Well, January to Panama didn’t pan-out. And with the cancelation of the May trip to Ireland/Scotland… we had some time on our calendar. So, we rescheduled to Panama! It will be a low-key vacation with limited movement (the same hotel the whole week!) It’s what we need as some downtime and to reconnect.
Thoughts
Welcome to my adventures. Happy reading!
As we face the cancellation of our third time rescheduling the Ireland/Scotland trip… I know that this year will bring us bucket lists fulfilled, some trips, and a hopeful return to normalcy. While I can’t help but be disappointed to cancel this trip – the silver lining is that United fully refunded our money including our upgrades. So, all is not lost. We’re tentatively planning for Spring or Fall 2022…with an eye on reasonable airfares and whether we can travel there. Regardless, 2021 will be a great year! On a dog family note, I was there to witness the birth of my first co-bred litter of Pharaoh Hounds – all 7 puppies are perfect and healthy. I cannot wait to bring home my newest addition!!
I booked a cheap flight to Cuba, in January 2021, a few weeks ago – we’re talking $289 (yes, US citizens can still visit there.) Sadly, United Airlines canceled our flights today. My good friend and travel buddy looked on the bright side and we started checking out what was safe and open to US Citizens (in January.) After a lot of searching and comparing destinations, we’ve decided on Panama! Hopefully we can make this work. After a long and stresse
Here I am holding out for travel and the situation is bleak. Not to take anything away from those that have lost their lives to this ugly pandemic. Travel is vital to me and oh so important. We planned this awesome girls trip during this pandemic so that we had some hope, something to look forward to… and now that hope is dashed We will re-book for next year, once we are all vaccinated and Peru opens it’s border to US citizens. Until then, we’ll dream and hope and long for some amazing sights.
John, Robert’s husband, called me to tell me that Robert had a massive heart attack, died, was revived, and now in surgery. I felt sick, and could hear the fear in John’s voice. I assured him Robert would be OK – he’s a fighter, he’s strong, and he has much more to do on this planet. SO MUCH MORE!
To even describe who Robert is to me, what he means, our close friendship, how we text daily… it would take several books. He is the reason I have Cayman, and now Cayper. He’s why I became a lure coursing judge. And, why I’m still in Pharaohs today.
I adore this man and I cannot imagine my life without him. If you feel inclined, please send positive vibes and thoughts his way. I know he belongs here, at least for a bit longer.
The second Zoom call tonight to plan our Peru trip, hoping against the odds that we are able to travel in November! Our trip will be me, Michelle, and Brooke – the same ladies that ventured to Singapore and Bali together. The excitement is building for this bucket list trip! We’ve chosen most of our hotels, booking ones that are refundable. We’ve held off on buying train tickets and inter-country plane tickets, as those schedules will likely change. We have our plan and I’ve begun my packing list (what can I say, I’m a planner!!)
To say I was looking forward to our Ireland/Scotland trip is a understatement. My parents and I planned a long trip, driving to various destinations, and seeing the sights. Well, with COVID, it is not meant to be this year. We will reschedule for 2021, yet I feel very disappointed. I get it with all that’s going on in the world, it was something nice to look forward to… and now that is postponed. After Portugal was understandably postponed in May, this feels like even more of a let down. I’m really looking forward to the Peru trip in November with my friends!
I’ve traveled a couple times since March, but not for a true vacation. My friend, Brooke, needed to get out of town and since our neighborhood pool has no hope of opening, a weekend in the sun with a pool sounded great! So, we hopped a cheap flight to Vegas for the weekend. Masks were of course required at DIA/DEN, and on the plane. But, once we got to Vegas the masks were off of most people – yikes. It is opening weekend, yet only a few casinos/hotels are open. The traffic on the strip is non-existent. (Photo is from Saturday at 3:30pm 6/6/2020.) Most shops and restaurants are closed. The casinos that are open, we haven’t seen anyone with a mask on or social distancing – good thing we are just walking through (we aren’t gamblers.) The pool at our HGV is open and lounge chairs are setup for social distancing. The poolside bar and the store are both closed at HGV. Luckily we have a kitchen and ordered groceries via InstaCart. We are averaging 10 miles a day walking, and finishing books by the pool. Not a bad weekend getaway.
I love birthdays! They are seriously my favorite thing to celebrate aside from Christmas. My parents made birthdays really special when my sister and I were growing up, so I’ve continued that tradition.
It’s also a cause to celebrate – another trip around the sun, adventures to amazing places, my health, my family, and my Boys.
This year is no different — I’ve got some fun planned, a gluten-free cake on-order, and I received flowers today (2 dozen tulips) from my Boys! They are sweet 🙂
And it’s also to reflect on my countdown to 50… and 60 countries. Am I close? Yes, to both. I’m closer to the age than the goal, but that’s ok. I’m due to rack up two more unique countries this year. And, if I keep the pace of 1-2 countries a year I will likely exceed the goal. But, as I’ve said, it’s not about the number specifically. It’s about achieving that goal! I’m grateful for my friends and family that have joined me along the way. It’s about the journey.
After a long day of work, and nearly 4 weeks of ‘isolation’ due to this awful virus… there it was in my email on Wednesday evening: Denver to Lima, Peru, $296 round-trip, Oct – Dec 2020. Not kidding. A quick confirmation search on Google Flights, and I reached out to Brooke and Michelle. They were both game! Yay! Worked a bit on the itinerary before I fell asleep. Dreaming of our next great adventure. Wanting to see this world and share that with my traveling gals.
This is what hope looks like in these uncertain times. Hope that we will explore this amazing world again. Even if this specific trip with these dates doesn’t work out, I’m coming for you Machu Picchu. Another bucket list trip. Hope is surfacing. And, I hope I’m sharing that with all of you.
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