Travel Is the Best Education

        We returned Monday night from a wonderful, relaxing 10-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise.  The idea for this trip was born last year at the Kiwanis Valentine Dinner when Jim and Debbie Tate were talking to us and we were all bemoaning the cold, miserable winter weather.  Jim and Debbie love to cruise—so we started talking about taking a Caribbean Cruise the next winter.  And we did!

        We always like to travel with friends and we were joined by Kathy Hinkle, Linda Engstrom, Kay and R. N. Hardin, Tom and Ann Lackey, and Jim and Debbie.  It was a great group and we had fun traveling together.

        Our cruise departed from Fort Lauderdale on Friday, February 27.  I’m a firm believer that you should never wait until the day of the cruise to fly to the port—too many things can happen.  We decided to fly to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday and spend the night before the cruise.  On Monday morning before our departure, Jim contacted me and asked me if I had seen the weather report for Wednesday night.  I had not.   Snow was developing and it looked like Charlotte would be hit with a major snowstorm.  Tom and Ann had decided to drive to Florida and they were looking like the smartest ones in our group.  I contacted the others and we made reservations at an airport hotel thinking that if we were at the airport, we would have no problems.  Little did we know. . .

        The snowstorm was looking more and more like a certainty and we left Wednesday afternoon for Charlotte.  Kay and R. N. rode with us.  After checking into the hotel we went for an early dinner with Jim and Debbie.  Linda and Kathy came a little later. 

        Around 6:00 p.m. the snow started.  We had just finished dinner and Jim and I decided that we needed to take our vehicles to Park N’ Go that night, rather than wait until morning since they were calling for 8 inches.  We asked the shuttle driver if he could just drop us back at the hotel, rather than take us to the airport.  He said that he had never done that before, but he was happy to oblige. 

        When we got back Kathy and Linda were checking in.  We had reservations on the 8:30 shuttle the next morning to the airport.  Our cars were parked.  We were ready to go.  But that is when USAIRWAYS decided to take the forecast seriously and we were notified that all USAir flights the next morning in Charlotte were cancelled. 

     Jim and I jumped on the hotel shuttle and went to the airport as big flakes of snow were falling.  We went the USAir counter and thankfully had a very helpful agent.   As she was trying to rebook our flights Jim and I watched the board behind her lighting up like a Christmas tree with one flight after another reading, “Cancelled, Cancelled, Cancelled.”

        When the airline cancels your flight the computer rebooks you.  Our rebooking information was coming to us on our phones.  They had us leaving Friday morning and flying to Philadelphia!  We knew that would not work.

        The agent would find us some seats but before she could book them, the computer would grab them first.  She was fighting the computer and the computer was winning. 

        Finally she said, “I’m sorry but I can’t get you to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow.” 

        But then she added, “I can get you to Miami, if that would work.” 

        Miami is only 30 miles from Fort Lauderdale.  Soon we were all booked, not on the same flights, but we were all booked to Miami.

        Linda and Kathy took an early afternoon flight to Miami and were waiting for us when we arriving around 6:00 p.m.  Our travel agent, Angela, had arranged for a driver to meet us and without any delay we were our way to Fort Lauderdale. 

        We arrived at our hotel and they informed us that they were overbooked and did not have any rooms.  If you travel you know that you must expect the unexpected, which is what we have learned to do.

        We had a wonderful cruise.  The weather was perfect, the ship was lovely, the food delicious, the fellowship was fantastic.  Most of the trips we take are filled with excursions, historical tours, and events.  But Joyce and I decided we were going to spend most of our time relaxing.  We didn’t get off the ship very much but enjoyed all of the exceptional services and amenities that come with modern day cruising.   We had dinner together with our group several times and both Sunday mornings we gathered for a time of meditation and reflection.  We came back refreshed and renewed.

        The young man who picked us up at the Miami airport told me that he was back at work for the first time in 3 years.  He went on to explain that he had cancer and had been through extensive surgery and treatment, but now he was healthy enough to work again.  Suddenly, cancelled flights and overbooked hotels seemed very small in comparison.

        Since our hotel was overbooked they sent us to the Hilton and refunded our money.  Not a bad deal considering we were about to spend 10 days sailing the beautiful Caribbean Sea.  And we were healthy and blessed to be able to travel. 

        My grandmother used to teach me that travel is the best education.  Her words continue to be true.