Where Ice Meets Humanity
Towering ice, breathtaking views, and an unexpected conversation with a young traveler from across the Atlantic. Sometimes the stories that stay with us aren’t found in guidebooks—they’re found in the people we meet along the way.
Amanda Kos
6/16/20262 min read
The icy blue face of Hubbard Glacier stretched across the horizon while passengers bundled themselves against the cold, jockeying for the perfect viewing spot as the ship slowly turned. It was there, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, frigid air, and the excited buzz of fellow travelers, that I met Jack.
Jack is from the UK around Bristol and Cornwall and for the next few minutes, the glacier became the backdrop to one of my favorite memories from this trip.
He works aboard the ship and was stationed on deck 14, surrounded by towering stacks of blankets, hats, jackets, and socks for anyone who had underestimated Alaska’s chill. With an easy smile and a personality as warm as the blankets he was handing out, we struck up a conversation.
Jack signed up for his first taste of ship life because he wanted to see the world and loves to travel. His first contract began in Australia. Not realizing the seasons were reversed, he packed for warm weather and arrived to a rather rude surprise. Along the way, he stopped in Fiji and met family members he’d never met before. One adventure leading to another.
Somewhere between stories, glaciers, and laughter, he shared how he learned that not all phrases, like “bits and bobs”, are not universally recognized by all English speakers. News to him.
In his mid-twenties, Jack carried a perspective that felt much older. The kind that comes from seeing the world not through a screen, but through experiences. Through conversations. Through saying yes to opportunities that take you far beyond your comfort zone.
As magnificent as Hubbard Glacier was, I’ve found myself thinking less about the ice and more about the people.
People like Jack.
People like Mo (Melissa), Susan, and Kathy, who are traveling together to experience places they couldn’t before loved ones passed away. Friends making memories while they still can. Choosing adventure over someday.
That’s the thing about travel.
The glaciers, mountains, cathedrals, beaches, and famous landmarks may be what draw us to a destination. They’re what fill the brochures and postcards. But it’s the people who stay with us long after we’ve unpacked our suitcases.
The stranger who shares a story.
The friend who shares a dream.
The crew member who grew up half a world away.
The fellow traveler whose life experiences are completely different from your own, yet somehow feel familiar.
Those moments remind us that the world is both unimaginably large and surprisingly small.
As I’ve watched my parents continue exploring more of the United States and the world, I’ve realized that the greatest souvenir isn’t something you buy.
It’s perspective.
It’s the realization that every person around you has a story worth hearing.
And sometimes, while standing on a windy deck in front of a glacier older than human history, all it takes is a simple conversation to make the world feel a little more connected.