A Tough Decision

I've had to make a difficult decision today, and I'm sad to say that I've canceled my trip back to the UK.  With the number of new travel restrictions introduced in the last few weeks, both on the US and UK ends, and the likelihood of further restrictions in the upcoming weeks, I've decided the risks are too great.  There's too many things that could wrong with this trip, and the increasing expense and inconvenience of constant COVID testing is too much.  Not to say a new and dangerous variant running rampant globally.  Although it wasn't announced today, the prospect of having to self-isolate when I return to the US is something I'm not prepared to do - and it's something that the government here have considered, and will continue to consider when the number of cases of omicron inevitably multiply.  The timing of this new variant couldn't be worse.  Of course I feel terrible about this decision, it's going to make some people upset - not least my Mum and my nephew and niece - and the prospect of another lonely Christmas is not one I'm looking forward to.  I think the only people happy with this decision will be work - because I've already been asked numerous times whether I'd be able to work remotely from the UK during my "vacation".  I think I'm still going to take the time off, but I hope I can make it back to the UK in 2022 when the situation is better, and spend some better quality time with my family and friends.