Taking a road trip during a global pandemic was not easy, and it was not a decision we took lightly but it was something that couldn't be avoided. I had never been to the panhandle and it was super strange being in Florida but in a different time zone - that was so wild to me. We were shocked by the lack of mask wearing in the area where we were and we took every possible precaution to counteract the negligence of everyone else. We wiped and sprayed down our entire hotel room with disinfectant, though the room was very clean, this was just a safety measure on our part. We also purchased Tide fabric spray and we sprayed ourselves down every time we left the room and of course we continued wearing masks and using hand sanitizer all of the time just like we do here at home. We also made sure to stay outside and sit outside when we could and we asked to change tables when we were being seated way too close to other parties. Thankfully we have both managed to stay healthy!
While this trip wasn't the most pleasant we have ever been on we purposely stayed at the beach forty minutes from where we needed to be so that we could unwind at the end of the day. We also got to take in some of the most magnificent sunsets I have ever seen in my entire life! There is something really healing about being close to the water, this was a choice I was really glad we made and the hotel was super clean and we were able to spend lots and lots of time outside.
We also had some really incredible food in Pensacola, amazing Soul food, amazing Cajun food and we went to a historic Irish Pub that actually appears in the March issue of Food Network Magazine.
I got to meet most of Tamy's family who I had not met before and I got to visit with her niece who we are close to, there were moments of high stress, a good bit of tension and then moments of closure and even moments of laughter. I have a stack of photos of baby Tamy (thank you Bonnie!) I got to see where Tamy went to school and where she hung out, we had really good conversations, and we made memories that won't soon be forgotten. We maybe didn't choose to go on this trip but we certainly did the best we could to travel safely during a pandemic and to have a little fun. I appreciate everyone who gave us advice for this trip and hoping soon we can travel a little more comfortably. I'm grateful to Bonnie and Patrick (Tamy's niece and her husband) who introduced us to amazing restaurants and suggested the hotel where we stayed. I found Pensacola to be a beautiful and interesting place but I am happy to be home.