A 2024 Postmortem (Plus Leana’s Favorite Award Redemptions from Last Year)

As we are approaching the end of the year, I figured it would be a good opportunity for me to discuss the highs and lows of 2024, at least from my perspective. Most of it will be travel-related, and I promise to keep the navel-gazing  relatively light. That’s the nice thing about not writing for a corporate blog, as in not having to stick to a script 100% of the time.

To be honest, this year has been a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. That said, I am, and always will be, the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes, and the dreamer of improbable dreams (hat tip to Matt Smith’s eleventh doctor in “Doctor Who” series)

So, in no particular order, here are some things that stood out to me personally:

1) Not all travel puzzles can be solved with money and/or points

I was really hoping to see my dad this summer, but due to failing health, he couldn’t make it to Poland. I am a problem-solver by nature and really put forth an effort to come up with a solution to this particular puzzle. Since spending a few days crossing the border was a no-go, I’ve tried to convince my dad to fly to Poland via Turkey. I would pay for two expensive sets of tickets for him and mom, and even book a layover hotel in Istanbul airport. It was of no use. He got frustrated by the fact that I was downplaying his physical limitations. Otherwise, why would I keep forcing the issue?!

In the end, only mom, sister and one of my nephews were able to come to Poland. Just today I got a phone call that my dad lost consciousness due to low blood pressure and broke several bones as a result. He can no longer be left alone for an extended period of time. I’m not even sure my mom can leave the country as long as dad is alive. So who knows when we will be able to meet up again. As far as me going over there, well, there is no solution for that either. First of all, my passport is expired and Belarus has Level 4 travel warning, similar to North Korea. But it gets worse.

Before our reunion this summer, the firm where my sister works was under government investigation. She was interviewed as a witness and the police officer asked her how her sister in America is doing. Yup, they know about me. When she mentioned that we were planning to meet up in Poland (no reason, it’s a beautiful country), the officer said it’s best that I don’t step foot in Belarus for the foreseeable future. Message received, comrade. My sister said he was very polite about it, and was simply trying to be helpful. I doubt that I’ve been added to a secret black list, it’s likely the fact that I’m a US citizen that is the problem. But you can see why not even my dad’s fragile health can convince me to take the risk of crossing the border.

So, the moral of this rant is sometimes there are no good solutions to a problem. Like my parents getting older or me not being able to visit Belarus for awhile. There are things no amount of money or points can fix. Also: health is a super important piece of  travel puzzle and something people often downplay. Don’t wait until old age to take that dream trip.

All I can do now is  make a real effort to talk to my dad regularly on the phone. We have never been super close, but time is running out and I don’t want to have any regrets. So, if in doubt, my advice is to pick up the phone.

3) It’s ok to mix things up in travel (and life)

This year we walked on the beaches of Dunkirk, a place that witnessed one the most significant events of WWII. We also sailed on a Carnival ship to the Bahamas. And you know what? I enjoyed both experiences, though for different reasons. Not all travel needs to be educational, sometimes just spending quality time with your family is enough.

My advice is to travel the way you want to travel. If lounging around the pool at an all-inclusive resort is the only thing that gets you excited, so be it.

3) Life is more than just travel, so I plan to chase contentment instead

I find myself getting more and more aggravated with the county we live in, and Florida in general.  I won’t go into  details, as there are many different things that drive me nuts. That said, we can’t move for the foreseeable future. For one thing, my MIL is here and according to her, will die here. So, here we are.

Plus, I would like to wait until my son graduates high school. And switching jobs at my husband’s age is no piece of cake. There was a time when I was 90% sure this would be our forever home. Now I’m 90% sure it won’t be. But that’s life, and things change. Fortunately, my husband is in complete agreement with me, despite being born and raised in Florida. I’m so grateful that we think so much alike. What a blessing to have my wonderful husband by my side, literally and figuratively. Oh, and my kids are alright too.

In the meantime, I have my trips to look forward to. But we are talking only a few weeks each year. That’s why I’ve been  making an earnest effort to focus on the positive things about being in Florida, like beautiful weather in the winter. Plus, we live next to wetlands area, and there is all kinds of  species of birds I can watch and listen to from my own porch. I love just sitting there, having a cup of coffee, listening to R.E.M and enjoying the beauty around me. I can’t control what’s happening in the world, but I can carve out my own corner on this earth where I can feel sane on a daily basis. And sanity is highly underrated in 2024.

It’s no coincidence that when I recently went to the doctor, my blood pressure reading was elevated for the first time ever. I’m hoping this is one problem I can leave behind in 2024.

“This sugarcane, this lemonade

This hurricane, I’m not afraid

Come on, come on, no one can see me cry” (“Imitation of life” by R.E.M)

My happy place

My favorite award redemptions

1) Flights

The winner here is using Southwest and Virgin Atlantic points for flights to/from Detroit, with the goal of seeing the solar eclipse. What a special experience that was! Without miles and points, I’m not sure I would risk shelling out a bunch of money for a 50/50 chance of seeing the eclipse spectacle. The flights in economy were nothing special, it was all about the purpose of the trip.

An unforgettable sight

The runner up is our nonstop flight from London to Tampa, again, in economy. Not a dirt cheap redemption, but a solid experience, considering the fact that we flew in cattle class. I even liked the food.

2) Hotels

Without a doubt, my favorite hotel redemption of 2024 was burning Choice points on a Comfort Inn Victoria property in London. The reason? Not having to shell out $1,500 on AirBnB, plus free breakfast. Nothing fancy, but a perfectly adequate and well-located hotel that I recommend to budget-minded travelers.

The runner-up is probably  Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport It’s a category 3, and I paid 12k Hyatt points total. My cousin-in-law was kind enough to gift me a club access award, which gave us free breakfast in the lounge. Sadly, it looks like they closed the lounge a few months ago. My favorite part was the pool area where I got to relax for a few hours before our cruise to Alaska.

This was more of a treat, since I value 12k Hyatt points at $150. But I’m OK with paying a bit more for higher quality, especially if it’s just one night. Plus, I’m a sucker for indoor pools and spas.

Well, it’s a wrap. Readers, what were your favorite redemptions in 2024?