I have recently returned from a tour of Alaska, the most stunningly beautiful place on earth! The highlight of this tour, and the part I was most looking forward to, was Kayaking by the Mendenhall Glacier. I would like to pay my particular thanks to Gabe, who was our guide for this trip. Gabe was extremely knowledgable and shared his knowledge and anecdotes as we kayaked towards the Mendenhall glacier. We were being watched by seals, who popped up all around us, and had close encounters with bald eagles. I had never kayaked before, but Gabe was a very good teacher, he was also very kind and polite. I don't think that I ended the day as an expert kayaker, but I certainly now feel at home in a kayak and would love to do it again. Perhaps, who knows, when I return to Alaska in the near future.