man. I know I can do this without him, but it just feels so much better when he is there.

Look out for the photos when I get back - I hope I manage to get some good ones.

Bon voyage.