A decent amount of time has passed since my last update, and while some things have changed significantly since I last wrote, other things have remained constant. For instance, I’ve reached the conclusion that regardless of how many things change in my life, my desire to travel and have new experiences always remains. I’ve begun to think that unending wanderlust is a personality trait that some are simply born with and will never grow out of. If anything, as time as gone on my need to explore has only been exasperated. I’m currently saving and planning for my next trip, which ideally will last a decent amount of time. Honestly, with so much that I want to do and see, determining where to start in my travels is hard. I’ve been spending a lot of time reading Lonely Planet’s Guide to the World which only makes it more difficult to decide where to begin. Some things just don’t change, and my intense wanderlust and inability to make a decision about where to go first are apparently two things that are going to stay stagnant in my life.
While some things have stayed the same, plenty else has changed. Perhaps most significantly, (and this is something I told myself I wouldn’t do), I got a kitten. It wasn’t something intentional and instead adopting her was something that just kind of happened. Not long after my last blog post I was driving on a back road with a friend as a nasty storm was starting up when I saw the smallest bundle of fur sitting smack dab in between the yellow lines of the road. It took some convincing but my friend turned the car around and I sprinted towards the critter. I found myself face to face with the smallest kitten I had ever seen, who was a strange mixture of adorable and absolutely terrifying due to a nasty infection that had caused serious gunk buildup over the eyes and nose. As off putting as she looked, the kitten was smaller than my palm and in awful shape. She was completely blind at the time and mewed pitifully when she heard me approach. I knew that leaving her on her own would have been a death sentence; she was bound to either be hit by a car or die from her illness. My soft spot towards animals won out and I wrapped her up in a blanket from the car and brought her home.
To say that my mom wasn’t pleased with the stray that I brought home would be an understatement, but her anger relented when she saw the sorry state the kitten was in. We watered down some milk (which incidentally, you’re not supposed to feed if you ever find a kitten who hasn’t been weaned) and took her to the vet the next afternoon. My initial thought in rescuing her had turned out to be a smart decision – the vet confirmed my thought that if we hadn’t taken her in she would’ve died from her infection. The vet got the gunk cleaned from her eyes but the infection left her eyes in bad shape and she was still unable to see. Cats have a third eyelid that goes up when they get sick which is supposed to protect the eye from permanent damage. The third eyelids on this kitten were bright red from the infection, and were still terribly swollen. She was still a sight for sore eyes but looked healthier already.
She certainly didn’t have the cutest face initially.
As time passed she grew from a small and sickly kitten on the brink of death, to a slightly bigger kitten with a big personality and a love for playtime and snuggling up under blankets.
Passed out after devouring wet food.
Small enough to curl up in the tiniest of spaces.
It may go without saying, but this little kitten has completely stolen my heart. She is the sassiest and spunkiest animal I’ve ever met and I wouldn’t trade her for anything. I named her Juneau, after the capital of Alaska. It seemed appropriate because Alaska has been a long time travel dream of mine – I find it hard to resist the wild beauty of the state. The name is fitting for her because while she is adorable, she is also extremely wild.
As she grew bigger she became more and more of a trouble maker.
She knows when she’s not supposed to be exploring somewhere.
Other times she simply doesn’t care if she’s not supposed to be somewhere.
Juneau is approximately six months now and her health has improved remarkably. Half of her third eyelids are still up and she still has hints of an upper respiratory infection in the form of frequent sneezing and kitty boogies, but she is a healthy weight and is a very happy little kitten.
It’s certainly strange, but she is a big fan of car rides.
She’s not the biggest fan of taking selfies with her humans.
She loves practicing how to hunt and is completely spoiled rotten with toys and attention. She has a special ability to make both the cutest and silliest faces I’ve ever seen and she makes me laugh constantly.
Laying on shoulders is one of her favorite hobbies.
My future plans have shifted and now she is certainly a factor in making decisions regarding travel and what I’m going to do with my life. While I had no intentions of adopting a kitten, she stole my heart so quickly that it was clear her furever home would be with me.
Perhaps her all time favorite way to spend her time is snuggled underneath blankets for a nap.
ineffable wanderlust 