Time to prepare to get out of Dodge….
Ok so 2020 was the year of the COVID, the year of the big election, the year of the mulligan because, well, we all want a dang do over. Now is the time to prepare for trips for next year. It’s true, it may be a bit harrowing. I am going to put on my dancing shoes and happy pants and go for it anyway.
People are still traveling. People are still booking cruises. People are still flying. And A lot of folks are taking it on the road. The cool thing is, trips are cheaper now because many tourist places are trying to get butts in seats for 2021 and 2022. Yes, I said 2022. People book cruises and big trips well in advance. A 14 day cruise down the Danube River – better do that a year in advance for premium prices and a guaranteed spot. Disney just opened up and they are getting to the point where the prices are going up because folks are pulling mulligans for trips canceled this year. I want to go on an African Safari through South Africa and several neighboring countries. The tour I looked into was booked until 2022. That’s ok.
I did not want to go until then anyway.
I do plan on going to at least 5 places next year. The plan is 2 big trips and 3 small ones. Maybe a short cruise to get my feet wet (joke) and then a nice European tour somewhere. I want a lot of things including for Corona to get her stinky self away from our lungs and nasal passages and leave us at rest. I will just book something nice for me and my friends and LASTA club members and insist that everyone get trip insurance. No exceptions! Australia and a side trip to Fiji has been on my mind since an online friend went two years ago. That trip was about 6k, double occupancy if I am remembering it correctly. Why not pay 300 extra for insurance. Heck, I will go one further. For trips outside of the USA get supplemental medical insurance every time without fail. If I break my back falling off of a camel in Dubai, I need to know I can just go to the doctor and be airlifted to USA as soon as I am stable without losing my house.
So stop being a chicken and lets go!
There are some things you should know:
Look at government websites and see where the hotspots are. They are pretty much everywhere. Some countries will let you in but you have to pass a COVID test within 72 hours of departure from the US. Hawaii is like Americas own little tropical paradise and it is semi open. There is a 14-day quarantine of you can not prove you passed an APPROVED Covid19 test within 72 hours of touch down. You have to prove that you have somewhere to stay for 14 plus days…. Yes, I know I am “threatening you with a good time” but 14 days may be all of your vacation time, and extra days at the hotel may costs you thousands extra. My opinion: 1 insurance 2. Don’t go if you can’t do the test, period 3. Insurance ( yes I said it twice) 4. Do not book with folks who have old fashioned rules about rescheduling, look for the ability to cancel last minute. If you get COVID positive results, it would be nice to be able to get most if not all of your money back.
Put essentials in small carry on: meds, glasses, several disposable masks, face shield, hand sanitizer, proof of COVID-19 negative test, tickets, passport, ID, credit cards, and cash. Nothing worse than going “ Oops I packed that” after a 2 hour wait in line to get in.
Be early, be patient, have a paperback, eat light, bring light snacks, for trips less than 3 hours just suck it up you don’t need to eat. For longer, buy some light snacks before boarding. Traveling is fun! Adventures are what you make of them. Make plans to travel to at least one place next year and then make plans for 2022. COVID should be sick of us by then surely.
“Live your best life through travel!”
Where do you want to go next year? Let me know!
Melissa Mitchell
When you think of the prep astronauts have to go through and all the stuff they have to wear… a mask and a little nose swab really isn’t not that big of a whoop ….
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