travel – Ellen Creager

Throughout the pandemic, I have been asked continually about whether it is safe to plan a trip. A real trip. A trip that might take you abroad. Or on a cruise. Or to a crowded city. A trip that has been off-limits in the past year.

I do think we are starting to see glimmers of hope, but it is not for spring or summer travel. Not yet.

However, I am starting to think about planning a trip to Egypt for February 2022, a year from now.

I would think about planning a warm weather trip for next winter.

And I would definitely think about trips in 2023.

And here is something you can do right now: dream. A lot has been taken away from us during this pandemic, but last time I looked, it was still safe to dream about trips you want to take someday. Go onto travel sites or look at catalogs. Viking Cruises already is advertising 2022 and 2023 trips. That is smart. Other travel providers also are hustling to get long-range trip options ready.

It does not hurt to put a refundable down-payment now on a trip or vacation rental for next fall or winter. But make sure it is a real refund option, not just a credit.

Avoid paying for any non-refundable trip yet. Wait until maybe summer – when we know for sure if the pandemic is receding — to lock yourself into a trip for early 2022.

As for airline tickets, think about booking fall airline tickets around May or June, if they can be exchanged without penalty. As things get back to normal later this year, keep a close eye on fare rules, because as demand rises, airlines will tighten up on their flexibility.

International travel? Take heart. Globetrotting will not be off limits forever. No one knows when international borders will reopen to Europe, Asia or even Canada. But the moment those borders open, you can bet there will be pent-up demand for travel. So you want to be monitoring your destination closely.

Going forward, travelers will want to find that window to travel where a) it is safe; b) fares and trip costs still are discounted, and c) not everybody in the world is traveling yet. That will be a bit tricky, but if you have a destination in mind, start following the news there. Keep tabs on the costs and restrictions. And when the time is right, go for it. You will not be trapped at home forever.

Surveys show people are restless to travel but are frightened of going anywhere.

So I wonder: what is going to happen over the upcoming holidays? Nobody is sure.

This yearning to see family and friends is getting more powerful. But so is the virus. Push. Pull. Ying. Yang. Go. Don’t go. It reminds me of the old poem my mother used to recite: “Mother may I go down to swim?/Yes my darling daughter/ Hang your clothes by a hickory limb/ But don’t’ go near the water.”

I still do not recommend flying unless you are under age 40. It is not the airplane. It is the terminal, the gate, the security lines and crowded boarding process that concern me. Cruises? Don’t book anything yet for next year even if it looks enticing and cheap. But hotels are ok. Driving is ok. Meeting up for a giant Thanksgiving dinner indoors is not ok. But I have a friend whose family plans to cook Thanksgiving Dinner, each person one dish, and then meet in a parking lot and exchange the food so all can have a complete dinner. Clever.

Another way to feel more confident if you are traveling is to take a Covid-19 test before you go. It is a layer of care that will be appreciated by others, even though it is not foolproof.

The prospect of a bleak holiday season is sad. But hosting just one or two visitors, or meeting outside, or having open windows in your dining room, or staggering get-togethers so they are small – all could work.

Buck up, do what you can this year, and look forward to better travel days in 2021.

Tag: travel

Start planning travel again – for late 2021

Going places — not