My Understanding of Alaska

.

Below are my thoughts and people's words about AK that I have collected since May 11th. It's a lot, sorry!


Alaska travelers are all free spirited, so many backpackers without a plan or car. People here help each other out as well as travelers. Can still work for trade or barter like back in the day. People seem to have a handful of useful skills. Feel like back in the lower 48s society, school and work encourages us to learn and focus on one skill. We’ve developed such specialized skills that we don’t know how to do simple tasks anymore. We now pay others to do them for us. In AK, people live more simply, enjoy nature and are content. It’s a contagious feeling and I see why so many travelers end up staying here. But I can’t imagine living here in winter, definitely harder lifestyle. 

I’d love to visit one winter, though, to see the northern lights. It is a year round activity, but needs to be a clear night and dark. They say it moves and you can even hear it; sounds amazing to me. I can imagine winter here being so beautifully silent with magnificent  white mts hugging you close.

I mentioned briefly there’s a connection between AK & HI, both were the last states to join the US. Both had different cultures living there while they were acquired, so it is a touchy subject for the true locals. It rains on and off so there are rainbows to be seen. Beauty surrounds them everywhere u go. It’s slower going, smaller towns where people know each other and people are still friendly to locals and travelers. I’ve been thinking about moving to the big island since I visited it last Dec and can see myself spending summer in AK. They both are touristy spots and would be great locations to work in the ecotourism field.

AK is a state for the young, Rick B. informed me; you work hard and getting around for the elderly is not so easy. Not to mention the weather, I thought to meself.

No such thing as a weekend for most workers here. Summer is too busy of a work season to go anywhere or even take a break.

Every place I have visited in AK has a trade off: plumbing check, electricity negative; internet yes, cell phone no, bugs for sure, but no rain. It’s a fun game that changes; it is good to have a mix of these treasures.

Don’t need drugs or alcohol to feel good inside when summering in AK.

Can’t get bored here; there’s always something to do needed to live here and lots to explore and appreciate.

Easy to get lost when hiking through the dense woods with concerns of bears. When strolling by the shore, concerns with high tide and not getting stuck or taken by the sea.

Every day my love for AK grows. I believe she is tempting me to stay longer than planned, which tends to happen to many.  I’ve discovered a new self, which I’d like to keep.

Just for fun:

-If you are a guy in AK, you grow a beard not to keep u warm, but easier to manage w/ lack of water. Also gotta like fishin or huntin (and either way you are wearing camouflage). 

- Guys visiting AK have a desire to carve wood, making spoons and walking sticks.

-  “Dang” is common expression here.

No photo album in this post.