The Ride Home

I haven't had much to post about Alaska this year, because I just didn't take as many pictures. I did a lot of fun things, I just didn't pull out the camera. I met a really awesome guy whom I'll call, Mountain Shop Hottie, because he worked at the Mountain Shop. I enjoyed his company, because it was a change for me. He is 34 years old and has a mature vision on life. I enjoyed our conversations together, even though I also knew he was a lot different then me. It was purely a relationship meant for the summer. I still keep in touch with him through email, but that is few and far between. Right now he is traveling through Southeast Asia so I am looking forward to future emails about his travels.

I should also mention that my stay in Skagway was extremely short. Three weeks went by quicker then I could have imagined. In some ways I was glad to go home. I had been living out of a suitcase all summer and I was dying for warmer weather. On my way home I took the ferry back to Juneau. Since it was right around dinner time I decided to enjoy a nice meal in the ferry's restaurant. I'm not a big fan of salmon, but every time I have tried it in Alaska I loved it. I figured the salmon would be the just as good on the ferry. However I was wrong. I sat down for my meal while enjoying the view of the fjiord out of full length windows. There is just something special about the mountains that drop right into the water that reminds me of a Higher Being. When the meal was served, I realized it felt like I was eating diner food or cafeteria food. I had a simple salad followed by the salmon with a baked potato and veggies on the side. I tried a few bites of the salmon, but I just couldn't stomach it. It was too fishy for me. So I filled up on the baked potato and vegtables, regretting the my decsion.

When the waitress came back to take my plate she was surprised I had not finished the salmon either. I told her it did not taste good to me. I did not complain, because I assumed it was my weak palette. However she returned shortly to tell me that I did not have to pay for my meal, because I did not enjoy it. I tried to protest. I had eaten everything else, but she said no and I thanked her for her hospitality. It was nice to have a free meal since I had been living on such a tight budget.

After dinner I found myself on the outdoor deck in the back of the ferry. Seriously, this was the coolest part of my ferry ride. The deck was heated so I pulled out my sleeping bag and lay on a deck chair in warmth while enjoying the sounds of the ferry pushing through the water. I slept for a good two or three hours until we arrived in Juneau. If I get the chance to return again, I would love to go on the ferry again, it was so much fun.