Summer must be here

For many Northern residents, the best judge of when Summer has arrived is the amount of work that needs to be done. For most of us, Summer is a very busy time – not only work-busy, but play-busy. I’m lucky that I can often combine the two.

Yesterday I finished off all the Web site work that needed to be done, but I’m still up to my eyes in work, getting ready to fly south on Thursday morning’s Air North flight for two Alaska cruises that I’m working on. Calling it “work” may be stretching the definition, actually – I’m on board as as Destination Speaker, the local expert. On Friday, my Dad and I are heading north from Seattle on the Vision of the Seas, returning to Seattle 7 days later. The day we get back, we shuttle back to Vancouver – Dad flies home and I go downtown to meet Cathy. We board the Radiance of the Seas the next morning, getting off in Seward 7 days later. Then a shuttle to Anchorage, 1 night there and fly to Juneau and Skagway, where my son Steve and his partner Rachel will pick us up. Then, I start driving bus tours the next morning.

So, the work for the next couple of days is reading – improving my slide presentations on grizzlies, Alaska native cultures and the history of Alaska cruising, and generally making sure that I can answer whatever questions are asked, whether it’s the population of Hoonah or where we might see orcas.

In February, Cathy and I were asked to be the Alaska cruise experts on board a Costa ship in the Caribbean – talk about a job perk when it’s minus 18 and foggy at home! If that sounds like a pretty good gig, have a look at Sixth Star Entertainment, which is who I work through (tell Paul that Murray sent you 🙂 – bon voyage!).