Initial Posting

Hi, this blog is to keep family and friends updated about our trip to Alaska, May 2011.  Hopefully, it will get updated every day by all who took pictures or have something to add about our trip.

Ten family members descended from George and Vida/Bessie decided to take on this endeavor.  Our entourage consists of 3 octogenarians (1 male and 2 females), 1 female septuagenarian, and 6 female quinquagenarians (50-59 years of age).  The chronological age of all the attendees will not be displayed.

The participants descend from 3 different siblings - the RJ clan (Pennsylvanians), the DC clan (Californians), and the RW clan (Pennsylvanians).

The RJ family encountered what we thought was a major setback already.  Since our flight leaves Wednesday morning at 7: 25 in Newark, NJ, we are staying overnight Tuesday, 5/24 in a hotel 2 miles from the airport (we will catch a shuttle to the airport).  We tried looking for a check-in time online but couldn't find the right page.  DJ callied an 800 phone number for the hotel chain but was told there was no reservation for us (we booked our trip through AAA and they made all hotel, flight, and tour/cruise reservations).  We do have a confirmation sheet saying we are booked so DJ called the hotel directly and got the same response.  Now we were in panic mode.

CJ called our AAA representative at home that we have been dealing with and let her know what was going on.  She called back and said everything was okay, we are booked as a number not a name through a parent company.

We have done a trial media backpack, a trial load suitcases in the car, and been having multiudinal discussions about what clothes/coats to take.  I think once we get to Alaska things will be alright (I hope).

JW