Danger at every turn
A part of traveling is spontaneity. One might plan their vacation in full detail right down to a minute-by-minute itinerary but once the vacation is underway plans have a way of shifting. One might decide to take the road less traveled. Or, to simply throw out previous plans and spend the trip in the hotel room watching HBO instead of taking in the Louvre or the Loire Valley.
This last April I visited my sister, Sara, who currently lives in Florida. I made absolutely no plans in advance. It wasn’t until I reached Fort Lauderdale that I began to wonder, “Wait, where is Fort Lauderdale on a Florida map?” This is the answer to that question.
The main reason I didn’t do any planning is that I knew I was visiting Sara, the queen of travel. She would know where to go, what to do, what SPF level of sunscreen I should apply, if we should party in Miami with Gisele (something she has already done at a previous party), and if I should take the advice of our Dad who, when hearing of my trip, took the time to give me an extensive lecture on avoiding stingrays.
Oh, I listened to my Dad’s detailed warning, patiently thinking, This man is crazy, this man is nuts, because, Why not? He loves me. And maybe he seriously believes his daughter is in danger of being stung by a stingray.
I remember going to Yellowstone National Park at 19 years old and calling home to check in with my parents. When my Dad got on the phone all he could talk about was the danger of Grizzly Bears. He was probably certain his carefree daughter would go traipsing through the woods and end up trying to cuddle a Grizzly cub. After all, have you seen how cute bear cubs are? There is a reason why teddybears are so popular.
Although I listened to his stingray lecture I sort of found the whole thing amusing, rather than informative. While on the trip Sara and I spent some time on the beach in Fort Myers. Imagine my surprise when I discovered my Dad had contacted the city prior to my visit, urging them to post this sign:
Okay, so maybe he didn’t contact the city and maybe the sign was already in existence prior to my visit. Maybe stingrays do hang out on Florida beaches, waiting for unsuspecting tourists who don’t have fathers to warn them of disaster. When I look at this photo now all I can do is smile. It reminds me that even when I believe I am being spontaneous, the voice of Dad will be with me.
This last April I visited my sister, Sara, who currently lives in Florida. I made absolutely no plans in advance. It wasn’t until I reached Fort Lauderdale that I began to wonder, “Wait, where is Fort Lauderdale on a Florida map?” This is the answer to that question.
The main reason I didn’t do any planning is that I knew I was visiting Sara, the queen of travel. She would know where to go, what to do, what SPF level of sunscreen I should apply, if we should party in Miami with Gisele (something she has already done at a previous party), and if I should take the advice of our Dad who, when hearing of my trip, took the time to give me an extensive lecture on avoiding stingrays.
Oh, I listened to my Dad’s detailed warning, patiently thinking, This man is crazy, this man is nuts, because, Why not? He loves me. And maybe he seriously believes his daughter is in danger of being stung by a stingray.
I remember going to Yellowstone National Park at 19 years old and calling home to check in with my parents. When my Dad got on the phone all he could talk about was the danger of Grizzly Bears. He was probably certain his carefree daughter would go traipsing through the woods and end up trying to cuddle a Grizzly cub. After all, have you seen how cute bear cubs are? There is a reason why teddybears are so popular.
Although I listened to his stingray lecture I sort of found the whole thing amusing, rather than informative. While on the trip Sara and I spent some time on the beach in Fort Myers. Imagine my surprise when I discovered my Dad had contacted the city prior to my visit, urging them to post this sign:
Okay, so maybe he didn’t contact the city and maybe the sign was already in existence prior to my visit. Maybe stingrays do hang out on Florida beaches, waiting for unsuspecting tourists who don’t have fathers to warn them of disaster. When I look at this photo now all I can do is smile. It reminds me that even when I believe I am being spontaneous, the voice of Dad will be with me.
Labels: daily, flickr photos, travel
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