Which Way's Up

I’m not going to lie, finding a topic for this week’s epiphany has been one big ride on the struggle bus.

We arrived back from an amazing, amazing, amazing adventure and have been doing our best to reacclimate to our normal lives while simultaneously researching “How to move to Alaska.” This is not uncommon for a return to real life week in our home. With the memories of bliss still lingering, we often shift into the land of make-believe, whether it be Hawaii, Curacao, or St. Croix.

What if we just packed it all up and went back permanently?

It’s a great thought, in theory. We have reached the age where such thoughts do have a tone of reality as we kick around potential post-retirement plans but those pipe-ish dreams have always included warm-weather locations. The appearance of Alaska on our “What if..?” list was a surprise, yes, but it also told us that we may be destined for the mountains – any mountains – rather than a beach or lake. What if…?

It’s going to take a long time to unpack this adventure. The stunning landscapes alone have us researching a return visit in the coming years – an ironic thought considering Alaska wasn’t on either of our bucket lists in the first place. This trip was meant for my mother-in-law’s bucket list, but, since she died, we went in her stead, leaving just a touch of her behind in the most perfect spot along Denali’s Nenana River.

We learned that there are two ways to see Alaska: by land or by water. Our trip was heavy on the land so now…What if we took a straight cruise next year? Kathy? Thoughts? We learned that only 30% of those who travel to Denali actually see Denali and only 10% see both peaks. Who knew? We did see Denali (all of her) and she was gorgeous. We learned that less than 3% of humans travel into the Arctic Circle and we are now proudly among those because, YOLO, right? It wasn’t my favorite flight, the tin can that got us there, but I did get a certificate commemorating the touch down.

We learned that no matter what, no matter where, someone will always ask, “Is this the line?”

I’d hoped that question was reserved for the lower-48 but alas.

In (un)fairness, this question sits near the top of my Pet Peeves list. It never fails, the second I hear it, “Is this the line?”, the devil on my shoulder goes into overdrive with snarky responses while the angel on the other gently places her hand over my mouth.

Yes, this is the line. Why else would a dozen people stand facing each other’s backs in such an organized manner? Have you ever come across a group in this position that was not a line? Just a random assortment of unrelated people standing one behind the other for no reason at all? Yes, this is the line.

I get a passive-aggressive joy watching someone zip right past a line (think concerts, airports, or any Buc-cees), completely oblivious, only to find themselves sent back to the end by those about to complete their waiting mission. Sure, it could be an honest mistake but I often think these folks are hoping for a free pass when they reach the front.

Oh, wait, this is the line? Ha, ha, well, since I’m already here…

Obviously, this is the line. Why else would we gather outside bathroom entryways, avoiding eye contact, crossing our legs, and praying that we haven’t waited too long to get here? YES. THIS IS THE EFFING LINE!

We had a new entry to the mix while on our trip and being bussed, flown, and trained all over the last frontier: Is anyone else getting off?

This question was posed on one of our bus tours when, yes, most of us were indeed getting off to take a peek at the cute little town designated as our snack stop. While 30-ish passengers stood to exit, a few travelers opted to stay on the bus. No biggie – we had all reached a barely functional level of exhaustion. Still, one of those staying behind thought an ideal time to plant themselves in the aisle and do some stretches was while the rest of us were trying to exit.