The Best Laid Plans

The last time that Jordan and I went to Europe, I was pregnant with Annabel.  It was wonderful trip, until Jordan developed an acute case of appendicitis and our busy tourist plans slowed down significantly.  Since then, I have been planning a follow up trip that would include places I've wanted to see for years:  Mont St. Michel, Neuschwanstein Castle, Salzburg and the Swiss Alps.  We've saved and planned for 9 years, and were eagerly anticipating our dream trip.  Our flight was scheduled to depart on September 30th.  Sadly, we missed one minor detail.  To travel to Europe, one's passport can't expire within 90 days of the return flight.  I missed the date by 11 measly days, a fact of which I was unaware until we attempted to board the plane.  No go.

So, what do you do when life serves you lemons?  You rant, rave and cry a little - but then you realize that this is a first world problem.  International travel is a luxury that few in this world can afford.  So, we headed home to try to re-coup some of our losses.  Then we opened a map and created Plan B.

Our first stop was Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.  We spent 3 days exploring and hiking the gorgeous Cabot Trail and Highlands National Park.  We saw some whales (living and dead), several moose, and stunning scenery.  Our hotel room even had a fireplace, in front of which was the perfect spot to plot the rest of our trip.

 

Then we spent a day in old Quebec City with all of its charming old buildings, European-style restaurants and boutiques.

We then made our way to Michigan, where we visited family (more on that in the next post).  On our way back east, we very much enjoyed an afternoon in Niagara, Canada.  I remember being awed by the falls when I last viewed them in 1981, and the sight is even more awe-inspiring now.

Next we hiked through the dramatic (and rigorous!) Watkins Glen gorge, which was particularly beautiful this time of year.

The end of our trip took us through southern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.  The foliage was perfect - we live in such a stunning part of the country!

While it wasn't the voyage we planned, we had an amazing time sightseeing, hanging out with family and getting to reconnect as a couple.  In the grand scheme of things, that's what really matters.