On the Cusp of Now or Never: Going to Greece

A romantic view of the city of Athens. In my dreams. photo, greeking.me

Santorini. photo by greeka.com

I just booked a tour to Greece with Gate 1 Travel.  Going with my daughter Elissa, in mid-October. We are so excited. Elissa will be looking for gluten-free baklava, like the gluten-free fish and chips she found in Dublin! I'll be looking for antiquities and rainbows. 

"But, Fran, what about COVID and all the issues around travelling?" 

Yes, I know. It's a bit  risky. Lots of uncertainties.  We might have to cancel, and reschedule.  

"Can you even fly into Greece? It'll be like going to India, which I can't even watch on television. It's being called an "apocrolypic explosion," that's how bad it is. Fareed Zakaria's 85-year-old mom died of it."

Yes, sad. The explosion of COVID in India is tragic. Greece has had a rough time of it, for sure, but it's not India, thank goodness. The Greek government has been on it with mask and distancing mandates, I think even before we were, and  people are now being vaccinated. Greece relies on tourism. And just this month, it opened to foreign travelers. You need proof you're fully vaccinated.  

Also, this is a tour with a wonderful professional company that I've traveled with before, to Sicily, Barcelona, the coasts of France and Italy, Cinque Terra, and Ireland. They take care of all the details. 

"Why not wait a little longer, to be on the safe side?" 

Athens. Photo, tripadvisor.com

That's something to think about. You know the saying about adding life to your years? Greece has long been a dream, since college days, when we read Plato and Aristotle and learned the history of democracy.  Also, after a trip to Sicily with my sister Andy, the birthplace of our maternal grandmother, I wanted to learn more about what I think could be a Greek heritage as well. 

And I can't resist saying it, but I feel as if  I am on the cusp of now or never, as I told Andy. If not now, when?  It's kind of the same feeling I had joining the Peace Corps at age 69 and turning 70 in Ukraine. The unknowns were enormous. Same with deciding to leave Florida in 2011 and return to Toledo. The unknowns of traveling during the Time of COVID are too. 

"What do you think, Mom?" Elissa asked. We'll just wait and see, I replied. She agrees.

Gate I Greece tour plus we're adding extension to Santorini.

https://gr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

https://www.ontheluce.com/ancient-city-akrotiri-santorini/

https://www.google.com/search?q=Athens,+Greece&rlz=_