Dammit, dammit, dammit!

Not being able to travel is a bummer. Thinking you were going to be able to travel and then being denied is a frustrating bummer. Thinking you were going to be able to travel and then being denied because of a resurgence of the Covid virus is just a weird cocktail of negative emotions.

This is my frustrated face.

As you may have seen on this blog post main image, we had a trip planned for Ireland and Scotland in early September. We had long walks scheduled (via a self-guided trip company like I used for the Camino de Santiago) in both countries and had booked everything. Then Scotland moved to US Level 4, which is a “Do Not Travel” warning from the State Department. We canceled everything in Scotland and booked a second walking trip in Ireland. Then a week ago Ireland moved to US Level 4. We discussed our options and then canceled everything in Ireland and our plane tickets. We then began exploring doing the Julian Alps walking tour in Slovenia and started to explore how we could get there without having to quarantine. Slovenia then moved from Level 2 to Level 3 but we can still go there! Or maybe Croatia, it’s open! At this point we realized that we were starting to ignore common sense, and there seems to be plenty of that going around right now without us adding to it. So we’ve accepted we won’t be going abroad this summer/fall. That’s where the weird Shitty Emotion Cocktail (trademarked name of my new mobile food cart) comes into play.

First, I was really bummed. Then I was really frustrated (but couldn’t figure out who to blame) and grumpy. Finally, and this one was unexpected, I was embarrassed about the previous two reactions. We are in the middle of a pandemic (FFS)* and I’m griping about not being able to go overseas and hike. Lots of people (healthcare workers especially) are sacrificing a hell of a lot more than I am due to the pandemic. I think it’s probably okay to be disappointed. I guess tempering the disappointment with a broader perspective is the trick.

So, to everyone I told about my upcoming trip to Ireland who asked if I was going to blog about it - this is it. There are quite a few less rolling hills and pints of Guiness but perhaps a little more humility.

And I got a new pair of shoes out of the deal, so that’s okay.

At this point I think I’m the Imelda Marcos of running/hiking shoes

*FFS is internet slang for “for fucks sake”. I know this because I’m hip to what the kids say. Pretty sure I’m an influencer.