31 January – Gale Warnings

I am three weeks late in writing these posts. My computer has become unstable and likes to shut itself down at will but there wasn't enough time before leaving to get it sorted out properly. The idea of blogging took a backseat. I expected to only be checking for mail online with the computer to keep it from going completely belly up on me. So much was going on in “home world” that I had to think seriously about chucking it all and staying home.

But the biggest pro-travel reason was that my parents were finally going to be joining me for a couple of weeks before I began working. My first group was slated for February 14, and my folks would head home at the same time the group arrived, with me even having to leave the airport in between departure and arrival.

I have to admit to being nervous about the trip. While I adore my parents, I haven't spent that much time together “just US” kind of time together in a couple of decades. While my group tours are two weeks long, the same as this would be, I am not with my groups 24 hours a day. Add family dynamics and it could be a giant powder keg. I do get along great with my folks, but I am still their child.

SPOILER ALERT: All worry for naught in the long run. We enjoyed ourselves immensely.

In transit we took advantage of wheelchair service with the airlines and airports for Dad. He broke his back some years back and also had miniscus surgery on his knee since then so walking long distances or with any speed has been ruled out. The plan for traveling is to go as slow as we need to for him, and let him build up the length of any walks as we go along. Their coming with me only became a finalized idea about four weeks before we left, so he hasn't had much of a chance to get ready, walking wise. Steps were expected to be a problem so facing that, I tried to mitigate the obstacle as much as possible. When we got to Venice, we would just have to take it slow and not expect any trips over the Rialto or Accademia bridges for him. Also brought along a folding rolling walker with a seat so he could cop a squat whenever necessary, as well as a collapsible cane for when we were out. Both turned out to be invaluable additions to the luggage.

The transport people at JFK and in Rome were extremely nice. Mom & Dad got to ride in a van on arrival in Rome, I had to take the shuttle bus from way out on the tarmac to the terminal. They didn't have to press in with a hundred people cheek to cheek after seven hours on a plane. Lucky.