[Travelandtourism] back from Alaska

Wed Jun 20 20:20:20 UTC 2012

exactly, the names of the places, so I can recommend them to others. You gave me the information I wanted.

Yes there is, but it is used through a tour supplier, that makes arrangements with these companies that serviced you.
That is one of the opportunities of using a travel professional on things like this.
Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
PresidentTravel and Tourism DivisionNational Federation of the Blind631-236-5138

> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:03:39 -0500
> From: julielj at neb.rr.com
> To: travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Re: [Travelandtourism] back from Alaska
> 
> I didn't go through a travel agent or tour company.  I contacted each 
> guide individually and booked the trips myself.
> The clam guide was Mary Clock booked through Soaring Eagle Village owned 
> and operated by John Burn.  The museum and visitors centers were local 
> things, we just walked in without reservations.  The ferry is a 
> regularly scheduled daily or most days, trip.  You can purchase tickets 
> in advance, but it's not really necessary unless you were in a big group 
> or something.  The kayaking was with Seaside Adventures owned and 
> operated by Rick and Dorla Harness.  The fishing was through Skookum 
> Charters owned and operated by Jim Lavrakas. The dog sled place was 
> called the Howling Husky Homestead and the woman was Linda but I can't 
> remember her last name.
> 
> Something to keep in mind about rural Alaska is that you are dealing 
> with individuals, not large companies.  Most have web sites, but 
> internet is not as used up there as it is here.  I don't think there was 
> an option to book any  of these trips via an internet form.  I contacted 
> them by email or phone and set things up.  The fishing guide and the 
> kayaking guides live in places that don't have electricity.  Sometimes 
> you have to wait days in between messages because they aren't in a place 
> where they have access to internet.  Even the mail is only delivered by 
> boat twice a week out on the tiny islands where we were.
> 
> HTH
> Julie
> 
> 
> echevarria wrote:
> > May I ask which tour company you used.
> > I loved all of it, please put more, we are thinking of going to UTAH, in 2013 as a division, and possibly maybe in 2014 Hawaii or Alaska, but one trip at a time.
> > I am actually looking forward to going to Utah.
> > Reason asking about tour company, I might want to use them as a supplier, or for someone else going to Alaska.
> > Thank you for posting Julie.
> > I hope others will comment and post as well, we have over 200 members on this talk list, so hoping that many of you will communicate with us as well.
> >
> >
> >
> > Leading the Way in Independent Travel!
> > Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarriatravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com
> > PresidentTravel and Tourism DivisionNational Federation of the Blind631-236-5138
> >
> >
> >
> >> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:54:32 -0500
> >> From: julielj at neb.rr.com
> >> To: travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> >> Subject: [Travelandtourism] back from Alaska
> >>
> >> Heya all!
> >>
> >> I've actually been back for almost a week now, but catching up with
> >> everything has been a huge effort.
> >>
> >> Anyhow, Alaska was amazing!  I highly recommend it to anyone with a bit
> >> of an adventurous, outdoor interest.  We ended up spending our whole
> >> vacation, about a week in Homer on the Kenai Peninsula.  The weather was
> >> in the low 50's the whole time.  It sprinkled a couple of days, but
> >> nothing like what we get in the Midwest.
> >>
> >> I did not take my guide dog.  I used my cane or went sighted guide while
> >> there.  Much of the terrain is fairly rugged, lots of rocks, uneven
> >> gravel paths, steep inclines etc.  It was a challenging travel
> >> situation, but all the tour guides were exceptional!  I did not tell any
> >> of them in advance of my blindness.  That has worked out badly in the
> >> past.  I prefer to deal with things as they come in person.
> >>
> >> We went digging for Razor Clams.  This is a serious workout and
> >> seriously dirty work.  The clams are very good though, better than I can
> >> buy in a store here.
> >>
> >> We went to a local museum.  It was small, but very nicely done.  It's
> >> modern so has the typical combination of things behind  glass to look
> >> at, audio displays, audio/video movies and some things to touch.  I
> >> enjoyed it.
> >>
> >> We went kayaking.  I've never been before so was a little unsure about
> >> how this was going to work, but like everything else I figure it out as
> >> I go.  The company uses very stable, double seat boats.  My sighted son
> >> sat in the back seat, so he could use the foot pedals to move the
> >> rudder.  He told me which way to paddle.  This particular tour is not a
> >> sport kayaking trip, but a more sight seeing via kayak trip.  We saw all
> >> sorts of sea critters, sea stars, anemones, jelly fish, many varieties
> >> of kelp etc.  Our guide told us about local land features, history,
> >> weather, earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, the native people and
> >> wildlife as we went.  They were also very easy about my blindness.  At
> >> every opportunity they pulled things out of the ocean for me to touch.
> >> Sea stars feel like sandpaper.  anenomies are like a ball of very soft
> >> jello.
> >>
> >> Next we took a ferry to Seldoviaa, a nearby native village only
> >> accessible by boat.  This afternoon was taken up with shopping,
> >> sightseeing, a visitors center, lunch at a tiny cafe and coffee at the
> >> most remote location on the planet.  The main road connects to a dirt
> >> path through the forest.  You go until you see the "open" sign on a
> >> tree.  That's where you turn and go down a very windy, very steep dirt
> >> path to the water.  The coffee shop was built over the water, but partly
> >> over the shore.  It was an experience I will never forget!
> >>
> >> We visited the Howling Husky Homestead.  The lady who runs it does not
> >> compete in dog sled races, but rescues retired or neglected sled dogs
> >> and runs them on her land as a hobby.  Again I got to touch lots of
> >> stuff, the dogs, the harness, the sled, clothing and lots more.
> >>
> >> Our final excursion was a combination fishing/sightseeing/eating boat
> >> trip.  We did a bit of sightseeing on the way to the fishing spot.  then
> >> we fished for our lunch.  I caught two and Kiddo probably caught four
> >> including a small Halibut.  Kiddo and the guide cleaned the fish, which
> >> was then incorporated into our lunch on a tiny island where the guide
> >> lives.  No electricity and no running water out there.  After lunch
> >> Kiddo and the guide went wading in a tide pool to collect sea
> >> creatures.  They brought them back to the picnic table where I had opted
> >> to rest and enjoy a bit of quiet time.  I got to see all the little
> >> creepy crawlies while they looked them up in a reference book to try to
> >> identify the ones they didn't know.  Then it was back on the boat for
> >> more sightseeing and pictures.  I have some very good pictures from this
> >> part of our trip.  One is of a seal on a rock and the other is a bald
> >> eagle over the water a split second after he has grabbed a fish.
> >>
> >> Our last day we checked out the Alaskan Islands and Ocean Visitor
> >> Center, did some shopping and ate some more seafood.
> >>
> >> The only really bad part of the trip was the  three separate planes we
> >> had to take to get there and the layovers.  I didn't have any problems
> >> with airport staff, security or lost bags or anything like that.  It was
> >> just going from rural Nebraska to rural Alaska takes a while.
> >>
> >> I'm working on a longer more detailed travel log.  I'm about half done
> >> with it.  If anyone would like to read it, I'd be glad to share.
> >>
> >> I would also like to ask that if anyone wishes to repost this to other
> >> lists or share it anywhere on the internet that you ask first.
> >>
> >> Thanks!
> >> Julie
> >>
> >>
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