My trip to the Arctic was full of surprises: cultural experiences, new foods, and – of course, for Alaska – incredible scenery unlike anything I've seen before. (I was especially smitten by the sea ice still visible in late June!) One other notable surprise was which national park unit I most enjoyed visiting – no, it wasn't either of the National Parks, Kobuk Valley or Gates of the Arctic...| Valerie & Valise
I floated in on the wind, with the sun shining through a thin layer of clouds and wildflower smoke. Below the plane, a huge river snaked beneath us, treelined except for occasional breaks where smaller tributaries added to the mass of water slowly making its way toward the Arctic Ocean. Suddenly, the trees disappeared, replaced by golden sand, stretching almost as far as the eye can see. Wait... sand? In Alaska? In the middle of nowhere?...| Valerie & Valise
As a kid growing up in Alaska, I'll admit I didn't give much thought to, well, anywhere else. In Alaska, in the United States, or in the world. It's only as an adult – who now lives out of state – that I've come to appreciate how special my home state was as a kid (and still is today). That's why I'm always planning trips back since my family moved away (13 and counting!), and traveling further afield from the place I used to call home (near Anchorage)...| Valerie & Valise
