Serendipity, Coincidence or Fate?
Unplanned moments, in life as well as in travel, can become some of our most vivid and lasting memories. And these moments don’t need to be complicated in nature. They can be relatively simple .
Meeting someone who unexpectedly affects you in some positive way or being at the right place at the right time are all examples of this. And if we’re lucky enough, these unplanned events can alter the trajectory of our travel or life journey in a most unexpected, positive way. So….
Be open to the expected and unexpected, the planned and the unplanned.
I feel lucky to have had some “Wow!” moments throughout my travels. What makes these moments so special is the impact they have on you well after returning home.
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MEETING PEOPLE IN UNEXPECTED PLACES
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Meeting locals and fellow travelers has enhanced my family’s travels many times. I truly believe that friendliness, the willingness to engage and being open minded can provide you with memories that will, in many instances, surpass your visit to any popular tourist site.
A “serendipitous” meeting on a Grand Canyon trail.
Now picture this…
A family of four walking down the Bright Angel Trail at the Grand Canyon. This famous trail takes you down to the bottom of the canyon. For Brady Bunch fans, this is the trail on which they rode donkeys.
Well, my family was not up for a donkey ride. A park ranger suggested we walk down a portion of the trail. So, like many visitors, we chose our feet over an ass!
So off we go down this unpaved, gravely trail with donkey scat and no guard rails! What an experience! We pass people (and donkeys) coming up and going down.
At one point, we pass a family whose young son is wearing a Long Island t-shirt, say hello and strike up a conversation. It turns out that the young boy’s grandmother is one of the original members of my daughter’s college sorority which started over 50 years ago! She is still active in it and my daughter knows her. Small world, huh?
A Hawaiian couple shares their memories of a tsunami.
Do you live near a coastal area? If so, you are accustomed to seeing “Hurricane Evacuation” signs. As a Long Islander, I know this well.
In Hawaii, “Tsunami Evacuation” signs are common. When visiting the Big Island, I have to admit that seeing these signs gave me goosebumps. Who doesn’t remember the footage of the 2000 Sumatra tsunami and the destruction it unleashed?
Meeting people who have experienced mother nature’s wrath and tell their story is always awe inspiring. And my family was lucky enough to meet a couple who could tell their story.
When visiting the Big Island, my family stopped at a local sushi place for dinner. We sat next to an older couple who struck up a conversation. The husband told us about the 1960 tsunami that hit Hilo when he was a child. Thirty foot plus waves crashed onto the island, destroying many homes and lives. When the waters receded, he remembers fish flopping all over the ground. His story telling of this catastrophic event was quite something. My kids just sat quietly, drinking in everything he said.
A local’s experience with such a traumatic event in Hawaii’s history left its imprint on our family forever. And more importantly, it reinforced to us the sensitive balance between us and nature.
One man’s personal story of the 1968 eruption of the Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica.
Our 25th wedding anniversary was spent in this beautiful country. Our lodging sat about one mile from the Arenal volcano. Sitting on our balcony, my husband and I would watch smoke billow from its roof, knowing this was an active volcano. Its last deadly eruption was in 1968 when it buried three surrounding villages.
Meeting someone who lived through this wrath of mother nature happened when we took a sloth tour.
Our driver, a man in his fifties, told us that he grew up near the Arenal Volcano and was a young child when the volcano unleashed its fury. He remembers how people fled the area, some luckier than others, and how its ash covered the landscape. Because of this horrific event, he now lives one hour away from the area.
He also shared a phone video of a jaguar (yes, the cat, not the car!) walking in the brush near his home while he was fishing. Wow!
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“BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME“
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New Orleans casts its unexpected spell on my family.
Sometimes, it is not just one moment in time that affects you for a lifetime. Our 5 day visit to New Orleans had this impact on my family.
In 2005, the world watched as Katrina pounded and destroyed New Orleans and the surrounding areas, leaving thousands homeless.
Fast forward to 2010. I’m planning a summer road trip and a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains is the focal point of our itinerary. Louisville and Memphis are added to create a road trip loop of sorts.
But as I’m travel planning, I hit a crossroads of sorts. Should we just drive over to the Smokies once we leave Memphis? But New Orleans keeps popping up on my radar. Are we up to another five hours of driving south to visit this city? Yes, we are! And it’s a decision we will never regret.
Little did I know that our trip coincided with Katrina’s 5 year anniversary.
The streets were abuzz with locals gearing up for a Saints exhibition game taking place at the Superdome, which housed thousands during Katrina. Free hats with “Who Dat?” were given out on the streets. My son proudly wore his and was high fived by many locals as we explored the city.
The many locals who shared their stories with us with always stay in our hearts. Their love and pride in their hometown was truly heartwarming.
A lunch stop at a neighborhood restaurant gave us first hand insight to this hurricane’s destruction. Our waitress lost her home to Katrina. She was a fireman’s wife and was so grateful to the NYC firemen that came down to help rebuild her home. Five years after Katrina, ground was finally broken on our home. We were stunned that it was taking so long to rebuild. Unfortunately, this story was too familiar for many residents, even until today.
The city that almost didn’t make our road trip itinerary came to be one of our favorite places. The unexpected effect that this city had on my family is unmeasurable. We met so many locals who showed us kindness and shared their stories. For that we will always be grateful and look forward to returning to NOLA in our future travels!
Our kids unexpectedly become Memphis newspaper stars!
Memphis is chock full of historical and musical sites. And my family visited them all — Lorraine Motel, Graceland, Beale Street. The list goes on.
But I always try to include something different in our itinerary and delve into a site that’s not on every tourist’s radar. This is where our visit to e C.H. Nash Museum at Chuccalissa comes in. And yes.. I know that this museum may not float to the top of Memphis must sees. But I highly recommend it.
Chucalissa is an archeology museum, focusing on American Indians who lived along the Mississippi. The museum contains indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a mound complex, a lab and trails. Something that my kids and husband would definitely enjoy.
On the day we visited, we were one of only a handful of people here. While exploring, a man came up to our family and asked if he could take our pictures. He was a photographer from the local paper and was doing a story on the museum.
Well, who knew that this visit would make my kids newspaper stars. They made the front page!
An unexpected theater find in Louisville, Kentucky.
Walking and exploring any city on your own without a formal tour is always a great way to find the unexpected.
While in Louisville, my family stumbled upon this beautiful theater that was screening one of Hitchcock’s lesser know films, “The Trouble With Harry.” Because we had nothing else planned and our kids were into going, we decided to go for it. And we are so glad we did!
The Palace is an architectural beauty on the inside. It was opened in 1928 and rededicated in 1994. My kids couldn’t get over seeing a movie in such a beautiful place.
To this day, when a Hitchcock film comes on, my kids remember the movie and this beautiful theater.
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MEETING THE FAMOUS UNEXPECTEDLY
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Over the years, my family has been lucky enough to bump into some famous people in unexpected places.
My first memory of such an encounter was in Paris in 1983. Who knew that when my friend and I were visiting the Eiffel Tower that Isabella Rossellini, the actress, model and activist, would filming a Lancome commercial nearby!
Click here to read more about my Paris story:
https://followmyyellowbrickroad.com/paris-my-ongoing-love-story-with-the-city-of-lights/
But there were more celebrity encounters to come.
Washington D.C. offered our family two unexpected celebrity sightings.
Pre children, my husband and I were strolling The Mall when we came upon a bandstand tucked away with some musicians jamming. But these weren’t just any musicians. None other than Carl Perkins and some other members of Elvis Presley’s back up band were rehearsing. We, along with a lucky handful of people, were treated to a private concert!
A future July 4th trip with children brought us face to face with actor Jimmy Schmitts taking a private tour at the National Archive and…
… a pre dinner stroll in Madrid brought our family up close and personal with the opening night of Just Go For It with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. We couldn’t believe that we actually got to see these stars at their European movie premiere!
So Remember… In travel as in life, stay open to all possibilities. You will be well rewarded!
