What can I say, but wow, and in two days’ time, she will be here in the states for the first time, and I am very excited for this, for her and for us. When you read this latest edition of Weathering the Storm, well first and foremost, we had a powerful storm that rolled through New England and the eastern seaboard, but Sunday was beautiful, and the sun was shining and no colder than I am used to from Minnesota winters. I would say, it was business as usual, but when I was a third of the way to the store, on Saturday, I received a call, that it was not opening, so I simply turned around, and used the day to the fullest, cleaning up details for my clients, shredding excess paper and simply catching up. It was not a bad thing that I had the day off and it was nice to focus on the business end of things, always having her on my mind. 

Where do you want to go this year? Are you ready to deal with the rules and regulations, the new and ever-changing requirements? Are you vaccinated and are you boosted? Are you willing to do a Covid test, if required? Well, looking at the world and the requirements that keep on changing, the test, the vaccination and most likely, the booster, is going to be something mandatory and as much as requirement as your valid passport with enough pages to explore this amazing world and a visa in there (electronic or otherwise depending on the country. It is also possible that the need for a negative Covid test result will be in the cards for many countries. This, however, is again, up to the individual countries and some, with a new high season of travel just months away, may do away with this requirement or modify it, again, and again. We need to be ready and we in the industry need to be on top of this situation and that is why those looking to travel, need to be working with professional travel advisors. We are here to make sure that you are made aware of the rules and those rules are a moving target and do the best we can for you. 

​Almost a year ago, I started writing these blogs and now I have reached number 50. I suppose this is a milestone moment in the writing of these blogs about my personal and professional experiences, thoughts, and ideas. Maybe I said this at number 25, I really don’t remember, and it really is not that important, but I very much appreciate those who have followed my writings and babblings about different experiences that I have had, read about, and mused over the past year. I am not going to do that now, however, but simply give perspective on why I have done them. 

Do you think since Omicron came at us and overwhelmed us so quickly, it will burn out quickly, as well? I do, but I also plan to remain as vigilant as I can and hope you will also. If we have learned anything over the past two years, Covid is not going away any time soon and we will have to live with it. I have, you have, and we all have and that is how this third year will be and into the foreseeable future, but I am not here to rail about this, except that, if I have learned anything, it is that the simple things are the best things.

​I left Minnesota some 5 months ago, essentially leaving everything I knew and most of my possessions and I don’t know when I will be back. I will, of course, get back there at some time, but not for at least another 5 months, and that is not a bad thing. I was hoping that I would find out some things about myself when I left there and how I would handle the changes. Yes, I had a place to stay, house-sitting for my brother and his family, but I was hoping for something more, a clarity about life and hoping by getting away from the known of the last 30 years, I would be able to figure out some things and I have. Most of that stuff I have left in storage now since the end of May, I really don’t need and yes, there are sentimental things and things of value, but they are just that, things, and I am paying for their safe keeping for now. 

Happy New Year everyone and let’s hope that 2022 is a better year than 2021 and for sure 2020. I am on the move again, no, not to another state or back to Minnesota, and not for the foreseeable future, but a different part of New Hampshire. My days of house-sitting are done; actually, they were done about 6 weeks ago, so being the nomad I am, I moved on and now have a place of my own again, albeit short term temporary. This is not a bad thing and I have the month of January to reflect and gain some new perspectives. I still work the job in town and still working in this amazing industry called travel and hoping that Omicron does not short circuit it again in 2022. Of course, February, this year will be very special, fingers crossed.