Promise Fulfilled - European Vacation

 I write this from 35,000 feet over the Atlantic, in Economy Class of United Flight 964, sandwiched between my mother and a random stranger, enroute to a 2 week European vacation. My mothers 70^th birthday was on Christmas Day the December of 2019. I announced to her and my siblings that I would take her on an overseas trip – her first – during 2020 to celebrate the milestone.

I still recall our visiting a Travel Agent in our hometown of Seward,
Alaska – as one did back then – making plans to visit our family in the Lower 48. Left to my own devices I recall leafing through brochures and flyers promoting exotic vacations in remote international locations, an early sign of my desire to travel.

Upon leaving the travel agency, with preprinted tickets for another domestic trip to Seattle, I promised my mum that one day I would take her overseas. And now was the time to make good on that promise.

We didn’t make specific, detailed plans, but when asked about where she would like to go, she decided on Scotland. Her love of the Middle Ages and stories about swords and sorcery, knights and fair maidens, have long intrigued her, and having an opportunity to visit castles excited her.

Of course when March of 2020 and COVID rolled around, our trip and planning was indefinitely delayed. Instead, Travis and I spent most of our time on travels within the US, mostly visiting family in Arizona or Idaho. As the pandemic dragged on, slowing ebbing over time, it seemed like an opportunity would never present itself.

Finally in the Spring of 2022, I reengaged my mother on the topic, insisting that this would be the year to do it. I told her we would go for two weeks around Thanksgiving, visiting both the United Kingdom and Italy (the country from which her family originated and a personal favorite).  She nervously agreed, and with I booked our tickets before she could change her mind! We would fly into London to start and out of Edinburgh a week later into Venice, finally flying backing to NYC from Milan.

After a summer of hesitancy as the result of a back injury and subsequent minor back operation that made walking difficult, in September we reconfirmed our trip and the booking of hotels began!

We left early this morning on an 8.30am flight out of Newark, NJ to London, at which we will touchdown at 8.30pm. I deliberately avoided the typical redeye flight to Europe as I’ve never managed to sleep on a flight before and didn’t want to start the trip off with extreme jet lag.

My mom and I have always been very close, but we realized that we both have not been on a flight together since I was a child – a trip that was probably planned at that very same travel agent at which I made my original promise. I have no doubt that at that time, my mom probably kept a close eye on my siblings as we passed through security and boarded the flight. The role was somewhat reversed this time as I helped my mom navigate the complexities of Newark airport and an international flight. The pleasures of still roomy(ish) seats, being served a meal, free wine and beer – the things that used to make flying a pleasure but are now only reserved for the wealthy or overseas travelers.

Our first three nights will be in London – and I’ll share ore about those adventures in my next post.