New Year Started With An Emergency Alarm

Travel Series

Do disasters make travel more memorable or just disastrous?

I had big plans for this Christmas vacation. I had plans to walk by the Mediterranean, away from the cold and rain and grey sky in the Netherlands. But I had to cancel my vacation at the last minute due to Covid regulations.

I made alternate plans for Copenhagen. Yes, extremely different from the Mediterranean climate, but I was happy to go anywhere I guess. Alas, that had to be canceled too, just two days before our vacation, once again due to the change in Covid-regulations.

However, I am a passionate traveler. I don’t give up hope so easily when it comes to travel. I make it happen. I set about the task of finding a new destination with vigor and booked a very last-minute trip to Paris.

I had been to Paris several times. This was my 5th time I guess (I have lost count).

Besides, the last time I came to Paris, was in the summer of 2019 with my entire family — my parents from India and my sister and her family from the USA had joined us as well. We celebrated my niece’s 6th Birthday. That was a happy time.

I didn’t know that was the last time I would be spending time with my entire family altogether. I didn’t know my father would be dying in a few months. I didn’t know the world would change entirely and millions of people’s lives would be affected by a strange virus.

So going back to Paris was a challenge for me. I didn’t really look forward to it. However, spending new years eve all alone at our little house seemed more dreadful.

The loneliness seemed grueling. Even my daughter seemed sad. To cheer her up, we booked a last-minute hotel in Paris and we even booked a trip to Disneyland for new years eve.

Now, this is not our first trip to Disneyland Paris either. We have even been to the Orlando one. And to be honest, I don’t like rides. So Disneyland couldn’t cheer me up. But hell, it’s way better than staying alone at home and watching Netflix. I suffered from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) desperately.

As a child, my new years eve ritual was always watching the special new years eve…

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