I know that most of you, like me, are starting to feel like hibernating bears. For them, winter is the time that food is scarce, it is cold, so why not take a nice long nap? The bear wakes up because his internal clock, reset to zero when he dozed off, tells him it is the right time. I am relying on the data to tell me when it is time to come out, but I do see that we are all starting stir, stretching our limbs and taking those first tentative steps after a long rest. I have the same sensation of euphoria of when I see the first crocus in my garden bloom, signaling a new awakening and the start of a new season.
For travel, it is a new season, one completely different from what we knew before, but one that can be just as enriching and exciting. Some of you, I am sure, have the feeling that you just have to change your four walls and some of you will be searching for more. Some of you are mourning the loss of summer vacations that you have been planning and dreaming of for the past year, and some of you are trying to figure out what to do with your kids now that summer camp has been canceled. We have lots of ideas!
I am so heartened by the options that are going to be available to us. I have been spending a LOT of time boning up on my US destination knowledge, and I know that what will emerge first might not be what you were imagining, but there are so many great options. The great American road trip will be back, and resorts close to home will be a welcome escape. I love this photo from two years ago at Nemacolin, just a few short hours from my home – the sunset over the golf course was just sublime. Acres upon acres of fresh open space with loads of lodging options.
Please reach out if you are interested – I can help you navigate the different options and plan a divine getaway. When you book with The Travel Fairy, a proud affiliate of McCabe World Travel, you receive Virtuoso added values, such as resort credits and complimentary breakfast. A win-win all around!
This photo was taken in the summer of 2009, during one of our epic European road trips on a vaporetto in Venice. I loved that we were traveling like the locals, and I delighted in the fact that my kids shared my sense of adventure. It also marked a big turning point in my life. My youngest, Harry, had just turned five, and a lot of changes were coming. As a family, we were really hitting our groove, our kids, ages 5 - 11 at the time, were blossoming into adorable, responsible mini-adults, with fascinating personalities of their own that required less minute to minute attention. The downside to that was that I knew that my life as a full time stay-at-home mom was coming to an end in just a few short months.
When we returned home, I started to brainstorm about my next chapter in life, and that was when my fifth baby was born - The Travel Fairy. I had escaped the challenges in the industry presented by 9/11 and the great recession, and I have enjoyed every day of nurturing my client relationships, exploring the world and building a thriving business. The past few months have challenged the world, and tourism is facing another critical reboot.
I am not quite ready to say "thank you Corona", but I am grateful for the gift of time it has given me. We have all slowed down, and having dinner as a family for nine straight weeks has been a dream, knowing that three of them may be off to college in the fall, and it is unlikely to happen again on a regular basis.
I have also taken the time to examine my business, strengthen my industry relationships, and focus on how to best serve my clients as we all dip our toes back into the world. As the world begins to open up and we prepare to travel again, I would like to ask you to complete a super quick survey. I am a better advisor because of you and the feedback that you have always provided to me, and this time is no different. Please click on the link below to share your input -
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C3ZM6NB
