(DON THOMPSON / iNFOnews.ca)

OPINION

The old adage, “you don't know what you've got until it's gone” is true. But the larger truth is you knew what you had, you just never thought you'd lose it. That’s the way I feel about travel and how the current scourge has put a crimp in my life-long globetrotting.

Sure, I’ve been fortunate to travel between British Columbia and Florida the past two years despite the pandemic…but I’m talking travel with a capital T. You know, a month or so in Tuscany…a stint in Paris or Madrid long enough that shopkeepers know you on sight if not by name.

In the great scheme of things, losing the privilege of world travel doesn’t make life’s top 100 things to pout about. That said, I never really thought that it was something that might be taken away. Even if you don’t travel a lot…in better times it’s there…within your grasp. It’s kind of like New Yorkers…they don’t often visit the Statue of Liberty…but they know it’s there in case they ever want to go.

Now, of course, we have the Omicron variant of COVID-19…and it’s more transmissible than previous strains of the virus. So, travel - international or otherwise - just slipped a little farther away…actually a lot farther.

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added to its travel advisory list the entire country of Spain…the world’s second most popular destination before the pandemic…a place I have spent several months visiting over the last 50 years.

My mood darkened as I read the news last Monday…Spain…now I can’t go to Spain. To be clear, I was not planning a trip to Spain in the next year…it’s just that I knew it was there if I chose to go.

They had already taken France - the world’s number one destination - from me. What’s next…Italy…another place that’s like a second home for me? Too late, it’s already on the list. So are Germany…gee, I’ve spent more than two years of my life in Deutschland…Greece…really they took the home of Zorba, too? Hell, might as well take my Anglo-Saxon heritage away...oh, the entire United Kingdom…it’s gone, too?

Yes, all of those countries - Europe and beyond - are category “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High” risks. How can one virus be so greedy…so anti-social? Apparently, it’s not that hard. The CDC added seven other countries around the globe to its Level 4 ranking last week.

They are - in alphabetical order - Bonaire, Chad, Finland, Gibraltar, Lebanon, Monaco and San Marino. Bonaire…a jewel of the Caribbean that has some of the best diving and snorkelling you’ll ever see…and a home to Dutch citizens who hate bad weather. Again, it wasn’t on my go-to list in 2022…but I’ve been there…and, well, just another disappointment.

OK, Chad…I’ll give you Chad…it’s been on the list of nations risky because of terrorist activity from Libya for years…so, no Chad…no problem. Same for Lebanon…wedged between Syria and Israel, and close enough to Iraq…I have a low-threshold of death, so I’ve ruled Lebanon off my to-do list years ago.

Finland…I like the Finns…and I’ve been there for a week or two a couple decades back…I think they called it Summer. I’ve been to Gibraltar a couple times…it’s smaller than Vernon…so another visit wasn’t likely anyway.

The Most Serene Republic of San Marino is…well, a jewel of a country totally within the borders of Italy. I’ve been there and it lives up to its name. I’ll miss San Marino.

And there’s Monaco…another jewel. Monaco is a city-state and next to the Vatican, the world’s smallest nation…again, smaller than Vernon. One of every three people living in Monaco is a millionaire…usually several times over. I’ve been there a few times…and I always feel like an extra in a James Bond movie. I’ll miss Monaco.

By the way, Gibraltar, Monaco and San Marino - all tiny nations - are cautionary examples about traveling to places without reliable health statistics. A week ago, they all were in CDC’s “Unknown Risk” category…and jumped from last to first…if you consider high risk being first. Chad was another sleeper…moving from a “Level One: COVID-19Low Risk” country…straight to the top (or bottom depending on your perspective).

Some of these nations had low vaccination rates - like Chad - but in Spain more than 80 percent of the residents have been fully vaccinated…and most of them have had booster shots, as well.

The truth is…now more than 90 countries are in the CDC’s “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High” risk category. Another truth is…I would love to go to most of those countries…either again…or for the first time.

There’s a lot I miss due to this pandemic…but travel - what has always been like a cultural Ph. D. for me - well, it really makes me sad to think it’s not in my immediate future. I’m not getting any younger…time marches on…and travel bans aren’t conducive to my scratching some of these countries off my bucket list.

It is my wish for all who have a bit of the vagabond DNA in us, that sometime in 2022 or 2023, travel, you know, with a capital T, is something we can all do once again.

Meanwhile - and I mean this more than ever - I wish you a New Year that brings you health, happiness, prosperity…and with a bit of “Travel” thrown in because we deserve it.

— Don Thompson, an American awaiting Canadian citizenship, lives in Vernon and in Florida. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Don has been a working journalist, a speechwriter and the CEO of an advertising and public relations firm. A passionate and compassionate man, he loves the written word as much as fine dinners with great wines.

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