And now for the latest news…
We’re moving to Alaska!
So in the last post, I alluded to some pretty big changes coming up, but I didn’t let out the secret just yet. But now you have it. Whaddya think?
I imagine some of you are probably thinking, “What?? Why would anyone ever want to move to Alaska? That’s just craziness.”
Others may be thinking, “Nice! What an awesome thing to do.”
And, I might as well be completely honest here, I’ll admit that I’ve had both thoughts.
On the one hand, moving to Alaska is a little bit crazy.
Daylight is hard to come by in Anchorage during the winter. On the shortest day, it’s dark for about 19 hours. That’s a whole lot of darkness.
It’s really, really ridiculously cold. Average low temperatures in January are in the minuses, and single-digit highs are not uncommon.
It’s really isolated. The nearest major city to Anchorage is thousands of miles away.
But then Alaska is also quite unique and can offer a million once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
You can watch the sky put on one of nature’s best shows: the aurora borealis.
You can see polar bears! In the wild! This is one thing I’d love to do most.
You can go hiking at 11 o’clock at night in the summer.
You can truly find yourself in the middle of nowhere, away from all signs of human life and experience a sense of quiet and solitude that is hard to find anywhere else.
And the thing is, I like to try (most) anything at least once.
That includes living in Alaska. My husband and I also lived in the 50th state (Hawaii), so we figured we might as well do the 49th, too! (And in case you were wondering, no, we’re not planning to make our way through the 50 states. :)
One of the best parts of this plan, though, is that it’s not forever.
Not because I’m already looking forward to when we leave Alaska, but because I’ve found that when I have a limited amount of time in one place, I tend to do more, see more, and experience more because I don’t know when I’ll be back again. When you have forever to do something, it’s all too easy to never get around to actually doing it.
We both know that Alaska, long term, is not the ideal place for us. (It really is too cold most of the time.) But we’re gonna just go for it for a year, live it up while we’re there and then set off on a new adventure.
The biggest thing I hope to always keep in mind is that, no matter where I am, it’s important to enjoy the journey.
Wow! That’s amazing news….so exciting and VERY adventurous of you. This will be great for your photography, I’m sure! When do you move?
We’re very excited and can’t wait to explore the state. I’ve been lucky enough to have spent a decent amount of time up there, but that was before I was more serious about photography so it’ll be interesting to see what I get this time. We’ll be heading up in Spring, so we have a little time to prepare for the move.
On to the final frontier. Have Fun!
Yep! Headed to the far north. Just gotta remember pack all my warm stuff!
Wow! How exciting! (You don’t have to go that far to see auroras however, we have those here…)
That’s awesome that you have them there, too, Beth! I really had no idea you could see them that far south. Tristan said it’s not common to see them in Anchorage and that you typically have to travel farther north. Guess that doesn’t apply to you. :)
I’m very excited for you and Tristan. I’ve always wanted to spend more time there, hiking and sightseeing… so I’ll see you up there next summer!
The outdoor activities will definitely be amazing and I also can’t wait to do more hiking and exploring. And it’ll be fun to have you up there, too!
Wow, what an awesome thing to do. But be careful. I know you said this is only for a year, but from what I have heard, Alaska grows on you and never gets out of your blood.
We visited there once as tourists. Most people migrated there from somewhere else and just stayed. They can’t put their finger on why they stay … just that they love it. We were there for only 11 days and I can tell you for certain, if I was younger I would do exactly what you are doing now!!
Enjoy!
Hey, Elaine – It’s funny that you say that we may not end up leaving. I think you’re the second person to say that. My husband is actually from Anchorage and I’ve probably spent a good 6 months up there over the last 9 or so years. So I have a pretty good idea of what I’m getting myself into. :) I do love Alaska and I can’t wait for all of the adventures we’ll have up there. But I can also say with confidence that 1 year will be just about right.
Where did you travel in AK? What was your favorite part? It’s such a huge state I feel like there’s no way to see it all. But we’re gonna try!
Amazing! Sounds like a fascinating move. I suffer too much from the lack of light in the winter to contemplate going north myself, being from Scandinavia I have had my share of it already, but the summer nights are amazing – it will be interesting to read more. I am myself about to start a new chapter, moving from Germany where I currently reside to Taiwan, Asia. Both interesting new chapters, in similar ways, and yet so different.
Wow – you have a big adventure ahead of you, too! That’s definitely an exciting – and huge – move. Asia & Europe are so different but I’m sure you’ll find new things to love about Taiwan. I’ve never been, but it’s on my list. :) Why did you choose Taiwan over other locations?
I’ve never really lived as far north as Alaska, though we’ve visited a lot during winter so I know what to expect. I’m not overly fond of the lack of light, either, but we actually hope to make it out to Asia for a little while during the darkest and coldest months. A little beach time will be welcome, I’m sure!
Good luck on your new chapter, too, Ann-Katrin!
when do you guys leave? wanted to invite you to my baby shower.
good luck with the move, and keep us updated!
I’d love to come to your baby shower if we’re still here! Looks like the move date is mid-late March.