The countdown to my 2022 travels has begun. Two months until I head overseas FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
My first international trip since January 2020. For someone who used to travel almost every month for the past two decades, it is a big deal to get away again.
But it feels like it will take forever to get there. After waiting so long for Australia’s border to reopen, which finally happened last week, I am impatient AF. It reminds me of a long-haul flight.
If you’ve ever been on a long flight — and I’m talking Australian-standard long, at least 10 hours — you will know that the last hour is the longest. It seems to last as long as all the previous hours combined.
That’s how I feel about March and April. Just hurry up and get it done FFS!
I attended Travmedia’s IMM networking conference, as I do every February, and had 25 x 15-minute meetings with tourism boards, tour operators and cruise lines. Speed dating has never been so successful!
Here’s what I have planned as a result of that day.
Fly from Sydney to Barcelona.
Board a new cruise ship (Azamara Onward) and sail to France, Italy and Monaco.
After a week of partying with a few hundred other international media and travel agents, fly to London.
Catch up with friends, family and former flames.
Fly to San Sebastián to do the Camino walk with my Mum and aunt.
Walk 25km (15 miles) every day for a week, staying in hotels along the way.
The day after we arrive in Bilbao, fly to Edinburgh.
Travel around Scotland’s Shetland, Orkney and Hebrides islands for two weeks with Aurora Expeditions.
Meet up with other friends in Croatia, Holland and Greece.
Wonder if any of this will actually happen, given the risk of failing Covid tests on any day, the frequent cancellation of flights and cruises, the current conflict in Eastern Europe, and if my new passport arrives in time.
I have applied for an Irish/EU passport (both my parents were born in Ireland) to add to my collection of Australian and British passports, so that I can stay almost anywhere for as long as I want. Who know where I will end up settling down when these trips are done?? Or if I will just keep roaming.
It’s going to be an adventure, which I’ll share here (minus the boring bits about paperwork and airport dramas).
Meet you there!