The first quarter of 2023 has zoomed by. Travel is up. We are busier than ever. You would think by all accounts that we are entirely past the pandemic’s repercussions. On some fronts, we are. The days of required masks and extra shots for Covid no longer pertain. From the naked eye, the world appears to look like it did before. But…and it is a big but because one key factor still significantly impacts the smoothness of travel.

What is the one key factor I am alluding to? It is the human body.  Or should I say lack of bodies? Until this one factor is resolved, expect delays.

As the remaining lingering countries opened their borders mid to late last year and began pushing out mega advertising to entice travelers back to their lands, they forgot one thing. Most companies had downsized their staffing to keep up with the overhead while there was no travel. The travel demand came back tenfold. Millions of people shut up for two years, eager to take those long put-off trips. And others are ready to go as they realize they shouldn’t put it off until tomorrow. Yet, the industry, and not just travel, has yet to be able to fill its staffing back to pre-covid levels while the demand and number of travelers are rapidly passing the years before the pandemic. I already see 2023 for Boomerang Escapes being a banner year and blowing by 2018 and 2019 traveler numbers.

What does this staff shortage cause? In a word, delays. There are delays everywhere.

Delays in getting pricing back so we can produce quotes, delays in receiving documents, delays in handling refunds for cancellations, and delays in getting paid. If you didn’t know, most of what a travel advisor earns comes from commissions paid out after the client travels. Usually 30 days after the client has returned from travel.

What can you do? Simply put, have patience and faith in your travel advisor. We are as frustrated, if not more frustrated than you, as every delay, at least in my eyes, reflects upon my service. Even when I know I can’t control what is happening. I know from many a call with managers within the industry they are doing their best to get their staff and functions back up to full speed. I have faith that they will do it. If you are preparing to travel, expect there may be a few bumps in the road yet this year as the travel industry continues to get back on its feet after such an extensive pause.

I am no stranger to winter or winter road conditions. While many of you know me from my years in Tennessee when I began my travel career, I have as much if not more of my life spent in the north. I have lived in Wisconsin on four different periods of my life, including my driving development years and living in Vermont three different periods. And of course, now I reside here in New Jersey, where we just had a lovely dumping of the white stuff from the most recent Nor’easter.

With many of us still sticking close to home and hitting the roads for our vacations, it is an excellent time to share some of the items I keep in my car to be road-ready. I’ve created a shortlist of things you will typically find in my car during the winter months or when I make a winter road trip. I like to ski and visit the mountains, not to mention I will use any excuse to hit the roads for travel. 

Winter Road Trip Short Checklist

• A blanket. I keep a blanket in my car year-round. In the winter, it is there for warmth should you end up stranded on the side of the road. In the summer, it is a beach blanket or park blanket.
• A shovel. I have a collapsable shovel that I throw into the car when the cold months arrive. It comes in handy if you have to dig yourself out unexpectedly. 
• A bottle of wiper fluid. Be sure to get the wiper fluid that is good for at least -20 degrees below zero. Regular wiper fluid will freeze up in the spouts.
• A bag/box of cat litter.   Cat litter works great for providing some traction if your wheels are spinning. The extra weight of the bag or box is good for keeping the tail end of the car swishing. The extra weight grounds the car better.
• A bottle of water. I always have my water bottle with me. Again, if, for some reason, you are off the road waiting for some assistance, you can remain hydrated. 
• A roll of paper towels. Paper towels can serve many purposes, from cleaning up messes, wiping your nose, or even wiping your ass. Having had three kids and multiple pets in the cars over the years, finding paper towels rolling around in the back is pretty standard year-round. 
• A snack. Anyone who knows me well knows I usually have something in the bottom of my purse. I am one of those hangry people. However, traveling during winter, this snack may need to be your meal until help arrives. 
• Jumper cables.   I have a set that has its own power source. I don’t need another vehicle, but I need to make sure I have fully charged them before traveling. 

Those are my winter car kit basics. And I must admit I am not always good about remembering to keep it stocked on regular road days even though I should because traveling the parkway to work here can be just as dangerous as taking a road trip to the mountains in Vermont. Share with us some of the things you have in your emergency kit. I know there are a few other things that I should include, but this is a good start for anyone looking to hit the winter roads.