We are still undecided about a planned trip across country at the end of July/beginning of August. Haven’t cancelled the airline tix yet, but DH is more comfortable with this than I am. it will also require renting a car, staying in a hotel or airbnb near the kids (can’t stay with them). I’ve heard that some hotels claim they leave rooms open for several days after they are cleaned Does anyone know which hotels do this?
The question is would you quarantine yourself for 14 days before you see your kids/grandkid after you have taken a flight? I think July/Aug will probably be the best time to travel and socialization unless we get a second wave due to all the protests. We should know by Jul 4th.
The second wave is almost inevitable. The only question is when. However, it’s more likely in the fall, especially late fall, than in the middle of summer. It isn’t just because what is happening here right now. The rates of infections are surging across Latin America.
We still have our reservations to fly to Denver for an August 15 wedding. The bride will be making a decision about this event by July 1. At this point, I’m hoping they just postpone it. The bridal shower is the 20th of June…might be virtual, might be outdoors with social distancing…which sounds difficult. I’m not sure how the would manage the food.
This is a horrible time to be having a wedding…so many unknowns.
We still have our rental in NJ in mid September. We have our own kitchen, two bathrooms (in case someone else joins us…they would have their own bathroom), a nice outdoor porch, close to walk to the boardwalk and beach (post season so it’s not crowded anyway). We will be driving so no planes or airports. It will be a nice change of scenery.
I highly encourage anyone with the funds to explore travel options within 4 hours of home. We have just returned from a lake house that we rented from the owner. We did wipe things down when we arrived and brought our own groceries. Our only 2 meals out were carry out from a (there) local restaurant. It was really nice to distance with a view of the lake and boats going by. Also we created some business for both the homeowner and the restaurant. I think the change of scenery, including the drive there and back, has done all of us good.
We are doing a pretty good job of quarantining at home, but if we go, obviously won’t have the opportunity to quarantine for 2 weeks after a flight out there for a one week visit. The best we could do would be to carefully shower, change clothes, wipe down everything, etc wherever we are staying before putting on masks (and maybe gloves) and maintaining 6’ social distancing during visits. I do not know if we will enter either s’s homes or not.
Also, DH is considering a surgical procedure in August, and will have to quarantine for 2 weeks when we return. And his office will just be opening up Aug 1 or so and he may not be able to go in if he is wanting to prepare for surgery and having just returned from across the country. Lots of variables…
@Cheeringsection our little September trip is as you describe. It’s about a 4 1/2 hour drive. But still very doable.
There are finally some boats and a couple more jet skis out on the water. It’s nice seeing it get back to more normal than before. No one is going to catch the virus out on a boat unless one of their boatmates has it, so as long as those are chosen carefully (people one lives with or similar) I see no harm. Being outdoors definitely does a lot for many people.
Vacations are very helpful mentally for most of us. People might just have to tweak their vacations to be safe. I feel fortunate FIL owns this place, but I’m also comfortable with my kids and H+me renting AirBnB’s we drive to for our own Anniversary trips later. Kayaking should be just as safe as the motorboats and jet skis I’m watching.
Those of you traveling (even a relatively short distance from home), how are you dealing with bathroom breaks? I don’t mind what may be on surfaces (feel confident with wipes and washing) but what may be in the air gives me pause. I’m a person who normally must stop every 1.5 hours and the idea of Depends does not appeal except for absolute emergencies. I’m not averse to squatting in a forest while hiking but the idea of finding a spot on the side of a interstate or highway is quite…awkward, to say the least. Are the dangers of public bathrooms overstated? I would love to do short road trips and also visit some college campuses this summer with D21 (even if they’re empty) but can’t find a way through the bathroom issue.
^A portable travel/camping toilet?
@inthegarden - this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/GigaTent-Portable-Pop-Up-Changing-Room-Black/50154509
We haven’t traveled far enough away from home to have the bathroom issue as of yet. We’re four hours from home at the moment and took precautions not to drink anything prior to leaving to avoid the issue. It worked. Had it not, the last hour or so we’re on a state highway, not an interstate, so could have turned off on a small road to find a tree had we needed it.
I’m glad we didn’t need the backup plan.
I’ve wondered about that, @INJParent, but I still wouldn’t know what to do about privacy. Remove the backseat from my Subaru Forester and install curtains ??
No way I could last four hours, @Creekland, maybe could stretch to 2.5 tops. Been that way all my life…
Oh gosh, @BunsenBurner, that’s too funny, but might be just the thing. My D would die of embarrassment if I popped that up on the side of a road, even an anonymous situation, lol! Love it!
It may shock you. I traveled a few times. I used public bathrooms. Gave a good of my hands. Why is tge air in the bathrrom any worse than any other indoor air? Virus wise? I know human waste may contain virus. But not any more than human breath.
Saw a bunch of these popups at the local park @inthegarden ! Bathrooms are closed, so…
Here is an Amazon one:
I also would use public restrooms. I did this morning on my run in the park. Just be quick and wash/ sanitize hands.
I can pee discretely with a P-Style. It’s a learned skill. Practice, practice.
We also have a Luggable Loo for car camping. Essentially a toilet seat that snaps on a five gallon bucket.
Line with a garbage bag. Add kitty litter. Good to go!
Having said that, we never used it! Haha!
@Igloo, Earlier in the pandemic there was a lot of public health concern about possible aerosolized fecal matter in the air from the force of flushing that could carry the virus. I don’t know what the current thinking on this is.
@Igloo, you seem a little put out. Lest you think I’m overly squeamish, please considered that I did two extended tours of Peace Corps service in places with quite a lot of tropical diseases, places in which I learned to use latrines literally crawling with maggots as no big deal, places with no clean running water or electricity/refrigeration, had malaria three times (one of which was chloroquine-resistant, which I almost died of), continual giardia, and a host of other “bugs”. One of my Peace Corps peers living just a stone’s throw away contracted river blindness. another (in another country, Chaugas. I’ve backpacked around several continents by bush taxi, the backs of pickup trucks/open semi-trucks, and local busses crammed so tight your legs go numb and you’re sitting on a stranger’s lap for hours. Oh, yeah, the northern Sahel by camel for a few days with a bout of fever and diarrhea. So please. If, at 63 years old and with an underlying health condition that makes me suspect I might not fare so well with the coronavirus (and a dependent daughter still in high school needing me), I think that I’ve earned the right to be cautious, for once. Not that anyone should have to justify their health concerns.
Publi, tankless toilets flush up and aerosolize waste content. Ditto for the hand blow dryers.
This was discussed here, and on subsequent posts:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/22819892/#Comment_22819892