It’s been almost two years since I have travelled outside of Thailand. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, this pause created by the pandemic had come when I probably needed it more than I thought.
On the other hand, it’s been some time since many of us have seen our families and friends.
For some of us, travel underpins the business we have been working to build. For some of us, the lack of travel and the regulations in place restricting travel will unravel years of effort and business building.
I don’t miss the admin of travel. The endless hours getting to the airport, going through immigration, hours sitting in the lounge and then repeating it when arriving at the destination will not be missed.
I miss the build-up, the experience, the business won and lost, the memories made, not just the curated ones you see on Instagram, mind you. But, the ones you remember for the good times, the laughter and the business and the jobs won and reluctantly lost.
This past year has made me realise how important travel is or was to me and just as importantly how important it is to businesses and my business in general. Now that travel is paused, we have to find new ways to make business and new ways to make memories with our friends and families. I suspect Zoom calls will not be enough. Whatever the case may be, should and when travel be an option again for business or leisure, I know I will be more considered and thoughtful and understand that travel, not the destination is the luxury in life and necessity of businesses and countries the world over.