It sounds like I’m exaggerating, I know. But hear me out. A few years ago, Chris and I took the kids on the absolute best trip we have ever taken, and I learned a lot about what you ‘actually’ need to make the perfect trip.
It was 2016. You remember the good ole pre-pandemic days, right? The possibilities were (figuratively speaking) endless. Oldest daughter, MC, was 16. Our son, John was 14, and youngest daughter Lindsey was 12. Those are certainly tough ages to take kids on vacay. I had visions of spending loads of money only to have to deal with grumpy teens who would rather be hanging out with their friends at the beach than travelling with their parents. I knew that nothing would satisfy everyone. My expectations were low…but I soldiered on brainstorming with my blind positivity by my side.
Then I got a phone call from a friend. Suzanne and Scott are wonderful friends from Washington State where we’d lived prior to moving to Florida. We kept in touch but not on any regular schedule, so I was excited to see Suzanne’s name on my phone screen. S&S had a proposition. Their boat, Indigo, was docked in Hoonah, Alaska. They’d scored a coveted pass to travel onboard Indigo in Glacier Bay National Park that Summer. Would we be interested in joining them on the boat for 5 days? Duh.
I’d never been to Alaska, and always wanted to go, so I immediately said yes…and then remembered that I have a husband and children, so asked for a couple days to confer with the fam. It was easier to convince them than I thought. They were into it, and we made plans to fly to Juneau in June.
We landed in Juneau after a very long travel day, rested overnight, then connected with our hosts the next day. After exploring Juneau and getting provisions, we flew to Hoonah on a teeny tiny plane into a teeny tiny airport, got a van to the city dock and boarded Indigo. That’s when I broke it to the kids…we were going off the grid. There would be no tv, no internet and no cell phone service for 4 days. Showers were limited and food options were already planned, so what you get is what you get. And, if that wasn’t enough, all 5 of us were bunking together. They took it well. Better than I thought they would, honestly….even after I told them they had to do their required Summer reading, too. What happened the next 4 days was beautiful and perfect.
We listened to music, fished & kayaked. We spotted whales, bears, wolves, otters and eagles. We saw glaciers, touched them and drank the melting water as it cascaded down. We went ashore and had campfires. We explored the shorelines and collected floating ice (bergie babies) for our evening cocktails. We learned to make scones and perfect chocolate chip cookies. We made puzzles and drew pictures and read books. We talked to each other. And laughed ALOT.
It went by way too fast.
It was the perfect and best trip ever. Never to be repeated. There will be other great trips, but never like this. I’m certain of that. It was a time before we got busy with kids graduating, going off to college, getting married…growing up. It will forever be frozen in time for me as one of the last true family vacations we were to take.
My point, and I do have one, is that it doesn’t matter where you go, but what makes a trip great is the people you are with and your willingness to connect with one another. Family or friends…it doesn’t matter. Enjoy every second and stay engaged. Look for the unexpected places and things that you won’t see anywhere else. And laugh ALOT.
xo, Birdy
Travel Birdy 
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