and new adventures and memories … and of course images. Oscar misses the international action.
I think I have come to my turning point … after COVID-19 today. I just had enough … my new normal life just have to start.
So I booked my first flight for 2022 today … and also a very nice apartment i Porto for 24.04 – 2.05 = 8 nights. No voucher .. nothing connected to the last 16 months. Fresh money left my AMEX and PayPal account. It felt SO good.
It should really be Carnaval de Nice in February I should had booked … but they haven’t confirmed the dates yet. I suppose it should be the last 2 weeks in February as normal, but I don’t want to book anything until they have come back to me. I have a voucher with SAS I can use for the flight, but the apartment I’m looking at don’t have flexible booking, so I have to know exact days before I book it.
Still I have my trip to Tbilisi coming up the beginning of October … and the Ice sculpture festival in Poznan, Poland in the beginning of December all booked with vouchers or change of destinations and dates.
Christmas again in Istanbul (I hope) … hotel booked, but I lost out on my flight booking (250 Euros) from last year and I don’t want to book a new flight until I see how fare Turkey has come in their restrictions and how the infection rates are.
We Swedes will get our digital vaccine pass 1th of July and with that I don’t need and 24 hours PCR test to enter Turkey. Hopefully I will be able to spend Christmas in Istanbul otherwise I stay at home again … which I hate it.
Istanbul is a perfect Christmas escape destination. Everything is open … no Christmas music in shops and malls. Just a the right amount Christmas lights and decorations.
Health wise am I’m really struggling with my feet … so I realized that I only will maybe only have maybe 2-3 years left of travelling. So I have to travel so much as possible. I have to drug myself and get on with it the best I can, because I’m not ready to sit at home yet. So bring on the luckypills; OxyNorm and Tramadol.
euractiv.com
… but world are you ready for me???!!!!
“The world is our playground, so let’s enjoy life and make memories.”
Unknown
myguiltypleasures 
Enjoy it while you can, Viveka. Kevin and I both got our second shots yesterday and are looking forward to a trip to London in November.
Carol, great news … good on you. I will get my second jab 28th and I will have my vaccine passport 1st of July – the world will be an oyster again, but in a different way, I hope. Where we appreciate what we have and be good to each other..
So glad to see you are back, Viveka!
Lois … thank you so much … still I can’t work the block system – but I wrote the post in words first and pasted in the blocks. So I think I’m back *laughing – Have problems with finding images in the media gallery.
The world will always be ready for you, Vivi. I said goodbye to a close friend this week. Not from Covid but it certainly didn’t help. And the UK invents its own stupid rules! 🙄💕💕
So sorry for your loss of your friend … tough on the heart and soul. We have nearly forgotten that there is others illness that will strike grief to friends and family. My thought goes out to you. I’m really lucky, I haven’t lost anyone during the last 18 months. Ann Christine’s aunt died from COVID only 3 days before she was going to get her first jab. That is so heart breaking in itself .. and then the loss of a dear one on top of it. Be safe out there, it’s not over yet.
I am so angry at it all, Vivi. Marie couldn’t see her family In the UK for the whole last year of her life and normally they spent many weeks together. Her son has just flown home this morning and it’s cost him a fortune to be here for a few days for her cremation. And now there must be some doubt whether my James will let able to have the one week holiday we planned together next month. One week in a whole year! I’m going back to the UK in August no matter what 😕💕💕
Jo, there is so many heartbreaking stories to be told from this 18 months, not all about COVID … but it truly caused damage and grief to so many people around the world. And all the sick ones that more or less has to start all over again, with walking … some not able to go back to their work. Young healthy strong men .. all the side affect and the aftermath from the COVID – so many tragic stories to be told. Why isn’t James able to visit you in Portugal … Portugal is one of the best countries in EU to control the virus. I’m sure the that the restrictions will have become a lot lighter in August – The UK have done very well with their vaccinations. So can people go on holiday … are they afraid of get a new variations on the virus into the country??? You go, Girl … but be careful. It’s not over yet.
More kwestions than answers, hon. Just holding on to hope. 🙂 🙂 And sending hugs!
Jo, I didn’t know that the restrictions are changed again because of Delta. Poor people over there in the UK, it never seems to come to an end, but on the other hand … we can’t be careful enough. We haven’t got a case of Delta yet, but it’s just a matter of time, I guess. You stay safe .. now when the tourists are coming back. HUGhug!
Cheers to a new adventure ahead!
Yes .. Cheers to the new adventures! Thanks for your visit. Stay safe out there, it’s not over yet. *smile
Oh, Vivi, what a lot of planned adventures! Woohoo! As Carol said, enjoy it while you can!
Thanks, Sue … yes better hurry up while I’m able to move around. YOu know yourself. I promise I will enjoy everything from now on that happens in my life. *smile
I know all too well, but I don’t think I’m as brave as you, Vivi!
Will you not be able to do cruises … when things as settled a bit more around COVID. I can still get it at home … if I’m unlucky. Will get my second jab 28th. Then I have to wait 3 weeks. I think the mask on flights will be for the rest of the year. They haven’t found one case of infection that is related to air travel anywhere in the world, it has to do with the airflow in the cabins .. it goes from floor and over knees .. not over the head as I thought. . So the airlines have done very well .. in that respect. Airports can still be a problem. I really hope that you will be able to do some travelling soon. Of all my heart, Sue!
Ah, Vivi, I’m not as mobile now, so I do think my travelling will be a more limited….
Sue, it hurts me to read that you will have problems with travelling … I hurts me to read that your health is going for the worst. It’s not FAIR!!!!! Love … in plenty.
As “they” like to say here: “You go, girl!” Sounds wonderful and I hope everything goes smoothly. I recently drove back to the Chicago area to visit all our friends from before our move to Arizona and it was wonderful…even the 2 1/2 day drive each way. 🙂 I’ve also done a trip to southern California to visit our daughter and her husband and that was so much fun too. Enjoy it for as long as you can and good to see you here.
janet
Janet, Chicago my kind of town … I really hope I will get at chance to visit one more time .. do a stopover on my way to Seattle and Vancouver Island to visit my friends there, but that has to wait. I’m glad you did your trip .. we need it badly to meet up with friends and get some normality back into our lives. So happy for you … I doing at trail run in my old home town Gothenburg in July meet up my friends I left behind there. Only 3 nights and by train is it only 2,5 hour .. but I will stay on hotel and Oscar will go back on standbye .. I will see how much “touristing” I can manage. I think my feet gone bad because I haven’t been so active – I don’t know if I can get them back to what they were, even if they were not the best … I could walk. The last trip I did was to Nice in February 2020. I can only do my best … and if it takes longer time to walk 500 meters .. I have try to accept that. Nice to be back. *smile … Viveka
🙂 Can’t wait to see you, dear Wivi!
Stay safe and have a very HAPPY day!
Many hugs xo 🙂
Same here … but it will not be this year – June 2022 I will be there. Then I think we are back to some normality. Miss you, my friends and Vienna!!! Time just flies away even if I’m bored to death. WednesdayHUG!