1 Month & Counting...

One of the projects that I promised myself I would do this year is to make a trip to visit my sister and her family in the great northern state of Alaska. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for the last year and a half, but somehow just never got around to it. There were always excuses in the way – too expensive, can’t get leave, big projects at work, other closer places to visit. But similar to re-starting this blog, I wrote it down on my project list and somehow it just miraculously materialised. I have my ticket in hand, no turning back - in 1 month’s time, I will be on my way!

This upcoming trip makes me happy in many ways. It has been a long time since I’ve done something this big for myself. Holidays, in general, have always been planned around family, friends or my partner and this will be the first time since university that I am off on my own little adventure. I feel almost like a character from some children’s adventure story - off to follow the trail of a giant red tomato through the hole on the top of the magic Faraway tree or something!

It has been nearly 3 years since I last saw my sister, and at that point it was under less than happy circumstances. Our father was terminally ill, and she had returned home to see him and subsequently to attend his funeral. There was little time to catch up then as everyone was internally focused on managing their responsibilities and coping with our own individual grief. My last memory of my sister during that trip was of her opening the door to our family home for me. It was in the wee hours of the night when I had shown up in the rain, with my bags packed, having walked away from a life with someone that I had known for nearly 14 years.

So, it is with great excitement and equal trepidation (because me and my big sis are also big time fighter cocks!) that I begin my countdown … 1 month and counting!!!