As we all are adjusting to our new normal at home many of us are thinking about better times and a chance to socialize and travel again. I am using the time to catch up on things, such as organizing pictures that are typically from fun times traveling and I wish for those times again. Memories of eating fresh food in a small trattoria in Italy where no one speaks English, meeting new friends at a wine tasting in France, or feeding elephants in Thailand all make my mind wander and I can’t resist the urge to plan the next trip.
Inevitably the anxiety rises when I realize that planning in these uncertain times is fraught with considerations that just a few months ago were not part of my planning process. However, as we adjust and find ways to entertain ourselves at home, there are also ways to prepare and plan for your next trip without feeling like its an impossible situation with undue risk.  Here are some tips to help ease your wanderlust.
- Think about where you really want to go. That might seem obvious, but for some people their desires may have shifted in the last few months without them even being truly aware of it. For example, there may be that adventure trip you have always wanted to take and have been putting off and you find yourself wondering if you may ever go. Or you may want to go visit the Sagrada Familia one last time.
- Think about what matters to you. Do you want to support places hit hardest by the coronavirus or do you want to avoid those areas? Do you want to visit the big cities after so much social distancing or visit remote areas? Think about where you will be most comfortable.
- Who do you want to travel with? Do you want to travel with family or friends who you haven’t been able to see for a while or does the idea of traveling without kids make you secretly smile?
- Think about your favorite trips of the past and what your favorite travel experience was and why.
It can be a little uncomfortable and feel a little risky to plan a trip now, but in fact providers are welcoming people back, happy to reschedule trips to next year and reasonably flexible with many options for canceling in the future if need be.  Planning a trip can be an exciting and fun project especially when you aren’t rushed to do so. BellaTerra can help you navigate that situation and help you plan a wonderful trip for you and your family to look forward to.
Beth Reid
BellaTerra Co-Founder
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