For once we are totally prepared for a trip I have been
planning for months; a month in Europe visiting several countries including a
river cruise on the Danube through Austria. My husband and I are so proud of
our efficient, compact packing job, with one small suitcase each for the entire
month. It is the day before our early morning departure and I have just printed
our boarding passes securing them in my new lightweight travel purse next to
our passports. Just a few last minute details and we are ready!
Looking in my email inbox I see the confirmation for the
city tour I have booked in Prague has arrived just in time. I quickly open the
email relieved that I can add this last document to my now complete and
organized voucher file. The email begins as expected:
‘Your tour for June 6th is confirmed, however, I must
advice you that our tours for today and tomorrow have been canceled due to the
severe flooding in Prague.’
I am perplexed, as I have been checking the weather almost
daily. I have not heard anything about flooding. I quickly begin a Google
search for news. The first story I see reports serious flooding, evacuations,
power outages, and sewer closures in parts of Prague. The next article reads,
‘Worst Flooding in Five Centuries in Passau, Germany.’ The article is complete
with a German man standing in front of his house in thigh high water. Passau is
where our river cruise begins! Panic sets in. Our flight is 12 hours away. Will
we be flying into a flood zone?
While Mark, my husband, is out doing last minute errands, I
can’t think what to do. I assumed my travel agent had gone home for the day but
I tried her number just in case. I breathed a sigh of relief when she picked
up. “Sonja, what is going on with our trip?”
“What do you mean?” she calmly asked.
“The flooding in Prague and Passau, it sounds really bad!”
“Flooding, what flooding? I haven’t heard about any
flooding.”
I proceeded to explain about the email and what I had read
online, and now she begins to panic. “I will try to reach the cruise-company
and call you right back.”
As I am pacing back and forth in front of our suitcases,
Mark returns.
“What is going on?” He asked. “I thought you were all
ready.”
“The whole trip may be falling apart! I am waiting for Sonja
to call back.” I explained the situation as the phone rang.
“Your entire
trip is cancelled, the cruise, the ground portion in Prague as well as at the
end of the cruise in Budapest. I am stunned and so sorry. I don’t even know
what to tell you to do.”
We had booked our flights separately (non-refundable of
course) and were already checked in. However, we no longer had reservations or
a plan of any sort, once we arrived in flood ravaged Prague.
After much fretting and deliberation, we decided to cancel
our flights and hoped that our travel insurance would cover our losses. What a
let down.
The next morning we debated about changing our plans and
going somewhere totaling different, or just postponing our vacation for another
time. But to waste all the planning, preparation, and those meticulously packed
suitcases! We spent a day and a half trying to put another trip together, but
it is just not happening. Oh well, such is life.
Putting a positive note on our lost trip, we can begin
planning and looking forward to the replacement trip. Instead of being sad
because vacation is over, we still have it ahead of us. I might even keep that
suitcase packed.
