There is a birthday coming up, not mine, and a milestone of my own as well, along with the ongoing privilege of welcoming clients to Europe and beyond. In the end, I am looking forward to the challenges ahead, both personal and professional. And if this heatwave has reminded me of anything, it is that, as that famous line from Hill Street Blues said, “Be careful out there.”

We want you traveling for a long time to come.

Because that is the real issue, isn’t it? Many destinations are overloaded in just a few months of the year, while so much of the rest of the calendar has room, beauty, and potential. I am always looking for what I can share with clients who want to travel when places are not packed with millions of their closest friends.
I had also suggested in my follow-up that a panel discussion about the importance of shoulder and low season might have been a useful addition, especially if it offered practical ways to promote those periods more actively. I know many of the participants shared good ideas, but the day itself was meant to focus on this very topic, and I felt that balance was still missing. It did feel rushed. Perhaps more time and fewer meetings, or the same number of meetings spread over two days would have made for a better experience. Just my thoughts for next year.
From SHOP to Brussels
And then, after SHOP wrapped, the evening became something entirely different.
A few of us were whisked off by taxi and overland train, with a travel hiccup or two along the way, to London St. Pancras for the Eurostar to Brussels, Belgium. In any case, we made it in plenty of time.
The highlight for me that evening was taking the Eurostar.
We were placed in the front car in premier class for the two-hour journey, and honestly, that would have been enough. But then one other member of our group and I were invited to go up to the front and see the operation firsthand. It was a bit like being invited onto the bridge of a cruise ship to see how everything works behind the scenes.
We went up there, and it was extremely cool. We could see the tunnel, hear the explanation, ask questions, and watch the journey unfold from a very unusual perspective. We stayed there until we arrived on the other side, having spent about 15 minutes of the trip on the French side rather than the English side. It was fascinating to see how the train operates and to learn that it is now basically on cruise control, with everything computerized. So much has changed since the original Eurostar trains started more than 30 years ago.
For me, this moment hit for two reasons.
First, this was my second time on the Eurostar, but I had not experienced it since it operated out of Waterloo Station. Second, and more importantly, it took me right back to being a kid in New York City and going to the front car of the subway train. I used to love standing there, looking out through that windowed door, watching the tracks ahead, seeing where we were going. It was always a thrill for me as a kid.
So, to be invited to the front of the Eurostar and watch the train at 160 kilometers an hour through the tunnel was an amazing moment. It brought back that same feeling of wonder I had as a child.
Brussels, Again
It should also be noted that Brussels was not new to me. In fact, this was my third time there. The first was way back in 1985, and the second was just a year or two ago. In both of those earlier visits, I experienced the classic Brussels highlights: Grand Place, Manneken Pis, and the other sights that make the city so memorable.
This visit, however, offered a different kind of experience.
One of the stops was Mini Europe, which at first I thought might be a little childish, but by the end I found it fascinating. There is something surprisingly engaging about seeing all those landmarks shrunk down and knowing how much effort has gone into creating them. It ended up being much more interesting than I expected.
Then there was Atomium, Brussels’ answer to the Eiffel Tower, built for one of the world’s fairs and still standing as one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks. That was followed by ChocoStory Museum, where we made our own chocolate creations, and the FrietMuseum, where we learned about fries and what makes them special.
And yes, the fries story is always worth telling.
What we call French fries are really Belgian fries, and they are different. They are double fried, and there is a process involved. The story goes that during World War II, American paratroopers dropped into Europe, thought they had landed in France, and seeing locals who spoke French making these twice-fried potatoes, called them French fries. In truth, they had landed in Belgium, but the name stuck.
That is one of those travel-history details I love. The story is often as interesting as the thing itself.
Other highlights from the day included the Beer Museum, housed in the old city hall, which makes perfect sense, and some excellent meals, first lunch at Bouillon Bruxelles and then dinner at one of the Thon hotels. In between, we wandered here and there, but we were on the run for more than 13 hours that day, covering a wide range of experiences.
Truth be known, all of it was wonderful.

The small group of five, plus Jorge, our ETOA handler, had a very full and very rewarding day, and these are places I can absolutely recommend. Brussels has much more to offer than the obvious stops, and this day proved that beautifully.
A Sunday With a Few Bumps
The next day, Sunday, was left open. Apparently, there were supposed to be Brussels passes available to help us get around, but none were to be had. That was all right, because it was also a hotel-changing day, and I knew that Monday meant flying back home, which I was absolutely looking forward to.
I had never changed hotels at the end in my e-portfolio before, so that turned out to be an experience in itself. I ended up taking the metro to another property with the same name, though no reservation was waiting for me. Still, I did get to experience the Brussels metro, which is always useful to add to the list.
Once the hotel manager and I realized that the airport option was the right one, he arranged a taxi for me. The driver was supposed to take credit cards, but he claimed his system was not working. Lucky for him, I had euros, which I generally do not carry. So yes, a lesson learned there as a professional traveler ----- always be prepared.
The hotel was pleasant enough, and since I was really tired, it was not much of an issue at first. The only moment that tested me came later, when I was ready for dinner and the waiter-host decided to have an attitude about my choice of seat. I will not go into all the details, and I speak French, so the situation was addressed and resolved. Still, it was another reminder that nothing about travel is ever completely seamless, no matter how carefully we plan.
And maybe that is part of what makes these weeks so real. The polished moments are lovely, but the imperfect ones are often the ones that stay with you.
Home Again, For Now
In the end, it was a productive, entertaining, and educational week.
I got to reconnect with colleagues, revisit familiar places, experience new things, and collect a few more stories along the way. That is one of the things I love about this work: it is never just about moving from one place to another. It is about the conversations, the logistics, the surprises, the little frustrations, and the moments that remind you why travel still matters so much.

For now, I am back in Rome, working in the air conditioning on travel projects for my valued clients. I will still be teaching here and there, but it will simply be a hot, humid summer here. Later in August, Rosa and I will take off for another week.
Until then, I will settle back in, keep working, and enjoy the quieter side of travel for a little while.
And really, that is the rhythm of this life, isn’t it? Full, exhausting, rewarding, unpredictable, and always worth it.

A Little More on Shoulder Season Travel
In a few days, I will also be attending SHOP in London, which focuses on shoulder season and off-season travel. I think that is such an interesting topic because the season you choose can completely change the character of a destination. Sometimes the best value, the best pacing, and even the best experience come from traveling when others are not all traveling at the same time.
SHOP will be in London proper, and there may even be a little time to step into a different part of the city for a moment before the next round of meetings begins. Even brief pauses like that can be a nice reminder of why being on the road can still feel meaningful, even when the schedule is full. I look forward to sharing my takeaways from this event next week. ​

Brussels, and Heading Back Home
Then, later in the week and into early next week, I will spend a few days in Brussels before heading back home to Rome. And honestly, by the end of all of that, I will be looking forward to a long stretch, a little time off the road, and more time with my wife. As much as I enjoy the journey, home is always a welcome part of the story too.
So yes, there is a lot going on this week, and yes, I am very much in travel mode. But that is part of the work, and part of what makes it so rewarding. Each trip adds another layer of perspective, and I always appreciate the chance to bring that experience back home with me.

Final Thoughts
So yes, this trip has been beautiful, inspiring, and full of unforgettable moments. It has also been tiring, a little messy, and very human. And maybe that is exactly what makes it worth sharing.
The road may be tiring, but the perspective it brings is always worth the journey.
Have you ever visited a destination in a season that completely changed the experience?
Would you be willing to travel above the Arctic Circle during the Midnight Sun?
What destination would you love to experience both in summer and winter?
If you are dreaming about Norway, Finland, Sweden, or another destination that changes beautifully with the seasons, I would be happy to help you explore the possibilities.