Travel and 2015

In 2011 a well-known, though controversial French astrologer predicted that globally the year 2015 would be very difficult with 13 negative aspects against only five positive. I won’t go into all the doom and gloom but the first week of January was already signaled to be “explosive.”

Indeed, in that first week of January the New Year ushered in  the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris which resulted in a social movement not seen in Europe since the end of World War II. This has been followed by other suspenseful and sometimes terrifying events all over the world. A gyrating stock market and unusual currency fluctuations were predicted which also happened.   Maybe 2015 will be a bumpy ride but people will still travel. What will that be like? A lot less expensive if you are traveling from the U.S. to Europe.

The weakened Euro means travel expenses will certainly be lower. While air fare during high season may not change, the lower off-season fares offer an added incentive to travel during these periods.  Analysts predict that the Euro will stay weak for at least 18 months so now is the time to start planning. And, if you harbour interests in  food, technology, traditional cultures, innovations, creativity, environmentalism, history and/or dream of a trip around the world then you’ll be interested to know that you can slurp everything up from just one watering hole if you include this detour in your plans:

From May 1 through October 31 an illuminating and instructive event for all ages  will be the Universal World Expo in Milan, Italy. The last one, five years ago, was in Shanghai and in 2020 the next World’s Fair will be in Dubai. In 1900 the iconic World Expo of Paris attracted 53 million people from around the world. The 2015 Milan expo expects to bring in over 20 million people while the Shanghai expo had about 70 million visiters. The 2015 World’s Fair theme is all about FOOD – Feeding the Planet, Energy For Life – insights for modern-day man  to re-think his way of living. The fair will cover everything from high-tech to traditions, culture, and the latest innovations. One Hundred and forty-six countries and 11 organisations will have thematic and interactive pavillions, designed by star architects,  set up on 200 hectares/490 acres of parks. The visiter can make a tour of the world sampling foods of different cultures, learn about the history of food and experience various bio-climates and “sensorial clusters” showing how different countries interpret the same food. Even if you don’t make it to the expo, check out the website for virtual tours and read the many interesting articles and events throughout the year.  www.expo2015.org

Photo: Caisse d’Epargne – Marseille, France

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