Bowie Family

Alaska Standard time is 1 hour earlier than Pacific Time and 3 Hours earlier than Memphis Time

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

On May 31st, the day dawned beautiful and pleasant, but bitter sweet was the order of the day. We were glad to be going home and reuniting with the family & friends, but grieving over the fact we were leaving so many new friends behind. Some, even most, we will never see again, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Princess has embarkation and debarkation down to a science. On the evening before our last day on board we got a communication with four pink-1 tags for our luggage. This signified the order in which we would disembark and go to a waiting bus with that color and number on it. Red-1 was first off, then Pink-1, us. We got to the airport with three hours to spare, but had to clear customs for Canada, then go through security, then American customs.

Most of it was a formality, except security. I had so much metal on me and in me I set off all sorts of alarms, at every airport, and boarding the ship. At Vancouver they asked permission to pat me down. Not a problem for me, and they were very unobtrusive doing so. For the first time ever the metal replacement joint in Inez's knee set the alarm off. Both of us were cleared, and we got several nice smiles, and have a good trip from the screeners.

Three hours came and three hours went! The plane was sitting at the gate and all they would tell us was that we would be late leaving Vancouver. Suffice it to say we were late! One hour late! We made up all but 20 minutes of the time and thought we had plenty of time in Atlanta, but we were stacked up over Atlanta for thirty minutes, landing with forty minutes to spare, but not a lot of time when one has to change terminals.

We should not have been concerned however; our flight to Memphis was stacked up also on its way in from Pittsburgh. We were to leave for Memphis at 10:15 PM and get to our destination in the next time zone west at 10:42. We waited for the plane to board and we waited some more. Finally at 11:01 PM we were boarded. I feared our family was at the airport waiting for us and we were still in Atlanta. I talked to a flight attendant who brought me her cell phone and I called our daughter. Sure enough, she was inside the terminal in Memphis and waiting and watching while her husband drove around and around and around the airport thinking there would be no need to park. We told them to go to our house which was nearer to the airport and wait there and check on the actual arrival on delta.com.

We thought several times we were ready to go and the entry was closed and the engines started, then stopped. Very soon the pilot came on and said we had two more passengers running to the gate and we were waiting for them. They opened up and boarded those last two and finally, we were off at 12:05 AM Eastern time. We arrived in Memphis just after 12:20 AM our time (time zone difference) and got home at 1 AM. We got to bed at 3:15 AM, sleeping until 9:30 for a change.

We learned from the flight attendant in Atlanta that numerous heavy weather situations the day before (Sunday) had a ripple effect and affected flights everywhere in North America. Hence the reason for the monster delays. We were two tired old decrepit's when we did get here.

We had bought two Flow Globes (paper weights to be shaken for a nice effect) with the leaf gold in them at the Eldorado Mine and had to call back after everyone saw them and order six more! Wow! Talking about a hit!

Perhaps you would like to know a little about our ship, the Sun Princess. We sailed on her when she was new, about 1997, and at that time she was the largest ship in the Princess fleet. Now, she is midsize among the new ship to come behind her.

The Atrium on the Sun is a three story beauty. Glass elevators flank it on each side, and a piano bar with a delightful pianist, Heather, playing old songs to warm an elderly heart was situated on the lower deck (5th). The sixth deck had a string quartet, and the 7th was passage to other amenities, including the Vista Lounge (entertainment), specialty areas such as bars, reading rooms, etc. Toward the bow was the Wheel House Bar and the Princess Theater.

We were dining on the sixth deck in the Regency Dining room just behind the Atrium, where seating was reserved. I won't mention the meals! Ummmm! Delicious, and you could order all you wanted, even two entree's if you could hold them! Once I ordered sugar free ice cream and they were out so they brought me a cake of some kind that was sugar free, then later sat a sugar free vanilla mousse in front of me! Need I mention I ate them both and my blood glucose was only 143? Gosh, I did so anyway!

Enuff, you say! I agree! Thanks for putting up with my rantings along the last frontier. We are glad to be back among our friends and family. No matter how far one may roam, home is where the heart is. That is also where the friends of a lifetime reside.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

So much for sending email on the ship! I went to the Internet Café onboard and tried two different computers on Wednesday night and could open AOL but could not access My Computer to copy mail to the message field, nor could I open my address book. I called the Pursers Desk and was told to come by the next morning and they would remove the charges, which would have been about six dollars based on $36.00 per hour! I then asked for help and the computer officer told me they did not allow access to My Computer on board, so that was that! Ergo, I will write and save the messages until I get home and send them at that time.

Our stops in Juneau and Ketchikan were interesting, although we did not take a tour in Juneau , having been there before. We did, however, disembark in Skagway and go shopping. Diamonds International is a Jewelry business located in 35 ports of call. Inez found for herself a Tanzanite ring and matching earrings. We got a free charm bracelet there which was given to all on our ship for the asking. A charm is added at each port for a total of three. I think the three we got, including Juneau and Ketchikan , were a salmon, bear, and polar bear. All I wound up with was a lowly alpaca fur Teddy Bear for $20.00. But, after 57 years I think she is worth it! In other words, she is a keeper, and can have whatever we can afford.

In Ketchikan we took a DUCK tour of the town and harbor. For those who remember WW II it is an amphibious vehicle that runs on both land and water. It was an inexpensive tour, and one of the most informative of the city based on conversations with others. We saw numerous eagles in the fishing boat part of the harbor, and got some in photographs. The one thing we did not see on the trip so far is whales.

Tomorrow we will disembark in Vancouver about 7:30 AM and be transported to the Vancouver airport for our 1:20 PM flight home. We have to have our bags outside our door before dinner, which is 5:45 PM , then any last minute bag we need, will have to go out after returning from dinner. We have a red ticket which means we will be first off and will hop onto Bus #1 and transferred to the airport. We spent the morning unpacking each bag and transferring and repacking to be sure the one carry on we will keep will be the one with our basic necessities, especially our miniature pharmacy.

Interestingly, when we left Fairbanks , we were told to leave our bags unlocked for possible inspection. Sure enough, after opening them on the ship, my large checked bag and my carry on, mine mind you, had been inspected for contraband! They were kind enough to leave a notice in the bags and apologize for the intrusion.

The same thing happened in France a few years ago when we toured Northern Europe . On that occasion a lady from Florida was sitting opposite us on the bus and she was called off with us to have our bags inspected. In my bag they found a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope and asked what it was and why we had it. I told them what it was and that since Inez was a nurse and I a pharmacist, we always carried one when we traveled. When I said that, the other lady said she was a pharmacist too, in Fort Lauderdale , and was an escapee from Cuba . When we got back on the bus we were still laughing about the coincidence when the couple directly in front of us said both of them were pharmacists in Australia ! So, there we were four of us in one small group together, indicating once again what a small world we live in!

More when we arrive home. We are spoiled, so don’t expect the same two people who left you eleven days ago. Start shaping up now!

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Well, the best laid plans of mice and men…well you know the story as well as I. When we were preparing to leave Fairbanks , we were told to have our checked luggage outside our door, unlocked by 5:30 AM or have it picked up the night before. I argued that since we could stay in our room until 11 AM on the morrow that I could put it out after getting up, say around 7-8 AM . The baggage was to go on the bus to the airport with us. Strange as for as I am concerned; but we put it out the night before. We were to be transported to the airport at 1 PM , and there was our luggage. The Fairbanks Princess told us the flight to Anchorage began there and we should check our carry on luggage to Anchorage and claim it there. Boy, were they wrong! It was sent directly to the ship! The bad part was that our tickets to board the ship were in carry on bag. Fortunately the Princess folk at the airports were helpful by finding us on the manifest and checking photo ID and putting us on the bus to Whittier .

Bear with me now, the saga is not yet over. When we got to Whittier I had to repeat the story to a ship representative. He had compassion on two old worn out and decrepit old folks, and took us to the desk where we give an imprint of our credit card and showed ID again. Believe me security is everywhere! We gave them our passports and credit card and they checked us and the manifest again and we were boarded. One person said, “Well, your passport photo does look something like you, so go ahead and board.” I replied if I looked like my passport photo, I did indeed need a vacation! You can laugh now. Later I took the tickets to them after they were delivered to us.

Stay with me now! Way back in March or early April we requested early seating at dinner due to me being diabetic. (Remember, Johnnie?) Now guess what? We were rewarded with second seating! We decided to eat in the buffet last night and this morning, after which we got in touch with the Maitre d and asked for a change, explaining our early booking request. He was very accommodating and within five minutes we were in possession of a first seating card. Tonight was formal and we got to dress up, if that is what you call it when we put on our Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes! Anyway, we made ourselves as presentable as possible and found ourselves seated with a family of three from Raleigh , NC , and a retired Physics professor from Minnesota . For some reason we bonded with the NC family right away. They invited us to sit with them in the theatre for a show by the Ventriloquist Willie Tyler and his dummy, Lester, who was, as I recall a regular on the old Flip Wilson Show. This was a very funny and entertaining show.

On the way back from Fairbanks we had hoped to see Her Majesty poking her royal head above the clouds. It was raining on the ground, so all we could see was the soft white pillows below us, and sometimes surrounding us as we flew at 33000 feet. Arriving in Anchorage we did indeed find it raining and the temperature 52 degrees. Guess where my jacket was? Right, packed in my carry-on with the travel documents! Since we would be outside just long enough to walk across one drive and step onto a bus, it was not too bad. However, upon arrival in Whittier it was raining a bit harder, and I had to make a mad dash for the ship through the tears of heaven. We are high up on the 11^th deck of fourteen, so most of what we do requires us to go down. Last time everything was above us. We have no doubt gained several new companions, adipose tissue! We may have to stick to the dining room to avoid overeating. I looked at my 12 inch oval plate at noon today and was reminded why one can gain so much weight! All one had to do was look at my plate. Luckily, my blood sugar was only 143!

I should mention that on the bus coming down here we reached the upper headwaters of Cook Inlet off Prince William Sound , and paralleled Tourniquet Arm for about 40 miles. Of interest to us was what is called Avalanche Alley. Snow was still on the bottom of avalanches from last winter. Later, we saw a bay with large ice floes, and learned some of them were like small icebergs. At this location is a toll gate for a five mile long one lane tunnel, and traffic went in each direction for thirty minutes alternately. We had to wait 25 minutes for our turn. Shortly after exiting the tunnel our ship loomed ahead.

Perhaps you may be interested in something we heard over and over in Fairbanks . First, the schools never close except for ice when it is too slick for school buses. The snow may be 5 feed deep, but school goes on. Our Fairbanks driver was an Assistant Principal at a middle school. Of considerable interest to everyone was permafrost. That is ground that is permanently frozen. It may thaw on the surface in some areas to a foot or two, but in some places nothing can be built on it at all. If you want to build a house you must get core samples to find the quality of the soil and the depth of the permafrost. On the side of the Chena River that flowed past our hotel, much building was evident on that side, but just across the river, nothing!

Tomorrow morning we will arrive in Glacier Bay between 9 and 10 AM . We will be up early and get breakfast out of the way so we won’t miss a thing. Today we watched and got a photo of a fresh pilot coming aboard from a motor boat. Prior to entry into Glacier Bay we will pick up two Park Rangers the same way. I will try to add a note tomorrow and send this out during the day. I cannot get something out every day since we have to go to the far upper deck (we are forward and the Internet Café is near the stern on deck fourteen) and they charge the equivalent of $36.00 per hour! What I do is write my update in MS Word and burn it to a CD and then take it to the computer and paste it into an email on AOL. Most of the time is in accessing AOL and finding my account and logging on. But, you are all worth it!

I should note that while we have a cell phone with us, we cannot use it. After leaving Anchorage we were able to talk briefly with our cousin, Jim Atwood, California before the phone began to show No Service, and continues to this point. When we reach Skagway I think we should be able to use it again. Of further interest to some, we are traveling at 21 knots, and to get mph multiply, by1.15. My brain is too tired to figure it for you at11:35 PM Alaska time, a three hour difference from CDT.

This morning dawned cloudy and misty, then fog descended increasing our worry that viewing Marjorie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park would be hampered. We entered the park about 11 AM . Upon arriving at the glacier, the skies opened up and the Gods smiled on us with sunshine, warming the ice just enough to see lots of calving. With a still camera you have to hope for the right moment to hit the shutter. I quickly learned it was best to shoot for the splash, rather than the calving, since you cannot tell in a still photo what is happening. We got several photo’s that seem in reviewing them to be OK. We are on the starboard side and the glacier was to the port side. We went up to the Lido deck beside the buffet and had a warm place to watch. That is, until the captain turned the ship around. We then cane back to our stateroom and sat on the balcony until we slowly began to sail away into the sunset. One more piece of evidence of the wonders of God’s creation, and more evidence He exists; He lives, in all the glory of nature that surrounds us, eye candy of the finest kind.

Today we have had smooth sailing. Most of yesterday we had swells of 10 to 15 feet, sometimes more. This caused a considerable amount of rocking. While no one got seasick, we did not get our sea legs back until it smoothed out this morning.

Perhaps the most enjoyable feature of the shipboard experience is the many new friends we met, and enjoyed spending time with We just saw Monica Hunter on deck and she asked if we would join them again tonight for the theatre. Of course we will! We shared dinner and a show last night, and feel already like we have known them forever. Of course being from NC and being Southern they were as warm and comfortable as an old shoe to be with.

Aloha from the Aloha deck, deck 11, for now. Jim and anyone else who might need to know, we will be in range of cell phone towers tomorrow when we will be at Skagway .

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

I just spoke with Everette by Cell phone from Downtown Skagway. He stated that ships email was down due to poor communication with the satalite. They have been in heavy seas with the ship tossing a significant amount.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Having a good time. 'Guest speaker' on bus using too much volume on intercom. Light rain. Do not expect Ship to leave on time.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Warmest greetings from the far north country of Fairbanks , Alaska . This is our second of two nights here, and today was chock full of wonderful experiences. We slept in until 6:30 AM and beat a trail down to the breakfast buffet, then boarded a bus at 8:15 AM for a City of Gold tour. We had not the slightest idea what that meant. What it meant in reality was a tour of the city of Fairbanks , but more importantly, the Eldorado Gold Mine.

Fairbanks is a city of 29,000 hardy souls, and is the second largest city in Alaska , Anchorage being the largest. We have found it hard to control our amusement when we would hear someone complaining about the local traffic jams if two to four cars were at the same stop light when they arrived. In fact the traffic was so light, we hardly noticed they had a problem at all.

The gold mine! Ah, yes! We rode a narrow gauge railroad to the mine shaft where we were treated to a demonstration of how gold is removed from mined soil. We were then given a bag of dirt, and taken to a pavilion where troughs were set up with water and pans, with a small film like canister to put your gold in after panning. Between us we found $14.00 worth, including one small nugget. We could then have it put into a clear locket with the size chain you wanted. We got one for Inez, and I must say it looks good on her! We talked to one lady who found about twenty dollars worth. Clerks weighed and priced each find.

This afternoon we took a river cruise on the Chena River which runs right past our hotel room. The highlight of this tour without a doubt was meeting Susan Butcher and her dogs. As you may recall, Susan was the second woman ever to win the Iditarod Dog Sled race. On her first try a moose attacked her two lead dogs and she chose to drop out of the race to care for her injured dogs. The next year, 1986 she won, and again in 1987, 1989, and again, for the fourth win, the most for any woman as I understand it. Of course I have the pictures to prove this, and I actually have a picture petting one of her dogs. Susan’s husband, David, came out later and answered any and all questions.

Another highlight of this cruise was seeing the home of former U. S. Senator, Frank Murkowski. He is now the Governor. President Ronald Reagan stayed in the house when he came here for a special ceremony. The only other president to every come here was Warren G. Harding. Harding died a few weeks after coming here, and it was widely believed he had been poisoned. His wife was suspected, but never seriously investigated. Years later Harding’s grandson was here and took the same tour we were on, and he came to the guide, who was our Midnight Sun Train hostess, and told her: “Aw, Susan, we always knew grandma did him in!”

I think we have discovered why we have been so sleepy on the entire four days up here. First we can blame jet lag after moving through three time zones, and secondly, the almost continual daylight. Last night the sun set at approximately 11:30 PM , but it never really got dark. Then it was full daylight again by 4 AM . Momma Bear has sacked out while I write this and after I go downstairs and send this, I will get myself prepared, and join her. I will need to get our bags outside the door before I can go to bed, and unlocked, since they can be opened for inspection at the Anchorage airport. We will be off and heading south at 11 AM , and be on the Sun Princess by late afternoon. We are tired but know it will be easier on the ship. Yet we would not have wanted to miss this for anything. I have thought of prostate cancer only twice on the trip, but know that when we get home we will have to get serious about a treatment.

I will skedaddle for now. For those of you younger than the WW II generation, that means to get a move on. So, I’m off!

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Friday & Saturday: Thanks to Cousin Jim Atwood for taking a verbal report on the phone yesterday during our visit to Denali National Park , and posting it on the web page. That page is now accessible at www.ebowie.com/P. Jim is posting our report each day we have one. We were unable to mail out last night in Denali . We were at the Princess Wilderness Lodge which is, indeed, in the wilderness. The hotel, the largest lodge or hotel in Alaska consistently registered “No Service.”

We must say it has been interesting these first two days. First, we lucked out and the weather was clear, and about 70 degrees. Suddenly, we could see the tip of Her Majesty! As we got closer, there she stood in all her glory and majesty displayed as a staunch sentinel over all she surveyed, at 20,832 feet. We had feared we would have cloudy weather which had been the order of the day for the last week. We saw numerous examples of Alaskan wild life, but it was hard to take a picture of an animal in the forest while on a moving train.

The train! The Midnight Sun is a two level coach with a dining room on the first level along with three restrooms, a gift shop, and entry stairwells and an observation platform. The passengers are all on the top level, with a dome from near top center to table level. We were given the table which had seats for four, right at the top of the stairs, and had it to ourselves both yesterday and today. Of course not one stayed put; every one was moving around for purposes of taking pictures, and visiting with our news friends. To be honest with you this was the first time we had eaten a meal on a train since WW II. Everyone was so friendly, all worked for Princess, and made you feel like they had been your friend for years.

Last night (Friday) at Denali , we decided to go to the Denali Dinner Theater and have dinner and see the show. Little did either of us expect what was to happen next. During the second act, the girls (there were three of them) were singing a song “I Want To Marry An Alaska Man.” During the song, all three came down into the audience and each looked for a man, rejecting each one until Miss Kitty got me. She stopped, put her hands to her face in mock surprise and said “Girls! Look what I have found.” With that she pulled me out of my seat and led me up on stage with them, while they finished the song. I was holding a pick axe while sitting on a stool and they were sashaying around me. Finally, Miss Kitty walked over to the edge of the stage and said something just did not look right and mused about it for a moment, then grabbed an old miners had with a long beard hanging off it and put that on my head. At the end, a cast member came to the floor in front of the stage and took a Polaroid photo. Since I can’t scan it from here, I will do so when I get home. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it.

Today we got up to light rain and cool temps, but that would not prohibit an excursion into the Denali National Park for four hours. It soon stopped raining and brightened up considerably. We saw a lot of caribou, some moose, and lots Ptarmigans, a bird about the size or perhaps a little larger than a seagull. These birds grow feathers on their legs and feet to keep them warm during all the snow of an 8 month winter. Finally, after seeing so many, our guide said we would not stop for any more, so when we passed one to give it a moose wave. That is, put your thumbs in your ears and with palms facing forward, flip your fingers forward and back a few times.

Our biggest surprise this afternoon was re-boarding the train for the last leg to Fairbanks . After a few mountains, the land flattened out and some of it seemed almost marshy. The trees were smaller, and a lot less dense. Tonight we are in the Fairbanks Princess, also owned by Princess Cruise lines. Right out our window is a river. Tomorrow we will have a City of Gold tour, then, in the afternoon learn about the river with a river cruise. I don’t yet know the name of it, but will find out soon. It is 11:05 PM here in Fairbanks and the sun has not yet set. Which will make you think it is very much earlier than it really is.

I am hoping I send this in a normal fashion. The hotel told me they had wireless and if I had a card to bring my computer to the lobby and I could both send and receive email. Shortly, I will learn the truth!

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Just finished the Natural History tour thru the park. Saw a lot of wildlife including Dall Sheep and Ptarmigin. Currently waiting for the train and them to install internet service up here in them there woods. Next stop Fairbanks.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

We had a good time looking for wildlife today. We saw a lot of animals but the photography is difficult from the train. We saw numerous Caribou. Went to the dinner theater tonight. It was a blast. I became, unwittingly, a part of the show. They picked me out of the audience to assist on stage for the song "I want to marry an Alaska man". I have the autograph and numerous witnesses to prove it.

Weather has been unusually warm Highs around 70 today and yesterday which meant that Her Majesty (Mt. McKinley) was arrayed in all her glory. Mamma Bear has been sleepy today but having a great time. We have been meeting lots of wonderful people

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

Dear All: Do you know how early 3:45 AM can be? Well, that is what it took to be ready when Janis and Ron arrived at 4:30 to take us to the airport. Now, here is the strange part. We flew out to Atlanta Hartsfield at 6:20 AM. Leaving Atlanta, we flew directly over Memphis! And the captain had the nerve to tell us we were over the city! That said, Delta spoiled us royally on that leg of our trip to SeaTac (Seattle-Tacoma). We had been upgraded to Business Class with our seats in front of the Coach class, and just behind first class. We were alone. One the bulkhead in front of us was a 16” TV screen. The airline gave us a running update on our position all the way to SeaTac. We knew we were flying at .81 mach, that is, 567 MPH ground speed. (Mach 1 is 700 MPH). We kept up with altitude in feet and meters, outside air temps (down to -67 degrees) and a track on our progress. We had been worried about food that early in the morning, but not to worry, we found plenty.

We got to Anchorage about 7 PM, a few minutes late and were met by Princess and ensconced in the Captain Cook Hotel for the night. Tomorrow, we will leave our main luggage in the room to be picked up by the hotel staff and sent to Fairbanks where it will be waiting in our room when we arrive there. We will then fly back to Anchorage on the shuttle and be bussed to Whittier, on May 24, to meet the Sun Princess.

I don’t know now if we will be able to send a message during the land portion. We will find out tomorrow. We will have breakfast on the train, something neither of us has done since our sailor days of WW II. It is 11 PM here and the sun has not yet gone down! We expect about four hours of dark tonight.

We are so tired we plan to clean up a bit and hit the hay soon. More later, whenever we can.

Everette & Inez

**************************************************************************************************************************************************