My First Road Trip in Over a Year! Do You Plan to Travel Soon?

Volume 1, Issue #11

March 31, 2021

Road Trip Time!

Last week my husband and I took our first road trip in over a year.

This past year has been really hard, for all of us, in so many ways, and one of the hardest things for me was not traveling.

Not only did I not travel, but my usual local outlets were closed to me as well. I couldn’t grab my laptop and go work in the library, because they closed off the lovely, quiet area I used to frequent .

I couldn’t work at the coffee shop because first they were closed to all but pickup orders, and then I still didn’t feel comfortable inside in a restaurant setting.

So this road trip was a Very Big Deal.

We’ve been talking for the past year about finding a new place to call home for a while, and this trip was to explore a city that we’ve been considering. (More details later, I’m sure, once we’ve decided.)

Even though we’ve both received our vaccines, we wore our masks in public spaces. Some required it, but we feel like it’s just plain good manners. It reassures others that we won’t be infecting them, and still provides us with a modicum of protection. We plan to continue to mask for the foreseeable future, until such time as the CDC and other science organizations agree that it’s safe to stop.

We did eat indoors at a restaurant – once – during our trip. It felt very daring. Other times we used outdoor seating or took meals back to our hotel. Dining in at a restaurant is not something we plan to do much of for the foreseeable future.

We also talked, for the first time since lockdowns started, about visiting Panama and seeing our friends there.

If you’re not ready to fully embrace what “normal” used to be, that’s ok. In fact, it’s sensible. However, if you’re freaking out even after you’ve received your second dose of the vaccine, this article may help explain what you’re going through. And that’s ok too.

It’s the first global pandemic for all of us, and we for sure don’t have all the answers yet.

Tips & Tools

A simple way to validate a business idea

Have you come up with an idea for a business to fuel your Anywhereist life? How do you know whether it will work?

Of course, there are no guarantees since execution will play a large part in your success, but it’s a good idea to start small. Find the smallest way possible to test the market to see whether there’s an audience for your product or service, and whether they’re willing to pay something for it.

This Minimum Viable Product (or MVP) approach can save you tons of time, money, and heartache.

Yvonne Gerard explains it in this article.

Read: A Simple Way to Validate a Business Idea

Don’t make these 5 remote work mistakes

After a year of working from home, lots of people are still doing it wrong.

Not that there’s a “right” way and a “wrong” way, but there are ways that lead to productivity and ways that lead to burnout. You want to do the former, not the latter.

Will Leitch, founder of Deadspin, lists 5 WFH rules you should never violate.

Read: You’re Still Doing Remote Work All Wrong

Phishing scam alert

Last summer a phishing scam started doing the rounds, and it must have been successful because it’s popping up again.

I know, because it landed in my inbox the night before last, sent through the contact form from my WPBuildingBlocks.com website. Here’s what it looked like.

It’s well designed to appeal to careful content creators, claiming to be from a photographer or illustrator whose copyrighted works the recipient is using without permission on his or her website.

If you get this email, do not click the link.

Here’s an article that outlines the email, and tells you what you can do if you already made the mistake of clicking.

(A good rule of thumb I use is never to click a link in an email I’m not expecting, from a source I trust. The keywords here are “an email I’m not expecting.”)

Read: Phishing Scam Alert: Beware of Fake Email from an Experienced Photographer and Illustrator Claiming Copyright Infringement

Are you looking for sustainable travel?

Here’s a list of 6 European cities focusing on sustainability. Some of the highlights include:

City water fountains that provide spring water for drinking – after it’s powered hydroelectric turbines on its way from the mountains to the city
Rooftop gardens
The world’s highest proportion of electric cars
A car-free city center with bicycles available instead
Eco-friendly transportation options

Some of these cities may surprise you.

Read: Six European cities going green for 2021