Writers Unblocked Magazine Volume 1/ Number 1

2. TRAVEL REWARD POINTS
If you collect travel reward points from different
establishments or credit cards, why not use them.
This could help you to cross some great places off
your bucket list. Reward points can allow you to
travel for what you would consider to be free, or at
a reduced cost. Even though in reality you spent
money in order to obtain them in the first place.
The pandemic initially took away the ability to use
them, however, a good idea is to redeem them as
soon as possible, because without you knowing
the points might suddenly disappear, or the rules
to redeem the points will change making it more
difficult to travel.
3. RELAXING VACATION
Working from home, although ideal for some,
meant being stuck staring at a screen all day, or
attending many online meetings. Throw in dealing
with other family members also working or studying
in the same environment and all you can think
about is getting away from everything. Thousands
of people have virtually put themselves on a postpandemic
vacation, just waiting for it to become
a reality. If you are one of them, then a week-long
vacation is a must. If you want to relax and unwind,
you might want to try destinations such as Jamaica,
St Martin, St Lucia or Las Cabos Mexico just to
name a few. All of these locations have many
wonderful hotels that can provide you with the
tranquility you need.
4. EXTRA MONEY IN THE BANK
The earlier pandemic stay-at-home order had left
people with more money in the bank than usual.
If homeownership seemed a long way off, many
might want to use some of that saved up cash and
travel. If you are like most, you’ve spent lots of time
on the internet and many amazing places have
popped up. Or you have seen social media travel
pictures that have left you envious. For those of you
who want to lighten the weight in your wallets, try
doing something different. Take a Northern coast
tour in Croatia, tour Machu Picchu in Peru, visit the
Great Barrier Reef in Australia or take a self-driving
tour through Costa Rica. These might cost a bit
more than you want to spend, but so what after all
you only live once.
5. RETIREMENT
You have worked most of your life and have decided
to retire. Maybe the pandemic pushed you to think
about what you truly want to do with your life. Now
you have nothing but leisure time at hand. The kids
are grown and gone, the family home is sold and
travelling while you can is paramount. Deciding
where to go can depend on how far you want to
travel from home. Going halfway around the world
might not seem as exciting anymore, therefore
short but unique trips might just do the trick. Try
visiting Las Vegas, Nevada and see some of the
wonderful themed hotels, while strolling down
the strip. Enjoy the dazzling sights and sounds of
Bourbon Street in New Orleans or consider learning
to swim with the dolphins in the beautiful waters of
Bimini, Bahamas.
6. TIMESHARE
For those who own timeshare property, this
is a major reason to be travelling. Regardless
of the pandemic, many owners still had to
pay maintenance fees for the upkeep of their
properties. While the timeshare may have been
empty for months on end, owners would want to
be sure that when they were ready to return, the
property would still be in good condition. It can be a
safe bet that the first trip owners would be taking is
to check out their timeshare property. This however
might be a problem if the block of time scheduled
to use property has passed, and you have to wait
for another year to partake in this experience.
7. TRAVEL CREDIT VOUCHERS
Many people have credit vouchers with different
airlines, hotels, car rental companies and cruise
lines that they need to use. For the longest time,
these organizations were not offering refunds to
people who pre-booked for a trip, all they were
offering were travel vouchers. Travellers who were
planning on doing a lot of touring prior to the
pandemic may even have several credit vouchers
with different companies that they’re still planning
on using. For others, a voucher is of no use to them
if they do not want to travel again, or worse, travel
again with that company. Many of these vouchers
are non-transferable, so if you don’t use them,
you may lose the value of them. Do not let it go to
waste, book a trip and take advantage of what you
have already paid for.
26 WRITERS UNBLOCKED • VOL. 1 / NO. 1