Sunday, March 3, 2013

It began with a voicemail in Austin...

I was strutting down 6th Street amidst the chaos of SXSW on the last day of the Interactive Technology festival and the upswing of the music and film festivals, when my phone's vibration interrupted my carefree stride.  A voicemail seeped through the invisible layers of the internet and landed with a bump in my pocket.
I quickly pulled my phone out and read the transcription.  It was a little bit tangled, but mentioned something about winning a free cruise to Europe and instructed me to call my sister now to collect the prize.  Even more puzzling, the message appeared to come from my sister, Emily.  I stopped walking.  Standing there in the middle of the pedestrian packed street I called my little sister (age 27) to see what this was all about.
She admitted the winning was a joke, but that the cruise invitation was for real.  As she pursued her dream of traveling abroad and living in Italy, she found a deal on a cruise voyage that was cheaper than flying, and included beds for two.  Given the situation, I was the best pick for travel partners, so she offered the second ticket to me, on the condition that I help her carry her overweight luggage.


Little did I know, accepting her invitation would be just the beginning of a long and unpredictable adventure laced with hidden wonders, unusual characters, and precious moments together as brother and sister abroad.

1 comment:

  1. What a joke call! I want my lil bro to do the same. :) It's great you've entered the blogging world! Can't wait to read more!

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