It’s hard to let go of a dream.

Ever since our trip to Tanzania and Kenya nearly 20 years ago, Barb has had one item at the very top of her bucket list. While a meet-and-greet with Neil Diamond would rank a close second, number one has always been to follow in the footsteps of fellow occupational therapist Dian Fossey and see the mountain gorillas of Africa up close.

So when friends asked if we would like to join them on a tour of South Africa, we immediately recognized an opportunity. We could safari with them, and precede the trip with gorilla trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Through a travel agent in Cape Town, we were matched with an outfitter in Rwanda, and soon the permits, accommodations, and travel arrangements were all in place.

But as the saying goes, “Man plans, and God laughs.”

Two weeks ago, when Barb first mentioned Ebola virus to me, I missed the significance. Since then, we have carefully scoured the news and public health announcements each day for any potential impact on our trekking plans.

The outbreak appears confined to specific areas of Uganda and the Congo, and there have been no reported cases in Rwanda. Our Cape Town travel agent has urged us not to cancel. In YouTube videos, tour guides implore viewers to ignore what they describe as hysteria from the Western media. ChatGPT and I have had daily discussions about the low likelihood of a larger outbreak. But Rwanda shares a border with Uganda, and the current strain of Ebola is quite deadly.

For the past week we have changed our minds daily, and sometimes hourly, about whether to risk the trek. Barb finally reached out to a friend who owns a home in Kenya. Her advice was to be very cautious, not because she thought we were likely to contract Ebola, but because if the outbreak spread across the Uganda-Rwanda border, our gorilla trekking permits could become worthless and stricter confinement rules might suddenly be imposed.

Our final decision is to continue with our plans is South Africa, but to cancel the gorilla trek. It has required a whirlwind round of emails and phone calls with our travel agent and the airlines. The Rwanda arrangements are non-refundable and our travel insurance excludes disease outbreaks, but we feel that with our permit fees, we have made a contribution to preserving African wildlife.

It’s hard watching Barb let go of a dream she has carried for nearly twenty years.

On the other hand, if anyone knows how to arrange a meeting with Neil Diamond, please let me know.