How’s 2021? Like 2020

It’s nearing the end of the year for me. My year-end happens a little earlier, on the Winter Solstice. It’s the time when the days begin to get a little longer and the darkness starts to be chased away. Winter is a good time to take stock of the year and plan ahead to the next one.

2021 has felt like 2020, a blur. There were adventures at the beginning of the year and then it just ground to a halt. In truth, it’s the grind of the continuing pandemic that’s making up all forgetful and lazy. Like many people, I just want it to be over. Travel is out there, but there is still way too much uncertainty that makes it stressful. You can get somewhere, but what will be open? Will you be able to get back? There is just too much chaos still involved.

I think that I was still holding out for international travel at the end of 2021. I really didn’t plan anything else thinking that a bigger trip might be in order. Backups are good. I didn’t make any. Poor planning on my part.

Just when we all thought travel might get back to normal, there’s a new variant, Omicron. The response from governments has been swift. Within 24 hours, countries were shutting down flights and making travel as restrictive as before. I see the abundance of caution. We still need to see how it plays out.

Even being fully vaccinated is not a pass to travel. Places are already talking about requiring booster shots.

Right now it feels like 2022 is going to start about the same as 2021. But at least now we have some sort of vaccine.