Universal Studios Orlando reopens June 5
This was an interesting article I came across - the countries most dependent on tourism:
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/countries-reliant-tourism/
When we travel again (real travel), I’m keeping some of these in mind. Something in the Caribbean is still a possibility for our winter destination - pending how safe it seems at that time.
Good thing they could stop her. What a nightmare it could have been if she was able to fly. Everyone in the plane would have to quarantine for 2 weeks. Could anyone be that stupid?
One tiny principle I keep; I don’t travel within 2 weeks after I return from travel. In case I get sick, I will know which leg to blame for it.
It’s not stupidity, it’s extreme selfishness.
Sometimes, they are the same. She knew someone will get sick on the plane and they will find out it was her. It was matter of time and huge inconvenience. She still decided to go is paramount stupidity to me.
Having read the article, I agree with selfishness. The person had been advised, more than once it seemed. They didn’t have to put 2+2 together themselves. They just didn’t care who else might catch it from them.
I wonder who else they’ve been exposing, along the way to the airport and in general life. (Was there a cab driver? Did they return a rental car? Things like that.)
I’ve flown from the Lansing airport. It’s a tiny airport and thank goodness they caught her before security. So she must have just entered the airport.
Scary though
I’ve been thinking about travel the last couple of days as we are NOT traveling…but our state is opening up a fair bit (Ohio). While I don’t care to get on a plane and I’m not eager to do this tomorrow, I have been thinking that maybe “we” should “stay-near vacations” - so, weekends where we might need to do a rental for a night or two betweeen now and fall - because honestly if we don’t get out a bit the next 4-5 months and winter comes and the virus rears it’s ugly head again - well, I don’t know that I’ll survive winter inside after doing this March-May largely “inside”!
Just something to think about.
One thing this stay at home has made be reconsider- selling this house. It is larger than we need now but has plenty of room for people to be in different parts. The deck and backyard are our own little oasis. I’m sitting there now enjoying the birds and quiet.
Older S moved out of his college apartment and back home this week. While it’s been nice having HIM here, I don’t love having an apartment of stuff inside my house of stuff. He will be here for 6 weeks before moving to his new city 5 hours away. So today, we booked the U-Haul and also a hotel room for H, younger S, and myself for the night. I debated about just driving back in 1 day, but I think I’ll be exhausted - and probably slightly emotional.
I also booked a second hotel room for older S’ upcoming IRL graduation - exactly 1 year from today. 
The virtual one is next week. It feels weird starting to book rooms again. For a long time I was perfectly content to not even think or dream about travel, but I’ve been noticing this week I’ve been clicking on my junk emails about places to go and visit and think “Hmm… maybe someday that would be nice.”
H remarked how he’d love to get his brother and his family (and their GF’s)our family (plus GF’s), MIL and her husband, sister, all to go somewhere this summer before it gets harder. I just stared at him. Really, I said, the summer of the pandemic with all the family and GF, we don’t know who they are in contact with? Not last summer, or next summer…this summer?. Sheesh.
I said no.
My google feed told me Tanzania is open to anyone who wants to come - no quarantine.
If it weren’t for a pesky little pandemic, that would be appealing. With it, not a chance.
I was thinking it might be nice to go to neighbor islands when they allowed us to go without having to quarantine for 14 days if we are in-state, but both H and S said they want to wait as H and I are highly vulnerable (older, lung conditions), and both kids have some chronic health issues as well. I’m glad we are comfortable in our home and it’s big enough for all 4 of us to have some separate space and we have great neighbors and a neighborhood who is taking distancing seriously. I have no pressing desire to go anywhere–going to and from needed marketing is enough for me for now. D did take us to the beach park to walk along where the sand and grass meet for a little while one lovely afternoon with my mom. No one was within 10 feet of us at any time.
At least we don’t have to worry about weather extremes, other than tsunamis and storms and hurricanes. Thank goodness the volcano has quieted.
D drove back to Utah this week to spend the summer there until classes start in August. This weekend she’s camping at the end of a 4WD dirt road and exploring the slot canyons. I’m jealous!
From WSJ this morning
Funny you mentioned Tanzania… not only is there no quarantine, there is no public reaction of any sort to the virus, which is basically being ignored. My husband has a client who was unable to go to Kenya (closed border, stay-at-home orders, etc.,) so she’s going to Tanzania. She’s had Covid-19, is a health worker who will bring her own PPE with her… now all she needs is to find a decently priced flight. (Not easy.) I know she knows about the risks - she faced them on the front lines in the US. But I still find her amazingly daring.
Thanks for posting the chart of tourism impact in countries around the world. I see some of my favorite spots on the list and it hurts me to know 50 to 60% of the population is affected
Similar feelings here. This winter we’re going to try to go somewhere where our money can try to help out even a little bit. Sadly, there are so many options. I know life has been hard for many in some of the places we’ve already gone that made the list. I can only imagine what’s it’s like for them now.
My husband is hiking the Grand Canyon tomorrow, they opened it up for hiking, at least from the South Rim. I’m on my way to Indianapolis now, and have read that they have opened up restaurants, so I’m excited for that. Delta is doing a pretty good job blocking off seats, all middle seats and half in first class, hope it holds.
Since we were traveling this week (even if it was limited) we decided that we’re back to zero in terms of visiting with son and DIL and the one couple we had been having patio drinks with.
Dragondad could have picked up something at the medical clinic in Houston and we don’t want to pass it on. Two new weeks started Friday. It’s probably overly cautious, but it feels right to us. I’ll grocery shop once a week, we’ll do more puzzles, a friend said she would buy me a flat of flowers when she goes to the garden center… distancing is boring but not a hardship for us. I know for many that’s not true.