While on a recent brisk winter walk , my mind wandered as I dreamt of how wonderful my upcoming trip to Cancun will be . After spending most of 2024 recovering from back surgery , escaping with my husband , Jerry , to an all-inclusive Mexican resort with limitless gourmet dining and cocktails , luxurious suites , pools galore , and the opportunity to sun ourselves on a white-sand beach sounds perfectly heavenly . Calgon , take me away ! We ’ ll celebrate Jerry ’ s birthday too by golfing , deep-sea fishing , and a catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres .

Unlike some past vacations , this trip should go well , because Lynn Phipps , travel professional extraordinaire with Magical Travel & Events in Rome , steered me in the right direction . I had considered another resort , but she knew it had a subpar filtration system ( hence the reason some people warn you , “ Don ’ t drink the water ”). I ’ ve had my share of disastrous experiences

Me and my travel buddy , and husband , were all smiles on a relaxing trip to Lake Thurmond in McCormick , South Carolina . in the past . Back when I worked in radio , for example , we treated our top clients to a group trip to Cancun , and most of them got Montezuma ’ s revenge . When we were at the airport waiting to leave , instead of passing around celebratory shots at the airport bar , everyone was nursing bottles of Pepto-Bismol !

Over the past few years , I ’ ve planned trips to Europe , and plotting the cities we ’ d visit and finding the right lodgings was overwhelming and time-consuming . One journey to Spain was particularly fraught with mishaps . When we arrived at our Airbnb in Barcelona , dead tired from not sleeping on the plane , the elevator broke , and we had to walk up nine up flights of stairs to get to our rooftop apartment . When we were taxiing to our train to Pamplona , we accidentally left our tickets in the car . After difficulty explaining our dilemma ( why didn ’ t we think to use a translation app ?), we barely made our train after running through the terminal . At our next stop , we rented a car , and driving in another country proved to be nerve-racking . If I had to do it all over again , I would have made reservations for more extended periods , because we always seemed to be rushing to get to the next place . Jerry and I have shared some laughs over the many fiascos on that trip .

For our vacation to England and Wales in 2023 , we smartened up and used a travel advisor , and it was truly amazing . It started with a planning session to determine our itinerary and other preferences . The most memorable place we stayed was the Roch Castle in Wales , a five-star luxury experience . When we were in Bath , the crowds took over the city because it was a bank holiday . Unfortunately , we didn ’ t follow our travel agent ’ s advice to get tickets in advance to tour the underground baths , the main tourist attraction , and they were sold out . We spent the evening in our sleek , industrial-style hotel room to escape the crowds , which we appreciated because it had air conditioning — something you don ’ t always find in the UK . We also enjoyed a take-out pizza . In the end , we accomplished all our goals : visiting my family ’ s ancestral home north of Manchester , the rustic coast of Wales , and seeing the quaint thatched cottages in the Cotswolds .

The goal for our upcoming trip to Cancun is simple : to have fun . My body may not be beach-ready , but in my mind , I ’ m already there . I hear the resort has a Mexican Elvis impersonator . Even though my husband doesn ’ t dance , I might hit the dance floor alone , with a whole lot of shaking going on !

4 | NW GEORGIA LIVING JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2025

JAN / FEB 2025 Volume 16 | Issue 1

Publisher and Founder Editor-in-Chief Laura Wood Erickson

Editor Jill Becker

Creative Director Andi Counts

Designer Mackenzie Allanson

Copy Editor Elin Woods

Contributing Writers Jill Becker Ande Frazier Tanaya Larsen Kathy Patrick Lynn Phipps Alison Smith Robert Smyth Braden Sutton-Zickafoose Rachel Turner Elin Woods

Web Master Tracy Slack & Associates

Sales Laura Wood Erickson wood . laura @ yahoo . com

We welcome all contributions , but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited material .

NW Georgia Living is published bimonthly by L . Wood LLC . Copyright © 2025 . All rights reserved . No portion of this publication may be copied , scanned , or reproduced in any manner without prior written consent from the publisher .

NW Georgia Living Jan/Feb 2025 | Page 6

Planes , Trains , and Adversities