GETTING READY FOR A FABULOUS GLOBAL ADVENTURE

  From Worldometer (new deaths yesterday):

        DAY  USA  WORLD   Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9    1093     4732        1185        246        82

July    22     1205     7128        1293     1120       572

Aug    12     1504     6556        1242       835       130

Sept     9     1208      6222       1136      1168        82

Oct     21     1225      6849         571       703        85

Nov    25      2304    12025        620       518      118

Dec    30      3880    14748      1224       299      465

Jan     14     4142    15512       1151       189      712          

          19       2804    14760      1183        161     839    

          20       4385    17350      1382        152     566

          21       4363    16578      1335        161     647

Well, it's not getting worse.  Should be lower in a week, and even more so in a month.  The worrisome region is Africa, for in addition to South Africa, which yesterday had 11,381 new cases, Tunisia, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi and Botswana are now into four digits.

It's too early to travel today.  For one, cruises are still generally not available, and won't be safely ready until a vaccination passport becomes standard, maybe as soon as later this summer.  Airlines will also at some point complement tests with proof of having completed the sequence.  Johnson & Johnson's single shot option will be available by the beginning of February, depending on approval by the FDA.  It is said to be 90% effective.  The J&J version uses a weakened version of a common cold virus.  All three at this point would only be on emergency authorization.  The official approvals are in the future.

Assuming good progress will occur, it's not too early to begin planning for a future trip.  Two of us are pondering an around the world journey, which would begin later this year, or, early next.  The prime attraction will be the Dubai World Expo, which was delayed a year, and now opens on October 1, for a six month run to March 31, 2022.

A thousand acre site (will mean a lot of walking, for this is the largest area in the history of world fairs) will host exhibits from 190 countries for the theme, Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.  25 million visitors are expected.  Here are energy trees to capture solar energy.

Expo attendance in millions:

• Shanghai (2010)    73
• Osaka (1970)         64
• Paris (1900)           51
• Montreal (1967)    50
• New York (39/40) 45
• Seville (1992)        42
• Brussels (1958)      41
• Chicago (33/34)     39

The USA leads with 11 of them, while Belgium, France and Spain have each hosted six. The next expos will be held in Buenos Aires (2023) and Osaka (2025).  Busan has a bid for 2030.

Early yet, but here are two options:

• Depart Honolulu in the Fall so that we can train through the colors change in Japan and Korea.  This will allow for, after Dubai, a Christmas river cruise on the Danube.  Crystal has a Basel to Amsterdam seven night cruise starting December 16 from $3600.

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  A safer itinerary regarding timing would be to leave early in 2022, perhaps starting with a long cruise to Dubai, then a river cruise from Basel to Amsterdam to visit the tulips in bloom.  A stop in DC would bring more tulips and cherry blossoms.  As it's colder in Vancouver, more cherry blossoms.  San Francisco would be a final city before Honolulu.

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  Intriguingly, the Island Princess leaves Los Angeles on 19 January 2021, stops in Honolulu on January 25, and arrives in Dubai on March 13, just in time to catch the end of the Expo.  52 days and 17 ports.  Mini-suites and suites are sold out, while a balcony room is available for $15,144 for each person in a double.  If this option is taken, then the Star Alliance world trip package would mean that after arrival back in Honolulu, within a year, there would be a "free" trip from Honolulu to Dubai.

The Star Alliance rules allow for 16 travel legs at a cost of around $12,000 for business class.  There aren't enough first class flights anymore to make the $22K worthwhile, and the $6000 coach version would be good for anyone on a budget.  I have a lifetime membership in any of the United and partner clubs that came when I flew past 2 million miles.

The December issue of United's Hemisphere, which now comes in the mail, showed three perfect days on Oahu.  Also featured were:  the northern lights of Alaska, Oregon sparkling wines, champagne glasses, Scotland and whiskey, Nashville, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas.  You can read the whole magazine by clicking on THIS.  A couple of these cities might also be stops to consider on the global adventure.

Anyone interested in joining us?

#1 on Billboard, also the leading song on Apple Music in 48 countries, is Drivers License by Olivia Rodrigo.  Who?  How?  Why?  Broke Spotify streaming records.  The power of Instagram and TikTok.

Finally, our national statues and icons saying bye bye to Donald Trump and celebrating the inauguration of Joe Biden.  Courtesy of Jimmy Kimmel.

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