Leaves and Lovecraft

“Pleasure to me is wonder—the unexplored, the unexpected, the thing that is hidden and the changeless thing that lurks behind superficial mutability.”

― H.P. Lovecraft

Awhile back, Jen expressed interest in visiting New England in the fall to see the leaves turning.  This idea germinated for awhile as ideas do, until it was joined by the thought that it would be something to see the place where H.P. Lovecraft, one of the authors that has influenced me (though not so much, it must be hoped, my views on race), grew up.  So we turned our sights to Providence and Boston.  Throw in a jaunt to Salem and you have the beginnings of a very thematic vacation.  With that in mind, what better time to go than late October?

Plans have been laid: flights booked; hotel reservations made; major sites and stops researched.  Like all of our trips, we plan to avail ourselves of public transportation as much as possible, and keep our day-to-day plans flexible.  It's so good to be traveling once again with the love of my life; I hope we will be doing this until old age takes us both.

A return to Britannia

I don't remember how the idea of taking a trip with each of my children arose; it was almost certainly Jen, who is far wiser than I about these sorts of things, that suggested it.  The idea quickly took root.  To take them on a trip to wherever they want to go, anywhere in the world, just the two of us.  As two adults, but still father and child, getting to know one another better and experience something wonderful just for us.

Gareth, my boy, must be first.  He needs to experience some joy from the world after such a hard two years.  His time in Lubbock during the pandemic has left some scars, and I think, I hope, that travel would do him good.

So we sat down and talked about where we might go.  I was surprised that he wanted to go to the UK, to England and Scotland.  At first I was just a tiny bit dismayed, as I'd been there before, several times, and it wasn't something new.  But that brief moment of selfishness passed, and I felt quietly ashamed:  this was, after all, not really for me.  But I quickly became excited myself as we talked and I began to see the trip through his eyes.  There was so much to see and do!

The trip began to take form, starting with the realization that the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a display of British armed forces musicians performing in the Esplande of the Edinburgh Castle, would be the perfect thing to take my musically gifted son to see.  Jen and I had must missed the festival in 2018 and we'd always wondered what it would've been like.  It is a sign of her love and her patience that she has not protested our seeing it without her, despite her must feeling a bit left out.  I don't think "owe" is quite the right word to use, but I do want very much to make it up to her.

As if that was not enough, Fringe, the world famous festival of the arts, would be taking place.  What's more, it would be the festival's 75th anniversary.  Not only would it be an opportunity to experience music, theater, comedy by up and comers, it's a wonderful homage, for it was at Fringe that the troupe that would come to be known as Monty Python would be formed.

I also broached the idea of visiting Loch Ness, since we would be a short-ish train ride from Inverness.  I think the idea pleased him more than he let on.  He can be fairly laconic, and even more likes to appear unfazed by the world.  I would love to see him break his stoic mask, even a little bit, at the sight of the lake and its castles and sleepy villages.  But perhaps London, the British Museum, the Tower, or Westminster will get to him first.

All told, the trip is about two weeks:  one day to travel to London, two full days there, one day to travel to Edinburgh, four full days there, one day to travel to Inverness, one full day there, a free day to go and do whatever we like, a day to get back to London, and then the final day to fly back home.  Hopefully not too itinerant or hectic, hopefully full of experiences without being relentless.  A time for a father and son to see and do and build some happy memories together.

Egypt Delayed

So much more has happened since our initial plans for Egypt.  The pandemic continues to impact travel, especially to Africa.  My son has elected to change his degree plan to a Master's in order to leave Lubbock early; the place was not good for or to him.  He is with us now, which has returned our home to a state of bustling, happy chaos.

So Egypt will need to wait for awhile.  A month after our trip was to have happened, I write this and still very much look forward to seeing the land that has so long captivated me.  At this point, we are aiming for 2024, my 50th birthday.  I think the date will not be moved again.

Jen has also expressed that she would like to see Jordan as its own trip instead of as a side journey to this one.  I don't think this is unreasonable, but I do wonder if we'd ever get to it.  I'd rather see it during this trip instead of not at all.

I will confess that the pandemic really has been hard to cope with.  Not just from a travel standpoint, but its interference with all aspects of our lives.  It serves as a symbol of the arrogance and inflexibility of humankind.  We cannot get past it because we refused to properly quarantine, and now it will probably be a fact of life like influenza.