As someone under age 60 I had been waiting for my COVID-vaccine for many months. Naturally I agreed with the elderly and the more vulnerable being inoculated first. But when I heard there was a time when there was plenty of vaccine supply but not enough people rolling up their sleeves, I started looking for an opportunity to do my part to bring this terrible pandemic to an end.
Enter the Rexall vaccine waitlist. It allows you to sign up for any unfilled appointments. And while after signing up I was told it might take months before I heard back, I had my appointment three days after signing up.
So in I went to the pharmacy nearest my home, waited five minutes to be called and got my vaccine. After waiting another 15 minutes to see if an anaphylactic shock would happen, I left and drove home.
Then the side effects set in. And they were severe. But they weren't what I was expecting.
Naturally I had heard the risks of blood clots but I realized the chances of those were much slimmer than getting COVID. And I had been told about pain at the site of injection, body chills, feeling tired and feeling feverish. Apart of the pain at the site of the injection, none of these materialized.
What did happen, I was unprepared for.
I suffered of an unquenchable urge to book a trip.
As there are still plenty of restrictions in place, for the time being I have to satisfy my desires by perusing travel websites. I also picked up a wonderful new book by DK Eyewitness Guides: Unforgettable Journeys: Slow down and See the World. It is a wonderful inspirational guide with lots of beautiful photos. And while some of the heavy-hitters are listed, there is also a refreshing number of lesser-known but equally attractive trips.
As I get ready to book my trip, I am reviewing my travel bucket list. If anything positive came out of the pandemic, it is my rediscovered love for hiking. Domestically I am looking at a hike in the Rockies, the Yukon or Baffin Island. Internationally, I would love to go hiking in Madeira or Iceland, and around Mont Blanc.
Then there are so many discovery trips I still want to do. I'd love to go Kayaking among Orcas, see the Aurora in the Arctic, go back to Morocco, or discover the Silk Road in Central Asia.
So many places to go, so little time.
If you are equally inspired, have a look at these articles listing lots of great trips:
Where do you want to go next? Contact me to let me know.