Delta canceled my flight to Italy in September, so I requested my refund today. Of course, I had to go find it, they didn’t send notice to us.
I’m having a hard time letting go of this trip. I have $2k paid (refundable), in tours that I’m not yet willing to cancel. Nor my hotel.
I know in my heart I need to just look towards September 2021, but I put so much time and effort in planning…been wanting this trip with the boys for 3 years…that I can’t let go if there is the slightest chance it could happen. But I know that’s irrational. Oh well…
I have been searching hotels along a possible road trip route for later this summer. None of their websites say anything about being closed to non-essential travelers.
The problem with the whole RV thing (and we do have a small travel trailer with kitchen and bathroom) is that many campgrounds remain closed. It’s difficult to keep up with the sanitation protocol for the shower rooms/bathrooms- not to mention any pools and playgrounds. Yes, you can park on a dirt road and be self-supporting, but not as many people tend to do that.
I’ve decided to plan a vacation trip to…Taiwan. Travel to Taiwan is not as regimented as visiting Mainland China. Also, no political chaos and danger like what’s happening in Hong Kong right now. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic had a very minimal impact in Taiwan, where despite its proximity to China, avoided a Wuhan-like situation with effective science and behavior. Taiwan is open and is very affordable right now.
We went to Taiwan a few years back. It was a very nice country to visit—nice high speed rail train. Some very nice hotels, friendly locals, inexpensive food and massages.
In the big cities, English is spoken well by most people, as they learn it in school. I don’t speak anything other than English and a tiny amount of Spanish and we did fine.
Gearing up for our lake house trip has begun. I’m making a detailed grocery list in the hopes of having everything we need with us and no local grocery runs necessary. I still need to identify one bathroom stop roughly halfway. I am really looking forward to a change in isolated location, new hikes and even scenery along the way! Wish us luck!
Question of the day: What have you forgotten to pack (food, clothes, gear, etc) in a similar situation?
@cheeringsection, I suggest you write a list, and then check that you have everything on your list before you depart. It’s so easy to forget some necessary thing.
This from a person who was taking bikes to her son, so decided to fill and take water bottles too. Left the bottles on the counter. Fortunately they could take bottles of water in a backpack.
Butter. I seem to forget the butter. Now it’s a joke to see where I packed it? It’s best to make notes as you move through your day. One time DH forgot sweetener of any kind for his coffee.
We definitely use lists. We start making them a week or more ahead of time so we can add things as we think of them. Trying to come up with everything at once just doesn’t happen with our older brains.
We have a lake cottage that we take most of our food to. The way I plan the list is to break down into 5 categories:
Breakfast/brunch
Savory snacks
Dinner
Sweet snacks
Beverages
I meal plan for each of these categories. I literally “set the table” for each meal in my head and think about what we will need. If brunch includes pancakes I know I need pancake mix, butter, syrup, fruit. If dinner includes tacos I know I need taco seasoning protein, shells, cheese, veggies, sour cream, avocado, hot sauce.
We don’t do lunch so I bring lots of grab it snacks. This system is not flawless but helps.
Also, don’t forget what you need to do before you leave, like stop mail/newspapers (or forward). I also make sure to bring bills I need to pay while I’m away (if it’s an extended trip). Other things to think about: toilet paper/paper towels, cleaning supplies, pet food (if applicable – as well as other pet supplies), medications, books, etc.