Who is on Your “Who-List”?

In the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about the things we’re doing personally as we work our way through the pandemic. 

This has been quite deliberate, because we’ve cringed at some companies (not just in travel), that have not changed their tone, and come across as a little bit tone deaf and insensitive to the bigger issues we are facing right now.

It is also consistent with our desire to present ourselves as real people, and not simply push out recycled corporate messages from the cruise companies.

Two weeks ago, we invited you (whenever you’re ready) to start dreaming about your next trip, as a way of getting through the current uncertainty and isolation. 

We encouraged you to look forward and dream about the places you want to go when we’re eventually able to travel again. 

I’ve noticed that all the cruise lines are heavily promoting this message as well – they are enticing us with photos and stories of interesting and exotic destinations.

Something about this messaging has been ‘niggling’ at me, and I’ve only recently figured out what has been bothering me.

I realized that the destination itself matters far less than who you travel with.  

In other words, it’s much less about “WHERE” and much more about “WHO”.

If this seems like a blinding flash of the obvious to you, then you are correct, and I’m not sure why it took me this long to articulate it this way.

On Easter weekend, we connected via video chat for pre-dinner cocktails with extended family.  Under normal circumstances we would have all congregated at one of our homes for one of those big, ridiculous, family dinners.  That wasn’t possible this year, so we did our best to simulate the experience.

The actual video conferencing aspect was a bit of disaster – not unlike the Saturday Night Live sketch that aired the night before.  But it was still a necessary attempt to connect with people who are important to us, and perhaps that was the catalyst that got me to thinking:  “When is the last time we travelled with some or all of these people”?

Like most late-middle-aged people, we have adult children and we’re also dealing with aging-parent issues.  It occurred to me this weekend, that those same demographics that make it difficult for us to put together a extended family vacation, also make it much more urgent to do so.

As we’ve all discovered, you never know when opportunities are going to be taken away from us, so if we don’t plan to do something soon, then when will we actually get around to going?

It’s not just extended family.  Like many of you, we have life-long friends that are very important to us, and they feel like family.  We need to make an effort with them too. 

Of course, now that I figured out the first (and most important variable) – “who”, the next most logical question is certainly “where?”.

I am looking to do something in the next six to twelve months, and we really have no idea when parts of the world will begin to reopen, or when our airlines will resume regular flight schedules. 

So I’ve come up with a shortlist for the consideration of those on my “who-list”:

• Mississippi River:  As a former resident of Philadelphia, I am inclined to regard that city as the epicenter of American history, but there’s a reasonable argument that post War of Independence, the Mississippi River tracks a huge chunk of the history of this country.  I can hardly wait to learn more.
• Columbia River:  We go to Alaska just about every year, but the Alaska cruise run has been significantly reduced for 2020, and the scenery of the Columbia/Snake Rivers in Washington and Oregon rivals that of Alaska.  The outdoor people on my “who-list” will be all over this one. 
• Canada/New England Cruises:  The Canadian border is closed until July 1, but the St. Lawrence Seaway cruises usually occur in September/October, so that gives a comfortable margin of error for things to return to “normal”.  I particularly want to visit Newfoundland (the only Canadian Province I haven’t visited), and the French colony of St. Pierre & Miquelon (yep – few of us are aware that France still has a colony in North America.  I can spend those extra Euros rattling around in my drawer).

I also have two international destinations on my short list, and both have shown exceptionally low infection rates of covid-19.  We’ll have to wait to see if they’ll be accepting flights from the US before making any decisions, but I am optimistic to make either of the following trips either late this year, or early in 2021:

• Tahiti & French Polynesia:  I really have a strong desire to share the over-water bungalow experience, and the natural beauty of this part of the world with my “who-list”.  It is only two hours further by plane than Hawaii.
• Australia/New Zealand:  Bob and I have each lived in Australia, and New Zealand remains one of my favorite places on the planet.  Both countries are easy to travel, safe, and rich with natural beauty.  The people have lovely accents as well… perfect for my “who-list”.

Which people are on your “who-list”, and where could you conceivably travel together this year?  If this situation has taught us anything, it is to make plans with the people who are important to us, and cherish every moment of our time together.

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Whenever you’re ready to plan a trip with your loved ones, I’m here to help.  Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley