By Karen Quinn-Panzer
Travel Matters
Karen Quinn-Panzer
Traveling in 2023 is an adventure, and there’s an art to enjoying yourself that I thought might make a good subject to discuss.
US leisure travel is now back to pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Furthermore, there are fewer flights, due to a pilot shortage and a Federal Aviation Administration-directed cutback in flights which was supposed to result in fewer cancellations this summer.
The uncontrollable factor of weather-related delays is a given, so what’s a traveler to do? Stay home?
Not for this world traveler, always curious about the next new destination, or a new experience at a favorite destination.
The best piece of travel advice is: pack your patience. I’m not sure where I first heard that expression, but it’s a good one. If we know beforehand that the path to our destination may be a bit rocky, then we can go with the flow a bit and try to focus on the experience when we arrive. We also invested in one of the credit cards that offer priority lounge access in worldwide destinations, giving us a calm haven in busy airports all over the world. It’s another trick to enjoying the journey.
One tip many are profiting from – and one I have learned myself – is to make our trip a bit longer to experience multiple destinations, or savor one destination a bit longer. Travelers are turning one-week trips into two weeks or enjoying back-to-back cruises for three or four weeks – especially if they’re retired and they have the time.
Make sure you have all the documentation you need for your trip. Some countries require at least six months expiration on your passport from the date of travel; others only require three months. Some countries require at least two empty pages on your passport to enter. And visas should always be investigated well in advance. Regarding passport applications and renewals, the time is backed up to 12-16 weeks. If you expedite the passport, you can do it in eight weeks. It’s worth the extra fee, whether it’s through your post office or online.
Here’s a good resource if you need your passport within nine weeks and you have international travel plans: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the value of a good travel agent to guide you through the process of planning your particular journey. Maybe you want to do a land trip to Iceland, but based on your walking mobility, or your budget, a cruise around the country may be better suited to your needs. Or vice versa. You want to cruise to Tuscany, but you may be better off renting a villa for a week. Florence is a good 90 minutes from the nearest cruise port, for example.
The art of travel is to be prepared with all the information needed, starting from the time you plan your trip, to having the right documentation and “packing your patience” along the way.
Karen Quinn-Panzer is the owner and vacation specialist at Dream Vacations Quinn Panzer Travel in Milford.