A return to cruising in 2022

 Now that the worst of the pandemic appears to be abating and people are getting vaccinated the cruise industry is starting to return to the seas.

I had originally scheduled a cruise for this September - a round trip from Seattle - down the coast and a return to Seattle but cancelled it before things started to open up.

With the uncertainty of when the US/Canada border will re-opened I didn't want the stress of booking hotels when I wouldn't possibly know until the last minute whether I could even get across the border.

That cruise was booked with Princess and was using a large credit from the cruise they cancelled in March 2020 just as the shit was starting to hit the fan.

Here are my current cruise plans:

1. Mexican Riviera - March 2022 - 7 days - starts in Los Angeles - it's on the Norwegian Bliss - took one of their Studio cabins for singles - was able to used some Future Cruise credits for the down payment - stops in Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Ensenada before returning to Los Angeles. The last two Mexican ports are new to me. Will Amtrak it to and from L.A.

2. Pacific Coastal - Sept 2022 - Princess ship the Crown Princess - 10 night round trip from Vancouver - stops in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. I will celebrate my 75th birthday on that cruise in Los Angeles.

3. A 14 day round trip Alaska cruise - Norwegian Jewel in May 2023 - 7 days northbound to Seward and then 7 days southbound back to Vancouver - on this cruise my friends Dave and Kathy Smith from the Boston area will be joining me. They haven't been to Alaska yet so I will get to be a tour guide. Our northbound stops will be Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Cruise Glacier Bay and Cruise Hubbard Glacier and Seward Alaska. On the southbound leg after leaving Seward we revisit Hubbard Glacier, visit Icy Strait Point and the Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier before revisiting Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan before arriving back in Vancouver.

That briefly is or should that be are my cruising plans over the next 24 months.

A VISIT TO HIGH KNOLL PARK IN SURREY MAY 21, 2020

This park is located on the eastern boundary of the City of Surrey on Colebrook Rd and 195 Ave.

It has two parts on both sides of the road - the upper part is the original - a mixed forest with trails extending a distance - crossing a hydro right of way and then re-entering a more dense forest with a number of stunning old stumps - one is estimated to have had a tree that would have been about 200 years old.

The area also contains a bike park.

I then returned back to the parking lot and went to explore the northern part of the park which is an old farm site that was donated to the City of Surrey.

This part of the Park consists of the wetlands of the  Nicomekl River - I ventured down to the bridge over the river - it isn't far from it headwaters so it isn't a big river.

After that I returned to the parking and went to explore the Cairn explaining the recent addition to the park.

Further exploration led me to find what looks like and old orchard or flower garden. Rhododendrons and other flowers were in bloom.

Then it was home to relax and dinner which was Turkey Sheppard's pie, new potatoes and carrots.

One of my intents with this blog was to use it for my cruises - with my cruises cancelled until this time next year and with the realization that as I age the number of long distance train trips to the east coast or New Orleans for cruising are coming to an end plus the travel fund is nearly exhausted I am going to change the emphasis of this blog.

Since moving to the Newton area of Surrey two years ago I have spent a fair amount of time exploring many of the more than 200 parks in the City.

Unlike the parks in Vancouver which - with the exception of Stanley Park and Pacific Spirit - are more developed many of those here in Surrey are preserved as natural areas with streams, forests etc still intact.

I have been visiting a lot of them during our current stay close to home message and posting pictures etc on my Facebook page.

While I will continue to do that I will be posting a more detailed write up of the actual visit to the park and some photos explaining the various features of the park.

So look for this write ups soon.

As always - Cheers and happy trails to you until we meet again.

Stay safe everyone.

2 years in Surrey

It will be two years tomorrow that I started the move from Vancouver to Surrey. Where has the time gone.
When I made the move it was partially to be nearer to the inner circle and partially to help with my anxiety and depression issues.
In light of the challenges the world is facing now it has turned out to be a good move. While we have some constraints of our activities you can still go down to the lobby and talk to other residents and staff which helps my depression. We keep our distance and are reminded by staff etc if we do get too close together.
Do I miss Vancouver - yes and no - I missed the easy access to the seawall, False Creek and Stanley Park and the relatively close access to the North Shore mountains.
I don't miss the concrete jungle and always on the go mentality of the downtown crowd.
As for Surrey - it has really grown up the last decade or so - yes it has it's social issues as any city of over 500,000 people will have - it has an extensive parks system and many of them are in a more natural setting - like streams running through them, like first growth trees, like nature trails, a couple of gardens - Bear Creek and Fleetwood to name a couple.
It has it beaches at Crescent Beach and White Rock next door.
It has easy shopping here in Newton, roads with left turn lanes and green arrows and a much improved transit system. Most common areas in Surrey have some bus service.
It is a very demographic diverse area and the people for the most part are friendly and right now seem to be abiding by the social or physical distance measures implemented by various layers of government.
The flowers are starting to bloom - the last two pictures are the scene from my balcony taken earlier today.
Part 2 coming up.

A much ado about nothing post

Haven't posted  much recently not because there wasn't anything to post but for the most part because I was being lazy and also mourning the lost of my long time friend of more than 55 years back in March 2017.

Even though his passing wasn't unexpected it put me into a six week spiral of grief etc - finally has dissipated and I am now back to my normal comfort zone and hopefully will post a little more frequently.

Another reason for not posting was my computer keyboard was acting up and certain letters became very hard to press and get any results - I now have a new HP computer so that excuse won't work any more.

I did a 14 day Alaskan cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver in mid-May and that was also about the time that my anxiety over the loss of my friend started to wane. Whether getting on a cruise ship and sailing with friends that I met on other cruises was a factor in feeling better I can't say.

I also started doing my volunteering about the same time - was it a factor - once again I don't know.

Any way I am now getting out on the bike and hiking and will be leaving Vancouver in a little over three weeks for a week of hiking in Waterton Park with the Skyline Hikers.

Cheers!

D.

Might be going to Cuba - May 2018

I have long wanted to go to Cuba and as a Canadian there are no restrictions on us travelling to that country BUT because I won't fly it has been virtually impossible - yes I know that you could get there by cruise ships but these sail from American home ports and to my knowledge I couldn't get off a cruise ship in Barbados - go to Cuba and then re-board another one in Barbados to get back to the US mainland.

Well that has all changed but the recent easing of restrictions for US citizens to visit that country.

The cruise ship industry saw the light and has received permission to sail to Cuba with certain conditions which technically don't apply to us Canadians - like the reason for visiting - educational and noting where and what you learned - but which the cruise ships are requiring of all passengers but there is little proof that is is been enforced by DHS officials but that could change.

Let's fast forward a little bit - I recently booked a 15 day Panama canal cruise on the new Norwegian Bliss which sails from Miami in May 2018 and had a brain fart the other week - if I am in Miami why not see if I can come in a few days early and do a Cuba cruise before boarding - most Cuba cruises are either from the Ft Lauderdale/Miami or Tampa ports so it seems fairly logically to do.

Norwegian would be my first choice as I have lots of perks with them - they offer a 4 day to Havana from Miami with an overnight in Havana - but they are only showing sailings until the end of 2017.

RCL has some offerings as well but nothing into next year.

Carnival has some 4 day day sailings from Tampa including one in May of next year - that one would work - I would spend a night in Tampa post cruise and then train it down to Miami for two night before boarding the Bliss - an alternate would be to head to Orlando for a day and take in Disney World and then train down to Miami - there are two trains a day to Miami so some options there.  Carnival isn't a preferred cruise line for me.

Will continue to check the cruise lines web sites for sailings and have my TA looking as well - they often get advance notice of bookings before they hit the public web sites.

What to expect in Cuba - despite what you hear - you are free to travel and take pictures except of military etc - this is true for many countries.

Yesterday I attended an outdoor adventure travel show and there was a booth on Cuba - had a lengthy chat with a very knowledge person about travel to Cuba.

Some things I learned and this pertains to Canadians.

1. Do you need a Visa? Canadian - No - but you will a tourist card. It will usually be set up for you by the cruise line.

2. Canadian money is accepted in Cuba - when you change it into Cuban $$$ there is no tax or transaction fee like on the US $$$. The exchange rate is based on the US$$$ so expect about a 30 -35 % exchange rate.

3. You are free to tour on your own and most people will welcome and help you see the country.

4. English is the second language so most will know some and most in the tourist industry are fluent.

5. You need proof of medical coverage and this is important to us Canadians - while your provincial health care card is proof - check and see if they will cover you in Cuba - apparently here in BC they won't - this could change over time as more people travel - if you have extended coverage - Blue Cross - Sun Life etc check and ensure that they cover you - otherwise you will need to purchase - you can't enter the country and likely not able to board the ship if you can't provide proof.

As travel to Cuba is continuing to evolve this information should be considered current as of the time of this post.

More to come at a later date.

Cheers!

D

All about cruising

To say that I like cruising is putting it mildly.

I have become addicted to that method of travel - partly in measure because I don't want to fly and once I reach a destination by train or bus or in some cases by walking about nine blocks to a cruise terminal - I can board and see parts of the world I wouldn't otherwise.

I have about thirty cruises under my belt - around 270 days at sea - from a number of one night cruises between Vancouver and Seattle and vice-versa to a long 49 day one around South America.

At present I have four cruises booked over the next 2 years - three on Norwegian and one on Royal Caribbean - the latter will be the first time on that cruise line.

Two are west coast based - and two are east coast based although one of those ends up on the west coast.

Here are the details of two of those cruises. The other two will follow in a separate post.

First up - is a 14 day Alaskan Cruise on the Norwegian Sun in May 2017

I first sailed this ship back in 2004 when I did my first Panama Canal cruise.

For this cruise I will travel down to San Francisco by Amtrak - meet up with some friends and take in a SF Giants baseball game and then the following morning board the Sun for the trip north.

After a stop in Astoria, Oregon we head to Alaska - for stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Ice Straight Point as well as visiting Glacier Bay, Hubbard and Sawyer Glaciers - then on the southbound part we will stop in Prince Rupert and finally Nanaimo before sailing across the Salish Sea and into Burrard Inlet and our berth at Canada Place

Sept 2017 - The second cruise for 2017 will see my trying a new cruise line - all of my previous cruises have been on either Norwegian or Princess but as I was researching for something on the west coast in the fall to celebrate my 70th birthday I came across a 7 day west coast round trip from Seattle down to San Francisco on RCL's Explorer of the Seas - what I liked about it was firstly the pricing and secondly a full overnight stay in San Francisco - just a stop at Astoria on the way down and one at Victoria on the way back. 

There were a couple of features on this ship that intrigued me - one it has an ice-skating rink and also something called promenade inside cabins - these are inside cabins that have a window view to the inside promenade or atrium area of the ship.

The long layover in San Francisco will give me the opportunity to too a longer day trip as we won't need to be back on ship until 4 PM the next day.

One option I am looking at is to do a day trip and take in the 17 Mile Drive at Monterrey - while I have driven down that way on a couple of occasions I have never done that drive. 

While I could also do a long day trip to Yosemite from San Francisco most of the day tours have a meet time that makes it tough for me to take as by the time I get off the ship I likely won't catch the tour.

Perhaps my friends in the Bay area will come up with some other ideas .

Do want to spent some more time exploring the Presidio and the Pacific Ocean beaches.

In a separate post I will outline my 2018 cruise plans and a possible hint at what I might do in 2019 - boy that seems like a long ways off but in planning travel those dates are already starting to come online.

Cheers!