I started noticing something this week while I was in Portland. I kept referring to Alaska as my home. At first it was a slip. Then as I thought about it more, it wasn’t.

Most of you know I canceled most of my travel trips for the spring and summer to stay in Alaska. I did that for a number of reasons – I needed to feel grounded again, I needed time to write about traveling without actually traveling full-time, and I honestly needed to make more money to fund this traveling lifestyle of mine.

I just came back from a week in Portland where I attended the Craft Brewer’s Conference and it was incredibly awesome. I have so much to say about that conference, but I will save that for another post. Portland, I no longer hate you, by the way.

I love to travel. I love to explore new cities, meet new people, and travel to little known places. I have missed traveling, but this week in Portland reminded me of both the good and bad of solo traveling. I needed that reminder.

I know that deciding to stay in AK was surprising to most. It surprised me too. BUT, I haven’t seen and done everything I want to in Alaska for me to be able to move on yet. I just survived my first winter, and the reward for that is an incredibly beautiful summer. Bring.It.On.

Read these two posts if you are new around here as they give a good back story: Did I Just Break-up With Alaska? and then That’s NOT the Announcement I Thought You were Going to Make, But I Like This One Too.

I’m a writer. I write on this blog. I write blogs for other bloggers – lots of those, in fact. I’m also pitching magazines and newspapers to tell my stories (I’ve been a big scardey cat about this in the past). Most bloggers write 1000-2000 words a week, on a good week. I write 10,000! Now, before I came to AK I was also only writing about 1000 words a week. Alaska inspires me more than I realized.

The only other place where I was this productive was when I was in Mexico last spring. There is something about putting me in the middle of nature and my mind explodes in creativity. Even though I don’t live in a place where I can just look out the window at nature anymore, I am surrounded by it. I can be in my happy place in less than 15 minutes. And I go there often to recharge.

I love my apartment and my roommate. We respect each other and get along quite well. I no longer dread going home. I know I only have a couple more months there, so still trying to figure out what to do when that happens. But I am not worrying about that today.

Another thing that I realized was this: I have said before that I want to find a place that can be my hub and that will allow me to fly out for travel trips. Obviously, Alaska is not that in the winter as the prices are crazy high. But get this, starting May 15th there are $99 one way flight to and from Alaska to some of my fave places like Phoenix, Denver, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. That makes it possible for me to travel for long weekends all summer long!

The last time I was on a flight to Alaska, I was dreading going back. Today feels different. I am not filled with dread, but with hope. Lots and lots of hope.

• Hope for writing more great content and honestly, finishing up my book, finally.
• Hope for gardening again… I’ve started a small gardening group in Anchorage. I will help others learn to garden and we will share in the fruits and veggies that we grow. Win-Win!
• Hope to get physically healthy again… I need to lose weight so I can do all the many amazing activities that Alaska has to offer.
• Hope to start homebrewing awesome craft beer.

All of these hopes have me SO energized. They are my favorite things… writing, gardening, running, friendships, and craft beer.

So this time, my friends, I am excited to go back to Alaska. To go back to my home.