Beyond the Itinerary

Note from Kathy: When we started this blog, we knew we wanted to invite others to join in on occasion to add their own perspectives. I am delighted that Lee Danesco said yes to our request to write a guest blog. Lee is a very talented writer and astute observer of life. We are very grateful to her for this contribution. We hope you will add some of your own thoughts about those unplanned but grace-filled experiences!

By Guest Blogger Lee Danesco

While I am no travel expert, I have learned one surprising truth about summer vacations: the least flawed vacations are those WELL PLANNED, but the most unforgettable vacation memories spring from UNPLANNED circumstances.

For example we never planned, but will never forget: a boulder bouncing off our windshield in Colorado; playing monopoly by candle light during a Cape Cod hurricane; and “winning” a full day extension on our Disney pass in Orlando.

And then there was that time in Wales.

I was traveling with my aunt on a summer vacation in the UK. Aunt Alice had carefully organized our trip around dozens of compelling sites and events, though why she included a four-day bus tour of Wales was a mystery to me. But. then again, I was only 15.

When the Wales tour group gathered, I was the only passenger under 40 and one of only two people who spoke “American”. Not so subtle stares and muffled conversations confirmed my status as a conspicuous misfit Thank goodness for the spectacular Welsh countryside which soon drew everyone’s attention out the window and away from me.

After our first comfort stop, as we settled into our seats, there was a sudden commotion at the front of the bus. An elderly man, traveling alone, was missing. While everyone offered wild guesses about his whereabouts, an observant woman spotted him climbing up a nearby hillside.

The tour guide bounded off the bus calling to the elderly man urging him to come down promptly and rejoin the group. Some passengers greeted the elderly man’s return by turning their backs and ignoring him while others gave full voice to their feelings, loudly labeling him “foolhardy” and “inconsiderate”.

To his credit, the elderly man paid exactly no attention to any of them. I was relieved he was safely back in his seat. But hold on, he wasn’t in his seat at all. He walked right by it continuing down the aisle stopping when he got to me. Then, in a flash, he drew his hand from behind his back and presented me with a lovely, purple flower he gathered from high on the hillside. “This is for you, Miss. It’s heather. Maybe you can bring it back to America to remember us by.” He doffed his cap, smiled, and returned to his seat. My aunt and I sat speechless.

None of this drama was lost on the busload of passengers. They looked at each other blankly., trying to make sense of the gentle gesture of the elderly man. Then like the bursting of a gigantic balloon everyone began celebrating this now “wonderful man” and his “heroic climb” to provide that “sweet little American girl” with such a “charming remembrance”. They fell all over each other trying to shake his hand and pat him on the back while also directing warm smiles and friendly waves to me and my aunt

The elderly man’s thoughtful act created instant comradery and a cheerful atmosphere that stayed with us all for the remainder of the tour.

Back home, I made a scrap book of our trip filled with pictures of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Trafalgar Square. But pride of place belonged to the well preserved heather, an unforgettable gift from an elderly man who - when you really stop and think about it - had never been part of our plan.

Perhaps I do know one other travel truth: we all own a collection of unforgettable vacation memories. Here is a welcoming place to share yours.

Response by Kathy Hendricks

What a great story, Lee. I love how the gentleman’s action changed your view of the trip as well as the attitudes of the attendees. It’s striking how an act of kindness and generosity can have such an effect. It’s so true that unplanned experiences can leave the most lasting impressions. While traveling across the country on an extended trip with my husband years ago, I can recall many such occasions when the plans we had carefully laid out were sidelined and replaced with even more grace-filled ones. Like the heather you pressed into your scrapbook, they remain as cherished keepsakes in the mind and heart.

I, too, look forward to our readers sharing some unplanned moments that turned out to be the most memorable.