By: MaryKhon
Hello Queeridos!
How did your PRIDE MONTH go? I celebrated by attending as many Pride Celebrations as I could mustered. And since I’m already an Antiquated Queen, the struggle was real.
But that is in the past, and the past is gone, the future is not here, so let’s talk about the present. The present is JULY, el mes mas caliente del año. That is correct queeridos. July is typically the hottest month of the year not only in California or the west coast, or the United States or in the American continent but in northern hemisphere. You heard that right! July is considered the hottest month in half the world. And just so we are clear about it, July 2021 was not only the hottest month in the world but it was also the month where the highest temperatures in history were recorded. You may not have felt the temperatures that much last year because, let’s face it, we were in the middle of the pandemic and the majority of us were hibernating at home. Or maybe you did feel the heat because, like the majority of the population, most of us do not have air conditioning in our houses, so you truly felt the heat.
Now, if you think July is just famous for being the hottest month in most of the world, you are mistaken, queeridos. July is also known for being the most traveled month of the year. And this makes sense because July is in the middle of the summer school break, which makes an ideal month for taking vacations, which means, of course, traveling.
Personally, the summers I’ve traveled have always been during the month of July despite the infernal heat I have experienced whenever I’m traveling. Why July? Well, it is my main summer vacation month, where I have absolutely no job-related obligations. Even though my job officially ends at the end of May each year, job-related and “catch-up projects always linger during the month of June. And then, work duties resume in August. That leaves July as the only month of the year where I’m not obligated to do any work at all.
Being an ideal month to vacation either by air or ground, July becomes not only a very hot month but also a very congested month due to so many people traveling nationally and internationally. This means that travel ticket prices are also incredibly high during the month of July, mainly because the demand exists pretty much around the Globe.
Of course, in the last two years traveling was very restricted due to COVID-19 but now that most people feel pretty much safe, traveling has once again started to flourish. In fact, as I write this article several different friends of mine are already traveling. Two of them in Guadalajara, Mexico. One of them in Cancun, Mexico. Two more are in Florence Italy while another friend is in Greece. There are two in Portugal, one in Germany, and one Argentina. And I am sure that by the time this article is published, many more will be traveling, if not internationally, at least nationally or within the state. So, yes, traveling has begun; there is no doubt about it.
So, if traveling is starting to be in demand, how do people pick where to go? Destinations depend on many different factors, including but not limited to “dream trip,” “desire to visit,” “work-related,” “study abroad,” “family vacation,” “celebration related,” and “weather preference.” I’m sure there is more reasons to pick a place to travel but these are the ones that come to mind.
From the aforementioned reasons to travel during the summer, the two that are unique to me are the “celebration related” and the “weather preference.” The two friends who are in Germany, for example, are there because of the “Wagner Festival” while the friends in Portugal are there for the “Festa do Colete Encanado” Festival. And while those friends submerged themselves cultural activities, at least one of my friends has decided to make Buenos Aires, Argentina his home every July because while July is the hottest month for most of the country, in Buenos Aires, July is part of their winter season and my friend loves the cold. I also have friends who during the winter times in our country, travel to other countries where the weather is the opposite.
So, you see, queeridos, traveling for pleasure can be done for many different reasons, even if it is “work-related,” like my next two trips which are work-related but I will be taking advantage of such travel to enjoy a few vacation days.
So I hope you have the opportunity to travel. It doesn’t have to be to another country, as long as you get out of your routine and give your mind and souls some distraction so you can recharge your body and mind. Wherever traveling takes you, enjoy it, always have as much fun as possible, and overall, be safe, always safe.
Bon Voyage queeridos!