Courtesy of Kate Huff
I never thought a blind date would include flying thousands of miles with someone to see if we were compatible, but when mutual friends set me up, I couldn't resist. My date was in the Air Force and on his way home to Alaska for a two-week leave.
We decided to spend his first week off together. It would be a crash-and-burn scenario or a story to tell my grandkids one day. Whatever the result, I was all in.
Our first meeting was in the airport moments before an eight-hour flight from Atlanta to Anchorage. It wasn't my ideal way to start the date, especially since we'd spoken on the phone exactly once before, but it turned out better than I expected. He was thoughtful and made things less awkward. We made small talk for the first couple hours of the flight but mutually decided not to overdo the conversation.
The mutual friends who'd set us up greeted us in Anchorage. My date had known them most of his life, and I'd met them a year before on a work trip when they'd plotted this set-up, thinking the two of us might hit it off. Connecting with them helped ease any lingering awkwardness and settled my nerves.
Courtesy of Kate Huff
Our friends planned an incredible week for us, and our first real date was at his favorite restaurant after we arrived. We quickly figured out neither of us felt a romantic connection but enjoyed hanging out together. Thankfully, our friends pivoted, and we ended up doing everything as a group for the rest of the week, taking the pressure off both of us and still allowing us to enjoy the week they had planned.
We visited an old mining community and picked wild raspberries on the side of the road. Traffic stopped on our way to Portage, but instead of worrying about what we'd miss, we played cards while waiting for the roads to reopen. It was a joy to discover glaciers work as well as trees for hammock-hanging. Soaking up the sun felt incredible after white water rafting down a freezing cold river to this Georgia girl.
Capping off our trip, I climbed Bear Mountain and nearly kept up with the Airman and my native Alaskan Friends. I only had to stop and take pictures every few feet to catch my breath. Thankfully, they pretended not to notice. The midnight sunset view from the top was worth every minute of the struggle. I've never felt so accomplished, especially as we raced down the mountain to beat complete darkness.
While our days were jammed with the best Alaskan adventures, when the sun finally set, our nights were filled with endless rounds of Settlers of Catan. Those cozy nights around a fire fueled my love for games and experiences, even if it didn't ultimately bring me the love of my life (or much sleep!).
Courtesy of Kate Huff
Even though I never saw or talked to my date again after that trip, it was still one of the best vacations of my life. I learned you should always take a chance when you have an opportunity in front of you. You never know what the end result will be until you try — you could meet the love of your life or just go on the best vacation ever. I'm thankful for my friends, who took a shot at setting us up, and for the courage to live in a moment of spontaneous possibility.
As for all the landmarks I missed last time, I plan to return in March. Who knows what will happen this time?
