Day 4:  Sunday, May 23

Our bags had to be outside our door by 8:00.  When we turned off the lights last night at 11:00 a.m, it was still bright outside.  We have to check out at 11:00 a.m. and we do not leave until 2:00 for Mt McKinley.  We had a good breakfast that included reindeer sausage.  I am really having a problem with being so sleepy.  I do not feel tired, just sleepy.  Therefore, we went back to the room and took a nap.  We checked out on time and then walked across the street for a hot dog and then ice cream.  We have really been walking a great deal each day.  We did buy a couple of new Christmas ornaments.  They were nonbreakable, small, and NOT a moose. 

The coach trip to Mt. McKinley took a little over two hours.  We were able to see the mountain most of the time.

Mt. McKinley is the highest point in North America at 20,320 ft high and always covered in snow.  We  ate dinner while looking out at this beautiful place. 

Day 5:  Monday, May 24

This morning we had to put our bags out by 7:00 a.m.  We got ours out at 6:40 and they were the only ones in the hall.  We walked over to the main lodge and had a large breakfast.  Linwood had the reindeer sausage again but I went back to bacon.  We then went back for a short nap.  Our bags were gone but everyone else's bags were still there and it was about 9:00 a.m.  When it became time to go back to the lodge the bags (not ours)  were still in the hall.  I decided that maybe someone had taken ours and we would never see them again.  The coach to the rail depot was leaving at 11:30.  I asked at the desk about the luggage and she assured me we would see them on the ship.

The rail depot was at Talkeena, Alaska and it was called Sunshine Depot.  When the coach drove up, all we could see were benches made out of logs.  The train got there about 15 minutes after us and had an engine on each end and five cars.  Our tablemates were from New Jersey and they were our age  The entire rail trip took five hours so we got to know a great deal about each other.  There was a kitchen on each car and we had a complete menu to choose from.

We saw beautiful scenery with more and more mountains.  There was a narrator on each car.  She pointed out Sarah Pallin's home when we went through Wasilla, AK  It is the one with the green roof.

In this picture if you look closely you can see where there was an avalanche.  The snow came across the grass part and even went to the other side of the train track.  We saw where they shoot off the ??? to cause the slide.

When we got to Anchorage,  outfitters from the ship came on board and we had to fill out our health questionnaire.  They also took care of all our boarding information.  They really made it easy for everyone.  This is our first look at the ship where we will be spending the next seven days.   I can hardly believe we are here.  The land portion for our vacation has been very special.