Wanderlust in the Time of Coronavirus (A GeoEx eBook)

Wanderlust in the Time of Coronavirus

Epilogue: Ten Travel Resolutions for 2021

2. I also resolve to travel more slowly and attentively, to take my time as I wander the road, whether in my California backyard or halfway around the globe; I resolve to follow the mantra that travel’s goal is not to win a race, but to spend deep- layering days in an enriching space. 3. I resolve to be a better asker of questions and hearer of replies, to listen unfettered and unfiltered to the heart and the mind, to search for the soul-beat of a people and place, and attend with ears open to unexpected grace. 4. I resolve to stay in the moment as much I can, to deflect the world’s distractions and demands, to focus on the here and now, and find abiding wonder in the humble wow. 5. I resolve to hone all my senses wherever I wander, not just to see, but to taste, smell, hear, and touch each adventure, to honor every place that I choose to explore by savoring it to its sensuous core. 6. I resolve to keep refining the sacred rites of patience, compassion, kindness, and light, and to thread these into the skein of my everyday life. 7. I resolve to recognize that we are all truly in this together, whatever our station and belief, and that every person I meet embodies a tale of losses and loves, trials and needs, triumphs and failures, detours and dreams. 8. I resolve to travel like a pilgrim, to celebrate the sanctity of every place, to plumb the wisdom of every space, to treat every encounter, wherever I may be, as a blessed opportunity.

participate in the grand global re-opening of 2021, and that is exhilarating. We are ready to start talking about future travel possibilities and plans whenever you are ready! As for me, I have ten trips on my calendar for 2021, starting with journeys to my beloved Japan in March and April. Will I get to Japan this spring? That’s still uncertain. And will my other trips this year actually happen, including this autumn’s new and trailblazing Unexplored Japan journey, which I’m so excited about? We’ll see! For me, safety is the top priority, my safety and the safety of the people I encounter and the places I visit. At this moment, then, my crystal ball is still cloudy, but at least it’s a rosy cloud. I am guardedly optimistic that travel will recommence to much of the planet before the end of 2021. As we’ve entered this new year, my wanderlust has been sparked by various travel publications and pundits—including GeoEx’s own experts—talking about where to go. This is always an inspiring topic, and I’m happy to discover which places are enticing other travelers in the know. But for me, this year, instead of focusing on where I’m going to go, I find myself thinking more about how I’m going to travel when it’s time again to roam. In many ways, the pandemic has heightened my appreciations and intentions, and so, as I peer into the wander- mists of trips to come, here are my 10 how-I’m-going-to-travel resolutions for 2021. 1. My fundamental resolution is to travel more mindfully and respectfully than ever before, to be more aware of my effect as a visitor on the local people, culture, economy, and sites, to be more attuned to the preciousness and precariousness of Earth’s infinite mosaic pieces, and to share the lessons this mosaic teaches.

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