"This Love Has Got No Ceiling"
If someone asked me out of the blue where I'd love to go most, I'd have two answers that are, in essence, one and the same, though the choice of words depends on who's asking. 🙂 I'd either quote: "Meet me darlin' come Saturday night. All good souls from near and far will meet in the House of a Thousand Guitars ... We'll go where the music never ends." [2] Or, I'd just utter a single word: Alaska. Actually, the largest US state makes me feel as if it's singing a perfect, never-ending song to call me to its side. And if I could create something with my voice, this is what I'd answer back to Alaska: "Don't waste your time on me, you're already the voice inside my head." [3]
I've always longed for isolated places, especially Alaska - or as it’s known, the Last Frontier - one of the most remote corners of the world. For a long time, it felt like a distant dream, one that would likely stay just that: a dream. However, "every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around" [4]. And one day, I finally grabbed that moment. Since then, I no longer have dreams; I have goals. But, over the years, I've realized that real goals aren't predefined; they reveal themselves as we move forward. Every day, my only wish is for today to be good. Yesterday is unchangeable, and tomorrow is too far away - its outcome depends on today anyway. Today is exactly when you must do what your heart desires - turning that passing minute into your moment by making the decision and committing to it. Because every day counts.
"Chaos is order yet undeciphered." [5] When you're in a store looking for a specific product on the shelves but can't find it, the best thing you can do is take a few steps back. Suddenly, everything is in your line of sight, and you find exactly what you were looking for. For me, Alaska is just like that. When I am there, I see everything I've been searching for with perfect clarity - the order (or the chaos, finally deciphered).
However, Alaska is a place where you must always stay alert, as you can cross paths with a wild animal at any moment, even in inhabited areas. It is simultaneously breathtaking and dangerous, but undeniably inviting and thrilling. Thus, a miracle could be waiting for you at any time, but instead, it could just as easily be the last moment of your life. Alaska demands focus and responsible behavior, but it fosters balance within.
My first time there was the result of finally grabbing that one minute. This period made it possible for me to recognize the true freedom all around me. It showed me a potential path - though still waiting to be fulfilled: a constant state of mind where boundaries dissolve into the present moment. Of course, I still had to step onto that path later, but I believe the decision was already made then; it was only a matter of time.
By the time my second stay in Alaska came around, I had already been cultivating this path for a while, but it was then that this state of mind reached its full realization and became a constant. I didn't think of the past or the future; I lived entirely for the moment and the adventures. It lasted for five weeks, and I gained so much experience during that time - it fundamentally changed the way I think about everything in life. I consider that period to be the best time of my life.
Some say Alaska heals your soul. Others say: "You should never go to Alaska as a young man because you'll never be satisfied with any other place as long as you live." [6] I've also heard that "Alaska isn't about who you were when you headed this way. It's about who you become". [7]
I say I love Alaska and "this love has got no ceiling" [8]. But words can only go so far: step into my world and let me show you the moments that captured my heart - the ones I'm spellbound by.
The early start definitely paid off - caught a great moment walking around a lake, stumbling upon a moose standing in the water, peacefully feeding.
A majestic sense of scale: where the seemingly endless landscape meets the mountains marking the border.
Proof that curiosity isn't limited to humans. Caught this seal watching me just as closely as I was watching back.
A classic Alaskan scene: the kind of view you find yourself coming back to again and again.
Forget the idea of Alaska being only white and cold. Late summer turns the whole landscape into a vibrant canvas of colors.
Ever wondered what a surprised beaver looks like? Not a sight you see every day!
One of those photos you can actually smell. That unmistakable scent of a forest of tranquility.
Impossible to stay serious around a character like this. Just a marmot doing its thing and spreading some joy.
Who needs the full story when the headlines are this good? A perfect moment with some curious locals at Glacier Bay National Park.
Details aren't everything. Sometimes, a silhouette is all you need to see.
Even in Denali, you don't always have to hike for miles to find solitude. Some of the best spots are hidden right next to the main road.
Double the beauty. A quiet morning walk where the lake acts as a perfect mirror for the landscape.
Far away and in tricky light, but I still love this shot. Observing this little cutie 🦔 go about its day was a highlight I'll never forget - even if it did try to charge me before running off to climb a tree! 😀 To this day, I still can’t decide if Porkie was actually startled, or if that look was saying:
"I'm watching you!!!"
A front-row seat to the ice. Getting this close to a glacier is a humbling reminder of nature’s true scale.
Total concentration. Somewhere just beneath the surface, a salmon is about to become tomorrow's headline. It just doesn't know it yet.
Looking back at this shot from a whale watching trip, it feels almost unreal - like a painting I somehow stepped into. But I was there. I saw this with my own eyes, and it's still hard to believe.
This might look like the end of my Alaskan tale... or should I say, tail? But stay with me, there are still a few more stories to share.
You might have noticed a lack of bear photos. On one hand, I wanted to show a different side of Alaska. On the other... well, truth be told, they were usually either too far off, hidden in the brush, or the situation just didn't allow for a shot. But never forget: a bear is always watching!
- In Denali, they often appeared as distant dots, and there was one that stayed right in front of me but somehow managed to hide behind every single branch the moment I aimed my camera. It even happened once that after hiking solo in a certain area, I returned the very next day only to find bear scat in that exact same place. So, I could have easily run into a bear either the day before or even that day.
- My favorite moment happened where I was staying one night. I heard this annoying clatter outside and was just about to go out and ask whoever it was to keep it down. Then - bang! A police officer fired a rubber bullet to scare off a black bear rummaging through the trash. It's a classic Alaskan way to teach them to stay away from people! By the time I looked out, all I saw was a big black blur running away. So, no photo again. 😀 I managed a quick "thanks" to the officer for the protection before he drove off.
- Another time, a black bear dashed across the road and into an industrial yard. Everyone on the bus went wild, but I was the only one who caught it as it vanished into the lot. Well, "caught it" is a strong word - it was just a blurry phone pic where you could barely (or bearly?) see anything (let alone a bear). Yet five people still asked me to email it to them - after they saw the "photo"! 🙂 That's the magic of bears. 🐻
After the bears, I want to talk a little about the people I met - the locals, those traveling through, and those working in Alaska. I could write a whole book about them: the hosts, the hotel staff, other solo hikers, the guides, the Alaska Railroad crew, the Denali bus drivers, the park rangers, the servers, the staff at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, the boat crews... But there is one place that stays with me more than any other: Petersburg (the location where the officer chased away the bear 🙃). I only spent three days there, but to this day, I think of it as home to some of the kindest souls I've ever met.
- When one of my plans fell through, my host went above and beyond to help me find another way to explore. She even lent me a kayak and boots for free so I could enjoy a half-day in the wilderness on my own. She even introduced me to a friend who, in the middle of planning his own wedding, took me out on a motorboat for a couple of hours and barely asked for anything in return. I am still waiting for the day he visits my home country so I can meet him again and finally return the favor!
- Another day, after a whale watching trip, when most places were already closed, I saw a man with a pizza box. I simply asked where he got it, and without a second thought, he handed me a slice. He then called the shop to order a whole pizza for me since it was too far to walk, and refused to let me pay. He even threw in two beers. I've never experienced anything like it anywhere else. I only wish I could return the kindness somehow!
- Then there was a glacier tour where the captain saw how much I wanted to get close to the action and see the ice calving. He spent ages weaving the boat through the bergs just to get me as close as possible. We talked about so many things - he had the best stories.
Fantastic, big-hearted people! It’s this warmth that balances out the harshness of the land and the untamed power of its wildlife. Because Alaska takes serious preparation, and living there - even just for a short time - carries a constant edge of danger. Yet, the connection I felt was beyond words. And - during my second stay - I managed to stay anchored in that present moment until the very end; it was only on my final day that the thought of leaving truly started to take hold.
"Despite everything, every piece of Alaska sang to me. I remembered every curve in the trails, every tree in the forest. It was familiar to me, comfortable. The more I thought about leaving it, the less I liked the idea. This was my home." [9] And in my heart, it always will be.
