Yes You Can!

March 25, 2020

Some of us have been Shelter in Place, well into our second week, others are about to join the ranks. For some it’s a major life change, others who have worked from home, may have had an easier adjustment.

No matter where you are on the spectrum, you may be feeling like you have lost control of your life and the freedoms we have typically taken for granted. Big shift from how life was, less than a month ago. We have outside forces, instituting restrictions, for the greater good. Now there are a lot of Can’t’s in our lives.

Science says, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. So, if we have Can’t’s, there are also Can’s. You can choose to focus on the Can’s and not obsess on the Can’ts.

I love the Broadway theater So Irving Berlin’s lyric “Yes I can” pops into my head from “Anything You Can Do” - Annie Get your Gun.

Let’s let go of the Can’t’s we can’t control and focus on the Cans. Here’s list to start you off. *

I CAN’T CONTROL:

Whether or not others follow the rules of social distancing, but I CAN be sure that I and my immediate family, follow CDC recommendations. The sooner we contain this virus, the sooner “normal” will return.
The actions and attitudes of others, but I CAN control my own actions and be sure that they are being tempered with a little extra kindness, generosity and grace.
The amount of toilet paper on the grocery store shelves, but I CAN choose to only take what I need and not hoard that or any other important supplies so that others can have access as well.
The sensationalism and constant barrage of negative news stories that incite anxiety, but I CAN control what I see by limiting my exposure to updates from a trusted source and filtering out all the chatter. (You don’t need to listen to the news 24/7.)
When schools will open again, but I CAN do the best that I can to be sure my kids have some structure, good nutrition, a reasonable schedule, time to play, creative projects and lots of attention & love. Children get anxious too and they look to us for cues.
How long this will last, but I CAN choose to be a part of the solution and stay well by socially distancing, hydrating, exercising, eating healthily, resting and finding fun things to do at home. This too shall pass, and you want to be in better shape when it does than even before!
Not being able to physically hang out with friends, coworkers and family members, but I CAN keep socially networking, using video chats, emails, thoughtful social media posts, and telephone calls. Our bodies may be isolated, but our souls need connection, so keep reaching out in more creative ways.
The restrictions on travel right now, but I CAN think about the future and where I will travel when it’s safe again.

Hope is a better emotion than despair. Choose hope.

Read what Michael Levitt, Nobel Laureate and Stanford professor of biology says about the virus slowing down.

Here are Good News articles. You can read those instead of the negative press.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Dr. Brené Brown:

“This pandemic experience is a massive experiment in collective vulnerability. We can be our worst selves when we’re afraid, or our very best, bravest selves. In the context of fear and vulnerability, there is often very little in between, because when we are uncertain and afraid our default is self-protection. We don’t have to be scary when we’re scared. Let’s choose awkward, brave and kind. And let’s choose each other.”

Keep your dreams alive. The time will come when you can take that trip that you have been wanting to take. Some of you even have future travel credits. An all-expense paid vacation is waiting for you. And when the time is right, we are here to make that happen!

In the meantime, take care, wash your hands, stay healthy!

*Thanks to Lisa Fletcher for inspiration.

We make it easy to experience the joy of travel without the effort.

We turn travel fantasies into realities for individuals and groups.

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Prefer to email? info@WeMakeTravelEasy.com

Travel in the Time of Corona

March 17, 2020

I keep thinking of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s book, Love in the Time of Cholera.

There have been other times, in history, when illnesses have disrupted societies and people’s lives. Even as devastating and chaotic as those times have been, they ended. Babies were born, children grew up and societies advanced. Medical breakthroughs happened and going forward, everyone was better protected.

It’s been a tough 2 weeks. My team and I have been taking care of clients’ travel that was and is impacted. When the president gave his speech last Wednesday, it took the entire travel industry by surprise. Airlines did not know what to do. We had 5 clients in Europe at that time, all are home safe and sound. It’s truly amazing how the airlines are adapting to constantly changing and ever new travel bans.

It’s terrible that there is a cloud over everyone’s plans. Whether it is travel, gatherings of friends and families for special occasions, March Madness, Broadway shows, conventions, parades, any gathering of more than 10 people.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, we are required to remain at home, except to go out for essential needs till April 7th. I think some people misunderstood and thought it was April 7, 2021. The amount of toilet paper bought could last till 2022! People panicked and cleaned out the supermarkets by noon the day of the announcement. Fear and panic do not serve anyone in a crisis situation, be it a fire, lost in the woods, an earthquake or corona virus.

We didn’t test 8 weeks ago; we didn’t take the proper preparedness when we should have. So here we are. What can we do?

Victor Frankl wrote in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you.” (Thank you Harriet for bringing this up)

How many of us have felt our lives were moving too fast? Feeling disconnected from our loved ones? Over programmed/committed in our daily lives. Hobbies, projects, books we didn’t have time to enjoy. Now the pause button has been pressed, big time.

Take advantage. Enjoy your kids, connect with your partner, call relatives and friends (yes call, don’t text). Nurture those relationships. Make plans for all the wonderful things you will do together when you are free to move around again. You have airline vouchers and future travel credits stored up. Think of it as your all-expense paid vacation, waiting for you when this is done. We all got a mini sabbatical. Use it wisely.

Here is a reflection from Francesca Morelli an Italian psychologist.

Hope is always a better emotion than despair.

This is my ray of hope to share with you. It’s possible the corona virus may react like other influenzas and could calm down when the weather gets warmer. Every doctor I have heard speak, says that is a possibility. They don’t know yet, if Coronavirus will react like other viruses to warm weather. We will have to wait till the end of Flu Season to see.

My reason for this hope is this. When you look at the World Health Organization’s Situation Reports, the countries with warm weather, have low infection rates. Even India, with billions of people, in close proximity, with huge amounts of international travel, has 142 cases. Here's a link to the John Hopkins site with an interactive map. Play around with it yourself and see the differences.

When I lived in Puerto Rico, we didn’t have the flu except during Christmas break, when the northerners brought it down with them. It didn’t last. My friend lived in Hawaii for 10 years and only remembers the flu once. Maybe these warm weather countries are the canary in the coal mine. And the canary is alive!!!

I’m hoping we get a handle on this virus; we dampen the curve and get back to normal life, as soon as possible.

In the meantime, take care, wash your hands, stay healthy and hang in there!

We make it easy to experience the joy of travel without the effort.

We turn travel fantasies into realities for individuals and groups.

Call me, let's talk! 415 931-1945
Prefer to email? info@WeMakeTravelEasy.com

How Much Should You Worry?

February 28, 2020

Coronavirus has to be the number one topic of conversation and probably the most Googled phrase lately. Here are my thoughts and research on the Corona issue.

The media has created such a scare in people. It’s really unconscionable in my opinion. It’s much better to get advice and information from reputable medical institutions, the CDC and the World Health Organization, than sound bites from the local news or social media, looking for ratings or likes.

Here are some links that I hope will put this in perspective. Yes, it is definitely something to be concerned about, however it is not a global disease, that will wipe out mankind, as the media portrays it.

This is from UC Davis as of February 27th. They are only canceling travel to level 3 countries, China (this does not include Hong Kong, Macau, or the island of Taiwan), S. Korea and Venezuela (not for Corona, but other infectious diseases and the medical infrastructure is broken)

UC Davis Solano County update

The common flu, that some people won’t even get a flu shot for, is more deadly. These are the statistics from John Hopkins University as of Feb 24th .

COVID-19: Approximately 2,628 deaths reported worldwide; 0 deaths in the U.S., as of Feb. 24, 2020.

Flu: 291,000 to 646,000 deaths worldwide; 12,000 to 61,000 deaths in the U.S. per year.

MYTH: People are dying from COVID-19 in many countries.

FACT: As of Feb. 25, 2020, 2,666 people in China have died from COVID-19, as well as 42 people in other countries. Medical authorities will confirm any fatalities in other areas.

Here is the Situation Report from the World health organization dated February 26th. Outside of China there are no deaths reported in the US, Canada and Europe, except for Italy. 11 is tragic, but it’s not hundreds or thousands.

Boots on the ground! Below is a photo and report from a Virtuoso supplier in Italy dated 2/26/20. Here are comments from another Italy supplier I received Feb. 27th.

Facts:

1. As expected, there has been other infections in the past two days. However, the rate of infections have dropped dramatically to show that the drastic actions taken in the past week have been working. We expect these numbers to further reduce as days go by.

2. No other “red zone” have been created, and Milan reopened all commercial activities.

3. Continuous reports of patients having fully recovered after infection.

Official Communications:

On Feb. 26th, the US embassy sent an email saying: “At this time, CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing travel to Italy”.
The World Health Organization praises Italy for “being a global leader” and “doing a good job” in preventing a widespread transmission.

Call me, let's talk! 415 931-1945.

Prefer to email? info@WeMakeTravelEasy.com

Now where was I?

February 12, 2020

Off to Zimbabwe. If you are uncomfortable in small planes, this is the safari itinerary for you. We drove from Vic Fall to the camps in the Hwange National Park.

To be continued.....

Part Two

The Zimbabwean people are the kindest sweetest people you will meet, much to their detriment. They have been abused and taken advantage by their government. They have been tricked, stolen from and lied to. The difference between rich and poor is unconscionable. Yet the people say we must hope that tomorrow will be better. It is not in their culture to be aggressive or revolt. So they just keep putting one foot in front of the other and bear incredible poverty. The best one can do is visit the country, spend dollars so that these lovely people will have jobs. Zimbabwean guides are the best in all of Africa. The requirement to become a safari guide is like getting a college degree. It’s a 4-year program. No where else in Africa are guides trained as well. The professionalism was obvious.

The animal drives were everything you want on safari. We only saw our own jeeps. We had the territory to ourselves. Both camps were on a major watering holes, so the animals came to us. I learned that safari in dry season has many advantages. There is less foliage, so easier (not easy) to spot the animals. You would think a zebra with black and white stripes would stick out like a sore thumb. No way. A giraffe with its long neck? Nope. Elephants are huge. Well they hide among trees very well. The small watering holes are dried up, so the animals have to come to more centralized, larger watering holes. In the wet season, there are water spots all over and they don’t have to move around as much. They spread out more and harder to find.

We saw lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, zebras, cape buffalo, wilder beats, warthogs. hippos, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys, fox, mongoose, all kinds of birds and maybe some insects I’d rather not have seen. There were only 8 rhinos in the park. The guides said they don’t like to find them and if they do, they stay clear. They don’t want to tip the poachers off about the whereabouts of the rhinos.

Poaching is a huge problem. We met with many conservation organizations. We even met with an anti-poaching group. they had to leave mid presentation because they got a call and had to respond ASAP. The anti-poachers are outnumbered and out spent by the people that pay the poachers. Education is the key. The Chinese need to learn that rhino horns and pangolin scales are exactly the same as fingernails. There is no special healing of enhancement property. There is no pride in ivory carvings if it means elephant extinction in 30 years. The locals are being educated that the animals will bring them more money in the long run then the poachers pay them now. All of this takes time and money. The best you can do is go to Africa, see for yourself, the amazing beauty and natural treasures that need to be saved. Saved from poachers and over mining.

In Africa you see up front and personal, how well nature works and how badly things go when humans interrupt.

My last day was in Johannesburg. Very different from Cape Town. More like Los Angeles, spread out with incredible traffic. The Apartheid Museum is a must. So well done, very emotional. A tour of Soweto is a must too. Nothing like what I expected. That little town is not all shanty homes. There are beautiful homes with gardens and Mercedes, Audis and BMW’s parked in the driveways. The rich kids are in private school uniforms walking down the lovely streets to school. The poverty-stricken kids run around the streets in shabby clothes and use communal toilets and showers. All within blocks of each other.