Alaska was meant to be the small trip of the two this year.  Ireland the larger one.  However, as I was putting together the itineraries more and more time was devoted to the Alaskan itinerary over the Ireland one.  I believe this was due to the fact I wanted to focus Ireland on the dream and story writing and not on a checklist of items to mark off.

Alaska was devoted to a couple of major items:

Northern lights

Walk on a glacier

Arctic circle

See a bear

Strangely the checklist is not going so well.  Of the four ‘large items’ I have so far only walked on a glacier.  The wildlife and northern lights portion, not so good.

Of the 7 days in Alaska I have seen the following wildlife:  bird, mountain goat, porcupine, harbor seal, and a moth.  The fact I am including the moth in the list should be a clue about the number of wildlife that had been spotted on this trip.

Tomorrow we head through the narrows to Wrangell.  I guess there are potential possibilities of wildlife viewing as we head down the passage.  But, the reality is that winter has started its arrival in Alaska and smart animals are heading onto vacation in warmer climates.  We are all thinking that the great barrier reef and the grand canyon is good options for them as vacation spots.

In saying all of that, I do not consider Alaska trip a loss.  The reality is that Alaska has been filled with amazing moments of beauty, growth, meeting people and conversations that have not only changed me, but also changed the lives of the people I have been talking with.  Catalysts.  What a blessing of a trip.

Today started off with yoga on the deck with Chella, followed by a delicious breakfast.  After food, I found my lost blue diamond earring! I then did the kayak/cascade falls hike combo.  A one and a half hour kayak trip followed by a complex hike up a difficult path to thunderous water falls.  An amazingly beautiful trip.

I then got back to the ship, ate lunch and then another three hour hike followed by dinner and now in my room to write and sleep.  I am exhausted.

So my earring.  I swear the otter people heard my pleas and decided to kindly return my earring.  I found it on the deck just lying on the third floor, outdoors in the rain.  I just had a sudden urge to look down as I was walking in an area of the deck I normally don’t go into.  I then mentioned to Annie I found it as they were launching our kayak and one of the engineers mentioned they had found the back to my earring sitting on the kayak dock.  A well trampled area that is constantly awash in water.  So, thank you otter people.

The other cool adventure part of my story is that my Dragon traveling companion (still working on a good name) has amazing photos and different people that includes guests and staff have gotten I to the act.  Stories and pictures will be provided when I have my full computer and high speed internet.