I Finally Checked Alaska Off My Bucket List

If you’ve been following My Life & Wishes on Facebook, you have likely seen our Tuesday bucket list posts. While we post a new idea each week, it is just as fun to read about all of the items on our fans’ bucket lists.

Recently, my husband and I had the good fortune to complete one of our bucket list items – an Alaska cruise. This trip has been a dream of ours for 20 years – and Alaska did not disappoint!

Months before our trip we started planning what to bring and brushing up on our photography skills. We read all about the places we would visit and planned our days in port.

Despite all our research, when our trip finally began we couldn’t believe how big, beautiful, and wild everything was. We just couldn’t take our eyes off the scenery.

During our days at sea, we sat outside on deck scanning the water and shorelines for wildlife. Early in the trip, we saw otters, seals, lots of eagles, and three bottlenose dolphins playing in the ship’s wake. We even spotted some whale blows off in the distance.

The adventure continued on the days we spent on land, getting up close and personal with a glacier at Mendenhall, learning about the local history and culture at Saxman Native Village, and taking a drive up to the Yukon. There was so much to see and learn at each port.

A full day was spent in Glacier Bay National Park. The weather could not have been better. Sunrise is early in May, so we were out on the ship’s bow right after breakfast to settle in for a full day of wildlife and glacier viewing.

In Glacier Bay we saw many killer whales and watched two humpback whales breach. There were mountain goats, brown bear, and so many sea lions that all grouped together they looked like a small island. The ship stayed at Margerie Glacier for an hour, and during that time we heard white lightening and saw the glacier calve three times.

This trip fed our souls.

Originally, we planned an Alaska trip for our 10 year wedding anniversary; however, a family situation prevented us from taking the trip. We just figured we would get to it someday.

In 2014, my husband was in a bad driving accident. It was a wake-up call that “someday” was not the way we wanted to live. About a year later, we booked our cruise.

The list of experiences we want to have and the places we want to visit continues to grow. But instead of someday, we are getting busy enjoying life today.