A Leap Into The Unknown-Life Beyond Wyoming!

by Gemdelin Jackson (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown USA

I remember the day as if it were yesterday, the day I was 16 years old and my older sister invited me to join her on a two hour trip to Casper, one of two largest cities in Wyoming. That was over 40 years ago and i still remember the feeling of pure wonderment of seeing so many cars in one place, the colors, the sounds, and the four story buildings that i naively called skyscrapers. Fast forward 35 years and although i had the opportunity to occasionaly see other states, it was generally a drive through on the way to a funeral or a wedding of an adventurous relative who dared to seek what was beyond the border. As a Wyoming native, one who is born and raised in Wyoming regardless of race, the thought of traveling outside of the state was so foreign it was terrifying. Thoughts alone would instantly drive my heart rate up and before i knew it i had convinced myself to stay in the safety of the only place i had ever really known. Having only experienced the small towns of Wyoming, the solitude, the miles upon miles of open land and forests, the day i was invited to take a cruise to Alaska with some friends was not only exhilarating, but horrific at the same time. By now I had been introduced to the National Geographic travel channel and i felt a longing, almost burning desire to see what was out there. Having begun to make photography a hobby, my mind knew no limits to what i could do if i could simply get the courage to take that first step. "Yes, I will go!" Those four words catapulted me into the most wondrous, life changing moment I have ever known. The months planning the trip were intense as new fears reared their ugly head. Learning to navigate the web to secure airline tickets, obtaining a passport, knowing i would have to drive to Billings, Montana to fly out were just a few of the seemingly never ending hurdles that most people take for granted as simple and easy. Yet, with every fear the little spark of adventure was always reignited into a blazing flame as i scoured the excursions available and spent hours upon hours watching videos of the beauty that Alaska had to offer. The day finally arrived as we drove the three hours to Billings to begin our flight out. Had the tickets and cruise not already been purchased i would have bailed right then and there as the anxiety flooded over me, through me, and around me. I am ever thankful for my adventurous neighbors who either pretended they didn't see my anxiety or simply knew that once i was on the ship I would be hooked for life. I simply followed their lead like some lost puppy that needed the reassurance and love that the exuded. Seven days of pure heaven. That is the only way I can begin to describe the experience, as I was witness to some of the most luscious green forests I have ever saw. The blues of the ice bergs, the stark red of sea lion placenta against the frozen snow, the brown spot of a grizzly as it made it's way through the trees could never compare to the colors of the cars I had thought were amazing when i was a child in the city for the first time. It took over half of my life to get to courage to take the leap into the unknown. Somedays i regret that it took so long to venture out of Wyoming, yet at the same time I often wonder if this experience would have had the same intense power it now has over me. My desire to travel will be burn strong until my own flame is put out.