cyndikesavan, Author at Letterbox on the Lane

Alaskan Cruise – Day 1

We had no issues Ubering to the pier from our hotel and getting on to the ship. The driver dropped us off exactly where we needed to be, we left our luggage (and a tip!) with the luggage steward who made sure our bags were delivered to our rooms on the ship. We had a specified boarding time and were advised not to arrive before our scheduled time. There was still a very long line checking passports, conducting health checks, etc. We finally made our way to the ship and up to our room on deck 7. We had a balcony room – fabulous (but cold!) to sit outside and listen to the ocean waves, look for wildlife, and view the stars. We had lovely views of the Seattle harbor as we departed. We were scheduled for the early dinner time and ate in the main dining room. Our servers were very kind and looked after our every need. It turns out that our lead waiter is from Mumbai, India and his assistant is from Indonesia. They promised to bring me some Indian food the next time we came for dinner!

See more about our trip here:

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-arrival-to-seattle/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-1/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-2/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-3/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-4/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-5/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-6/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-day-7/

https://letterboxonthelane.com/alaskan-cruise-wrap-up/

TRAVEL

Alaskan Cruise – Arrival to Seattle

Last January, my mom was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. She has made it through several surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. She is feeling quite well these days and asked me and her sister (Aunt Darlene) to join her on an Alaskan Cruise. The timing worked well for everyone, so we jumped at the chance. Aunt Darlene organized all of the de-tails – we sailed on Royal Caribbean, departing from Seattle, Washington for a 7-day cruise.
Our itinerary:
Day 1: Seattle, Washington
Day 2: At Sea
Day 3: Juneau, Alaska
Day 4: Skagway, Alaska
Day 5: Sitka, Alaska
Day 6: at Sea
Day 7: Victoria, British Columbia
Day 8: Seattle, Washington

We arrived in Seattle by air and took an Uber to our hotel. It was a long travel day, so we had dinner at the hotel and went to bed.

The next morning, we had a few hours to explore before heading to the pier. We had breakfast at the hotel, and then walked down to Pike Place Market. We walked through the ‘gum wall’ alley, which was probably one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen. We enjoyed the fish market and even got to see the fishmongers throwing fish! My travel companions indulged me, and we stood in line for 30 minutes at the “Original Starbucks” for tall Iced Vanilla Lattes. We browsed the downtown Target for a few last-minute travel supplies, returned to the hotel for lunch and to collect our bags and then took an Uber to the pier.

See more about our trip here:

Alaskan Cruise – Arrival to Seattle

Alaskan Cruise – Day 1

Alaskan Cruise – Day 2

Alaskan Cruise – Day 3

Alaskan Cruise – Day 4

Alaskan Cruise – Day 5

Alaskan Cruise – Day 6

Alaskan Cruise – Day 7

Alaskan Cruise – Wrap Up

LIFE

The Cats of Crystal Creek

Many feral cats found their way to my parent’s home and their numbers continued to multiply-possibly up to 14 cats! My parent’s had a difficult time catching each one as the cats were not used to interacting with people.

Surreptitiously, a colony of cats living behind the local grocery were forced to be relocated and a cat lover named Pat was looking for a new place for these 20 cats to live.

My parents met Pat, who agreed to catch all of the feral cats and have them ‘fixed’, if my parents agreed to take in the grocery store cats. It was a win-win situation!

They now have a routine in feeding and caring for the multitude of cats. In the morning, mom prepares a mix of wet and dry food for the inside cats, the front porch cats, the side porch cats, the way back cats, and the side back cats. They do it again each evening.

My dad walks around with cat treats in his pockets and woos these feral cats. They all have names, and many come up to him on his daily walks for cuddles and treats.

Mom and Dad ensure medical treatment is provided to those in need. They are very well known at the vet’s office! Cats will often come into their house after treatment, and either run back outside when they are healed, or join the group of inside cats.

On my last visit, two of the previously feral (and now inside) cats climbed into bed with me one actually climbed into my lap and snuggled as close as he could get to me!! Just call me the cat whisperer! 😊

Wally G (Wal-Mart Greeter: He greets them everytime they come home!)

WELCOME

Welcome

Welcome to my Blog! My work takes me to the far corners of the globe. I’ve lived in New Zealand, India, Azerbaijan, Macedonia (now known as North Macedonia), Mauritius, Lithuania, and Indonesia, and have over 30 passports stamps. I love traveling and experiencing different cultures. I also love my family and home. Maintaining family ties and continuing family traditions while setting up a new home every few years in far-flug destinations can be a challenge. For example, some years turkeys (for Thanksgiving) are not available and we have to improvise. Other years they are, but they won’t fit into the ‘easy-bake’ ovens we so often see overseas! One year, I even had a turkey with the bones removed! It tasted good, but it was NOT the showstopper centerpiece I had envisioned! This blog chronicles my adventures and I’d love for you to tag along.

Home for Josh’s Graduation