Chris’s dad’s birthday is today. For as long as Chris and I have been together, Chris’s parents have almost always been traveling, usually in North America, during the time of his dad’s birthday every May, with a couple exceptions. They usually choose to travel at this time because his dad, who is self-employed, has a slower work period at this time. It’s also because the weather tends to warm up as spring approaches in the northern hemisphere, and they prefer the milder temperatures. While he certainly had a different kind of birthday this year with COVID-19, Chris’s mom prepared a nice meal of Sri Lankan style hoppers with eggs in them alongside a curry. No travel, but at least Sri Lankan food can come to him.

Chris’s dad’s favorite topic is always about travel: airports, airport lounges, different airlines, airline and hotel status, hotels and their amenities, different cultures and what makes them interesting across the world when they do their big round-the-world trips each year. So the worldwide pandemic has obviously halted a lot of his plans and what he’s looked forward to during the year. Because of this, he has less to talk and email us all about. In fact, these are the last two email subjects of emails he has sent the family: “Airbus A380” and “Jazzed Up Amenity Kits.” What will we do if we cannot travel for longer than just a few months, if it goes beyond a year? What will his emails and discussions be about then?