Special thanks to Sippin Gypsy for writing this hilarious guest post about the well meant plan to view the American eclipse in 2017, that went totally haywire!
Cheers Travelers!
This post comes to you while enjoying my Sippin Gypsy Jalapeno Margarita, a nice spicy cocktail to match the bite of a frustrating travel adventure! Cheers!!
Last year, the big hype in North America was the eclipse at the end of August. Living in south eastern United States, my family and I weren’t too far from several ideal viewing locations. My husband is a HUGE science buff so naturally it seemed like a great reason for a road trip closer to the path of totality and lucky for us, one of my favorite destinations, Savannah GA was projected to enjoy 99% total black out of the sun!
We rounded up friends and pulled the kids out of school and headed up to Savannah GA. Everything was going perfect… We booked rooms at one of my favorite spots in Savannah, The Mansion on Forsyth, conveniently located across from beautiful Forsyth Park that had a great view of the sky. The kids would be able to play on the playground, and we would be across the street from our hotel.
The eclipse was scheduled for a Monday afternoon around 1pm for us. We arrived to Savannah the night before and indulged in all of my favorites in this beautiful town. We had dinner at Treylor Park where we introduced our friends to Peanut Butter and Jelly Wings.
Later that evening we enjoyed a bottle of wine or three back at the hotel after we put the kids to bed, relaxing in the elegant but eclectic ambiance of the Mansion of Forsyth. 
The next morning, we squeezed in a little sightseeing after breakfast at Mirabelle Café (a favorite for my boys) and stopped by a mart to pick up cheeses and wines for a picnic in the park while enjoying the eclipse.
Since we were able to drive to Savannah, we already packed a cooler and picnic blanket to bring with us, but the Mansion on Forsyth concierge was really amazing at making sure their guests were comfortable and prepared for the eclipse as well. As planned, the boys were running around the playground having a great time while we adults opened the wine and sat back for great conversation and watching the sun slowly disappear.
Well…slowly disappear it did…. About 45 minutes before the eclipse was set to begin, ominous billowing clouds moved in over Savannah. Rain started started to taunt us with an “I dare you to stay outside” rhythm. Slowly the other groups that had settled in the park began to pack up and doge for their cars to take shelter from the increasing rainfall.
My heart sank.
My kids and husband were so excited for this eclipse. This was going to be a first for us as a family. And while eclipse viewing opportunities happen cyclically around the world, this one was supposed to be so amazing for the age of our kids, and the convenience of location to view totality. The rain bested us, and quite wet, we ducked inside to the hotel lobby. There amongst posh seating areas and majestic artwork, our friends and us sat….wet…cold and defeated and watched an eclipse on a TV above the bar. All the while getting texts of friends back home in Orlando enjoying a great view of the eclipse from our own neighborhood.
I suppose it would’ve been easier to concede had the rest of the day stayed stormy and dark…but as if the gods themselves wanted to add that one more flick of their extended middle finger….15 minutes after the eclipse passed…. the clouds rolled away and within an hour, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky…
What did I do to upset the weather gods!?
The kids rolled with defeat a little better, since in the end they missed a day of school and were able to enjoy Leopold’s Ice Cream. However, my husband and I resolved that maybe this is a sign that we have to plan for the next eclipse, even if its on the other side of the world…perhaps the gods weren’t keeping the eclipse away from our enjoyment, they were daring us to travel further and see new places. Challenge accepted.
Kristin is a wife, mother and lover of travel. Her blog, Sippin Gypsy offers tips and travel experiences as well as cocktails inspired from the flavors of her adventures. Read more about Savannah GA at: Sippin Gypsy Quick Tips for Savannah GA .
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