Stonehenge

I tend to avoid the big tourist destinations (for the most part), but…Stonehenge! I remember reading about it in our National Geographic or some similar publication when I was a child, and I was fascinated. Who built it? Why? What were those people like, and how did they live? Since I had a few days in London I decided I had to see it in person. I took a day tour-crowded bus, lots of tourists-but I’m glad I did. The site is magnificent, and it’s so large it didn’t feel crowded. When you stand on the hill and realize you are in the presence of 4000 years of history, you can’t help but feel awed.

The Official Mascot Name

Polly is at Stonehenge

So my traveling companion has a name. I had suggestions to use a place I loved, and I wanted something that started with a “P” ( for porcupine). There’s a mountain in Denali National Park called Polychrome, noted both for its many colors and the fact that it decided to get rid of the road that went past it. So…say hello to Polly Porcupine.

A River Runs Through It

Yes, a river literally runs through it.

There’s something mystical about coming home, no matter where it might be. In this case, as I arrived back in my home state I drove along the Blackfoot River, the one Norman Maclean paid homage to in his book. As I drove along I learned of Robert Redford’s passing , so I stopped to pay a silent thanks for creating one of my favorite movies and for getting the heart of Montana right.

The best line in the movie: “The world is full of bastards, the number increasing rapidly the further one gets from Missoula, Montana.”

It’s good to be home, even for a short while.

Driving the Cassiar

My only companion for the drive

Heading back to Montana from Alaska, I decided I’ve driven the Alcan enough. I think it’s been 17 or 18 times, including my childhood trips. I’ve never been on the Cassiar, which is the Western route to Alaska…and much less developed. Why not try a new challenge? I found it much like driving the Alcan used to be in the early years, although it’s paved and in some ways an easier drive than parts of today’s Alcan.

But! There are so many miles of no cell service, signs of civilization are few and far between, and I spent two long days feeling pretty alone. Ah, for want of a Tim Horton’s. And when my trusty phone ran out of battery because I wasn’t paying attention, I lost my route guidance. Didn’t really matter, I guess. There’s only the one road. Just keep following it, nitwit!

By the way, I’m trying to find a name for my travel companion. Any ideas? I plan to take her with me for my upcoming travels.

And So It Ends

My final tour group.

The first phase of my year of travel is nearly over. My last tour ended yesterday and here I sit in the airport heading back to Anchorage. I’ll be heading down the road the day after tomorrow- the end of fifteen years of post-retirement seasonal work. My guests kept asking me if it was sad to know I wouldn’t be back. Not sad, really, but bittersweet.

In these years I’ve made wonderful friends, had amazing experiences, and had the privilege of sharing this gorgeous part of the world that I love so much. I’m so lucky.

Goodbye, Alaska. We’ll meet again, I’m sure.

First Steps on My Adventure

And I’m off! I did take photos of the enormous backup at the Canadian border but decided that probably isn’t allowed. There were two cars in front of me. TeeHee! I went through the Chief Mountain crossing, mainly because the scenery is better closer to Glacier Park.

I was a little concerned about how my entry to Canada would go, given the bad feelings being generated over threatened tariffs and comments by our current administration. I shouldn’t have worried. The agent was Canadian-style polite and friendly. When I told her my purpose in Canada was to drive to my summer job as a Tour Director in Alaska, she was delighted and we had a great conversation about it. I finally had to go after a couple of cars came up behind me and looked like they were getting impatient. I just love Canadians!

The drive over the Alcan (or the Alaska Highway) was beautiful, as always. The first time I was on this road was in 1952, and it was still gravel and very primitive. It’s been paved since the mid-70s, and although it certainly isn’t a smooth freeway by any means, it’s a lot easier to drive these days. I didn’t hurry, took my time, and completed the trip without incident. I had no trouble finding gas or food, and the hotels I stayed in were a huge improvement on some of the lodging available in the 1950s and 1960s.

My wildlife count for the drive was four deer, three black bears, three herds of bison with the cutest babies, a porcupine, an elk, a moose, two bald eagles, two bunnies, and a wild herd of motorcyclists.

As I made the drive from Tok to Anchorage I was greeted by the spectacular mountains of Alaska, and it felt like coming home.

My Year of Living…Unfettered?

I spent way too much time choosing the final word for this post. Do you have ANY idea how many synonyms there are for “unfettered?” I want a word that describes my coming year. Liberated? Enfranchised? Fancy-free? Yeah. All of those. By the way, one of the words is “footloose,” which I really like. But to me it brings up memories of the movie, and I assure you, I NEVER looked like the stars in that movie. And I was never as hot a Kevin Bacon. Even now that we’ve both aged.

Anyway, a few incidents came together about the time I celebrated my 79th birthday, and together they cascaded into a waterfall that is taking me to distant locales. (I love waterfalls, by the way. I have hundreds of minutes of waterfall videos that I plan to stitch together into a movie I can watch when I’m in the nursing home. But I digress.)

I sold my home. The sale closed the day after my birthday. I listened to the experts who said not to make big life decisions in the first year after the death of a spouse-I waited over two years before taking this big step. But I realized my condo was creating work and worry outweighing the comfort of owning my home. I mean, how many times do I have to descend into the spidery crawl space to turn off the water and gas when I go traveling for months at a time? Ick! And then to have to do the same thing when I get home so I can take a shower? I’d rather have an apartment where I can just walk out the door and lock it up, and call maintenance when something breaks.

On my birthday my favorite cousin reminded me that I was embarking on my eightieth  trip around the sun. We talked about how amazing it is that I’m in good health and relatively fit, and how I should be sure to take advantage of that fact while I’m able. When I was a small child I went to a birthday party for a friend who was turning eighty, and I asked her what it felt like to be eighty. Her reply was: “Honey, I still feel like I’m eighteen until I try to get out of this chair.” I think that’s me today. Yes, I’m a bit slower and heavier and achier, but in my mind I’m still ready to go. I do occasionally have to remind myself that sitting on the floor isn’t a good idea these days. At some point you have to get up.

The day my home sale closed I packed the last few items from my condo into my car and started the long drive over the Alaska Highway to my summer job. I’m a tour director, which entails sharing an apartment with a bunch of other tour directors, most of whom I will see only occasionally as we all lead tours throughout the state. You might think I’m a little old to still be working, but I find the work interesting and fun. I finally understand why my grandmother kept tending bar occasionally even into her 80s. Because she liked it.

Then I got tired of reading the Facebook posts of women who talk about their fear of traveling, and asking questions like: how do I find someone to travel with if I’m alone? Is it safe? How can I find my way? Maybe I’m a tad dismissive; maybe my years of travel for work made me insensitive to people who are afraid to walk into a restaurant alone. But holy moly, ladies, suck it up! You don’t need someone standing next to you to tell you the view of the ocean is spectacular! OK, I’ll admit it’s fun to travel with someone you care about, but trust me, it’s miserable to travel with someone who isn’t a good fit. My husband was always fun to travel with, and when I’m feeling alone I still talk to him. And I can still hear him telling me how graceful I looked when I tripped over my own feet.

With most of my worldly possessions tucked safely into a storage unit, a little money in the bank, and no mortgage or rent to pay other than my share of the Alaska apartment, I found myself with the freedom to look at life from a different angle. The idea started slow and then became that waterfall that keeps gaining momentum as it flows. I decided to make my eightieth year one to remember. Along the way, I hope I can show some of those ladies who are afraid to step out into the world alone that it can be done.

I had already booked a cruise to Antarctica over Christmas. I knew I didn’t want to spend Christmas at home again. I love my family and friends, but Christmas is still hard-I lost my Richard just a few days before Christmas and the memories of that are inevitable. Besides, I want to see Antarctica. I tried for several years to get on seasonal staff there, but it never happened. So I decided to make it happen. 

Then I found a month-long cruise I wanted to take right after my Alaska season is done. The next thing I knew I had booked four cruises, a pet-sitting gig in Arizona, and a couple of land-based trips. My goal is to keep traveling until near the end of my eightieth year, finally settling down in late Spring of 2026. I want to be able to add a couple of continents and several countries to my life list, while remembering to “be in the moment” as I collect memories for that time when I won’t be able to travel so easily.

And I want to share this with you, dear reader. I hope I can inspire other women to pack a bag, take a drive, get on a flight, and maybe go somewhere they’ve never been. Even if it’s just a town on the other side of their own state. Along the way I’ll share my journey with you. Join me.

By the way, a truly disciplined  writer would have started this series on day one, posting tidbits along the way and being sure to add a post every day or two. Discipline? We don’t need no stinking discipline! I’m already two months into my year and playing catch-up. So my posts are a bit out of date. So sue me.

My Advice: Just Go!

Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.

My five-week solo adventure to New Zealand and Australia is over. Although I’ve done a lot of traveling, this was my longest trip, and my first international trip alone. I learned a few things along the way, and found that some of my travel skills were useful. I’ll share them with you, my trusty reader.

If you really want to see New Zealand, rent a car and don’t hurry. (And don’t forget to give back the keys when you return the car. That’s another-expensive-story.)

New Zealand highways are not like American Interstates. They are mostly two lanes, often winding,  with lots of traffic circles. Take your time. They’re fun to drive-if you are a driving nut like me.

Don’t be afraid to drive on the left. I worried about it, but found that after a day or two it came naturally. Just pay attention.

Be flexible. All the planning in the world can be stopped by unforeseen circumstances. Weather, accidents, unexpected closures…things happen. Take it in stride and make an alternative plan. Sometimes serendipity can make an even better itinerary.

ALWAYS give yourself time to take it all in. Just going somewhere and ticking the boxes as fast as you can is exhausting, and misses the whole point of travel.

Allow time in your itinerary to take advantage of an unplanned activity.

Give yourself time in each place. My ideal is at least three days in one spot. That allows time to get to know an area, and maybe do a couple of day excursions or activities. 

Allow time to relax. In the middle of my three-week trip, I spent five days on the seacoast. For the most part I just sat and looked at the ocean. It was just the break I needed.

Talk to people. Whether locals or fellow travelers, you may get suggestions for your trip, learn something about the area, or just find something to laugh about. 

Experience the culture. Learn a little history, get to know what life is like there, try food and drink you’ve never had before. If you’re just going to collect photos of the tourist sites, you might as well stay home and watch a documentary of it.