Alaska, The Last Frontier!!
Glaciers, salmon streams, crab feasts, s’mores, bald eagles, bears, waterfalls, Salmon bakes, panning for gold, Tongass National rainforest, picking Black- blue- rasp- and huckleberries on hikes, totem poles, native dances, whale sightings, Pike’s Market, Space Needle, and Timbits at Tim Horton’s!! It’s been so much fun! Seattle-Snoquolmie Falls-Ketichan-Sitka-Juneau-Mendenhall Glacier-Victoria, Canada
If you're a mom, a family vacation is never really a vacation. You are still working as a team leader, a coordinator of events/meals, the enforcer of the itinerary and thinking of a thousand plans, back up plans and back up for the back up plans and making lists of what to do just in case. It can be exhausting and sure, it would have been easier to just take the family to the beach or somewhere local for summer vacation but when did I ever do things easy? Besides, I needed to check off a few things on my bucket list and adventures need to be taken while you're still able bodied because I've seen a lot of older retired folks on the cruise who were too frail for excursions and took head-tilted-back, wide-opened-mouth naps at the pubs. That may be me one day, but not today.
Traveling with Luki was relatively easy and we even did most of our excursions without his special needs stroller. I've recently learned about a program called Autism on the Seas which provide respite care and diverse activities for individuals sailing with autism on select cruises. We didn't find any such services on our sailing and decided not to leave him at the Ocean Adventures childcare for his age group because they just didn't have a 1:1 staff to be with him. This wasn't a big deal to me because I loved having Luki around us all the time and found joy in seeing his wide-eyed wonder at everything he saw.
Luki. This kid is amazing! Despite his disability he did Alaska like a pro! He may never go to the best school but he still gets to see and experience the world and learn. He kept up beautifully with the rest of us during hikes, shows, meals and bus/boat excursions. He was so quiet and so in tuned with the surroundings and it was wonderful to watch him like that. He even joined in on the native dance show during our excursion to Sitka (see video below for Sitka).
I am so grateful to fellow travelers who showed much compassion and understanding to him. To the lady sitting in front of him in flight who wasn’t bothered by his occasional screams, kicking her seat and said he did well at the end of the flight, thank you. To the couple sitting next to us at the restaurant who didn’t mind his occasional outbursts (he was just excited) and even offered to take our family picture for us and said my kids are a joy, thank you. This is the power of what disability awareness can do. I am so proud and grateful to all of them!! Another mom with a Dup15q child said when her son kicked the seat on an airplane, the women seated in front turned around and tried to hit her child. This teaches me to never take any pinch of kindness for granted.
People like Luki are not meant to be kept aloof from society. They need to be seen at the mall, the grocery store, parks, sporting events, schools, and even while traveling. They may get hated, they may get loved, but they need to take part in the world. And as his parent, I also get to bear witness, in front row seats, if you will, to the highest virtues of humanity as well as the basest.
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| Tae makes sure Luki is looking into the camera for photos |
I give Best Little Brother Award to Tae for his awesome care of Luki during his Alaska trip. From reading about Alaska to Luki, to making sure he is looking at the camera when taking pictures, to taking responsibility of pushing the stroller (by his own volition), helping to feed him during meals and being a great companion. He always looks for Luki when he is not around and Luki’s face lights up when Tae is nearby. Tae sees his older brother like a warm security blanket. I thought Luki will need his little brother more but I’m realizing Tae needs him just as much. The special bond I see blossoming brings me to tears. 
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| Tae keeps Luki from eloping during photos |
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| Luki loves his little bro |
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