Reconsidering This Trip

I'm asking Dmitriy and our travel agent to consider options:

1. Suspend trip until conditions are safe for stopover areas

2. Cancel the trip and apply refund to a completely NEW trip plan where we both fly to a neutral, safe place for a vacation together.

I'm adventurous. I'm dying to finally be with my beloved "other family".

But I'm not foolish. Mama didn't raise no dummies. Some risks are not worth it.

Two ways to fly from Seattle to Tashkent:

Turkish Airlines with layover in Istanbul and Qatar Airlines with layover in Doha.

US Department of Travel advisory - travel alerts:

Monday - March 9th

After a short period of flux and consternation, I have settled down a bit and realized this is not a big problem after all. Things happen all the time with flights. Not that big a deal.

We have a wonderful travel agent - Priceline Philip. I highly recommend him if you, or anyone you know is planning a trip. He's smart and very good to work with. His number is 1.832.915.3384 -- ext. 4545 He will find you the best price, shortest & fastest route and he'll cover all the bases with you concerning rules, procedures & trip planning necessities.

So the consensus after speaking with Dmitriy and also Priceline Philip is this:

• We have no idea how the Middle East situation will develop over the next weeks and months. For all we know, things may go as planned with no changes.

• The airlines are working hard on air flights for current evacuations, and also alternative means to accommodate customers with pending flights.

• Since this situation is not in our control, no money will be lost. That's important.

• We will either continue as planned, have an alternate route, or simply delay the trip until conditions improve.

I'm the kind of person who -- when I have a plan underway -- in my mind, it is already a fait accompli .. it's already done .. and I'm off to the next ideas & plans! That means I want to leave TODAY for this Tashkent trip! Maybe it's my redhead type-A traits ... delayed gratification can be excruciating sometimes!

So that is the state of affairs as of today. More updates coming.

Keep calm and carry on.

It's all good