MTM and I devoured the news. Brussels, Belgium was on travel lockdown. The US Embassy warned Americans to stay indoors, to avoid crowds. US military travel was frozen. Troops with submachine guns roamed cobbled streets already spit-shined for the holiday.
We had two airline tickets for Brussels. Leaving the day before Thanksgiving. After twenty-four hours of deliberation and debate, we called our airline. No, not to cancel our trip. We wanted to review our options for both near-Brussels and alternative travel.
It’s easy to find the nearest bunker in this terrorist age. Parisian-style attacks can (and probably will) happen anywhere, anytime. MTM and I decided to pursue our annual “No Family Holidays With Family” Thanksgiving trip as normal, because if we didn’t, the terrorists win. We came up with five reasons to keep traveling. We hope our list will help you see the world while staying smart and safe.
- Book your tickets, and don’t worry about what *might* happen. Statistics still show you’re more likely to be injured or die within a few miles of home, right? So why miss experiences because of fear?
- If you’re patient, airlines can be very accommodating. Even though the US State Department still had not issued a Brussels travel alert, Delta vetted options and rebooked our flights without the usual change fees. The customer service representative even went to bat for us with her supervisors and won us a drastically reduced fare.
- Travel builds understanding. We’ve been in touch with both strangers and friends in Europe throughout this crisis. The Belgians are unflappable, resolute, and warm. We will definitely visit Belgium soon to help shop owners, restauranteurs, and hoteliers recover.
- Travel encourages flexibility. We’ve been planning our trip to Brussels since summer. Imagine what it’s like to hold a ticket to a different city, a place about which I know virtually NOTHING. And we still depart on Wednesday. With no time to research or plan, we’ll wing everything. Am I stressed? Nah. This trip will be a true adventure. How often does adventure come our way?
- We can be smart in the face of terror. For the first time in several years, readers won’t find me online during my trip. I’m not broadcasting our new destination on social media (and if you know it, please don’t mention it.) I won’t post photos, geolocate anything, or chronicle our whereabouts while we’re away. Terrorists can easily track those markers, and they’ve used them to target Americans overseas. We’re taking a genuine, unplugged vacation.
I. Can’t. Wait!
Do you have any travel plans? Please share your VERY GENERAL plans in a comment.
45 Comments
I’m giving you a standing ovation, which hard to do AND type.
Haha. Glad you and your love are home safely.
YOU and MTM are awesome. My sentiments exactly! Can hardly wait for any pictures you may post….living vicariously through you is so awesome…only second to living my own awesome adventure. 🙂
I’ll post plenty when we get home. It’s gonna be that kind of trip, I’m afraid……
No travel, unless you count a few miles up the road, but we WILL be with a smattering of family (’cause that’s why we moved back to this cold, cold place). 🙂 Have a wonderful unplugged adventure, and tell us about some of it when you come home, please! Happy Thanksgiving to you and all of yours. Hugs.
Happy Happy to you and Kim and everyone else up your way. xoxo
My daughter and I will follow our tradition. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, three friends and one very large dog, who are like our family, join us at our house for an early dinner and evening of relaxation. Have a wonderful vacation and enjoy every minute. Happy Thanksgiving.
Sounds like the perfect way to spend the holiday. Happy Happy Happy!
I’m glad to hear you and MTM have an alternate plan in place and see this as an adventure. Choosing to be happy goes a long way (I’ve found 92 so far) in smoothing out the bumps in the road of life. Godspeed
Great reconnecting with you, Patrick. Happiness is an everyday decision. I’m excited about what’s ahead.
You go. Have a great trip
I hope it’s great, since NOTHING is set. Ha. Except the flight.
Might be the most important thing. (beats walking)
Good for you both 🙂 What a wonderful way to look at it 😀
We try. Since you’re a rather important part of my life, I’ll message you re: everything. 🙂
I’m glad you’re not letting fear hold you back. And what great tips. I hope you and MTM have a wonderful, wonderful trip!!
I’m not sure what I’m going to do for Thanksgiving. My in-laws invited us over. But I might get together with friends in town.
I think deep dish Chicago pizza would be the perfect Thanksgiving meal. But what do I know? 🙂 I hope you relax and escape into whatever you decide to do. xo
A vacation, anywhere, right about now, sounds delightful. I can’t wait to find out where you went and how much fun it was to be unplugged during it. Stay safe, have fun.
I’ll write about it once we’re home. I’m going into DT’s about the unplugged part, but it’ll be good practice for next year. Oh. Wait. I still haven’t announced that yet. Coming. Coming.
Have an awesome adventure.!!
Thanks, Rose!! Enjoy your holiday!!
Thank you! I will do my best 🙂
Have a great time!
It is still appalling that this relatively insignificant rabble with twisted minds can have everyone looking over their shoulders like this.
I agree, Col. And once they’re vanquished, another insignificant rabble will rise to take their place. We must live life.
True – if one took full notice of our local road accident statistics one would simply stay at home!
Having family and friends without family over to feast with us. We’re having two from Columbia (the country) and two from Russia. I don’t even know the ones from Russia! Looking forward to all of it. Happy Thanksgiving to you and MTM and stay safe!
Don’t even know the ones from Russia?!? That’s the essence of adventure! I want to hear about this when I get home.
Enjoy the unplugged vacation, Andra. You and MTM deserve time alone. As for me, I will be staying close to home, eating and watching football.
We’ll see you next month!! Enjoy your holiday.
We went to London and Paris last March, and though I was more on alert than I normally am while traveling, I’m so glad we went. As you said, if we don’t, then the terrorists win. Have a wonderful time and a happy Thanksgiving!
You too, Carrie. I’ll be using part of my unplugged time to read Eating Bull!! xo
Aw, thank you. That’s so nice to hear!
Safe travels… and I can’t wait to hear about the adventure when you return. Happy Thanksgiving. ❤
I’ve been loving your pictures of the boys. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. xo
You both are such an inspiration to us all! Good for you for choosing living and exploring over fear. Have a fantastic trip and I cannot wait to hear all about it upon your return. Happy Thanksgiving to you! Much love, Cuch & Dave
We’ll see how smart we are once we’re safely home. Ha. Please give everyone up there our best. I’m going through withdrawal thinking I’m not going to be in MA in a couple of months.
I’m glad to hear the airlines have been accommodating. And I’m also glad to hear you’ll return to Belgium when possible. I picture small shopkeepers and small industries suffering as a result of this latest lockdown on a city. I’ll be eager to hear about your travels when you return. Your reasons for going off-line are excellent security measures, but it should also maximize your ability to truly be in the moment. Enjoy! Our plans are the typical hosting of the clan. The “clan” is smaller this year, so that simplifies the feast! Happy Thanksgiving travel adventurers!
I raise my glass to you and your clan, Debra. I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving!! xo
i love your attitude and approach. have a wonderful trip and holiday and we’ll see you when you get back. best, beth
Happy Thanksgiving, Beth!!
Take care, be safe and have fun! I hope you both have a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful adventure! 🙂
Thank you. Enjoy your holiday, too!!
Have a wonderful time away, Andra and enjoy your “unplugged” time! Please tell MTM hello from us. 🙂 Our holidays will start quiet with dinner here for the three of us and end on a louder note when the whole extended family gets together a few days later. Wish me luck. 😉
Good luck!! Please give my best to John and Ryan. xoxo
Now that you are home…….where did you go?
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