9-19-08 Ummmm, I have to do what!

I must have been in denial thinking about Denali. It never dawned on me that I would have to FLY to get on the Alaska cruise. I DO NOT fly. Mr. and Mrs. S were very surprised by this. They always thought I had flown here from Gnomistan. On the contrary, I took a boat with 35 of my fellow countrymen (and eight trolls from Trollbekistan, they were annoying). I remember our journey like it was yesterday....sailing across the sea for 12 days until we arrived at Ellis Island. Unfortunately, we then discovered that Ellis Island was now a tourist destination and not a immigration terminal and hadn't been for many years. Damn these outdated maps. The captain found that the port of Bayonne, New Jersey close by and we proceeded to dock there. The captain, upon seeing the Bayonne landscape, attempted to try to turn the ship back to Gnomistan! He said, and I quote “Arrrgh, if this is what the new world looks like, I'm going back to the old world.” Thankfully we convinced him that the rest of America really did look like the brochure and he allowed us to disembark.

Mr. and Mrs. S were confident that I would be able to handle the airplane ride, so we all headed off for the airport. While they were checking their bags (why do two people need 7 bags! I only need my backpack!), I headed off to the airport bar to try to loosen up before the flight. They must make those airport drinks strong because the next thing, I knew I was at thirty thousand feet over Canada. The view was breathtaking! I can't wait to fly again! Note to Mrs. S's mom: If I can do it, so can you! Together we can make it to the Oasis.

P.S. Mrs. S asked me to point out that she was not only carry most of my gear, but she was also lugging me in her carryon. Perhaps, I was a bit harsh in my statement about too many bags. It is a 2-week cruise, after all.