The moment I drove out of Anchorage, I knew my life was about to change. My senses heightened, and everything appeared in high definition. It felt both eerie and welcoming, like the German word sehnsucht. The landscape shifted like origami every few hours, with an armada of clouds hovering above. People greeted each other with simple, kind gestures, and the air was as crisp and smooth as a freshly baked croissant. Every moment felt precious, moving like a fragile whisper. Twilight arrived, suspending itself in the air as it defied gravity and time, lingering for hours, unlike back home, where twilight comes and goes in mere minutes.
Alaska is My Jerusalem
Alaska served as my red pill. I returned to civilization as a different person, leaving my old self behind in the ocean. This experience taught me that life isn’t about following a template; it’s about carving your own path with the mind of a sculptor. The notion of living day-by-day, being content, and wasting time seemed foolish. There is so much in life to love, interact with, and appreciate. Now, it’s about finding balance—working harder than yesterday, improving oneself, and yet slowing down to enjoy the breeze, the water you drink, the people you meet, and the meals you eat.
We Caught 890 Pounds (403.6 Kilograms) of Sock Eyed Salmon
Teamwork brings home the salmon. The work is laborious, tedious, and tough, but sweat and effort create the secret ingredients that make the salmon taste incredible. Chungwon and I caught about 890 pounds of sockeye salmon in just 4-5 hours. We literally and vocally apologized to each and every salmon we caught. I’ve never said “I’m sorry” so many times in one day. And yet, we felt profoundly thankful.
Unplugged and Realized
Unplugging from the grid made me realize what’s important, what’s necessary, and what truly matters. My previous view of the world seemed shallow and small. Being out of touch with modern amenities showed me how little we really need to get by. Conversely, the wastefulness of modern society shocked me. For example, a small amount of water is enough to wash dishes, and everything can be recycled or re-crafted for other purposes—going beyond its original design. We shouldn’t take food for granted because its quantity is limited. Above all, we must conserve fresh water because once it’s gone, it’s hard to get back—like a bad regret.
Loss of One but Gained a Ton
By day three of our trip, I had taken about 1,000 photos, mostly in Anchorage, Homer, and Egegik. However, as we prepared to go fishing, Chungwon and I miscommunicated, and my camera fell into the ocean. The loss devastated me, and I felt purposeless for days. Thankfully, Seiko Behr kindly lent me her camera—or maybe she was tired of seeing me mope around like a zombie. I started shooting again, this time in manual mode, recalling my old photo class. The experience felt like being a kid again, and I had so much fun. Once I returned to Baltimore, I knew I had to make a change. If I didn’t, this whole experience would just become another “trip.” After much thought, I decided to pursue my dream of being a photographer. I invested in my first DSLR (Canon EOS 7D) and started JihoNation. Losing the camera turned out to be a blessing in disguise, leading me to something beyond my vision. The loss was truly a gift.
Things I Would Do Differently Next Time
Plan and reserve ahead! Generally, I enjoy impromptu trips, but some parts of Alaska are not for the faint of wallet. Many unique and amazing places await, but you can only reach some via bush pilot planes, and those tickets aren’t cheap. Lodging is either very expensive or fully booked. However, the value in return is priceless. We exceeded our budget by $1,500, but every dollar was well spent. Even as we reviewed our bill afterward, we felt it was still “All good, yo.”
Special and Deepest Mahalo
I want to extend a special thanks to the Behr family for their blanket-warm hospitality, lotus-like open arms, and for giving us the opportunity to fish. There was never a dull moment. This trip ignited my passion for photography, reminding me how important art is in my life. It also taught me that it’s better to fix things than to buy new ones. I especially loved all the cookies Seiko made—I couldn’t keep my hand out of the cookie jar. どうも ありがとうございます! (Doumo arigatou gozaimasu).
Gear used during this trip was Canon PowerShot SX100 IS and iPhone 3. Trip was at 2011-07.
See other travel photographies.
