The Trip to Canada Has Begun

After several days of unusually stressful packing, my Canadian Rail Adventure is underway. I had decided some time ago to spend the night near Denver’s Union Station, since I have an early departure in the morning. Tim drove me to Denver, and I checked into the Thompson Denver Hotel. I’ll meet him in Vancouver on Saturday.

I had never stayed at a Thompson Hotel, part of the Hyatt chain, and I am impressed. At check-in, I was greeted with a glass of champagne and a sweet treat, and I learned that my room had been upgraded to a high floor. The room is lovely, and I have a view of the mountains. 

A Nice Welcome to Thompson Denver

The View from My Room

After settling in, I wandered down to Union Station and learned that I would be served breakfast on the train and that I could check a bag. I had received an email last week stating there would be no checked baggage on this train, so I was happy with the news. Had I known this earlier, however, packing would have been much simpler.

After a quick bite to eat, I returned to the hotel and was grateful to just relax for the evening. A very pretty sunset was icing on the cake.

The Sunset View from My Room

For a quick reference, here is a map of the various segments of this Canadian trip. Tonight, I’m at the blue train symbol in Denver.

I'm At the Blue Train Symbol Tonight

Completing More Tasks for Our World Voyage

With just 100 days left until Tim and I board Viking Sky for our World Voyage, it was time today to check a few major tasks off our to-do list, especially since I’ll be leaving on Sunday for the first segment of our Canadian trip.

Yes, Only 100 Days to Go!

Several of the countries we will visit require visas, and Viking has partnered with Generations Visa Service to provide complimentary service for our voyage. Last month, we received our Visa Kit that includes everything we need to submit. Today, we completed the required paperwork, attached the passport photos we had taken last week, and prepared the package to be mailed.

Australia wasn’t included in the Visa Kit, since visitors are required to apply for the Australia Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) via the government’s app on our phones. Therefore, we downloaded the app and followed the directions. Despite a few hiccups, Tim and I successfully completed the applications and received our approvals.

Visa Applications Submitted

Viking also provides luggage forwarding for two suitcases, so I booked our delivery with Luggage Forward today. Our luggage will be picked up from our home on December 3, 2024, and will be waiting for us in our stateroom.

Luggage Forwarding Booked

Viking also offers each of us a complimentary World Cruise commemorative jacket. I expect to receive the order form this week, and we will place our orders. The jackets will also be waiting for us, along with our two forwarded suitcases, when we board the ship.

Jackets Ready to Be Ordered

Booking our excursions and completing these tasks were the major things that we needed to finish before our Canadian trip. It was a relief to check them off our list.

Success – World Voyage Excursions Booked

So, how did selecting excursions for our Viking World Voyage turn out? Were we able to get our choices? Was all the work I put into creating the spreadsheet worth it? The answer is YES! The spreadsheet idea was a resounding success and made the selection task so much easier.

I had printed the spreadsheet and had it beside me as the time for booking excursions opened at 1:00 pm. I quickly booked our first choice, but I was somewhat surprised that our next choice, an included safari in South Africa, was already sold out. I was determined not to get discouraged or view the “sold out” label as an omen. Who knows, Viking may open more slots on that one.

From that point forward, however, I was on a roll. I was able to select all our choices with just a very few exceptions, and two of those were other included tours that I’m sure will open up. 

The only included excursion I missed was a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the world’s oldest desert in Namibia’s largest national park, Namib-Naukluft, said to be one of the most impressive desert regions on earth. In hindsight, I probably should have put that one near the top of our priority list. Oh well… One of these days, I’ll make it up, up and away in a hot air balloon.

The Dreaded "SOLD OUT" Notation

Having the spreadsheet made the booking process so much easier, and I could check off items as I made my selections. It took me almost two hours to get through all the ports and another hour to doublecheck my choices. It’s a good thing I did, since I had missed one port that I had checked off as completed. Not to worry. I was able to pick the excursion we wanted, just at a later time slot.

My final tally was 97 excursions, 54 of which were included tours. Tim’s tally was 95 excursions, 59 with included tours. That’s a lot of sightseeing, but we’re up for it!

My Viking Journey's Calendar Will Help Us Keep Track of Our Excursions