Another year has come and gone. It is hard to believe 2021 is already over. (Read my year in review here.) I guess it’s time to preview 2022 here on The Royal Tour!
A necessary caveat: all travel plans are subject to cancellation due to Covid. Omicron is ravaging the world right now, and the future of variants and travel is a bit murky, so while I hope to be able to do everything listed here – and more – I have to be realistic that there is every chance at least one will have to cancel. It sucks, but that’s just the nature of the world today.
So with that said, here is a glimpse of my currently planned travel for 2022!
January – Puerto Rico
A bit over two weeks in San Juan seems like a perfect start to my year. I was in PR once before, for a day and a half prior to a cruise, and am stoked to spend more time to get to know not only Old San Juan, but the modern metropolis. I’ll also be taking a day trip to El Yunque rainforest and to go kayaking on a bioluminescent bay. There will be lots of pina coladas, beach time, and storied history as it is the 500th anniversary of San Juan!
February – Kauai
Of the four “main” islands of Hawaii, Kauai is the one I’ve never visited. Time to change that! The thing I’m most anticipating so far is a small plane tour of the island and the famous Na Pali Coast.
February/March – Bay Area
While mostly a trip to see people (family and close friends), I’m excited to hopefully visit Port Chicago, site of one of the largest losses of life on the home front, when a naval magazine exploded during World War Two.
March – Humboldt County
After spending a few days in Eureka this past year, I apparently made a good impression. The Humboldt County Visitor’s Bureau has offered to host me for a week or so of exciting activities like oyster farming, cannabis tasting, kayaking, hiking with llamas, and more. I can’t wait!
May – Yosemite
There is no place like Yosemite, and my family and I will be spending a long weekend in what is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. Yes, I’ve already written about it twice, but I will never get sick of visiting. And May brings the park at its best.
May – El Paso
What is life like along the most important border crossing in the country? This is a question I will try to answer in a brief week in El Paso, Texas, with a likely day trip into Juarez. In addition, the region’s natural beauty will make for some fun side trips: White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountains. And plenty of tacos!!
June – Calaveras County
I was hosted for a few days by Calaveras County this past summer, and they have tentatively offered to bring me back up. Well, the place and people were so wonderful that I instantly agreed. I’m not sure what the trip will hold, but I know it will be filled with beautiful scenery and great wine!
August-October – Germany and Surrounds
In December 2019 I became a German citizen. However, I’ve yet to spend time in my new homeland, outside of two days as an eleven year old. Now I get a chance to rectify that. A bit over two and a half months centered in Germany with some time in a few neighbors will be a great introduction, as well as chance to see if my daily German lessons on Duolingo are worth anything. While the only thing booked so far is my flight from LA to Frankfurt, my rough itinerary is: Frankfurt-Bonn-Berlin-Dresden-Prague-Bratislava-Vienna-Munich, with side trips to Hamburg from Berlin and Liechtenstein from Munich.
In addition, I am trying to go to Toronto with A at some point. It is her other home, and a city I’ve never visited. I am tentatively going with my aunt to Seattle for a long weekend at some point. I’d like to visit one of my closest friends in San Diego, my cousin in Boston, and do a 42nd birthday (21 x2) in Las Vegas in December. Here’s hoping!
2022 will also hopefully bring a couple new staff writers to The Royal Tour. One, Hedy Maessen, will start in February. (I met Hedy in Curacao and she is awesome.) My goal is to increase from posting twice per week to three times by the end of the year, and these writers will be an important part of that. I hope to increase viewership from 50,000 to 60,000, so please take a moment to share the site on social media or just with your family and friends to help!
I hope 2022 is able to be as exciting of a year as it seems to be, and I hope it is a better one for the world than the past couple have been. In the meantime, get vaccinated and boosted, and let’s get back to travel!
