Alaska

Alaska

            The Last Frontier, that is what I thought about Alaska, a remote, desolate, uninhabitable track of land.  This was, of course, before my trip.  I received the trip as a gift last for Christmas.  It was a cruise and because of that and I didn’t care where it went!  As the trip grew closer, the talks of the destination became more frequent.  Soon after many discussions, it was decided, Alaska.  At first I was thrilled and began to watch TV shows about Alaska.  I saw Alaska as this massive ice block, the most deadly, the most dangerous place in the world.  I wasn’t expecting what I experienced, at all.  

           .  The next morning, I woke up and turned my head to the clock, it read, 9:00am, I slowly got out of bed and drew open the curtains, excepting to see the stunning sun light striking the ice.  But instead I opened the blinds to an eerie darkness, “Welcome to Alaska” my mom said.  After eating breakfast, I took my steamy cup of Hot Chocolate out on the bridge and sat in a chair, surrounded by nippy air and absorbing the beauty Alaska had to offer.  That's when I realized what Alaska was really about, the beauty of mother nature. 

           It was a picturesque sight, standing on the bow of an ice-class ship with the wind running through my hair, I felt free.  As the wind blew into my nose and out my mouth I felt cleansed.  As if all the city smog was washed away, allowing me to truly breathe.  I was ready for our first stop, the Taku Lodge.  We docked and then walked for about a mile and arrived at some sea planes, but little did I know those were our ride.  My family squeezed into a 6 passenger sea plane and off we went.  My dad, being a pilot himself, was pointing to the clusters, buttons, and instruments, telling me all about them, until he came to a wooden stick settled by the co-pilot’s seat.  He said that he had never seen a lever like that.  Once landed and at the dock, the pilots exited the plane and took the stick with them. My dad was still curious so as we exited the plane he was about to ask the pilot when we were interrupted, by the banging of the stick on the ground.  My dad’s question was answered; it’s to keep the bears away.  There were families of bears less than 50 feet away and we had no weapons, except one stick.  Much to my surprise it worked, we made it to the lodge and sat down to have an incredible salmon meal and that was just the beginning. 

       I wish I had more room to share my experiences.  But I can tell you this when you are face to face with the Alaskan tundra, the freezing wind, flying eagles, and glaciers stretching over 27 miles long, that’s when you truly understand beauty.  Alaska changes people, it changed me, and it is something that will be with me wherever I go.  If I had to rank the places I have been, and they are plentiful, Alaska would be at the top and in a class on its own.  If I had to recommend one place that everyone needed to go, Alaska.  Being on top of a moving glacier while the trees and birds pass you by is simply powerful, moreover, magnificence.  It truly brings you to your knees in awe.  I couldn’t say enough incredible things about Alaska but to really know, you must go.