Travel hopes for 2022

[2017ish]

I also want to travel a lot this year. But at this time, some of the entry requirements, especially that of returning to the U.S., make me hesitate.
One day, I tell myself that I should go no matter what. ....

Coming back into the USA hasn't been that difficult. We travel with a box of internet monitored antibody tests in the backpack. As long as you have web access, it is easy. So too, we've consistently seen readily available testing when on trips--often cheaper than those we travel with. (Our experience has been limited to Iceland, Spain, Portugal, Jordan, and Mexico. In Colombia now, but haven't really looked around for testing here.)

I guess the possibility of extending the stay is there in the event of a positive test, but we tend to be pretty flexible.

I figure that we might as well get used to it--just like TSA security theater, the government has little incentive to change it, and it may not go away.

 

[explanade]

I have given up hoping for a Europe trip this spring, due to Covid. Instead, I think I will do a 2 week road trip out to the Black Hills SD area (I am in NC). Just me, since DW does not like to travel that much anymore (due to having to eat GF and DF, and other factors).

I'll probably also try to get in a couple of domestic flying trips to Tucson area and the southern Utah national parks.

But, Covid could still screw my plans over.

Summer or fall to Europe not a consideration?

 

[explanade]

I also want to travel a lot this year. But at this time, some of the entry requirements, especially that of returning to the U.S., make me hesitate.
One day, I tell myself that I should go no matter what. On the next day, I may ask myself why bother for the potential troubles.
I can see that the restrictions are being loosened. I hope that the U.S. removes test requirements for vaccinated travelers soon.

Coming back into the USA hasn't been that difficult. We travel with a box of internet monitored antibody tests in the backpack. As long as you have web access, it is easy. So too, we've consistently seen readily available testing when on trips--often cheaper than those we travel with. (Our experience has been limited to Iceland, Spain, Portugal, Jordan, and Mexico. In Colombia now, but haven't really looked around for testing here.)

I guess the possibility of extending the stay is there in the event of a positive test, but we tend to be pretty flexible.

I figure that we might as well get used to it--just like TSA security theater, the government has little incentive to change it, and it may not go away.

I got tested 3 times last year to return to the US.

There is a push to eliminate the testing requirement,, at least for those vaccinated or maybe vaccinated + boosted.

The reduced the testing requirement from 3 days before your return to 1 day before your return because of Omicron.

Hoping they change it back to 3 days before summer, if not eliminate it altogether.


But travel will be different than last summer in one respect. Omicron even after it dies down is much more infectious than previous variants. So you're more likely to catch it and testing positive means added costs if you have to quarantine for 1-2 weeks.

Plus there's a push to remove the mask requirements on planes. It's set to expire next month unless it's extended.

Still, some European countries are removing restrictions, including travel restrictions. Reason is that despite high number of cases, they are seeing low hospitalization and death rates, because many of these country have 80% or more fully vaccinated and 60% or more boosted -- I think the US is like 25% boosted.

Unfortunately, the US is still saw high hospitalizations and deaths in the Omicron wave.

 

[flyingaway]

Coming back into the USA hasn't been that difficult. We travel with a box of internet monitored antibody tests in the backpack. As long as you have web access, it is easy. So too, we've consistently seen readily available testing when on trips--often cheaper than those we travel with. (Our experience has been limited to Iceland, Spain, Portugal, Jordan, and Mexico. In Colombia now, but haven't really looked around for testing here.)

I guess the possibility of extending the stay is there in the event of a positive test, but we tend to be pretty flexible.

I figure that we might as well get used to it--just like TSA security theater, the government has little incentive to change it, and it may not go away.

Yes. I had my booster shot, so I don't actually worry about the virus per se.

But if I get tested positive in a country like Colombia a few hours before my flight, I might get frustrated with the logistics, as how to get a new hotel room and how to get my food if I need to be isolated, etc.

I have ordered some free home testing boxes, which have not arrived for more than a week.

 

[camfused]

Summer or fall to Europe not a consideration?

We never go to Europe in the summer, due to the crowds. I suspect this summer, if Europe opens up, will be wall-to-wall people, due to the pent-up demand. But, I am just guessing.

I would love to go in the fall but I am not sure if Covid has other plans.

 

[dm]

I tried sending you the link to our trip story, but I am having a problem.
I have attached the story instead.

Thanks!

 

[OldConch]

Enjoy this one! We stayed just a bit down the road from Chena in February 2021-- our last unvaccinated trip. Were a little disappointed with our planned 3 nights, then extended a day and hit the jackpot with the lights.

Had a great time at Chena. Saw the aurora the first two nights we were there. The first night it didn't arrive until after 2:30am. Skinny but bright with lots of color. The temperature on top of the mountain got down to -36F with a bit of wind. The second night we got an aurora call at 11:30pm, layered up, and spent about 30 minutes with almost the entire visible sky a bright green. Amazing. The resort itself was very nice. They produce all of their energy needs from geothermal and most of the vegetables served in the restaurants are grown in one of three greenhouses. Interestingly, the hot water they use for energy production is 165F. They use that to heat an industrial solvent that boils just below that. A planned 4,000 ft. well should produce water hotter than the boiling point and if all goes well will produce enough green energy for the resort to expand and begin to provide power to the surrounding community. Great trip but COLD.

 

[grasshopper]

UnCruise in Sea of Cortez later in May. All of this was planned pre-omicron.

We have done UnCruise's Sea of Cortez twice, perfect balance of fun active time, and laidback time. Since we are in AZ 30 miles from Mexico it is an easy travel day for us.

Confirmed our May hiking trip in Bryce Canyon, and Zion NP. It will be a fun road trip for us.

Confirmed our Fall Greece hiking trip to Athens and around the Peloponnese peninsula.

 

[ElizabethT]

Booked our trip to Germany to see DD, SIL and our much missed 2 GD's. We FaceTime about twice a week, which helps, but can't wait to see and give everyone real hugs. We'll be there for five weeks, so much day tripping from DD's home is on the agenda.

We've also got a road trip to Big Bend NP for a week of camping and hiking with the Sierra Club set for Fall.

Completely refurnished the house during COVID. It will be nice to turn those funds back toward travel if the current move toward it becoming endemic continues.

 

[Palmtree]

Confirmed our May hiking trip in Bryce Canyon, and Zion NP. It will be a fun road trip for us.

We visited the same parks back in Sept. In Zion, if you plan on hiking the Narrows or Angels Landing, these hikes are crazy popular. I urge you to get an early start. Like up at 5:00am, out the door in the dark, 1st shuttle bus in the morning early. We did and the early start was very rewarding. Any later and it's a zoo.


Also, I just heard that due to crowding, Angels Landing now requires a permit in advance.

 

[OldConch]

We have done UnCruise's Sea of Cortez twice, perfect balance of fun active time, and laidback time. Since we are in AZ 30 miles from Mexico it is an easy travel day for us.

Confirmed our May hiking trip in Bryce Canyon, and Zion NP. It will be a fun road trip for us.

Confirmed our Fall Greece hiking trip to Athens and around the Peloponnese peninsula.

Thanks for the UnCruise report. We spent a week last June on the Wilderness Discoverer out of Juneau and loved it. Boat was only half full which was really nice.

Curious to know how you booked your hiking trips. We used G Adventures and Intrepid in Vietnam, Thailand, and Alaska and were very pleased with all three. Booked our West Highland Way trek through Mac’s Adventures.

 

[grasshopper]

Thanks for the UnCruise report. We spent a week last June on the Wilderness Discoverer out of Juneau and loved it. Boat was only half full which was really nice.

Curious to know how you booked your hiking trips. We used G Adventures and Intrepid in Vietnam, Thailand, and Alaska and were very pleased with all three. Booked our West Highland Way trek through Mac’s Adventures.

We use Country Walkers/VBT, used in Italy, Zambia, CA coastal trail, and using again for Bryce Canyon, and Greece. Stay in mostly 4-5 star accommodations, and always good food which we work off during the day.

Wilderness Discoverer was our first UnCruise 2013 inside passage. We like how they operate. So we have done the Galapagos, Hawaii, Costa Rica/ Panama and Sea of Cortez with them and have always been happy. We are active travelers and love the small ship cruises.

 

[OldConch]

We use Country Walkers/VBT, used in Italy, Zambia, CA coastal trail, and using again for Bryce Canyon, and Greece. Stay in mostly 4-5 star accommodations, and always good food which we work off during the day.

Wilderness Discoverer was our first UnCruise 2013 inside passage. We like how they operate. So we have done the Galapagos, Hawaii, Costa Rica/ Panama and Sea of Cortez with them and have always been happy. We are active travelers and love the small ship cruises.

I hadn’t heard of Country Walkers. Looks interesting. Thanks. Really looking forward to our Sea of Cortez trip. If it’s as good as the Alaska trip we’ll likely book Hawaii 2023. Safe travels!

 

[braumeister]

Just got home from a 10 day road trip across seven states. First time on skis in three years, so I was really looking forward to it. Snow on the slopes was decent, although little new powder while I was there, but I enjoyed the heck out of it anyway.

 

[brett]

Feeling more optimistic. With any luck Greek Islands in May/June, and Morocco/Portugal in Sept/Oct.

Plus a week at a Mexico AI at Xmas with daughter and family. After that.. snowbird trip to Thailand and Malaysia.

Cannot wait.

 

[Aerides]

Just got back from my first flight/trip in 2 years.

Mostly, other passengers seem to be 90% compliant with guidelines while on the actual plane, less so in airports, rental bus.. and way way less so at the luggage carousel (I had to check a bag for the flight home, usually try to avoid). Apparently holding a beer all the time means you can do whatever you like!

That said, so far so good, the trip was wonderful, the hiking and shopping I went for were as good as I'd been dreaming for 2 years.

 

[Alan]

DD should be arriving from L.A. in just over 10 days time. Stay with us for 10 days then along with our son the 4 of us have flights and an apartment booked in Barcelona for a week. She stays in Barcelona for another week on business before flying back.

Fingers crossed.

 

[OldConch]

Just got back from my first flight/trip in 2 years.

Mostly, other passengers seem to be 90% compliant with guidelines while on the actual plane, less so in airports, rental bus.. and way way less so at the luggage carousel (I had to check a bag for the flight home, usually try to avoid). Apparently holding a beer all the time means you can do whatever you like!

That said, so far so good, the trip was wonderful, the hiking and shopping I went for were as good as I'd been dreaming for 2 years.

Just looked at my Google calendar and the MSP to ATL flight that I’m currently on is my 61st segment flown since Covid started. I would say your observations are pretty accurate.

Vaxxed and boosted and we double mask with a KN95 and and a good cloth mask when necessary. We went maskless on two vaccine mandatory cruises and one small group hiking tour where all 12 of us squeezed in a van. It felt really good to go without. Our Alaska guide said “get your jabs and live your life.” Unless/until some new variant comes along we’re doing just that. Pretty confident we’re protected against serious illness and willing to quarantine overseas if we do test positive.

 

[Bamaman]

We're still planning on our Baltic Cruise end of May, however we don't know what politics will hold.

We do have flights round trip thru LHR already. If the cruise is modified or cancelled, we can always get a cruise credit--to be put against a later Eastern Caribbean cruise.

If the Baltic cruise doesn't work out, we will fly a budget airline down to Budapest and visit Slovenia for a few days.

We always want to keep our options open. Often Plan B is also a great time too.

 

[rodi]

For the next six months it's all road trips in the scooby van.
- Red Rock Canyon Natural Reserve (near Vegas) with my sis, cousin, and friends.
- 2 week trip up and down the coast to Marin and back... Visiting younger son both ways with beach campsites near his campus (morro strand and pismo)
- Mammoth lakes with sis and friends
- Bryce with sis and cousin.

Then our big trip in the fall -if it doesn't get cancelled. Machu Picchu/Galapagos with OAT. I'm nervous about it being cancelled after our transatlantic cruise was cancelled killing our FL->Cinque Terre->Milan trip.

Hubby is going to FL to see his brother in a few weeks... to replace the visit we'd planned prior to our cruise. It will only be his second flight since Covid.

 

[athena53]

Another recommendation for UnCruise-I've been on 6 of them!

I just pulled the trigger on a round trip to Munich in May. Airfare in Business Class dropped $1,500 from what I saw a couple of weeks ago. Fully refundable but I hope I don't have to. In a perfect world this would be a base for a short trip to Kiev and Pripyat. Oops. I may explore Malta instead.

 

[Librarian]

Well, I retire in May (DH retired last year)...SO it is RETIREMENT YEAR...maybe a year & a half! (that means LOTS of travel)
We did 2 weeks on Celebrity Edge last summer & it was AMAZING--I wish cruise ships would ALWAYS be half full! (even if it costs more!)

2022
March:7 day Celebrity Apex to Caribbean (fantastic deal originally booked for last March)
July:11 day Enchanted Princess to Baltics (fantastic deal; situation in Europe could change this)
Sept: 12 day Emerald Princess to UK (we had $1200 in air vouchers that had to be used to book SOMETHING by this April)
Dec: 7 day NCL Encore to Caribbean (DH won this in Dec. 2019)

2023
Jan: 14 day Carnival Miracle to Hawaii (I signed up for a cruise match & was offered a free cruise...went for the longest one! I suspect they won't like my level of gambling on a ship, but I'll enjoy the ONE free cruise) I had $600 credit from a cancelled 2020 cruise which covered taxes & fees!
March/April: Possible S. Pacific Princess cruise for a 3-4 weeks.
August: 10 Day Med cruise on NCL Breakaway w/ our adult children.
Fall: We are looking at 4 b2b cruises on the Edge starting in Rome & ending in NZ. It's nearly 2 months.

I suspect after visiting so many new places via cruises we will figure out where we want to come back to spend more time.

 

[audreyh1]

I’m finally flying somewhere this week after a 2 year hiatus from flying. Not really pleasure trip - family/executor business.

When I went to get the ticket I was delighted to see that I still had some travel credits that I thought had expired long ago. They were extended once, but it looks like they were all extended again to the end of this year!

 

[Sunset]

Well, I retire in May (DH retired last year)...SO it is RETIREMENT YEAR...maybe a year & a half! (that means LOTS of travel)
We did 2 weeks on Celebrity Edge last summer & it was AMAZING--I wish cruise ships would ALWAYS be half full! (even if it costs more!)

2022
March:7 day Celebrity Apex to Caribbean (fantastic deal originally booked for last March)
July:11 day Enchanted Princess to Baltics (fantastic deal; situation in Europe could change this)
Sept: 12 day Emerald Princess to UK (we had $1200 in air vouchers that had to be used to book SOMETHING by this April)
Dec: 7 day NCL Encore to Caribbean (DH won this in Dec. 2019)

2023
Jan: 14 day Carnival Miracle to Hawaii (I signed up for a cruise match & was offered a free cruise...went for the longest one! I suspect they won't like my level of gambling on a ship, but I'll enjoy the ONE free cruise) I had $600 credit from a cancelled 2020 cruise which covered taxes & fees!
March/April: Possible S. Pacific Princess cruise for a 3-4 weeks.
August: 10 Day Med cruise on NCL Breakaway w/ our adult children.
Fall: We are looking at 4 b2b cruises on the Edge starting in Rome & ending in NZ. It's nearly 2 months.

I suspect after visiting so many new places via cruises we will figure out where we want to come back to spend more time.

Congratulations.
That is a lot of planned cruises !

What is a "cruise match" ?

 

[Ronstar]

Booked a trip to Las Vegas for early October.