The last European Christmas market trip for me happened prior to the start of COVID-19–and it seems like a lot of things in my life can be demarcated in the before and after, so that feels weird. But whatever–in December 2019, Mr. Pretty and I flew to Madrid. I love Madrid, but the...
These are not halcyon days for nonrev fliers. Domestic flights continue to be randomly canceled, which makes it a challenge to get anywhere in the U.S. beyond your home airport. My home airport happens to be considered the gateway to Europe, but even that’s a mess–it’s easy to...
To Raul: I’m sorry that I never returned to the resort beach to claim my spot under the palapa. To Luís: I’m sorry that I undertipped you at dinner on the first night of our vacation–we made up for it, though. To everyone on our plane flying into Cancun: I’m sorry you...
I’m always amused at articles that position the Venice Art Biennale as something to be looked down by normal people. Take, for instance, this Vanity Fair article that’s dripping with sarcasm about celebrities and the celebrity art world getting special treatment and noticed for...
It feels like a very long time since I was able to post a year’s wishlist at a time when travel seems not just possible–but probable. That’s not to say that this year hasn’t been fraught with cancellations so far; I’m just choosing to make lemonade wherever...
“I’m here to check-in for the cabin.” I stand at the bar in a dim, run-down saloon a few yards off the Seward Highway, just outside of Anchorage, eyeing the bartender–a redhead in a Circle Jerks tshirt and sewing machine bobbin earrings. “Okay, it’s right out...
Despite the massive rebound for air travel that has occurred after the success of the COVID-19 vaccination program, there still aren’t a ton of people traveling internationally. Part of it is that there are many countries who don’t have great access to vaccinations or haven’t managed to bring...
Thanks to the COVID-19 vaccines currently available (I have been fully vaxxed and past my two-week waiting period for about a week now), things seem to be on the verge of changing as far as travel goes. Greece will be allowing vaxxed Americans (and others) back into the country as of May 15....
Alaska, here we come. In seven months, anyway. It wasn’t intentional. I mean, sure, I’d been eyeballing post-Labor Day flight deals, thinking maaaaaaaaaybe. Maybe it’ll be safe to travel by then. Maybe we’ll be vaccinated by then. Maaaaybe. But I still held off from...
It’s not every day that you celebrate being married to someone for twenty years. Marriage is generally not something I expect to take permanently–let’s say that the relationships that have been modeled for me are fleeting at best in many cases. But Mr. Pretty is stuck with me,...