As a travel writer, I have been struggling with what to post on our blog this week. Trite articles about ports of call or planning your perfect vacation seem inappropriate right now in light of what is going on in the world. Travel, as much if not more than most industries, has been hard hit by the unprecedented spread of this pandemic.
It’s not like we don’t still want to travel. I would love to stand elbow to elbow with strangers in front of the Trevi Fountain, but I just saw a photo on the news of a vacant square. I would love to eat a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower or tour the Coliseum and I don’t care how big a group we are or how crowded it is. Funny how that has changed.
We do have a cruise planned for early May and I received my cruise documents by email this morning. We haven’t “officially” cancelled and I haven’t actively pursued credits and refunds for what we have already booked. I really don’t want to, but to do otherwise is irresponsible. So for now I will leave the email as pending.
As part of the travel community, and our community closer to home, we are privy to the stories of those affected by the travel restrictions Canadian snowbirds still in the United States racing against a closing border are a huge concern as this demographic includes our most vulnerable. My sister sighed in relief when her 82 year old neighbour turned into the driveway this morning. She just didn’t go out to greet him.
I have travel friends who are on board a cruise ship right now travelling from South America to the United States. No one is sick as of last report and they are free to engage with other passengers and crew. She keeps us and her other family and friends posted through Facebook. They are not there by choice but were denied disembarkation in Chile and a ride home is effectively their two week quarantine. She is quick to praise the response of her cruise line. Nice to hear in light of how vilified the cruise industry as been this past while.
I have other friends who work in essential services here at home and whose leaves were cancelled for the foreseeable future. Their upcoming travels have been sidelined as a result.
I also have friends who choose to travel locally instead of internationally. They are enjoying the Pacific Coast of Australia right now. Their pictures warmed my heart.
As I write this I understand that my lament is small and self pitying in light of the sickness and suffering throughout the world. We all have to do our part to socially isolate and stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
But travel is by its very nature escapism, and at this time having an escape would be a good thing. We just have to wait. As the saying goes, “This too shall pass.” Hard as it to imagine right now at some point, in the not so distant future, our lives will return to normal.
And when it does I will dust off my suitcase, throw in my toothbrush and head out.