Back in December as we were considering what we wanted to do for our 20th anniversary, I was almost paralyzed with indecision. So many of our friends are traveling, but we haven't been on a plane since we flew home from our Mardi Gras / Norwegian cruise through the Western Caribbean on February 23, 2020. Vaxxed & boosted, we felt it was time. Still, the idea of international travel made me kind of twitchy. I've had a few friends find themselves stranded abroad due to canceled flights and/or new lockdown regulations, and I didn't want to risk it with Omicron running amok across the globe. There were just too many unknowns.
Not that we didn't seriously consider it, mind you. Back in 2010, we visited Couples Sans Souci in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and had a gloriously wonderful time. We've always meant to go back. I follow them on Instagram so I know they're taking their Covid protocols seriously, and with on-site return flight testing, I felt better about going there than somewhere else in the Caribbbean. Still ... twitchy. A return trip to Puerto Rico was another option we considered, but in the end we couldn't decide between venturing out to Vieques or staying in Candado or Old Town, so we decided to table that trip until a later date as well.
As the month wore on and February loomed closer, I knew we had to make a decision soon because we were not celebrating another wedding anniversary with takeout at the same dining room table we've eaten approximately 700 pandemic dinners at. If you've known me for any amount of time, you know how seriously I take our travels - especially our anniversary trips. Having been married in Maui all those years ago, being able to get away together at this time of year is something we look forward to.
It wasn't until we were watching the Christmas in Miami episode of TASTE THE NATION on Hulu that the lightbulb went off. A combo Miami / Key West vacation would be perfect! We've talked about visiting both cities over the years but have never really prioritized either. I ended up booking four nights in Miami and three in Key West, and we leave in a few days. To say we're giddy about the prospect of getting down into the sun and warmth is an understatement. Keep your fingers crossed that the forecast for Miami improves between now and then.
