Explanation or Justification?

Dearest Rachel –

There’s a few things that have been building up to this latest decision (or would it be a combination of decisions?) that I might as well reiterate to put it into context. Not that it needs to be justified to you; I think we both agreed that we were looking forward to making regular travel plans together, once the lockdowns were lifted and we’d been freed of our self-imposed responsibility toward Chompers. It’s a little unusual, given our upbringing, to be booking something with a lead time of less than some fifty days or so, perhaps, but you’ve heard me speak in the past of contacting our travel agent and asking her to find me something and make the arrangements “before I change my mind.” And really, after this past spring, any trip I might go on would be small potatoes in comparison, so why not treat it accordingly?

So that addresses the impulsive nature of this plan; the short lead time precludes getting too excited over something that might not happen for one reason or another (and at this point, I don’t think that needs explanation or justification). At the same time, since I wasn’t raised a spendthrift (and neither were you), I seem to still feel the need to tell you about it and explain myself – especially since it happens over and over, in big ways and small. It would be one thing if we were doing this together, as partners in crime or some such, but under the circumstances, it doesn’t quite seem right… and so, here I am.

As for other factors prompting me, well… there’s the simple fact that I’m less and less adapted to the weather as it chills down toward winter. Maybe it’s because I cut my winter short last year, so I’m several months less accustomed to it than I would otherwise be. Maybe it’s because I have less natural insulation surrounding myself these days; while this would be a good and admirable thing under any other circumstances, it means I’m never feeling as warm as I used to these days. And then, there’s part of the reason I’m that way; the trip to and from the gym is becoming an ordeal to go outside in – never mind the walk, even the few steps to the car and from the parking lot to the storefront are tortuous. Top this off with the realization that this is only going to get that much worse over the next couple of months, and you can understand why I would want to get out of Dodge, and spend a little time where it’s actually warm for a bit.

I’ll be honest, though, I would have preferred heading out by way of Galveston; apparently, that’s a thing these days. It would have afforded me a chance to revisit a Whataburger while I was down there (although probably not an H-E-C – or if I did, any liquid refreshment I might acquire there wouldn’t be allowed aboard the ship, so what’s the point?). However, that would have necessitated waiting until mid- to late-February, when all my Mondays are spoken for, so that’s not an option. Additionally, the ships heading out from there are sisters to the Serenade – which is fine, I suppose, but I’ve just been on it for three months. I’d like to be on one of their bigger, flashier ships in any event.

So I found something that would be out over the 27th of January – the one Monday I understand I have free (apart from the Christmas-to-New-Years holidays, which are kind of meant for family gatherings, so they’re not an option. Besides, those cruises have been booked for ages by now) – heading out of (and returning to) Miami. What’s more, it’s on one of the Oasis-class ships; not their biggest or their newest, but big and new enough to be worth taking in, with enough amenities to be a destination in and of itself.

This is important, since where it goes – the western Caribbean – isn’t really a destination I’ve ever been overly fond of. You’ll remember that’s how the family wound up cruising the Baltic, when Mom and Dad asked what we thought of the area, and I responded less than enthusiastically (although in complete innocence of their plan to surprise the family with a trip down there), causing them to completely readjust their itinerary. Which was a good thing; when else would we have gotten to see the home Dad’s great-grandfather grew up in? It was so much more memorable than any trip to the Caribbean would have been. But this time around, there’s definitely something to be said for going someplace warm, which Europe is not, in either sense of the word, at the moment.

Anyway, that’s most of the story, but then there’s an added wrinkle. While I have proven that I can do so, I really don’t enjoy traveling alone all that much – and besides, I wind up paying full price for the stateroom whether there are two people or just one. I’d most love to have you by my side, or, since that’s out of the question, Megumi (if she exists). Neither of you seem to be any more available than the other, though, so I’d asked Daniel about joining me. You’d think he’d be a little enthused, but I was met with a large round of indifference. To be sure, he’s been to the Caribbean a few times himself at this point – and he claims to be no fan of summer weather in any event. Given his indifferent response (which you might find familiar from some seven years ago), I asked if he’d be okay with my heading out on this trip regardless, which he agreed to.

And that, honey, is how I came to be arranging a trip with myself and Lars aboard the Symphony of the Seas, taking off late next month for a week. Again, I probably don’t need to justify this to you, but I can’t seem to help myself; besides, it took a somewhat convoluted route to get to this point, even as it only amounted to some two or three days in coming together. It turns out that, for all his traveling (including a surprisingly few all-inclusive resorts among visits to friends all over the world), Lars has never been on a cruise before; it should be interesting to see what he thinks of the experience. I think I’ll enjoy seeing him take it all in, even if he does have a refined palate for such things.

On top of everything else, he’s been much better at giving Christmas presents to me in the past than I have to him; hopefully, this can make up for that shortfall once and for all.

Anyway, there’s not much else to say about it for now; obviously, once the day approaches, there will be more to tell. For now, though, just keep your eye on me, and wish me luck. I’m still going to need it.