How to Enjoy Flying Again Overseas

Freedom can be scary after the long shutdown

Let me tell you a little story about traveling again. Last April I finally returned to the United States, first time since the era of lockdown.

I was a little nervous while prepping all requirements: mask, covid pass, traveler locator form, extra insurance.. at a point I realized that I did not feel as safe as in many years of traveling. I have always been a traveler, at the age of twenty I moved to Paris with no french nor a dime. But this time it was stressful! It seemed impossible to me that I could, for example, fly five times back and forth overseas in 2017.

Sick away from home

In fact, the minor and major health flaws happened in last three years have made me feel more vulnerable. Surprisingly, I skipped Covid, but maybe the effect of aging is just that: the fantasy of being sick and alone thousands of miles away from home -- which makes packing up not so exciting.

But I'm not a quitter. Rather, I reconsidered my trip: I canceled some business and reduced my tour to 13 days instead of 18; planned my tour as a vacation for most of the time and and scheduled visits with friends and family. Slowed down to listen to my belly in this great Country, America, that can be as exciting as scary at times. For future reference and therapy I wrote a diary.

Smart aging

It was an almost perfect trip! Always surrounded by people who love me and who have pampered me, carried me around, talked in a more intimate and personal way then ever. People made a difference, they made me feel safe and at home in three states and four different cities; fears are gone and I am looking forward to return soon!

In my diary I wrote: don't be proud. The smartest way to get older is to let others help you.

Let's talk about this, let's talk about art, let's meet in Bologna on 13 and 14 May 2022, at the Watercolor Festival. Will you be there? Reply here

Francesco