Feeling encouraged

 I'm a month out of my Go/No Go day.   But I'm feeling encouraged.   Why? 

• I'm vaccinated.
• Vaccinations in most of the areas that I am going to are ongoing.  (Except Germany)
• Movement in the last month has been huge. I have another month before decision day.
• Greece and Italy have announced reopening to people who are vaccinated in May.  
• Neither the Iona Community, nor Brot und Rosen in Hamburg have cancelled me. 
• Israel is in very good shape with regard to vaccination.   Palestinian territories less so.   But Israel is at the end of my itinerary. 
• Britain is moving along quickly. 
• I'm able to reimagine my itinerary without Switzerland, Malta, or the Netherlands.
• Rick Steves, in a recent article, stated that while his organization won't do tours quickly, that he anticipates independent travelers able to go to Europe this  summer.   He's not science, but he's pretty in the know.  

Basically, I am watching Israel/Palestine and Germany closely in the next month.    I need Britain, Italy, Greece, Germany and Israel open to vaccinated people in order to go.   I can get the reformed sights another time if necessary. 

I know that travel in Summer/Fall 2021 will not be like vacation travel usually is. But you know what, this is not a vacation, it's a Sabbatical.  It's OK if it is not about the food and the nightlife and even the museums.    I do need sights to be open, so I'll be watching some key sights:

• The Jesus Trail
• The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
• Vatican City
• The Iona Community
• Wittenberg Germany
• The Wartburg

and some secondary sights that are important to my itinerary, but maybe can wait:

• The reformation museum in Geneva
• Lutherhausen in Mansfeld, Eisleben, including the Sterbehaus.
• The Museum of the American Pilgrim in Leiden, Netherlands
• Scrooby, England

Keeping on praying.   If things look bleak a month from now, I'll have said no.   That said, what will my 2022 dates be, if I delay until then?  The Monday after the May primary.   Since Pennsylvania has said they may have to delay that primary, this is a little up in the air, but I hope to leave May 23.