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Books, travel and Alaska
By Diane Manson
Several years ago, I cruised to Alaska on a work gig. I love my work AND my ‘work gigs – they usually involve travel! I digress … back to cruising to Alaska.
While visiting Skagway I elected to go hiking, during my day in port. Along the trail to Laughton Glacier is where I met Heather Lende and her hiking companions.
During the course of the day, I crossed paths with the four same gals a few times. At the lunch stop one of the resident hikers shared their homemade canned salmon, and we had a wonderful conversation swapping small town stories of life and community in Kimberley, B.C. and Haines, Alaska.
At the end of the hiking day we sat on a big rock by the river, stretching our hiking muscles, conversing further. One of the hikers shared that Heather was a published writer. It was easy to recognize her pride and enthusiasm sharing her friend’s profession with me.
One of the first things I did upon arriving home was to go to my favourite book store—Lotus Books—and order Lende’s book.
Some ‘reads’ are set aside for just the right time. I had the intuition this was one of those books. I waited patiently for several months.
Lende’s book was enjoyed on cool, dark nights, snuggled into my sleeping bag, read by the light of a headlamp while trekking in Nepal. A special book, saved and then savored along a hiking trail seemed to be appropriate, seeing as hiking was how I was introduced to Lende. I loved her journalistic style stories woven with life’s lessons. I loved the book!
A year or two later, I had the good fortune to make my way to Alaska again. I was aware Heather (sounds like we’re besties), had recently published another book. I looked forward to purchasing this newly released book in Alaska (sorry Lotus). Luck would have it I was able to buy a signed copy at the local bookstore in Skagway. I devoured ‘Take Good Care of The Garden and The Dogs’ as I cruised the Inside Passage on my last few days at sea.
Along with Lende’s fans, and there are many (her books are New York Times Best Sellers), I’m ecstatic to learn book number three was recently released. I’m not headed to Alaska in the near future, so a phone call to Lotus to order FIND THE GOOD! is on my ‘to-do list.’
PSS – hmmm, will I read Lende’s book in the Kootenays or “save” it for the next hiking adventure?
Lead image: End of a Hiking Day Along the Skagway River. Diane Manson images
– When Diane Manson’s not handcrafting someone’s dream vacation at Mountain City Travel you’ll find her hiking in the Rocky Mountains or the Himalayas, combing beaches in the tropics, or cycling the backroads of Europe. Diane loves travelling and everything to do with travel. Her ‘favorite things’ are fabulous food, Farmer’s Markets, New Zealand white, sunsets and her dog Tucker. As much as Diane is passionate about exploring Planet Earth she and her husband Jim, can’t imagine living anywhere else other than the Kootenays!
