From Assisi to Tromso: A Reminder That Travel Rarely Stays Still

A Last-Minute Trip to Assisi
Last week I took a break from writing about the trials and tribulations of the travel industry, the insider tips, and the many things that happen behind the scenes. Instead, my focus was on spontaneity and a last-minute trip to Assisi with Rosa. That, after all, is what spontaneity really is. Of course, being a travel planner is not spontaneous in the least, unless a cancellation comes up and has to be handled right away or, as we did, we simply drop everything and go.
That trip to Assisi was a good reminder that sometimes the best moments happen when you do not overthink them. Have you ever taken a last-minute trip that turned out better than expected? Those kinds of memories tend to stay with you.   

The School Year Winds Down
This past week marked the end of the “school year,” and so the final English lessons at the travel agency were held over the past two nights, along with my private student’s lessons through last week until the middle of June, if he continues. But as one school year ends in life, perhaps another chapter does as well. While I am sure the travel agents at the agency would like to continue, the craziness of the travel industry has forced them, for now, to suspend the lessons. Come fall, we will see.

School’s Out for Summer
With the long Memorial Day weekend now behind us in the States, the unofficial start of summer has arrived. As Alice Cooper would say, school’s out for summer, and the rhythm of the year has clearly shifted.
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I am extremely fortunate in many ways. My business has not been fully impacted by the world’s insanity, though there have been a few pinpricks along the way — some delays, some cancellations, and the usual surprises that come with working in travel. Still, I feel I am in a very good spot and fortunate to have a strong support system around me. This month alone, I have seven sets of clients who are or will be on the continent, making this the busiest May I have ever had. Some are even coming to Rome in the near future, and I have travelers in every month this year. May, as I said, has been doing extra duty. Remember, I arrange between 35 and 50 trips a year, each customized from the ground up.

A Busy May and a Shifting Travel Market
That does not mean things simply slow down and stop. In fact, business for the rest of the year looks good and well balanced. While 2027 has looked a bit sluggish, the times, as Bob Dylan said, are a-changin’. People are waiting longer, yes, but I am still working on projects for 2027 and even one into 2028. For now, things are moving at a nice pace. Over the coming months, Rosa and I look forward to welcoming those who come to Rome personally, and that is always a good experience.

Heading Back to Scandinavia
This past week, though, was really a routine one: booking travel, teaching, and getting ready to hit the road again. Routine is not glamorous, but in travel, it is what keeps everything moving.
Tomorrow, I head off to Scandinavia once more. And for the record, there are very few new destinations this time. I am flying to Tromso, where I have been before. The last time I was there was a few years ago for my birthday, when I had dinner at the smallest Hard Rock in Europe, or perhaps the world. I do not remember which, but I do remember the experience.
This time, I am looking forward to some king crab, yes, the whole crab and the fixin’s, and a fishing and wildlife boat trip, including the possibility of seeing my birds, yes, puffins, off the coast of Norway in a couple of days, so there should be a few good stories and pictures to come from it.

King Crab, Puffins, and Familiar Places
That is one of the things I love about travel: revisiting a place can be just as rewarding as going somewhere new. Sometimes a destination shows you a different side the second time around. Have you ever gone back to a place and liked it even more the second time?

When a Program Overlaps Too Much
For the rest of the trip, I will be with a group of fellow travel professionals, perhaps some I know and some I do not, and I will once again attend a conference, this time in Haparanda, Sweden, a place I was in as recently as a couple of months ago. When I signed up for this experience, it seemed fresh and new. As it turns out, there will be quite a bit of overlap. This trip was booked first, and another trip was booked second, and I had no idea there would be so much repetition.
I will make do and enjoy the experience, but truthfully, my heart is not in this one the way it has been on previous trips. Not because of the meetings at the end, but because of the overlap. For me, there seems to have been some miscommunication. If I had known, I would have chosen something else. The trials and tribulations are not just for the traveler, but for the travel planner as well. Of course, I had no control over this, since I was not the planner.

The Small Details That Make a Trip Memorable
Still, there are some new experiences on the front end, and on the back end, well, another kuksa is to be made, and this time perhaps with Rosa’s name on it. For those who may not know, a kuksa is a traditional hand-carved wooden cup from Lapland, often used throughout the Nordic region. It is one of those practical, beautiful things that feel very connected to the place where it comes from. After all, the first one I made featured a puffin, what else! It is those little personal details that make a trip memorable, even when part of the itinerary feels familiar.

Shared Accommodations and Speaking Up
The only other issue I have with the organization of this program is that we were told there would be shared accommodations for the first two nights, something that was not mentioned at the beginning. It was mentioned less than a week ago. If I had known, I would not have opted for the program at all, and perhaps I would not have taken this return visit to the Arctic and Lapland so soon after the first one. But when I expressed my concerns, they made an accommodation for me with a single room and private facilities. My days of youth hosteling and shared accommodations are behind me, so I am glad they took my concerns seriously.

Cooler Air Above the Arctic Circle
Overall, getting out of the Roman sunshine for a week will be good for me. The temperatures here in Rome have already been in the 90s F, or around 32 to 34 C, and even though I remember last May being extremely hot and forcing myself not to use the AC at home, the past few days have had it on and off as I have been in and out quite a bit. So, the cooler air and fresh air above the Arctic Circle will be a welcome change.

Expecting the Unexpected
It also reminds me that travel is never just about the destination. It is about timing, flexibility, surprises, and knowing how to adjust when plans change. That is true whether you are traveling for business, for leisure, or because life simply decides to send you in a different direction.
I suppose what I will take from this upcoming week is that you have to expect the unexpected. Having been a teacher as long as I have and a professional travel planner for as long as I have, I know that anything is possible — from the extremely positive to the extremely negative, and everything in between. I am grateful that I had teachers growing up who taught me to think outside the box and not have a narrow view of the world. I do not think I would be here if that had not been the case. Remember, there are always going to be bumps in the road, no matter what, and they are not always going to cobblestones, so being prepared professionally or personally. 

​Travel, Planning, and the Space Between
Ultimately, whether it is spontaneity, pinpoint planning, or something in between, it is important to be prepared for anything that life or business throws your way. Sometimes that means a last-minute trip to Assisi. Sometimes it means a familiar destination with a few unexpected twists. And sometimes it simply means being ready for whatever comes next or a cancelled trip, or a misunderstanding in the travel planning. 

What do you think matters more in travel and in life: spontaneity, careful planning, or the ability to handle the unexpected when it shows up?