24/09/2026
my dreams came true.
Last month, I traveled with my daughter to Chamonix, France, through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which is about 13 kilometers long.
For me, this was not simply a vacation. It was the fulfillment of a dream that began decades ago.
I would like to mention that I am a polio survivor from the 1954. I use crutches for walking, and for the past twenty years, I have also used a mobility scooter for longer distances.
Many years ago, on my very first trip to Europe, I set out in a car equipped with hand controls, which allowed me to drive independently, on my way to a social workers’ conference in Brighton, England.
I arrived in Europe by ferry from Haifa to Brindisi, Italy.
Following security related circumstances after the First Lebanon War, the sailing was postponed by two days. Instead of leaving on Monday evening, the ferry finally departed on Wednesday evening.
In order to reach the conference on time, I had to drive almost continuously: from Brindisi all the way through Italy, across France and through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, then to Calais, where I took another ferry to Dover in England.
From Dover, I drove for another two hours on the left-hand side of the road, as is customary in Britain, until I reached Brighton.
In total, about 2,200 kilometers, in 48 hours.
I managed to arrive at the conference on Wednesday morning, take part in the final two days (out of four), and afterward met the two social workers who were hosting me for visits the organizations where they worked.
But one thing stayed with me all these years, my wish to experience the magnificent landscapes I had passed through without having the time to stop, look around and enjoy them.
And so, a wish was born and stayed with me for decades, the dream to return one day to those same places, this time without rushing. To stop. To look. To explore. To enjoy.
And last month, it finally happened.
We landed in Milan and drove to Chamonix through the Mont Blanc Tunnel. We stayed in a small hotel with a breathtaking view of Mont Blanc and the cable cars climbing toward its summit.
The next day, we crossed the tunnel again, this time heading back into Italy, and reached Courmayeur, a charming little town surrounded by mountains and forests.
From there, we continued through spectacular landscapes toward the Matterhorn, the famous triangular mountain depicted on Toblerone chocolate.
On the following day, we drove along beautiful roads surrounded by greenery, villages and small towns, scenery that looked like a painting.
Our final night was spent in Stresa, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. We enjoyed wandering through the little streets and walking along the lake.
Then, in the afternoon, we headed back to Milan airport for our night flight home.
It was a short trip, but for me, it was a journey that had been decades in my desires.
Sometimes life doesn't allow us to fulfill a dream at the moment we first imagine it, but that doesn't mean we have to give up on fulfilling our dreams.
And this time, at last, I was able to stop and truly see the landscapes I had once only passed by. ❤️
