By Virginia López Valiente
Managing Director of Cruises News Media Group and Editor of CruisesNews magazine
Editorial from CruisesNews magazine no. 43 – December 2017
This is probably the time when almost everyone does their year-end review and makes their wish list for the next, which isn't the same as writing a letter to Santa or a list of New Year's resolutions. As for the year-end review, for me and my company it has undoubtedly been one of the best: many forums, traveling abroad with them, new clients, a wonderful ICS (International Centre for Science), an increase in staff, and a magazine that survives and reinvents itself. Regarding the future, I'm going to try to compile my wishes, letter, and resolutions without including the most material or the most personal things. Material things because I've already bought them for myself, and personal things because it's impossible, so here goes.
I want to continue traveling for pleasure, not just for work, and not necessarily on cruises. I work in the industry, but I'm not a cruise fanatic, although there are several cruises I haven't taken yet that are definitely on my list. I don't want to miss out on a cruise to Alaska or the Korea and Japan cruise I couldn't do for personal reasons, but I definitely need to find another way to visit Canada, Africa, and Australia.
I'll continue traveling for work, and complaining would be very snobbish, because this year I've definitely returned to wonderful places that were worth revisiting, and I've discovered many others that, however close they may be, have been very pleasant surprises. I rode in a helicopter for the first time, twice in one month, and that puts it back on my list for seeing impossible places from that perspective. I flew to Cambodia to inaugurate a riverboat on the Mekong, and that puts an Asian or African river cruise back on my list. A few more short trips to break in the new car, since I don't get the chance to do that later.
Cruises News and its products might expand into South America; I'm not sure whether to include them on the list. Is it just about growing for the sake of growth? Is it about taking more time away from my family? I don't know; I've been thinking about this for several years now.
I'm not going to include going to the gym; I don't know when I would do it, besides, I don't like it and sports don't appeal to me, period.
As I said before, I've crossed many things off the list because I've been able to do them this year. And what are lists for? Well, to cross things off and add others. And I'm adding to that list to keep traveling, to keep traveling with my friends and family. Anyone who knows me knows that however I travel, I enjoy it. Essential to my trips are comfort, a good room, a good night's sleep, a good drink, and a good restaurant. Having come this far, hardship isn't on my list.
And that makes me think again that, despite the early mornings, I've been to some amazing shipyard ceremonies because of work. Hahaha, I met Boy George in person! Who would have thought! The 80s are back!.
If I don't put health on the list it would be wrong, so health to all those close to me and for myself health, money and… A VERY HAPPY 2018.
