May 11, 2022 Greetings! I didn't change the photo above from last week because my kids and I have been sick so we haven't gone anywhere. I thought I would spare you the image of us sitting outside the Urgent Care. The good news is that we're all on the mend, we tested negative for COVID and my wife somehow escaped its wrath.
Speaking of being sick: COVID is definitely rearing its ugly head and a handful of my cousins in the northeast have contracted it. We're set to go to the east coast ourselves soon so I hope the nasty virus runs itself out of town before we get there.
Memorial Day is fast approaching and it looks like it's going to be a busy one. AAA's predictions come out next week but reservations in TripIt from Concur are up 207% for domestic flights, 466% for international flights (!!!), 191% for car rentals, 184% for lodging, and 134% for vacation rentals compared to 2021. Here's more.
Heading to Europe?
If you are heading to Europe, you should be happy with the current exchange rates:
1 EUR = $1.05 USD
1 GBP = $1.23 USD
The EU also just announced today that they no longer recommend masks for air travel -- see 12 Things to Know in Travel (below). And yesterday, I interviewed an American in Germany on what it's like to travel around Europe and more. Watch the interview on YouTube or listen to the podcast.
To put it mildly, this year's Mother's Day was very subdued. But it did give us a chance to reminisce about past trips through photos, which brings me to today's Travel Tip of the Day.
Today's Travel Tip
The Easiest Way to Digitize Your Old Photos
I don't know about you but I have a lot of printed photos that I've wanted to get digitized for years. If you have 50 photos, it’s easy to do yourself but if you have hundreds or thousands like me, it’s a total time suck, time which can be much better spent with my family, working, playing sports, watching sports or honestly, watching paint dry. But then I discovered an incredible service that did all the hard work for me and I'm so pleased with the results. Read more about it here.
More of my Travel Tips from this Week
Do This Before Booking: How To Check COVID/Hospitalization Numbers of Your Destination
A reader emailed me for advice about going to a June conference in Chicago where thousands of people will be attending and also wanted to know what the COVID rates/hospitalizations were for a specific destination. My advice is to speak to your doctor and check the numbers. Here’s how to do it.
How Travelers Can Protect Themselves from This Type of Theft
This might not be something you've ever thought of before but there's a new type of theft on the rise and if you're on the NextDoor app, you may have seen your neighbors complaining about it. It's something you'll want to be aware of both at home and when you're traveling. Here's how travelers can avoid falling victim.
Travel Product of the Week
Travel Product of the Week: Portable Charger
This portable charger is a fan favorite! Plus, it's the one item flight attendants say they never leave home without. Check it out here. | 