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Published: August 29th 2007
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on the road again...
This was on the highway towards Skagway, AK after we got up and left Whitehorse, Yukon It has now been a little over two days since Amanda and I got back to Juneau and it has been a very interesting and fun two days. Today also marked the 2000th mile that I had driven since I left my parent's little home in Lewiston, Idaho only one week ago. It feels much longer and yet at times, it feels like only yesterday. We are both so excited to be back in the university apartments and enjoying seeing everyone again. But we also like to reflect back on our trip through Canada.
The last day of our trip started REALLY early as Amanda started stirring around 7am. I finally opened my eyes and got up around 7:30am and took a shower in the hostel showers. We said goodbye to the hostel manager, Sebastian, and we packed our Ford cars back up to head on the road again. Of course, we had forgotten at the time that we would gain an hour once we got into Alaska again. So we set off really early off back towards Skagway, AK. The trip from Whitehorse (Yukon) to Skagway was one of the most beautiful areas of land that I had ever
seen. There were not only lush mountains but glimmering water, breath-taking scenery, and an amazing lush forest of small lichen and moss covering a huge area. It was absolutely amazing and the sun peaking out of the clouds made all of the land around us just shimmer. We stopped a few times to take pictures but realized after awhile that the entire area was an avalanche area and you weren't supposed to stop along the highway. So instead we were left to taking pictures while driving which is not always easy on a twisting highway.
Our first stop though was at Emerald Lake where the water was a deep green color. Then we stopped at Bove Island where the sun was reflecting off of the mountain at the base of the enormous island. And then off to Fraser, BC where the lush lichen/moss forest was spread all over tons of rocks sitting right above the water. The mountains were also huge and snow-capped as they beared down upon us. We continued on our way and were filled with an entire new feeling when we spotted that "Welcome to Alaska" sign and realized that we had finally made it...back to
Alaska!!
After going through customs and getting into Skagway, Alaska, we realized that not only was the ferry office not open but it wasn't even 10am yet and our ferry wasn't leaving until 4:30 that afternoon. So we went for a bite to eat and did some site-seeing (pretending to be tourists of course among all of the cruise-ship people that cluttered the streets of Skagway with their thick windbreakers, umbrellas, and expensive cameras). We went to the museum, saw some totem poles, and even saw a small stream where the salmon were running up to spawn. And after passing a little time, we went back to the ferry office and sat in our lanes (me in 3 and Amanda in 4) waiting for 4pm to roll around when we could board the ferry. It was hard trying to entertain myself without internet or a cell phone and nothing to do for 5 hours. So I played games on my computer before my battery gave out, read a little, and went and sat down by the water where a confused salmon was swimming all about because he had lost his way. And at one point, we saw a curious
harbor seal peeking his head out of the water at us...curious as to what we were and what we were doing.
Finally, 4pm came and around 4:15pm, we boarded the Fairweather, the Alaskan ferry that would take us back to Juneau. As we pulled out of port, we stood at the back of the boat and watched Skagway slowly fade away. I took some pictures and stared out at the landscape all around me. And in those few moments of silent reflection, I felt a sort of new feeling...like I was coming home. It was almost like Alaska was trying to say, "Welcome back! I haven't forgotten you even though you've been gone for awhile."
You see, there are places in our lives that become a part of us or are considered "home" for us at different points of our lives. For some, especially those who never wander off, the place where they were born and raised is always their official home or where they feel like they truly belong. But for others, there are places that we meander too for some reason...to grow...to see more of the world...or to just get away from everything. And when we
bond with the land or carry special memories from our visit at that place, it becomes like another home too. You would think that having two places to call home would be a pure blessing, but at times, it is outright confusing and complicated beyond belief. I was faced with that mass confusion when I left Idaho last summer to return back to Juneau; but this year, it felt so much different! A part of me may always belong to Idaho where I was learning how to prepare for the rest of the world, but for now, all of me belongs to Alaska. And seeing those Alaskan mountains, boarding the ferry, seeing the seal, and standing at the back of the ship with a smile on my face was one of the happiest moments in my life. And one day, if I choose to leave Alaska again, I think I'll leave a part of myself here in Juneau as well!!
So after feeling a new rush of energy and feeling as though I could breath again for the first time in months, Amanda and I went in to sit at a table and play cribbage to pass the time
away. And before we knew it, it was 7pm and we were departing the ferry in our Fords to make our way back to housing. And when we got to the lodge, we were greeted with open arms from all of our friends that we hadn't seen in awhile. And although we haven't had much time to spend with all of them yet, it has been amazing so far! And now, after looking back at the LONG roadtrip, I smile at all of the new things I got to experience and the amazing finish to the 1,967 mile trip from Lewiston, Idaho to Juneau, Alaska. It was a trip that began only last Tuesday with a young wanderer saying goodbye to her family yet again and heading off in the distance to find herself again. I can't wait for more adventures like that one to happen, but for now, I'm happy staying put in Juneau...at least for a couple months 😊!!
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