My mother is currently celebrating her 59th birthday in Swiss Alps -- a trip she's been anticipating for nearly a year when her brother first put a bee in her bonnet. She's been in Europe for just shy of four days now, leisurely making her way through Switzerland with a few stops scheduled in Italy and France. Along with her oldest brother, my mom's travel-mates include her youngest brother and a few of her favorite sister-in-laws. Missing from the mix? Dad.
My dad had no interest in joining my mom on her European adventures. He was happy to drop her at the airport and wish her safe travels. It’s nothing personal; Mom's not the only one who has experienced the dad-drop-off. My sisters and I have bid Dad farewell at the airport in route to Norway, Ireland, Mexico, Argentina... "Have fun. Be safe." We did. We were. Dad would make his way home, content to keep his feet on the ground and let his girls do the jet-setting.
How did this happen? How did a cool, calm and perfectly content homebody create a daughter who gets antsy without an upcoming trip on the horizon, and perhaps has a little bit of a chemical imbalance that requires a rush of adrenaline to correct?
I can only image that he is equally confused. When I brought up the desire to take Amazon sea-kayaking trip this winter, I was quick to also add a few extra Amazon-esque embellishments that among many things included the disappearance legendary explorer, Percy Fawcett, electric eels and the infamous candiru; the bloodsucking tiny fish who has a reputation of seeking out the most intimate parts of the body… Dad didn’t quite share my enthusiasm.
But no matter how reluctant my dad may be to join in the travels, he is the one to blame for the wanderlust. As a kid, Mom and Dad toted my sisters and me across North America, from Alaska to Florida, and plenty of weekend escapes to Lake Superior’s North Shore – we filled in the gaps with the best of Minnesota. We were encouraged to wonder what else was out there to explore. It was more than just the mere action of traveling. It was things like Dad’s 4:30 am rise and shine to watch the sunrise along the Mississippi. It was things like earning our stripes in the Polar Bear club – Dad proudly led his bear cubs through the thin layers of lake ice; the colder the temp the greater the bragging rights. It didn’t necessarily matter the places we saw. It was the way Dad showed these places to us, with energy, curiosity and an ongoing pursuit of adventure. I took it in – wide-eyed and eager for more.
Last Father’s Day, Mom and Dad made the trip from Minnesota to my home in Missoula. Almost the minute they arrive, I took off to do a little backcountry in Glacier National Park. It was beautiful trekking, a bit of spring-snow – prime grizzly country. My parents enjoyed a private weekend with the grandkids, they took care of Dad’s day with plenty of grand-kid charm that included a few carefully constructed artistic gifts. And to be honest, there are few places my dad would rather be than quietly strolling Missoula; it definitely has his rhythm if not his politics.
Glacier and grizzlies for me. Chillin’ in Missoula for Dad. Yep, that sounds about right.
This Father’s Day we will both be grounded; me in Missoula, Dad in Minnesota. But we’ll take time to connect. I’ll give him a call, ask if he’s heard from the Swiss-Miss (Mom) and let him know that my Amazon trip is a go. He’ll send me well-wishes, “Have fun. Be safe.” And while I won’t need a dad-drop-off for this upcoming adventure, I know I’ll get there because of Dad nevertheless.
So Dad, while you say potato and I say high altitude 4-day Andean trek – at the end of the day I have you to thank for the countless, unforgettable travels I’ve had the privilege to pursue. And I promise I’ll keep a cool-head when you make casual comments like, “Now that you mention it, I have always wanted to visit the Galapagos.”
Love you Dad. Wishing you and all charming, supportive and loving fathers out there a happy Father’s Day.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.