​Weathering the Storm with the WP#51

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. 

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I have been in this amazing industry for almost 25 years, officially, when I worked for my first and only travel agency before heading out on my own 15 years ago. If I include my time in the two-year travel planning program and even before that, doing the old-fashioned Trip-Tiks with AAA decades ago. Do you remember these, I do? I even had one made up for my Hard Rockin’ Road Trip last August. They are not hand done anymore, but electronically. Good old Google Maps. I have really been a professional travel planner and educator for nearly 3½ decades and even after all this time, I am still passionate about travel planning and arranging, and educating my clients, even with these challenges we have endured and looking forward to another 25 years, as long as I am healthy and happy, which leads me to why I am still in the game. It makes me happy!!!
I am happy, yes, very happy and that is what this blog is really about this week. I know what makes me happy and that is the feeling of clients who return to me, time and time again, and keep referring to me new clientele. I get re-energized when clients let me know that the recommendations I have made, perhaps those, the clients had not thought of, come back to me, and thank me for those ideas. I am not than an order taker. Do you want fries with that? I am a trusted travel advisor, and I am very proud of that fact. I have worked hard and have earned that. I know it could disappear at any time and I could be at square once again and very much appreciate the opportunity that this industry has brought to me.  No crisis has taken away that happiness, that drive that keeps me going. Not the Great Recession, not Covid and nothing will going forward. I love the feeling of being needed and I am still passionate about the industry of which I am a part, arranging travel and of course, traveling myself, which I have been doing in essence, since I was six years of age and on my first road trip, that I remember and that makes me happy. I am indeed the Wandering Puffin. 
Coming to New England, here to house-sit and a getting a change of scenery has made me happy. I am not there now and on my own, but it changed my perspective. I was able to remove the wraps of Minnesota and leaving that behind me after 30 years. It was not all bad but stagnating in one place for too long did take its toll, but that is for another time. I made changes and that has made me happy. Of course, exploring a new place or seeing something for the first time in many years, gave me new perspective and that makes me happy. Any type of travel makes me extremely happy. Leaving the regrets of the past in the past and continuing to move forward with my life makes me happy. I was able to clear my mind and still doing so being out here and that makes me happy. It has not been easy, but nothing in life worthwhile ever is and for how long I am here, I will keep moving forward. 
Sorry that this post is a little choppy this week and my thoughts are really all over the place, but that is because my mind is elsewhere, and it is hard to focus. I have many a travel planning project in process and that is exciting that my professional world is coming back. Maybe not to 2019 standards, but it will come back and maybe not fully in 2022, but I believe in 2023 and beyond, it will. I am optimistic about the industry and that makes me happy. I know there are those that have thrown in the towel. What makes me the happiest and the reason my thoughts are all over the place, lies across the ocean. The countdown towards her arrival and the time that when we once again together in person, and not via WhatsApp or Zoom is now something I can count on my fingers, not my fingers and toes or pages on the calendar. Of course, this assumes no complications and I do not like to assume. You know what that means. I will remain vigilant, and I will remain optimistic. Please keep your fingers crossed, rub your rabbit’s foot or whatever you do for good luck and send good vibrations my way. Sorry Beach Beach Boys for borrowing the words. That would be most appreciated. 
What makes you happy? As always, I am interested in your thoughts, comments, questions and adding to the discourse is always appreciated be in on the site itself or on Facebook, Twitter or wherever you read this. Thank you for your support of this small business and it is truly appreciated.