Blog Details

Happy New Year from Alaska and Wonderlust Adventure

Hello from the last frontier of Alaska and Happy New Year! 

I want to thank you all for being here as there are so many adventure enthusiasts and travelers around the globe and you chose to read our posts and follow along with Wonderlust Adventure. Some of you may even be joining on a trip in 2023 and we are welcome and grateful to have you.

With extreme gratitude I am eternally grateful for a great year of travel and memories and all of you who follow along on the adventure of a lifetime.

Thank you to those who trust me to put together trips internationally and starting in 2023 we will be hyper focused on USA travel! Why USA travel? Well, look at this gorgeous place in Alaska where I write you this note.

I have had the opportunity to be able to adventure abroad and in the USA these last few years and there is no greater love than travel. I know your’e reading this and booking your next flight to Alaska this summer, right?

 Well, heck why not, life is short and we must adventure and live it to the fullest, as cliche as it sounds, tomorrow is not promised. Also, it is a lot easier to drive around this absolutely spectacular state without extremely cold temperatures and icy terrain. With that though Alaska in winter is truly magical and I highly recommend visiting here sometime. 

So many people have messaged me saying seeing aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights is a ‘bucket list, ‘ and I can tell you after two incredible evenings she truly is a a wonderment and spectacular sight to see. I was lucky enough to see aurora whilst in Iceland some years back, but she was not cooperating along with the weather so the display of aurora in Iceland was extremely faint. Alaska on the other hand has been truly magical.

One thing I have learned more than ever in 2022 and pass onto you and cannot say it enough is be sure to make the call, send the text or that old school way of snail mail to those that mean the most to you. 

Whilst here in Alaska I happened to open up the news online and  saw that CNN picked up a story about a man in Alaska who needs a heart transplant. 

I thought wow what are the chances that I am in his town of Fairbanks at the time the article went viral. The story really struck me as he has a wife and seven children and just seemed like such a humble man after his interview with CNN.

The heartbreaking (literally) part of the story is he attempted to fly to Seattle, Washington to go for the heart transplant days prior to my arrival, but after spending four hours on the plane, due to the snow storm, the plane had to turn back around and land back in Anchorage, an hour south of Fairbanks.

The catalyst of this story is that the heart that Patrick was supposed to receive via transplant had to be given to someone else due to timing that medical professionals have to keep it beating prior to transplant. 

The irony of sharing this story with you is I happened to read in the article posted that he had a local shop in town, but never thought much more of it. I have thought of Patrick’s story the entire time during my visit here in Alaska. Lo and behold, something magical happened today.

I went exploring around town to some locally owned businesses with zero intentions other than checking out local artists and their work. I walk into this building with multiple businesses and one lovely, local shopper owner told me about all the business in the complex. I left her shop and entered in the next business, and look up and guess who is standing in front of me, Patrick the heart transplant recipient I just read about on CNN. If you don’t believe in in adventure and coincidences well maybe you will now. 

I shared some beautiful words with Patrick and told him I know there is another heart coming for him. He proceeded to tell me his bittersweet story and then asked how did I recognize him. I had to remind this sweet and humble man, that he made CNN news and is making local and national news everywhere due to his story.   

Life has coincidences but sometimes things truly are meant to be, even when we don’t realize it and least expect it. Our worst times can turn into triumph or just when you are losing hope, you run into someone as kind and humble and deserving as Patrick and take a hard look at what you have in life.

Tell those you care about you love them and also call those that you haven’t dialed lately (oh gosh a phone call, oh no), but just do it as again life is short. 

Everyone I spoke with was surprised I was traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska on my own and without visiting family or friends. I guess the idea of going to the last frontier in the midst of winter and darkness is something that not everyone will understand. 

The stories I have to tell from this trip are one of harrowing adventure, risks that not many would do solo traveling and this is what challenges me everyday. The people I meet, even if just in passing, are what give me that zest for life and travel. 

As the weather was negative 34 degrees Fahrenheit a week ago I am not too sure that I would have working fingers in those temperatures to share this adventure with you, but I was extremely lucky to have missed multiple snow storms and experience my new favorite state of Alaska.

Everyone I spoke with was surprise I was traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska on my own and without visiting family or friends. I guess the idea of going to the last frontier in the midst of winter and darkness is something that not everyone will understand. 

What others that travel and have a Wonderlust for this ‘sport,’ and hobby is that there is something so raw, real and telling about meeting others from around the globe, and connecting in a way those who haven’t had the ability or good fortune to travel may ever know. 

So, as I end this note for 2022 I will remind you to take the trip, book the plane ticket, hug those close to you and share your story. You never know who you may be helping in the moment.