Juneau, Alaska - Glaciers Are Cool! 🧊
After seeing wildlife yesterday, I had few aspirations to do or see much else. My herbal refreshments kept me in two states of being: sleepy or hungry. The locals recommended I visit the Mendenhall Glacier - so I decided to check it out. The driving directions were pretty easy.
Go down the road and the signs will lead you there. 😅
I turned on Google Maps just to be safe, but realized ten minutes later that the locals were right. Juneau’s one main road took you everywhere you wanted to go.
Surprisingly, visiting the glacier was the first time on the entire trip I felt genuinely alone. The feeling hit me as I watched families grinning over exaggeratingly for their glacier photos. Since we were social distancing, one group would hurriedly take their pictures and then move along. When it was my turn, it was just me and my overly extended arm attempting to smile big for a selfie. I remember someone asking me if I wanted a photo, but I declined thinking (1) you’re not going to steal my phone and (2) I probably won’t be happy with the picture.
Pessimistic, much? 🙈
All I could think was - while I was overjoyed and even proud that I was here solo, it would be nice to share it with someone I love. I used to have that someone…😔 And just as I started to feel sorry for myself, I remembered how often I and that someone used to argue - especially on vacations. How happy I was to be free! To be myself without being criticized or belittled. I was now 20 lbs lighter than before and felt beautiful inside and out. All these thoughts flooded my mind as I gazed at that breathtaking glacier. 😍 Talk about thought provoking…
After a chilly 30 minutes, I hopped back into my rental car and sped back toward town for more food.
Given the size and cold weather, I was shocked to see numerous homeless people crowding the quaint downtown streets. I later discovered that there was a homeless shelter directly behind my Airbnb. Being alone, it made me nervous to walk through the crowds of people - so I took the long way around to the bars and restaurants I wanted to explore.
The Narrows Bar was super cute and had a wonderful bartender with a fantastic mustache who gave me amazing cider recommendations. Of course, I had to go back to my favorite place - Alaska Fish & Chips - for one last meal. This time - the fish tacos. They weren’t my favorite, but let’s be real. No one does tacos better than Texas and Mexico, so, I should have managed my expectations.
As I enjoyed my final meal, I reflected on what’s next for my life. Where do I go from here? 🤔
