A sim card that works in Europe, Check. Camera lenses, Check. Journal, Check. A timelapse of my suitcase packing itself, Check.

I was ready to go to Europe weeks in advance. This would be my big trip ending with the milestones and the age “30 by 30”. My 30 countries by 30 years old.

There were rumblings through the news of some strange virus spreading into and through Europe, Covid-19. Two weeks before my trip Venice is quarantined. We received the notification that it would be affecting the trip for all Americans. Then Italy was a “no-go”. Ok, I would travel with the group as far as Solvenia and then make my own way around Italy going north. I’ve soloed over 10 years, one week on my own is really easy to manage.

I catch my flight to London, as my flights are not cancelled and the UK is still considered open for travel.

Having Just arrived, I was recommended to take the tube, that almost anything can be accessible by tube. There was even a stop just a bock from my hotel. Jet lagged and adventurous I make my way to Piccadilly, and going by ‘when in Rome do as Romans do’, minded my own as I rode in silence. Then a very welcome interruption got my attention. One of the fellow passengers had gone to the University of Colorado, and had seen my CU patch that I had put on my bag with my world flags that has become a ‘souvenir’ while simultaneously decorating my luggage. We chat presently to the station, got a few tips of things I must see. Small world making for fond travel memories.

Once at my hotel and checked in I hit the town running. The British museum and its virtually empty exhibits. I stood in front of the Rosetta Stone unobstructed by any other visitor. Saw Cleopatra, and the Greek marbles that were the subject of so many of my museology classes. A segment of the Egyptian book of the dead, and viking chess pieces. Even a Merman, (which was claimed to be caught in Japan, but was later revealed to be the top half of a monkey sewn onto the bottom half of a fish. This ‘curiosity’ is still in the museum and is part of a great narrative about the collection of specimen.)  This museum has been a dream of mine to visit. The stories of splendors, the treasure looted during the British empire, gifted during explorations for the knowledge of the world, making way for the idea of the ‘other’. Rooms having free tours hourly, and very specific curated tours and talks for an additional ticket.

The Maya Stelae that captured my love of archaeology, that I had translated in undergrad with who I considered my mentor in the field (shout out to Dr. Inga Calvin) sat before me, adhered to the walls under angled lights to show the texture in their carved surface. The grey stone I started to imagine in the colours that Inga had us apply to the different parts of the text. I was reading the hieroglyphs in front of me. Dates, rulers, and intricate images of the bloodletting. The sculpture of the ruler Waxaklajuun Ub’aah K’awiil, or “18 rabbit” whom was the basis of much amusement in my Mayan classes, sat just outside the room with the Mayan figures.

I retreated back toward the hotel to call it a night and the whole world changed.

The next morning my phone was blowing up with new alerts, the US was closing down travel with Europe. There was no warning for Americans abroad and no way to contact the American consulate, as their phone was in a constant state of ‘busy signal’. (Later I heard that the announcement resulted in a wave of American tourists fleeing to the airports in fear that they would not be allowed back home unless they left immediately.)

I am very much a “if its out of your control, don’t worry about it, plan for it” traveler, I figured I would give it a few hours, come up with plans, and then act accordingly.

I went on my previously scheduled tour of the Harry Potter Studios, reliving my childhood and hopes of receiving my owl as I was re-reading the first book as I turned 11. Much like the British Museum, the studio wasn’t crowded, though there were plenty of other Potter nerds like myself to bask in the glory of both the books and the films, and this wonderful place where those worlds merged. The goblet of fire shot out a piece of paper the tour guide put in, and as it rolled away the small group just watched. After her demonstration was over I walk over and pick up the paper to hand back, which she then tells me I can keep. I unroll it and it has the messy hand writing “Harry Potter”. Tour guides keep these papers for the demonstration, and all those that thought it was just a scrap piece of paper missed out on a really cool souvenir. I flew over the streets of London on a broomstick, Washed down lunch with a butter beer, then boarded the bus back to reality. My advice for anyone that goes, the tours are about 5 hours. Take your time! and don’t forget your Harry Potter passport to get stamped in the different areas around the tour.

When I walk into the hotel room, a new suitcase is laid out on the bed, and I meet my assigned roomate for the night. We do a quick greeting and then I’m asked “have you heard the news?” This was a phrase that is now burned into my brain. They had cancelled ALL tours that day at lunch time. I quickly make my way towards the tour desk, on my way seeing another traveler smoking on the picknic table outside. I know the gist of whats happening, this confirms it. “That bad?” She replied between puffs of smoke “Worse.”

While on the bus back to the hotel, I had a inkling this could happen. I tried to come up with plan B. And C…. And D

Plan B: Make my way through Europe on my own. My flights were in and out of London, my roommate and new friend was equally as adventurous to the idea of making our way.

Plan C: going to my 30 countries, calling the trip a little early, and see about changing return flight home.

I went to see Tower Bridge, walking a good portion of London.

Overnight the announcement was made that the UK would join the list of Europe to be cut off from the US.

Plan D… My Month long Europe trip was reduced to a 4 day weekend. I changed my flights and was able to get one leaving Monday morning direct from London to Denver.

While wondering around with an Australian and Canadian, we stopped for some fish and chips at Ben’s Traditional FIsh and Chips, where the shop runners were pleasant men, originally from Turkey. I started to be told about an amazing church structure that was in their hometown that is from 10,000 BC. Gobekli Tepe. My go-to travel list just got longer, and over all, it was a very pleasant short trip to a big city that, while I have visited before, Now had more time to explore. I was going to make the most of my couple of days in London, and went to explore a few places that had been on my “if I’m ever in London again” list, and discovered a magnificent chain of coffee shops. Pret A Manger. French for ‘ready to eat’. This became my staple coffee place, and where I would take the Australians I met along the way.  We did the hop-on-hop-off bus tours, went up the Shard to look out over London, and had drinks at the rooftop of the Tate Modern (a museum nerd checklist item).

The next day, I met up with my Aussies and we continued to make London ‘magical’ with Parts 1 & 2 of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theater. The effects, the cast, and the atmosphere of the theater experience added an aspect to my trip that I didn’t realize I was missing.  If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, you may not have seen yourself cheering for a Slitheryn any time in the near future, but alas, J.K. Rowling made it happen.

Monday morning I was packed and made my way to the airport, this time much more familiar with the Tube. This turned out to be the LAST flight that was being allowed to go into Denver from London. Everything else was going to have to go through a CDC approved airport. The flight attendants had already had their flights home cancelled. The previous panic had resulted in this flight being empty enough that everyone had their own row. The overarching sense of fear, the questioning about had any of us been to anywhere else in Europe, gave way to the pleasure of having a full row to lay down in while I watched my inflight movie with a complementary glass of wine.

In the words of Dumbledore “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.“