Yep, I came home with a nice case of COVID. Not a terrible one, but full of head and body aches, congestion, and a continuous dry cough. To me, a small price to pay for a trip like this.

Having to isolate upstairs is no way to reconnect with the Mrs. but at least we are under one roof together again. Herman, our cat, has been extra attentive, which means he sleeps near me vs. somewhere else in the house.

Ok, I do want to wrap this up with some final thoughts on what we have seen, done, and been exposed to. The last trip I wrote about was pre-COVID leading me to believe the logistics of travel would be radically different around the world.

Well, that wasn’t the case. Sure, a limited number more people wear masks these days, but it is a very small number – everywhere. For me, that is just fine. It is time to get on with living, albeit with a bit more hand washing and ready availability of clean water. COVID will forevermore be part of our landscape, I am not ready to allow it to continue to confine the way and range of living a life.

I also noted last time the big things that stood out to me were the extreme gap in those with, and those without, and the sorry state of trash everywhere. Well it seems as though those trends are just continuing to grow.

In the long run the issue of the wealth gap is going to become more and more important in the US and around the world. While I am a firm believer in capitalism and a free-market system, some how, some way there need to be overall limits to the creation and maintenance of massive generational wealth that keeps a growing few in control of larger and larger portions of the world’s wealth and opportunity. Wealth does indeed lead to opportunity, and thus more wealth.

Now how do we address that – I wish I knew, I’d be rich !! Philanthropy from those with wealth is no doubt happening and helping, but, again IMHO, we are not systematically addressing the access to opportunities for people. Don’t get me wrong, people need to get off their arses, quit bitching and get to work, I am floored by the current rage of quitting work, to do what, and live how ? But, I would hope we could have better pathways for those who are inclined to work and better themselves. Wow, are my siblings in shock right now !

The effects of how we treat our planet are glaringly and increasingly evident. Overall, we think we can do whatever we want to the environment, landscape, and creatures with whom we live with no ill effect. Well, that isn’t working. Time for us to understand that we all live in various ecosystems and each needs to be cared for, and tended to proactively. It will be no impact to me personally what ultimately happens, but that kind of thinking is what got us where we are in the first place.

Lastly, what really impacted me this go round was the wonderful nature, and decency of people everywhere. Time and again we interacted with people at each stop who were kind, caring, and interested in us as people. That was from folks who have a lot, to those who really have next to nothing. I have always said the world would be a much better place if we all lived by the golden rule, well, it is alive and well out there. Make it a part of your day, everyday.

I might have one more post just to share pictures from the others on the trip. My photographs were not up to snuff this time, and I know the others got some great shots, and different takes/angles on what we saw.

Hope I get to take another trip that would be blog-worthy, but I am not greedy. What a ride its been. Thanks for taking it with me.