By Vicki Scott
After much discussion this past week, my husband Alan recommended I write about planes, trains, and automobiles. As much as I want to get away from this corona virus pandemic, this is a good subject to explore.
Our passports, which we applied for when we booked our anniversary cruise September 28, 2020, arrived in the mail last week. Looking at our passports reminded me of our cancelled cruise that we were so looking forward to. It was like a light at the end of the tunnel that was covered with dirt. I playfully told my coworkers at George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe that this virus had until September 28 to get its act together.
I was drastically shown the err of my ways.
Nicolas Sparks wrote about going on a world tour with his brother in his book Three Weeks with My Brother. I wondered if there were world cruises. Holland America does a grand world voyage where you travel by ship to more than 20 countries in 128 days.
For a mere $22, 899, with $2,370.00 added port taxes and expenses per person, we could go around the world in 128 days from January 3 through May 12, 2022. That’s four and a half months. Guess how much a nursing home cost? You do not want to know. I will just inform you that this cruise is cheaper, and I have the bills to prove it. There is a doctor on the ship with activities, so if I knew my mother would be able to enjoy this cruise AND we had the money for our cruise, we would all buy plane tickets to Fort Lauderdale when the date for the cruise came.
There is your plane, Alan.
Deep in my thoughts about what to do for our anniversary, I researched information on taking a balloon ride. Southern Balloon Journeys in Alabaster looked promising but $250 per person cost more than our now-cancelled five-day cruise.
We checked others but realized that we wanted another cruise.
Earlier this week, I happened to watch an interview during which a man discussed how our phone listens to us and programs things into our phone from what they hear. First Jesus, now my phone? I mention that because my phone advertised train rides. I guess Siri did not know we have already been on those advertised train rides, but I appreciate the help she provided.
There are your trains, Alan. Too bad they are not running through my mind as an option.
The last request from Alan was automobiles. Speaking of which, have you noticed the gas prices lately? It looks like the cheapest route that has not been cancelled – just get in our automobile and drive with no particular place to go. We’ve done that many times over 34 years. We’ve enjoyed it every time, except for the time when we went camping and our clothes got wet. I do not understand this camping thing.
The Bible tells us this too shall pass, and I am ready. I am ready to go somewhere. It can be by plane, train, automobile, balloon or ship. I am on God’s time because I know the God, I serve is an on-time God and knows what is best. I pray for His will during this pandemic, both in my life and yours.
Thank y’all for sharing in my rambling. Stay safe!