To refer to 2020 as a travel year is being more than generous. It is more like a year that has been misplaced; forever removed from the colourful memories that make up our travel experience.
We had a Mediterranean cruise booked for May that was cancelled weeks into the coronavirus shutdown. This disappointment was followed quickly by cancellation of our reservations to see Spamalot at Stratford Festival Theatre and tickets to Windsor Casino for a performance by Bill Burr. We were denied access to our cottage until well into May and lost a planned trip to Muskoka to see our son. I am not whining, although it may sound like that, as I recognize that we all had to sacrifice to stop the spread.
What I was mostly concerned about was my ability to continue bringing topical conversations to this blog. There is nothing worse for a travel writer than being unable to travel. But as Ken will attest, I am rarely at a loss for words.
Writing about our experience as we cancelled and recovered, where possible, refunds for the trips we had planned helped at first. We still have a number of credits owing to us from the airline, the festival and the casino for bookings that are not actually cancelled – just rescheduled. Credits from airlines continue to be a very contentious conversation in the news, especially as the anticipated expiration dates of those credits are drawing near.
Next was the anxiety fueled days as many of my travel friends that were abroad in the early part of the year made their way home. I was able to share with you some of their stories, good and bad. It was mind boggling to me how quickly everything came to a grinding halt; cruises, flights and hotel reservations, borders and tourist sites closed around the world. Mandatory quarantine periods added more stress to an already stressful situation and remain to this day in many areas.
The loss of jobs and the closure of so many businesses related to travel was heart wrenching. With global lockdowns people are still unable, or just don’t want to travel, at least not yet. Many borders are still closed, including our border with the United States, as more lockdowns and restrictions guide us into this “dark” winter.
What travels did occur looked far different than in the past. If venturing out folks choose to drive as opposed to fly, take the train or ride a bus with others in close proximity. The destinations were closer to home as people decided to see, however reluctantly, what their own home town had to offer. Finding things to do using the same criteria that we have used to book excursions and tours in Europe meant that we were able to have a similar experience without the risk, and to discover so many wonderful opportunities closer to home.
There was also an increase in virtual travel and experiences. We toured the museums and art galleries we have yet to see, and many we had already been to, and watched every travel show we could find, most for free by the way. We took art and history classes online as well. All of that helped and most of it will enhance our future travels, as we continue to plan, research and explore our options for the future.
Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, we have come to value our travel experiences so much more. As the saying goes, “we all want what we can’t have”.
More importantly, “this too shall pass.”