Getting Back At It…An Update from David and Exploring Europe
You have not heard from me for a while, but I wanted to write and let you know all is well with me, my family, and Exploring Europe. The last five months have been challenging for me personally and for Exploring Europe. All was going well until March 10, 2020. That was the day COVID-19 became a reality, in more ways than one. My wife and I, and several other family members, came down with the COVID-19 virus in early March (I blogged about it here). Fortunately, none of us had a severe case, although it did take a few weeks to get back to feeling normal.
As for Exploring Europe, we have canceled all our tours at least through November 2020. Early on, we had hoped this pandemic would be short-lived, and travel would get back to normal by the summer. After hundreds of cancellations, I now realize that “normal” is not going to be possible for some time. So, we hope and prepare for a new normal in 2021.
A David McGuffin tour is a unique, interactive, and personal travel experience. One of the aspects that sets our tours apart is the opportunity to meet, interact, and become friends with locals living and working in our destinations. Our trips would not be the same if we were placed under rigid travel and social distancing rules. On our tours, we love to spend time relaxing with our traveling guests, visiting with local friends over a glass of wine, exploring a shop, sampling olive oil, or just taking a stroll through town. Attempting these things from behind a mask or at six-feet intervals would invariably take some spontaneity and adventure away from the total travel experience. We have spent the last twenty years honing our travel and tour style to come up with, what we think, the perfect combination of cultural immersion, history and art lessons, engaging experiences, and unstructured free time. We will not depart on any tour until these types of experiences are again possible, reasonable, and safe for the foreseeable future.
Since we cannot travel to Europe right now, I hope to bring a bit of Europe to you in the coming weeks. During this pandemic, I’m writing several books, adding content to my website, and trying to keep on task with the business of Exploring Europe. I yearn for the day when I can hop on a plane and fly to Europe, but, for now, I’ll have to settle for my memories. So, as much for me, as for you, I am going to begin posting a blog series I’m calling David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe.
David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe will feature videos, articles, book excerpts, virtual tours, and live online events. David McGuffin Explores Rome! is the first of several episodes chronicling the experiences and adventures on David’s Best of Italy Tour route. Along with his producer, Abby, and their travel companions, David visits the significant sites in Italy’s capital city. I hope you’ll consider joining in by participating, making comments, and dreaming of your return to travel.
All the best,
Watch David McGuffin Explores Rome! Don’t forget to scroll down after the video and read about my adventure in Trastevere. I even included a sketch from my journal.
