Life comes with both the good and the bad. For the good I am thankful. For the bad I try to find the way to overcome the obstacle or learn from the lesson. We all prefer the good but without the opposite we cannot fully appreciate our blessings. Also, some of the worst experiences can lead to a positive growth.
In 2023 during a family gathering I extended an invitation to my daughters for a mother-daughter trip of their choosing. I had previously treated the entire family to an international venture because I recognize that travel broadens prospective and wanted to introduce my grandchildren to different cultures.
One daughter chose Croatia and it was a fabulous journey plus a wonderful bonding experience. I haven’t yet written about that but shall.
My eldest daughter chose Alaska. So recently off we set for combination cruise/ land tour. Our flights to British Columbia to meet our ship was a nightmare. Due to a severe storm and lightening strikes the Atlanta airport tower was out for several hours backing up all flights. In summary, our entire flight schedule was rerouted and relegated to standby status. Added to that was a mechanical problem at the last minute canceling a connection flight. What was due to be a nine hour flight turned into 35 hour challenge.
At last we were able to board our ship and after locating our marvelous cabin headed for the forward lookout for a refreshing libation and a little relaxation. The ensuing days were fabulous, What’s not to like about fabulous food, personal service and good entertainment?Plus, we visited interesting places, learned a lot, visited glaciers and enjoyed an exciting whale watching tour.
About six days into our tour I began what i thought were severe allergies. Nope. As allergy meds were not working at all and I grew worse I sought medical assistance on our land tour in Denali. Yep!! I had COVID. And despite timely vaccinations it has taken me a month to recuperate.
If I had known in advance that I would I contact COVID and be so ill, would I have skipped the trip? Definitely, no.! I enjoyed several wonderful days as well as the challenging ones with someone I love and I would not change that.
So what is the lesson here? First, to book all travel at least a day in advance. We would have missed our ship had I not done that. Second, wear a mask when flying as according to the time schedule as well as remembrance about our fellow travelers, I believe that was my exposure point. And most importantly, time spent with loved ones is always worth the costs.
SeniorTraveler 