Thursday Ramble: The World is Open

A quick edit, update.  We made it home on Wednesday.  Exhausted, but the flights were on time and pleasant.  Downloading photos. Processing memories. 

The world is open, go, do, explore, enjoy the adventure.  The world has reopened.  It is not perfect, there are still health risks, but there have always been health risks.  People stay home and get sick, it is not a reason to not travel.  Vaccinations, hand washing, and common sense and odds are you will survive. If not your family will have a tale to tell about you going out doing something you loved doing. 

I learn about the world, and I learn about myself every time I leave home.  Going outside of my comfort zone, helps me grow as a person.  It will for you also.  

In some ways the world is more welcoming.  Hospitality suffered over the last three years, many places are glad to see visitors.  

I realized as I was looking at my passport, Spain was the third trip out of the country this year.  Maybe a record.  Not counting the Vatican and subparts of Great Briton, I have been to 15 countries (I am working on a list for another post.) I am still missing a couple of US states, I will try to get those in the next couple of years.  

If you don't have a passport, buy yourself one for Christmas.  If you are not a member of a couple of frequent flyer programs, join them.  Get credit cards that give travel miles or credits.  If you want to get the most for your money, travel at strange off season times. Make travel a priority, make it something you skip other things to do.  The world is open, it is hoping you will come. 

Where to next?  Other than work related travel, I don't have plans.  I will work on that soon.  I need to take about 5 weeks off in 2023.  I will need to take a week, in about 3 months. The debate is a return to places we have been, or explore places we have not been to. I will start working on that.