One Year Away From Home

Stardate – March 17, 2020: one year ago today we embarked on a journey we never imagined what it would completely hold. We began the journey with the following phrase and pictures:

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

That still holds for us today. We have loved sharing and hearing from you throughout the year. I think our travels have turned back the clock for us as well. Looking at our then and now pictures, we look a little healthier and not as tired for sure.

Packing was probably the most difficult piece to this puzzle. As we look at all that we started with, wow! Our belongings have dwindled. We sent quite a bit home after completing the very first destination. And we have learned this year how little a person really needs.

So, the big question this week: when are we getting home? How much longer will we be traveling?

We like to say, “Fluidity is key”. Let’s start at the beginning:

Plan A: We would end our year long trip the end of March with almost three months in Curacao by flying home via Panama.

Plan B: Jay teaches occasionally for an organization called DBIA. The organization called a mandatory meeting for all instructors in Washington DC. This meeting would be on March 16 and 17. So we booked a flight to DC thinking what a great way to add more adventure to this trip.

We would spend a few additional days visiting our nation’s capital by going to the air and space museum.

Spending a day at the National Archives.

We would have had a lovely dinner tonight celebrating our one year travel at my most favorite restaurant in DC, Marcel’s.

Part A of Plan B: On Thursday, the 19th, we’d fly to Florida to visit Mustifa, Susan, Alia, and her family. Alia just had a new baby and delivered in Florida, so it was going to be a wonderful opportunity to meet this new little bundle along with big brother.

When rumors of the virus began, we canceled our time in Florida as a precaution and decided to stay a few extra days in DC. (I think I call this part B of plan B)

On Friday, the 20th, we were flying from DC to Winnepeg to visit some friends who own a restaurant in Gimli near Winnepeg and possibly participate in some ice fishing. (Our conditioning for the cold was going to bed turning on the air conditioning, which we only have at night in the bedroom, to 18 celcius and taking the covers away from Jay). I think that would get him in condition for the cold.

Then we were training across Canada, stopping in Jasper/Baniff for a couple days, then home via Vancouver.

Last Wednesday, the 11th, Jay received an email from DBIA: “Meeting is now canceled until further notice”. Hmmm…..we began trying to get through to United Airlines to cancel the flight to DC. ….Still haven’t gotten through, the flight left last Saturday, the 14th.

That same Saturday night we got an email, “All trains in Canada have stopped services”. Hmmm….so we canceled all those reservations. Much much easier than getting through to United. Except for our Delta flight from DC to Winnipeg. it’s an over six hour wait to get through to an agent. With $.25/minute, we canceled online and will deal with refunds later.

Back to plan A: Stay in Curacao, fly home via Panama.

Since cruise ships have been banned from the island and all flights from the Netherlands are closed, we decided to go see a piece of the island we have avoided due to crowds.

First place – the aloe plantation.

Aloe Vera’s history can be traced back to the Southern Mesopotamia (Iraq) in 2200 BC as an important plant for healing purposes. Alexander the Great conquered an island known for its aloe in order to have it for medicinal purposes. Queens Cleopatra and Nefertiti used it for beauty treatments. And, it is said it was one of the plants used in the embalming of Jesus.

We also toured the Ostrich farm, which is a small zoo for the Curacaons.

As we were driving back from our tours and evening dive, we noticed the grocery store parking lot extra busy.

Then last night….Curacao’s government closed all airspace without an end date. Schools are closed, restaurants closed unless you have “take away”, churches closed, funerals can only have 10-12 people at a time. (Not sure how their funerals work here. I’ve seen where they have them and many people at each one.)

We could be going to plan C – we don’t know what that one is just yet.

So….Now that we are here for a little bit longer and the government has closed all restaurant unless they have “take away”, I went to buy some more groceries this morning.

Our stores have lots of toilet paper. Jay said we can send some to anyone who needs it. However, I think there must have been a run on the chips last night.

It’s getting serious around here now. How in the world are we going to eat our ceviche!!

In the meantime while plan C is being developed, Lisette has invited Jay to become a commercial lionfish hunter with her. I don’t think the Lionfish know what’s coming with these two hunting together in these waters.

When Martin Luther was dealing with The Black Death plague, he wrote these wise words that can help inform the way we approach things happening in our world right now…

“I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

The Prime Minister of Curacao said this:

During this time of self quarantine for all of us and social distancing, what are we learning? Of course, cleanliness, such as handwashing. For huggers, like me, we are learning it might not be the best way to greet or say good-bye to others. What are some of the other things we are learning during this time? Flexibility, patience, love and care for our elderly,

What are we leaning on? When our battles continue to rage with no end in sight, we can grow weary. Things and plans, such as plan A or B, that once ran so smoothly might not be working at the moment. What do we do? Self quarantine possibly gives us more time to spend with God in prayer. His word says, “..if my people, who are called by name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their sinful ways, I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sins and heal their land”. Another promise in the bible is, “He gives power to the weak”. We have victory in that. As we seek God, he will give us strength and tenacity. He will give us a strategy, possibly plan C, to come out of this even stronger and hopefully wiser.

In the meantime, wash your hands, no more hugging, you fellow huggers, for awhile, be flexible and patient. Every life matters, so care for one another.

And until plan C comes to life, we are not in a bad place to be stuck.