Day 31: End of the Year and the Beginning of Another

[Laurelle3]

My reflection of the year of 2022.

The wind down of Covid rules in Australia and travel was taking place with more Airbnb bookings. Australians decided not to travel overseas and holiday in their own backyards or neighbouring States.

A scene from a rural silo at Lockhart about Another trip to the tulips in the highlands 

500 kms away on one of our trips. at Bowral 85 kms from Huskisson 

The opera house lit up for the Vivid Festival in Sydney, which the family met up for the night to enjoy the lights. By doing the right thing, with Covid immunisation didn't stop us from getting the lucky dip drawer of Covid in the 1st month of 2022. Plan B had to go into action with Covid isolation, relatives helping and no physical contact with guests, the weather was great for them to be out and about and all ended well.

 Here we are doing the right thing, wearing our masks trying to protect ourselves from others or what we thought.

 Changing climate in 2022 in Australia has been affected by extreme weather events with bush fires, storms, rain and more rain, flooding not once but twice and three times in some areas.

Some of the streets around our local area.

• Cancellations of Airbnb bookings being made from both hosts and guests. However, the different outcomes from Airbnb’s “extenuating circumstances” favoured some and not others, and flooding was the main reason for many.
•  Shortage of housing is now having some effects on Airbnb’s with State Governments changing rules with the number of night stays, or doubling the land taxes and rates. Along with bank interest rate rises, home insurance costs rising, high prices of food and energy due to the uncertainty of the war in Ukraine. 
• Airbnb Zoom meetings have allowed some of us to keep in touch with the rest of the world and the growth of friendship across the internet.
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• Airbnb winter and summer releases were delivered, and they have provided positive and negative ideas and rules for hosts to digest and discuss for future outcomes. 
• On the bright side of life, we had a family holiday gathering for birthday catch-ups, Mother's Day and a trip across to the “ditch” New Zealand to be with our daughter. 
•  She, too, has an Airbnb, and they have been affected by stricter Covid rules with less international travellers which they rely on. 
• Finished my mosaic tile for the Dunn Lewis Centre Memorial in Ulladulla.

My contribution tile is the “Peace Dove”

Photos from my walks around the beach near my home at Huskisson.

• I am back in New Zealand to join my daughter for Christmas and the NZ Pohutukawa (Christmas Bush) is out in flower and it is different to our Australian Christmas Bush.

                                           New Zealand Christmas Bush.     

            Australian Christmas Bush.

• On Christmas day we were invited out to my daughter's friends and around the shared table was made up of nationalities from Germany, England, Italy, New Zealand and Australia. You could say it was a League of Nations around the table, sharing good food and good company. On this Christmas day in 2022.

The time has come to say goodbye to our daughter till the next time, and we have departed New Zealand to share our cottage with bookings for the end of the year and into 2023.

The beginning of the New Year 2023.

Happy New Year to all the hosts on the CC Forum, and may you find success in all that you do.

The new year for me brings the opportunity of looking on the bright side, going forward and making the most of it in my own way. With that, it is the time to revise my vision list for our Airbnb of what we have accomplished and can now be removed. It’s time to start a new list of what to replace or repair, ongoing maintenance, planning for the future, setting new goals, ideas and dreams. This will help to keep me motivated and inspired, to take action towards what I want to achieve.

Lastly, I found this poem on the internet by Richard Branson.

The road to success is paved with tests,

So you’ve got to believe in yourself above the rest.

Dream big, and let your passion shine,

If you don’t, you won’t end up with a dime.

Challenge the status quo, disrupt the market and say YES!

And remember that innovation is an endless quest.

Don’t forget to change business for good,

If you want to change the world, then you should.

If you think with your head and listen to your heart,

I promise you’ll get off to a flying start.

Make bold moves, but always play fair,

Always say please and thank you – it’s cool to care.

Do what you love and love what you do,

This advice is nothing new.

Now, stop worrying about whether your business will be a hit,

Rise to the challenge and say ‘screw it, let’s do it!’

[Quincy]

Happy new year, and thank you for sharing this lovely topic @Laurelle3! I'm so glad to hear that you've had a such a great time visiting your daughter! 😊

[Laurelle3]

@Quincy thank you for your words. Yes we had a family real life contact. Which meant a lot to me.

I think the poem from Richard Branson has a meaning for all Hosts.

Nothing is set in concrete, believe in yourself, to have a dream, challenge the buisness around us (whichich could be Airbnb when the changes are not in the interest of hoşts and is for the investment market- share holders). 

Listen to your heart but think that you are making the right decisions before you act too quickly.

But you can take chances and review the market around you to other Airbnb's and take on challenges.

Lastly, you have to have a heart and do what you do with love and love what you do. Or I say is get out of the game if you don't have as money is only part of Airbnb.

I have to ask where are all the other hosts over this past month for celebrations. They must be busy or not interested. 

I would like to thank all the hosts that have contributed as I know we have all put our heart into the article. Because I have enjoyed all your words from around the world. It keeps me in touch with something that we all have in common.

May the New Year begin as Richard Branson said can be related to Airbnb Hosts who have a heart  "Lets Srew it" and "Do it".

[Daniel1651]

Happy New Year @Laurelle3  and thank you for sharing your reflections with all of us and showing  the beautiful places in your country. 

When I visit your lovely place in the world, I will surely remember to stop to see the differences between the Christmas bushes of your country and NZ (how curious it is!).

And by the way, what a beautiful photo from the last meeting on Zoom -  if I knew there was a photo I would have combed my hair better 😂

Finally, thank you for sharing such a beautiful poem. I think it can be applied to all spheres of our lives, and of course to our activity as hosts.

"Do what you love and love what you do" ❤️

All the best and hope to connect with you "zoom" !

[Laurelle3]

@Daniel1651  thanks for your supporting words as we all have the same interest at heart.

[Katja202]

@Laurelle3 Thanks Laurelle: Love the poet 😉

[Laurelle3]

@Katja202 It is amazing what you find on the internet when you look for a poem on a topic. I thought it fitted for the New Year.