It has been quite the week, not just for me, but for everyone. Of course, there was the Christmas holiday and certainly I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. This past week was overshadowed by the winter storms that impacted and is still impacting travel, as roads and airports were closed, and delays and cancellations were the story of the week. Of course, there was tragedy as well, hearing about the many accidents, some deadly and the deaths from people freezing in their cars, after getting stuck. It impacted such a major part of this country and at such an important time of year for many. As you know, I left for San Francisco and escaped all of this, as I left before the storms hit the east coast, and will return, after the dust has settled, but has it. ​

The impact was immediate and still lingering and will be for a while. I had clients who were supposed to leave from Minneapolis on Christmas Day to go for a weeklong family adventure to the Mayan Riviera and their flight was cancelled, and according to the notification, for operational reasons. MSP is one of the best airports for handling weather, and unfortunately, they and thousands of others were and still are being impacted. They have been protected on a flight on Tuesday and we are working on extending their time, so they still get their full week. Stay tuned on that. Spending hours on hold and it was at least 4 hours on two different occasions, to try to help them, but with the holiday and the storms and probably staffing issues still lingering, and they also were on the phone and even went to the airport, even though I advised against it, a resolution is still pending. ​

​I am sitting here in the ITA lounge awaiting my flight back to the states and write this post with a very heavy heart. I have just spent the past 5 weeks on the road here in Europe and the last 10 days with Rosa, here in Roma, and last week in Venice, Gorizia and Trieste, as you know. The 6 nights here in Roma were much too short and now, it may be until April when I see her again.

The next day, we met up and experienced the Roman Forum, again, Rosa, momma and I and the interactions were wonderful. It was so much fun and I truly saw things from a totally different perspective. It also strengthened our relationship. The weather those two days was also fantastic and that was good as the next two days, it poured and poured and poured. Turned out to be this past Saturday and Sunday, so she and I stayed in and simply enjoyed time together. The exception, both nights, we attended two birthday parties of her friends, one at a friend’s house and last night, an all you can eat Japanese restaurant. Both were fun, and fortunately, English was spoken in part as the Italian hasn’t come as quickly as I would like. In any case, I learned more and more each day.

In the end of these 5 weeks, I reflect on the many people I met, reconnected with, business and personal and I feel this was a very successful trip. Learned some things, closed some old wounds, cleared the slate in others, experienced new destinations and will use these experiences to my advantage moving forward personally and professionally.  Certainly ate well during my time on the road and now able to get into somewhat of a routine again, until I hit the road again, which, as you all know, will happen sooner than later.
Thank you as always for your support of this wandering puffin and keep up the optimism in this crazy world in which we live. Stay safe and stay healthy as we approach the holiday season!!!