The end of the US Travel Ban. We did it, we got the result. We persevered, we kept the pressure on, we used our voice and the US Travel Ban was lifted. My thoughts on the end of the US Travel Ban and what this journey has meant for me personally.

I am writing this editorial in Capri, Italy where I have been this last weekend and it has been most pleasant and, to be fair, it could not have come at a better time. I am now more relieved that the end of US travel restrictions will shortly come to an end. It means I don't have to constantly search for the latest news, Twitter etc, looking for clues or any indication the travel ban would come to an end. I didn't mind doing this for both myself, and you the reader, that was the whole point of setting up this blog, I knew I was not going to be the only person who would be constantly searching for news on the latest of when the US Travel Ban would be lifted, so I wanted aggregate the news so that everyone was not wasting time endlessly searching. Thankfully we are almost at the end of the nightmare, the constant searching is over. We can start to board our flights to the US. Not before many people have had flights cancelled, relationships have either been broken or strengthened and what a rollercoaster of emotions it has been. There have been highs when we have those tentative remarks that something was about to shift. There were the Spring highs when we were told the ban would be lifted by Easter / May, the date came and passed. Then there was Biden's and Angela Merkels press conference, a massive high whenPresident Biden announced plans would be announced in the coming days that the travel ban was to be lifted. We waited patiently, then impatiently and again nothing. We became more angry at the broken promise. People, including myself, were hanging on to every word. The weeks passed and nothing happened, politicians continued to put the pressure on the President, as did the airlines and travel bodies, and not forgetting the #loveisnottourism community. Then out of the blue there was an announcement that early November would be when the US travel ban would end. We were joyous, ecstatic even. This was the news we wanted. We watched every White House press conference, I did anyway. Then it turned to weeks and still no date. Then on Friday 15th November everything changed, for the good, news came from The White House that the 8th November would be the day. We all sighed a breath of relief, yes there was frustration, especially for all people who had their flights cancelled, and I feel dreadfully sorry for these people. However the end of the travel ban nightmare was coming to an end.

On a personal note this has been some journey. As a small project to update people on news on the travel ban, it has grown out of all proportions, more that I ever imagined, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have been interviewed by the likes of the BBC, Sky News, mentioned in American press. Plus I have made some great online friends, whom I hope to keep in contact with going forward.

But more importantly we did it, we got the result. We persevered, we kept the pressure on, we used our voice and the US Travel Ban was lifted.

So when I arrive at Newark Liberty International Airport, collect my luggage and clear customs and security and pass through the sliding doors that is the entry point for the US I will breathe a sign of relief and think, I made it to America and I will be the happiest guy around. I'll continue to post news and thoughts on the blog relating to the US Travel Ban up to November 8th.

But in the meantime, take care wonderful people.
Sam.