The Adventure Continues

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Yes, that is me swimming in a glacier fed bay in Alaska. One of the best parts about being on an adventure vacation is that it's ok to be adventurous...like swimming in 35 degree water, camping on land frequented by bears and exploring waters filled with seals, sea otters and whales. The second half of my trip to Alaska was just as fantastic as the first half. My time was split between two days of Kayaking in Aialik Bay and 2 days in Denali National Park. The thing I noticed most about these trips was the extraordinary sensory experience. Not just visual experience with the animal life, plant life, mountains and massive glaciers, but also the physical exersion of kayaking and hiking, and the aural experience from the birds, seals and even the explosive sounds of glaciers calving and plunging into the bay. These are such a fantastic contrast to the everyday life of a city or professional work environment.

I rediscovered, on this trip, my motivation and interest in living a healthy life - both in terms of diet and workout. I found great joy in having a full day of activity without the competition of a morning hangover or a night without a good rest. I am curious how that experience will compete with my ever-present interest in the nightlife of big cities. I'm looking forward to experiencing that struggle and finding a good balance during my travels in Argentina and when I get to London. The truth is that I don't know how my life will turn out in the next few months and years, but that is part of the excitement of this adventure. I am excited to see what that will be like.

I continued with my discoveries of thankfulness for various people in my life, and I want to continue to acknowledge those. On this trip, I was thankful for my friend Andrew, one of the only friends I remain in close touch with from the Harvard baseball team. Andrew spent a summer in Alaska playing baseball and helped provide some direction on where to go during this trip. Towards the end of my time in Alaska, I found myself being so excited about the course my trip had taken that I was very thankful for his direction. As I was returning to San Francisco for a brief stay, I looked forward to the day I would spend with my brother Michael. Without his support and company during the move, and his ongoing support while I'm traveling and establishing a home in London, I would not have been able to have the extraordinary experiences that I'm having. I'm thankful to have him in my life (and his new wife Kimberly) and to be so close with him. Lastly, I am thankful for my friend Marc, who has been an inspiration since I met him. At one point after receiving an offer to work in London, I was feeling negative about going and nervous about leaving my life and friends behind. It only took 30 minutes, one beer, and a brief conversation with Marc to turn things around. Without him, I may not be where I am today.