IT IS not often in travel that the real thing lives up to the hype.
The promotional material for my trip down the south-east Alaskan coastline aboard the cruise ship said of one sight: 'If you're lucky, you may even witness enormous walls of ice crash thunderously into the sea.'
Thrillingly, that is exactly what I saw of the Hubbard Glacier. At 121.6km, the longest tidewater glacier of barely-moving ice with a 12km face abuts the salty waters of Yakutat Bay.
My husband Richard, 57, and myself - Singaporeans keen to see at first-hand the promised spectacular scenery of Alaska - were on the top deck of our cruise ship at 6.30 on a cold and dark morning to see the glacier in the Gulf of Alaska with the promise of 16 more in the vast Glacier Bay National Park, a marine sanctuary and World Heritage Site.
Looming ahead was the greyish wall of the Hubbard Glacier, marking a dead-end to the fjord. As the sky brightened, the greenish tinge of ice became more prominent beside the expanse of older, discoloured ice.
Suddenly, there was an explosive roar as a huge piece of ice broke off and fell into the water. The ice chunks floated against a stunning backdrop of snow-topped mountains.
This was the sort of real-life chills and spills that made our 'Northern Exposure' encounter unforgettable.
Richard and I had flown from Singapore via Taipei to Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. After exploring some of Alaska's interior, we joined the luxury cruise ship Carnival Spirit for a seven-day trip south to Vancouver, the cosmopolitan port city on Canada's Pacific coast, during which we took in Alaska's scenic coastline and quaint coastal towns.
Alaska - the northern-most state of the United States - may seem a far-flung destination but is becoming increasingly popular with Singaporeans, being the world's 'last frontier' and famed for its snowy mountains, glaciers and wildlife.
Taking in such an outlandish destination via a ship is an exceptional way to do it, what with all the on-board pampering, meals and entertainment.
It is also easy to stay warm - with sometimes freezing temperatures even in the northern summer. This is an important factor especially for us from sun-soaked Singapore.
The overland part of our journey included riding on a luxurious, glass-domed train called the McKinley Explorer, which took us from Anchorage to Alaska's Denali National Park.
Glorious sunshine and wide windows gave unhindered views of the passing scenery during a seven-hour journey. We passed rushing rivers and mud flats, peered down immense gorges, surveyed the large expanse of land and gazed at the glistening peaks of the Chugach and Talkeetna mountains.
At Denali, where we stayed on our first night, we witnessed the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis. Though it was midnight and cold, the greenish light streaking the sky kept us standing outdoors, transfixed.
The next day, we viewed the steppe tundra vegetation, native birds, a moose and her calf, the fantastic Alaskan Range and magnificent 6,195m Mount McKinley, the highest point in North America.
A shuttle bus ferried us to a kennel to see Alaska's famous huskies.
Dog sleds are a means of transport and rescue in winter when snow lies several metres deep. We saw a team of huskies tearing round a track, pulling a heavy sled.
Later, we headed to the port of Whittier, which is 120km south-east of Anchorage, to start our cruise.
The Inside Passage, a sea corridor that runs for hundreds of kilometres, is the world's longest sheltered inland waterway.
Salmon sights
RAIN and a darkening sky was our introduction as we set off from the Gulf of Alaska. On our 12-deck cruise ship, we stayed in an interior stateroom and found it to be surprisingly large and of four-star quality.
The international crew pampered us with good food and care, showed us the wonders of the Alaskan landscape and gave us an insight into the rugged people of Alaska.
If we tired of marvelling at the landscape, there were plenty of diversions such as fine dining or lavish buffets to suit any palate; Broadway-style shows; health and beauty sessions, competitions, games, shopping specials, movies, art auctions and casino gaming lessons.
The second morning, we cruised Prince William Sound and College Fjord, during which we saw the Hubbard Glacier.
Then we manoeuvred along the Inside Passage - a sea corridor stretching hundreds of kilometres from Glacier Bay to Ketchikan. It is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Besides cruise ships, whales and dolphins travel along it, too.
Later, we docked at Sitka, a city on Baranof Island originally inhabited by Tlingit Indians, but colonised by Russians in the 18th century.
From there, we cruised to Juneau, which became the Alaskan capital when gold was discovered there. At the pier, we took a coach to Mendenhall Glacier. Walking up to the visitor's centre, we had incredible views of the blue river of ice, frozen as it poured into the lake below.
Lunch at the Salmon Bake in Gold Creek where gold was first found was scrumptious, with smoked salmon, barbecued chicken, ribs, rice, cornbread, salads and enticing desserts.
Salmon swam in the creek which ended at a delightful waterfall. We were told that once, a visitor - a huge bear - appeared, scooped up a salmon in full view of startled diners and coolly ambled away.
That night, we cruised Lynn Canal to Skagway at the top of the Inside Passage. During the gold rush, prospectors climbed dangerous mountains to get to the Klondike gold fields. Now, a narrow gauge railroad hugs the mountain trail for a ride with ample opportunities for wildlife spotting.
While shopping for jewellery and clothing in Skagway, the Garden City of Alaska, we were amazed at the huge, beautiful flowers and vegetables in roadside flower boxes and gardens and gawked at several salmon swimming in a drain bordering a house.
We left for Ketchikan, which in Tlingit is Kichzaan, meaning Salmon Creek. So plentiful are the salmon that after World War I, salmon fishing became the main occupation and it is now the salmon capital of the world.
At the dock, we watched the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, where woodmen displayed skills such as chopping and rolling of logs. After lunch, we shopped for native artefacts, jewellery and smoked salmon as it was the last stop in Alaska.
Later, on our way to Vancouver, we spotted several dolphins cavorting in the sea - a fitting end to our Alaskan adventure.
Dog sleds - pulled by Alaska's famous huskies - are a means of transport and rescue in winter when snow can lie several metres deep.
Getting there
THERE are many Alaska cruises and some come with land tours. It is easier to go through travel agents as you can book a cruise and flight or cruise, land tour and flight.
We booked a seven-day Carnival cruise in an interior stateroom with three-day land tour, flight and hotel stay through World Vision Travel (tel: 6887-5426) for about $5,000.
Other agents include Pacific Arena for Princess Cruiseships (tel: 6317-2818) and UOB Travel Planners for Royal Caribbean (tel: 6252-2322).
Special packaged tours are cheaper and next month's Natas Travel Fair at Suntec City may turn out some good deals.
You can also book directly online at www.princess.com or other cruise ship websites.
The best time to go is between May and September. But the month of May is the peak period, so consider going in late August up to September when prices are cheaper.
5 things to do
1. Ride the McKinley Explorer, the glass-domed train, into interior Alaska for an unforgettable experience of the Alaskan landscape.
2. Leave your name with the receptionist at your lodge/hotel for a wake-up call to see the Aurora Borealis (a colourful display of lights in the night sky). But remember why you did that. Half-asleep, I answered the call and a voice said: 'It's out!' I put down the phone and almost went back to bed. Then, realisation dawning, I jumped up and shook my husband awake. We hurriedly grabbed our coats and camera and rushed outside for our first sight of the lights.
3. Take ashore the booklet Destination Alaska. Not only is it a mini-guidebook with maps of each city, tours and notes on the culture and history, but it also contains tips on shopping and discount coupons galore.
4. View Mendenhall Glacier as it is a famous moving glacier, measuring 2.4km wide and 48m high.
5. Wear layered clothing as temperatures veer wildly from above 15 deg C to below 9 deg C from May to September. It is agony to walk around in woollen clothes in warm sunshine.
2 don'ts
1. Don't order a large pizza at pizza joints in Skagway unless you are a bodybuilder. Our group of four adults could not finish a 'small' one.
2. Don't miss out on formal dinners while cruising just because you dislike dressing up. The meals are specially prepared with ingredients available at each port of call such as Alaskan crab and salmon, the service is impeccable and you can ask and get a second serving, whether it is the main dish or dessert.
This article was first published in Life!, The Straits Times on July 29, 2008.
