(Part2: Towards the Zenith or the Gateway to Heaven)

Read the previous part: Part 1

So, I was pretty mesmerized and kind of strolling around in a trance until the whistle blew. The first train was around 6-30 in the morning. Anyway, it's not my train. So I started talking to fellow travelers when I met Ryan. Well, Ryan was not a traveler though. He was a guide for a local adventure-tour agency. I forgot the name of his company, but they offered the gears required for glacier adventures. I reserved a slot with his next day adventure to the Spencer Glacier. He made it pretty cheap compared to other tours available over the Internet even cheaper than their price. But, do not expect this type of deal. I was lucky enough to get him on the rail-station and he possibly could correlate his own grad-life with mine... LOL. In summer Alaska is pretty filled up. So, why take a risk.

So the train arrived around 8-30. The railroad made the entire process pretty touristy. The trains are pretty fantastic with all the big windows. Feels just like rushing in nature. There was a captain who was shouting ‘oooooonnnnnn booooooaaaaarrrrrddddd’ holding a green light in hand and a bell just the moment before the train started. Like old movies, you know. Whatever. The train started and I was excited to see the beautiful glaciers.

My train was running towards Portage, A small coastal city. The co-passengers on my seat were an elderly couple. They came by the Cruise, the most popular form of travel to Alaska. They were sailing from Seattle, Washington. Cruises are available from Vancouver also. These are a pretty sumptuous package including fine dining, wine collection, pools, and parties. Well, not my type, but worth a shot. The retired couple reserved a cruise of 15 days. The ship was stopping at every popular port over the state such as Juneue, Fairbank, etc. for a couple of nights when the tourists get a chance to visit the points of attraction nearby. Now it’s on the port of Anchorage and they are having a ride on the world’s one of the most spectacular train rides. Well, the scenic train rides are available from Anchorage only. There is a couple of rail-road in other places but Anchorage is the hub.

The train took almost 2 hours to Portage where I reserved a small cruise, destined somewhere deeeeeeep in the Pacific. In this part of the world, the places got no name. So, let us call it the Zenith. The vessel is pretty different than normal big cruise-ship that I just talked about. It is pretty small and can accommodate at most 50. The small vessel can easily pass through the narrow channels in the oceans. On the port, it was pretty cloudy. Alaska is unpredictable in terms of weather. So, you can’t complain. And of course, I was not very happy about that. But, I really didn’t know that will turn out to be just the opposite.

A view of Alaska river from the train

So, the vessel started around 12. It was almost a 12-13 hours of cruising over the pristine part of the Pacific. Right after the first half an hour, we started our journey towards the surreality. I am not sure how to explain but its a divine feeling, unworldly.

I was awestruck with my first view of the glacier on the ocean. That black cloud all over, that gray ocean, and the blue glacier in between. God of water with all his manifestations. I cannot explain my feelings in words when the small vessel was arriving closer to the glacier. I just felt ‘The Hello from the other side.’

Cloudy view of a glacier from the city of Portage

My first view of glacier on Pacific

The next 12 hours were the best 12 hours of my life. If there is a place called heaven on earth, I found it in those 12 hours. Especially, the backdrop of cloud and the broken sunshine for a small interval in between, It was really hard to believe to be real. I could only appreciate the Almighty for all His creation. I was really lucky that it was cloudy. Maybe, a sunny weather could get me some real better pictures but possibly in the cost of the surreal feeling.

Especially, when I crossed the Esther Passage, (the narrowest oceanic passage in the World), it feels to be on the gateway of heaven. And, I was literally ready to go to the other side of life. I was ready for a bribe to the ferryman, ‘Charon’ who conveys the souls from the world of living to the world of dead with a bribe of an ‘Obol’, a golden penny.

And honestly, It's not only about the glacier. Just turn your head. There are some amazingly beautiful waterfalls also. Some of the waterfalls were possibly coming directly from Heaven. What do you think? Isn't it unreal???? Of course, I'm not talking about my snaps.... Just think of the place of mythical nature, surrounded by #ocean, #glaciers, #icebergs, #waterfalls, #rain, #rainforest, #cloud, #snow, #mist…. What else do you want?

I simply lost myself in it. I just started reciting (rather shouting) 'Chitta jetha bhoy sunna' looking at the high-mountain-waterfalls among all the unknown people on the cruise. One of them (called Jeff) took a picture (the last picture in this blog) without my knowledge and then showed it to me and sent me after I requested. I am pretty sure, you are thinking me impulsive? Immature? Even Mad???? Well, It's all true.... But guys, believe me, visit it before your madness dies.... After all, it's all about perception.

Read Next Part:

Amazing Alaska Part 3