I should start here by telling you that I am not an
adventurer in any way, shape or form. I like the simple, local, non-daring type
of outing. So how Spouse and I came to make flight reservations to go not only to
Budapest to visit Second Born in less than ten weeks, but continue on
to India for First Born’s second wedding ceremony with The Groom, is beyond me.
I mean, really, beyond me.
It’s not because I’m afraid of flying. It isn’t the idea of
being in another continent where I am completely unfamiliar with the language
and culture. And it is not because
this is (and probably always will be) the most expensive vacation we have ever
considered.
It is All Of It.
For the past few years I’ve told people I’m living
vicariously through my children. First Born has been to Las Vegas a couple of
times and she got engaged while in Bora Bora. Yes, I had to look Bora Bora up
to see exactly where she would be. Then the Love Couple went on a whirlwind
tour of Paris and Rome for their honeymoon.
In December they will head to India for an authentic wedding
ceremony in the country where The Groom was born and lived until he was around
middle school age.
Now, stop me if I’ve mentioned that Second Born is in
Budapest for her study abroad semester. You didn’t really try and stop me, did
you? That would be hilarious.
My point is that it’s all been just hunky-dory to let the
kids have their adventures while I stay right here on my sofa waiting for their
return or calls or Skype sessions describing these wonderfully exciting
excursions.
Oh, but no. We discovered at The Love Couple’s wedding in
May that some of our family members have been planning to also attend the India
ceremony. That was all Spouse needed to hear. Not to be left out of another family
affair, he decided that going to the India ceremony would be fun. Exciting.
Interesting even. Then I foolishly
mentioned that IF we were to make such an elaborate trip, we couldn’t very well
go all the way to India and not see Budapest, especially since Second Born
would not be able to be at the ceremony.
So our flights are booked – Boston to Budapest to India and
back to Boston within a two-week period. I’m jet-lagged just writing that.
I
also have an unnatural fear of getting stuck inside the airplane restroom just
as we hit turbulence. At some time in my life I must have watched a movie with
such a scene – that’s the only explanation I have for this paranoia. Just in
case, though, who knows if I can get a diagram of each plane we will be taking
so I know how to get out of the bathroom?
I have to believe that having one or more irrational fear is
normal when one is doing something this far out of their comfort zone. This is
so beyond my comfort zone that it has its own zip code. But I also have faith that
I will learn to stop holding my breath every time the subject of flying for
more than seven hours at a stretch comes up. I believe that we will have
perfect tour guides, first in Budapest with Second Born and then in India with
First Born’s in-laws. There really is not a down side to making this trek, even
though I could concoct dozens of them given the chance.
With the help of breathing exercises, healthy habits for the
next few months and maybe just a tiny bit of chocolate thrown in for balance,
this will be an extraordinarily memorable trip of a lifetime.
And it may even be the first time anyone has ever wanted to
live vicariously through me.
Love how specific your phobia is -- not of the plane crashing, but of getting stuck in a bathroom during turbulence. The human mind is a fabulous thing. That being said, I bet you'll have a wonderful trip.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Roz - I really am planning on it!
ReplyDelete