Chile is just one of the 85 countries that Howard has traveled to before the days of COVID-19—though you wouldn't know it from the gear—and he yearns to once again be on the road exploring.
By Howard Axelrod, 26-time OAT traveler and 11-time Vacation Ambassador from Ashland, MA
"We are all fuel. We are born, and we burn, some of us more quickly than others. There are different kinds of combustion. But not to burn, to never catch fire at all, that would be a sad life". - Graham Swift
Reader, we are currently immersed in a world of risk. But then again, we always have been. In the history of mankind, it was not that long ago that we humans were prey, and not predator. There is nothing new about risk, but perhaps we have been distracted from reality by having applied our large brains to science, technology, and medicine. Our wake-up call has undeniably arrived. We now understand clearly that a risk-free world is, always has been, and evermore shall be, a convenient illusion.
Before continuing, please understand that this is an "opinion" piece, and therefore just my take. Here is my full disclosure, and please do keep this in mind in reading on.
a) I am an MBA dropout.
b) I am a dropout however, from a highly respected MBA program.
c) Perhaps b) to some degree mitigates a).
With this this in mind, you can draw your own conclusions about what follows. And of course, my simple and easy to understand disclaimer—"Your mileage may vary."
At this moment there are thousands of the world’s greatest minds working on the Corona solution at all corners of the globe. This IS certainly encouraging, but I believe the element of time is what it will take to solve the problem. We need to take a deep breath and understand that patience, acceptance, and prudence, and not a loaves and fishes miracle, will be the most useful approach in defeating COVID. Yes, we will all sing in the sunshine again, hopefully on an adventure to an exotic and far-off land. I passionately believe the sun WILL once again rise on that jingle-jangle morning that we all so look forward to. Yes, Yes, Yes! We will have a Hollywood ending.
At this juncture our best weapon is Healthcare 101.
1) Wash your hands regularly
2) Do not touch your face
3) Wear a facemask around others
4) Give people some distance
Not rocket science—and easy enough to do.
Risk has been an ever-present part of life since man arrived on planet earth 300,000 years ago. May I submit to you, reader, that risk is an unavoidable, and in fact a necessary component of life itself? Can I share with you an experience that galvanized this line of thinking for me? A few years ago, I had the opportunity to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Upon entering the water, the sheer volume and robustness of both plant and animal life astonished me. I could not believe my eyes. There were thousands of plants and fish of every size, shape, color, and pattern—biological diversity on an epic scale. Massive schools of fish, colorful shells, and beautiful foliage literally engulfed me. This watery Technicolor world was absolutely teeming with life. I was mesmerized by this infinite display of vitality and beauty. Every color of the rainbow was represented.
But this is also here where the water is deep, where the waves are the steepest and relentlessly pound the reef, and where sharks, barracudas, and an endless taxonomy of Alpha predators prowl. It is here where larger eats smaller. It is here where risk awaits behind every rock, lurks around every corner, and hides in every shadow. I spent perhaps an hour here, absolutely hypnotized by this dazzling fairyland of life and color. I had never seen or imagined anything like it. The coffee table books simply pale in comparison to actual experience.
In returning to the boat I had to swim across the lagoon. The water here is shallow and calm. There are no waves and no predators. It is a totally RISK-FREE environment. But there was no sea life here at all. Nothing was alive in this "risk-free" environment. The lagoon was dead. It struck me immediately that life cannot thrive in safety. It requires an atmosphere of risk to prosper. It is a necessary ingredient.
COVID has made us aware of our frailty both as individuals and as a species. More than ever I am aware of, and accepting of risk, as part of my daily existence. I am equipped however with proven weapons: the simple basics indicated above—Healthcare 101. If employed with consistency, these simple strategies are powerful and proven armaments and can reduce health risk by magnitudes. As such, even as an MBA dropout, I feel comfortable and well prepared.
Reader, I do not consider myself a thrill seeker or risk taker in any way. I certainly do not participate in any activity that would jeopardize my life insurance policy. My gig is traveling the world, seeing sites, meeting interesting people, learning about other cultures and ways of life, photographing, and writing travel articles. In traveling to 85 countries, including some of the most remote places on the globe, I have certainly accepted an increased element of risk, but I considered this to be within my personal comfort zone, and felt that the rewards would be commensurate or beyond. Understand reader, that I am a serial traveler and plan to continue to be. The nature of life is to grow. I NEED travel to grow. Travel is my oxygen. It is my sun, water, and fertilizer. I am as stagnant as the lagoon without it. It has been a way of life for me for five decades. Have faith and patience. There is so much out there just waiting for you and me.
Life is not about completely avoiding risk. That approach is a non-starter and doomed to fail. It is about finding an acceptable balance between risk and reward. Each of us must find our own risk-reward comfort zone. Airplanes, subways, restaurants, hotels, the gym, gatherings, and the like, will be your decisions to make. Risk avoidance is impossible. Taking prudent risk is not. To totally avoid all risk, hide under the blanket and do not come out. You are safe there, but life will pass you by.
These past 4 months have been extremely difficult for the free-range person that I am. The risk-free lagoon is lifeless and holds no appeal. I need the reef, vibrant and teeming with life, to feel alive myself. I have been to and returned safely from the four corners of the earth, each time without a scratch. I have no doubts that the best travel experiences still lie ahead.
Life always has been, and always will be, a "risk-on" affair. There is risk in getting behind the wheel, descending stairs, taking medication, and even in cooking on the stove. We undertake these risks knowingly, using prudent behavior as our armor.
In my world there are fears far worse than dying, and the greatest of these is not living. I am very aware of my "best if used by" date. Time is passing and every act is a limited engagement. I look forward to many safe and rewarding adventures ahead for all of us. I am certain that Corona has not created a world drained of wonders.
