Traveling is expensive and cumbersome, why travel if the destination is not better than your own home, but if you must, here is my 2 cents. 

Recently,  I traveled from the Middle East to the West Coast of the USA, I was apprehensive to get on a plane, experience the ‘crowds’ at the airport,  and the unknown  of what to expect at my final destination.  Thus,   empty airports, half capacity air crafts and a half empty rent-a-car lot not from rentals but from vehicles sales for cash flow, shocked!  Traveling is not what we are used to.    

On the lighter side, traveling in the aircraft, I felt safe and comfortable.  The staff well protected, seats cleaned, and food well packaged (unfortunately a lot of plastic); no lines at TSA or at check-in, plenty of space with sparse travelers at the airports, thus social distancing compliant.

Landing at the Orange County John Wayne Airport and spending time in the OC was no different than my time in Amman, Jordan.  Shops at limited capacity and inventory, restaurants serving take away and/ or limited outdoor seating, and most or all attractions and activities closed. 

We all know that traveling is not cheap and we all want the best value for our purchase, so my advice now is to love your home, your country and your family again just like 2020.  The ‘ugly truth’, I don’t see 2021 a comfortable year to travel.

I hope to be back in the air in 2022 when the dollar or dinar will be an investment for a memorable experience, a check off that bucket list, and wow event or concert.