geth

I am getting married in just over 3 weeks. We had planned to fly to Boston (from Nebraska) and stay in Salem. My fiancee and I are a tad nervous right now at the thought of going to ANY large well known metro area. (Ok, we admit it, we're small town hicks, so sue us). However, this is the honeymoon we've always wanted.

BUT.... if something else happens, we just frankly aren't going to feel comfortable on a plane (who would?). We are trying to think of a backup honeymoon plan within say a 12 hour driving radius of nebraska (near lincoln) but would still feel "different" from our everyday lives.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Bruce

It is such a shame that people are going to ruin their honeymoon because of fear. Travel by plane is just as safe, or safer than it was 2 months ago, were you afraid to go then?

The criminals who blew up the plane must be laughing at you if you are afraid of being in a metro area with over 4 million people. Why would you be the chosen ones to be attacked, your hotel, your flight, your tourist attraction?

Go to Boston, its very nice in October, enjoy your self. There is nothing as interesting within a days drive of Omaha.

Pat

Bruce: People have a right to their emotions. Please don't tell geth how she should feel right now. (I'm assuming geth is a female.) Also, if you are from a small town, big cities can be overwhelming at any time. She is asking for advice, not ridicule.
Geth: How about a small city in Colorado? The aspens should be beautiful in October.

geth

Pat,

Thank you for your kind words and suggestion. I had not considered Colorado (stupidly maybe). I had looked at Winnipeg, Canada (fur trading? ecck, not for me) and Minneapolis (err, i unlike many, am not a "mall shopper", and the Ozarks in Missouri/Arkansas (but ugh, i don't like country music. The seven years i lived in MO are more than enough "southern" for me") No offense to any of those locations, someday I may vacation there, just not for my honeymoon.

To Bruce: please notice that i said IF something ELSE happens we wouldn't feel safe. Why is that so far fetched? And as to why would it be me that was targeted, well I'm certain the people on those four planes, in the 2 towers, and in the Pentagon had no fear they would be targeted, and yet, they were.

I am afraid. And that truly is a shame. Telling people not to fear after such a horrendous occurence is a bit... insensitve.

I don't want to change my travel plans, and as of right now, my reservations all stand. However, as we've seen, MUCH can change in a short time, and my wedding is still 3 1/2 long weeks away. I didn't think it was terribly silly to consider some sort of backup plan.

geth

One other thing, I'm somewhat concerned with the difficulties that the airlines are announcing, that our flight maybe cancelled or rescheduled to times that do not work for our purposes.

Pat

geth: I didn't EVEN want to touch what Bruce said about the terrorists targeting you - ugh - what a ludicrous statement.
Actually, I think Canada would be wonderful - I doubt if the entire city of Winnepeg is devoted to the fur trade, just as Minneapolis is so much more than that giant mall (I'm with you about mall shopping) Maybe stroll over to the Canada post & ask questions. Or, check out Colorado more - Vail? Aspen? Get out the 'ole atlas & draw a circle from your hometown that would include everything within a 12 hour drive. Good luck & keep us posted as to your decision.

Bruce

I do not understand the thought patterns of the people responding to these posts. If the orginal poster was afraid to go to Boston then everyplace is suspect. Minneapolis, Canada, country, city are all at risk. How about the risk of sometype of accident driving. I still think the chance of getting hit in Boston is lower than driving around the country.

We all have to be open to risk in our daily lives. I get nervous driving on a rainy night, but have to control our fears or we would never leave our homes.

If Boston is such a scary place why isn't all its residents leaving in mass!

Elizabeth

My advice: your wedding is just around the corner: make a honeymoon plan that you like and that causes you the least possible anxiety. As I see it fear and anxiety are natural responses to what has happened. Like most feelings these will arise and mutate at their own organic pace, and probably not at a pcae you try to force upon them.
I don't see any reason to make honeymoon plans that activate anxiety. I think the plans should feel secure to you, as of your emotional state right now.
You can then deal with your fear, if it persists, sometime down the line, if it seems necessary to "deal with it." I just don't see any reason to live with a stressful honeymoon plan, or to load a "challenge" into a honeymoon plan. There is enough of an emotional load/charge to the event of getting married already. And--I wish you absolutely all the best and am glad to hear of a wedding about to take place.

little me

Missouri, southern? I hope you don't think MO is representative of what you'll find in the south?

I'm not much of a cartographer either so I don't know the distance for you, but what about Banff & Lake Louise? Or the Grand Hotel in what is it, Michigan? Can someone help on that? It's the one in Somewhere in Time. I've always thought that looked incredibly romantic.

We are changing plans too, saving the "big trip" for a smaller one till we feel better about air travel. Being together is the most important thing, right? Best wishes.

geth

Thanks everyone for replying. I'll have lots to think about in the next few days.

Do I think of Missouri as southern? Well I've lived pretty much my whole life in Nebraska. To me, Missouri seemed awfully southern. They had biscuits and gravy for breakfast!! <gasp> (please, i am being facetious here)
Bruce: you aren't getting it, and i obviously can't explain it to you. Boston itself isn't scary (well other than Logan airport). ALL urban areas that might look like tasty terrorist targets are rather scary. <sigh> I see your point. Don't change anything. But you can't seem to understand that fear isn't always rational. Its an emotion. And i can't just talk myself out of that anymore than you can talk yourself out of love. I can FORCE myself to go to Boston, but i wonder why I should? its my honeymoon, why do something that makes me afraid?

At any rate, i'm done with arguing. It isn't productive or positive. Thanks again to all the positive suggestions i've seen! We'll be talking more over the next few days.

Cali

The Grand Hotel is on Mackinac Island in Michigan. I think Michigan would be a beautiful spot for a driving honeymoon. There are many lovely spots along the Lake Michigan shore all the way up to Mackinac and it would be lovely this time of year with the leaves changing. Also, Minneapolis has lots more to do than Mall shopping.

Pat

geth: Michigan IS a beautiful state - but I honestly cannot recommend Macinac (sp) Island and the Grand Hotel - we were terribly disappointed when we travelled there from Chicago two years ago. There was NOTHING to do on a very small island.

Elizabeth

I think of Canada as safe. To me that's a nice creative idea.
I just came back from a trip to Colorado--I spent 24 hours in Denver and then drove to Crested Butte for a wedding. As I am a New Yorker, I have been almost nowhere in my own country (but look forward to this changing), and I had such a wonderful time finding a whole new kind of beauty in the world. (I know Europe better than the US)
Oddly, while I was there, I had a whole new sense of "being American," and talked to people about it (other East Coast urban people); then this thing happened which made me and I think others in New York feel "more American," and also feel as if our country saw US as "more American" than it had before.

Texas

As a person raised on biscuits & gravy for breakfast, let me extend an invite to the beautiful Hill Country of Texas. Wimberly, Canyon Lake, Marble Falls, New Braunfels. We're not fancy, but we're friendly. Warm days, cool nights, & lots to do & see. And we'll serve you most anything you like in the morning. How's a taco sound? ;-)

Happy Wedding, ya'll.

Denise

Hi! I have a comment on Winnipeg. I live there and no, we are not in the fur trading business right now. Maybe a few hundred years ago. We are just like any other Canadian city. Population of approx 650,000. There are many wonderful sites to see and autumn is a beautiful time of year. I am not writing this to be mean. Just wanted to let you know.

geth

Denise,

Thanks for your input! Unfortunately telling me its like any other Canadian city still leaves me clueless . I did a bit of research on it this morning, and the references to fur trading were the ones that stood out. I've never been to Canada so please feel free to educate me on the wonders of Winnipeg . Its just about a 12 hour drive from here, so doable if I decide flying is just out for me.

(they did change my itinerary btw. I now have a 4 hour layover in St.Louis where before it was just 1. I'm afraid to see how many more times they will change it before the day comes . Not that i don't understand their predicament.)

Thanks for the neighborly invite down to Texas! I think I read some fiction books about Texas hill country, and it sounded interesting. Might have to look further into it!

Even if we end up continuing with our plans to Boston, I'll have so many wonderful ideas for future vacations!!

Thanks again everyone!

Ron

We just came back from Boston the week before the bombings. We are all scared. Boston is a nice town with many things to do without a car. If you like sightseeing this is the place for you. We did not make it to Salem but the Freedom Trail has Paul Revere's house, The old north end church (one by land, two by sea), the USS Constitution and that only scratches the surface. Think of it this way, the city will be really empty of tourists because many people are staying away from all big cities. No lines at Cheers! Go and enjoy yourself...don't be scared on your honeymoon and God Bless You and America.

cg

Geth -

I am a bad flier in general, and now even more so, but a good friend just got married in Florida this past weekend and so I sucked it up and got on the plane. The flight out was bad (I hardly slept the night before thinking about it), but I brought a great book and had my dear husband beside me, so I was fine. I keep telling myself that even on the day of the attacks, only 4 planes out of 30,000 scheduled on that day were hit. Not to minimize how awful what happened was and is, but I like to figure the odds to make myself feel better (did the same thing after the Egypt Air, Swiss Air and TWA crashes). It's a real big bummer if you don't beat the odds and happen to be one of the people on those flights, but it helps me hyperventilate less to know my odds on any one flight are very low. I was much less nervous about the flight back, and it went fine apart from my usual fears about turbulence and strange creaking noises.

So, I guess my advice to you is to just go with your gut. If you really want your honeymoon in Boston, go for it! I would guess that once you're there, you'll relax and be able to enjoy yourself. I fly despite despising every second of it because I try really hard to keep my life from being ruled by fear. If it's my time to go, staying home isn't going to make any difference anyway. But, there are definitely times when I feel like locking myself in the basement with cases of bottled water and canned foods, so I can totally understand your desire for a backup plan. Everyone's comfort level is different - I just wanted to give you the perspective of someone who's a big chicken about flying and had done it recently.

Congrats on your engagement, and best of luck with your decision!