Reaching beyond travel comfort
“Walking into the crowd was like sinking into a stew, you became an ingredient, you took on a certain flavour.” ~Margaret Atwood
My husband hates cruises. It’s not necessarily the voyage but the hoard of people crammed into a massive tin can-like-shopping mall-esque situation where everyone wants the same thing at the same time. He’s never been on one in his life, but he is certain, he would rather have the plague than board a ship with three thousand strangers.
I, on the other hand, have cruised in another life, but it has been decades. The scenario doesn’t appall me, but now that I’ve been to the other side, I’m fairly certain I’m on my husband’s team.
Len in Cologne, Germany.
In December, Len and I were pleased to be guests of Viking™ aboard their Longship Alruna on their European Rhine Getaway excursion. Travel to Europe tops our list of destinations, and when we hopped on a plane headed to Amsterdam, we left with no expectations other than to enjoy the Christmas season in Europe. After a few days of exploring Amsterdam (a fabulous city), we walked the red carpet onto the Alruna. Not understanding the significance of that carpet at the time, we soon learned it would come to symbolize our entire trip. Greeted by contagious smiles, we gave our names (and not our credit card like on other cruises), received our keys, and were escorted to our room.
You could have knocked me over with a feather. Inside, our luggage waited, along with fresh fruit and water. And ahead of me, a veranda, with two chairs to sit upon and do absolutely nothing. But what made me inhale dramatically, the heated bathroom floor. I was in heaven. Yes, the rooms were small, but who needs big when you’ve got heaven.
Over the course of the week, we became friends with the entire staff and most of the passengers. We ate together, toured together and laughed together. We met people from all over the world and listened to their stories of what brought them to this beautiful place. And the food—or rather I—tipped the scales, too. From the endless gourmet meals to the mug of hot chocolate placed in my hand after a freezing walk through Cologne, we could not have wanted more.
And what would perfection be without hurdles. The rainy weather stole our views of Germany’s medieval castles perched along the river. A terror attack in Strasbough cancelled our Christmas market visit.
As we travel, we experience every scenario that life throws at us, simply from a different viewpoint. Some of our biggest life lessons have come from how we approach new experiences, bounce back from disappointments, and yet remain grateful for the journey. We remain faithful to where our hearts live but open to the new adventures that fill the unexplainable voids.
There were 193 people onboard the Alruna; we returned home with emails, images and recordings of many which would not be likely on a larger vessel. We were more than a flavoring to a stew but a member of a traveling caravan of people who purposefully chose to be more than a number.
