My wife and I will be traveling to England and Wales next spring. I am a huge Manchester United fan, as well as a fan of English Premier League soccer. I dreamed of one day watching my team play in one of the world’s premiere soccer venues, Old Trafford. One day my wife, Robin, said, “Why don’t we go?”
Now, two people of our age planning an overseas trip is not a spur-of-the moment thing. We both work, we both have major health issues, and we have a family. But if there is one thing my wife can do well, it’s plan and organize. I, apparently, can’t count, so I’m letting her plan and organize,
Step 1 was to get tickets. Manchester United is, arguably, the biggest name in the world of professional soccer. It’s a global brand, so one does not simply order Manchester United tickets. Simply put, they weren’t available, as every game is sold out. At least, tickets were not available at the price we wanted to pay. Ahhh! Therein lies the rub. I found a couple of hospitality tickets for the match between Manchester United and Chelsea. We have a chance to see the real Captain America, Christian Pulisic! These are two seats in a posh area of the stadium. We’ll have great seats access to complimentary adult beverages, food, and a private, personal tour of the Manchester United Museum. The catch? They were $600 apiece. Robin said, “This will be our big-ticket centerpiece of our once-in-a-lifetime trip.” So the tickets have been purchased. We also officially became members of Manchester United. I mean, we have the hospitality seats, right?
Next came the passports. Neither Robin nor I have ever traveled outside of the continent. I’ve been to Canada, our oh-so-polite and wacky 51st state up north, as has Robin and she’s been to Tijuana in her lukewarm, tempestuous youth. Neither visit necessitated a passport. So, I, with my vast knowledge of various bureaucratic entities, and processes, dove into the US State Department‘s passport application process. The secret to a successful government endeavor is the same as the secret for a husband to have a long, successful marriage.
Do what they want, the way they want it done, when they want it done, and do it with a smile. Jewelry helps. That’s just for marriages. If you give government bureaucrats jewelry you can go to jail. So as of this past Wednesday, Robin and I are now expectant passport applicants. In 5-7 weeks, we’ll have a celebration as we announce the newest members of our family,
We have been in contact with a travel agent. In a couple of weeks we’re traveling down to St. Wendel, IN to visit Robin’s parents. We’ll also meet with a former classmate of Robin’s who is a travel agent. She will help us plan our trip, arrange flights, hotels, etc. If it were up to me, I would just hop in a car and drive there. I wouldn’t make it past the beach, but that’s the level of knowledge I have of international travel.
Our plan, at this point, is fly into London and spend a few days there. I will say up front that I hate big cities. Masses of people make my skin itch, and hyper-vigilance is exhausting. However, I do have to reward Robin, who has done the yeoman’s portion of the planning. I will also be able to personally meet Dylan Gwinn. Dylan and I have collaborated on projects with Safe Havens International, the non-profit school safety center I work for. He lives in England, and is a right nice chap, so it will be a pleasure to personally meet him.
Next up? Wales. If there’s one thing I love, it’s talking about Wales, King Arthur, pubs, castles, and other-worldly creatures. But clearly not counting.
Meditations of a Bald, Fat Guy 