Have you made 2021 travel plans? Do you think they'll happen?

[disneysteve]

Last week I drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Numerous times from my room at Sun Coast, I would catch the elevator down to the casino or restaurant in order to get something to eat. As soon as I exited the elevator and saw people wearing masks, it dawned on my that I forgot to wear my mask and had to back track and go back up to my room to get my mask. It was my fault for forgetting to wear my mask but it was frustrating.

I'm so used to wearing them at this point that I don't generally forget. When you're in a hotel again, I'd suggest hanging the mask on the doorknob as you enter the room. That way it's right there as you leave so you're unlikely to forget it.

Honestly, I tend to have the opposite problem. I park in my driveway at night and as I get out, I start to put a mask on before realizing I don't need to do that to walk into my own house.

[james.hendrickson]

So for us here in Oregon, Covid is still definitely getting in the way of travel plans. All the adults in our family are vaccinated, that's not a big deal. Where it becomes a problem is getting our kids together.

Case in point, I wanted to visit my brother and my parents in Eugene, which is one of the regional cities here in Oregon, but my brother and I both have young children. The clear public health guidance is not to let kids get together due to risk of transmission.

So, the solution we settled on is to make our kids wear masks and only let them play together outside.

So are my 2021 travel plans happening - yes, kinda. But covid is still totally getting in the way.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I researched Hawaii's safe travel website, 1) upload vax card, 2) get QR code 24 hours before flight by answering a health questionnaire, 3) no testing required upon arrival (I think), and I'm fully vax'd but I don't think I could have fun having to wear masks at the airports and for a 6 hour flight, except when actively eating/drinking. Too cumbersome.

It's not bad. My kids did it twice and will do it again. I think we might permenantly wear masks in airports and on planes. Planes are so germy. It's hard not to get sick on those 6+ or 10-12+ hour flights. I can't say it's great but at christmas the kids and I didn't eat, drink, or use the restroom from door to door. August we did use the bathroom and the kids ate on the plane the meal served, i did not.

I have to say I really like wearing masks in crowded situations. We haven't been sick since this started and it's fantastic. Usually with kids they are catching something in the winter. But we've been cruising on everything. And usually people are disgustingly sick on planes to or from hawaii. I think they don't want to mess up their travel so they go no matter what. Thus for me I'm perfectly content wearing a mask even if other's don't. I like not being sick on a plane or right after getting off.

Now we haven't done disney or any amusement parks and I will say the kids and I found it hard to go out in the summer heat with masks. So until they get vaxxed I'm thinking of avoiding the heat and crowds. And honestly I'm betting Mexico in February the kids are vaxxed by then. We aren't going if they aren't vaxxed. It's not worth the risk of them catching it and having to quarantine in mexico.

[kork13]

I just talked through some of our winter travel plans with DW.
- Mid-Oct: DW traveling to Philly for her hybrid DPT program, 8 days. Followed immediately by a small family reunion (her side) on the other end of Idaho.
- Early Dec: I'm joining DW on her DPT trip to Philly, 9 days. - Christmas thru 3Jan: Fairbanks, AK for aurora hunting, hot springs, and new driver's licenses.

[bennkar]

We are heading to Florida for 3 weeks starting in late October. Driving there, so no airplane issues. By then the temps should be down far enough that wearing masks shouldn't be a major issue. This is my first trip for 2021, but next year my mother and I are planning to travel to Europe for 1-2 weeks.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I've been driving from Los Angeles to Tijuana (150 miles drive each way) twice a month even during height of CWD. TJ is a men's playground with 3 big clubs and smaller ones as well. I know this is a family website so I won't divulge too much information here but TJ has let's say gentlemens clubs such as Hong Kong Gentlemens club, Chicago club, and Adelita bar. USA clubs cannot even compare to TJ clubs. I'll just say the clubs are downstairs and they have rooms upstairs. On a vax related side note, all the women that I've spoken with all got the J & J one-shot. They don't have access to Pfizer nor Moderna. They are all grateful for the J & J one shot vax. Unlike USA which has 3 brands and still people are on the fence about getting it, shrug.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Many things are mostly normal.

[disneysteve]

Many things are mostly normal.

I can't really agree with that.

I think a lot of places are trying to pretend that things are mostly normal even though they aren't, but that's got a lot to do with why things continue to drag on and on. Eliminating mask requirements is a good example. Some places have basically decided COVID is over so they aren't using or requiring masks anymore. That might make them feel like things are back to normal, but the virus is still just as contagious as ever and employees and customers are paying the price.

Until case numbers are sharply lower all over, things really aren't anywhere near normal.

We leave for Florida on Monday. I've got a supply of N95 and KN95 masks packed and will wear them everywhere we go. We'll do our best to avoid indoor dining whenever possible or distance ourselves from others when we have to dine inside. When we were there 2 weeks ago, all of the restaurants we went to still had barriers up between tables and they were spacing out parties for the most part so we felt reasonably comfortable but I'm sure in the Disney parks that won't be the case, so we'll just take our food and go outside even if we have to sit on the sidewalk to eat.

I don't think we will be back to "mostly normal" for quite some time.

[mo0n]

I'm departing for New Mexico next week, and as of right now, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival is still a full go.

[disneysteve]

I'm departing for New Mexico next week, and as of right now, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival is still a full go.

We would love to go to that some time.

[Snydley]

I can't really agree with that.

I think a lot of places are trying to pretend that things are mostly normal even though they aren't, but that's got a lot to do with why things continue to drag on and on. Eliminating mask requirements is a good example. Some places have basically decided COVID is over so they aren't using or requiring masks anymore. That might make them feel like things are back to normal, but the virus is still just as contagious as ever and employees and customers are paying the price.

Until case numbers are sharply lower all over, things really aren't anywhere near normal.

We leave for Florida on Monday. I've got a supply of N95 and KN95 masks packed and will wear them everywhere we go. We'll do our best to avoid indoor dining whenever possible or distance ourselves from others when we have to dine inside. When we were there 2 weeks ago, all of the restaurants we went to still had barriers up between tables and they were spacing out parties for the most part so we felt reasonably comfortable but I'm sure in the Disney parks that won't be the case, so we'll just take our food and go outside even if we have to sit on the sidewalk to eat.

I don't think we will be back to "mostly normal" for quite some time.

You are a health care worker; get yourself a booster shot. Get 11 fold higher protection from infection. You deserve it. We all deserve it. Let's not let any more doses expire and go into the trash.

[disneysteve]

You are a health care worker; get yourself a booster shot.

Absolutely! I was hoping to get it before we left for vacation but the FDA and CDC didn't finalize the approval until yesterday or the day before. My hospital is going to start scheduling appointments next week but we're leaving on Monday so it will have to wait until we get home. DW will get hers too as she falls into the higher risk groups. My mom is already scheduled to get hers on 10/20.

[Like2Plan]

Absolutely! I was hoping to get it before we left for vacation but the FDA and CDC didn't finalize the approval until yesterday or the day before. My hospital is going to start scheduling appointments next week but we're leaving on Monday so it will have to wait until we get home. DW will get hers too as she falls into the higher risk groups. My mom is already scheduled to get hers on 10/20.

I wonder if you could just go to a Walgreens or a CVS? That is what my sister's SIL did. (She was in the earlier qualifying group). She didn't even need an appointment--she just certified that she qualified for the 3rd dose and they gave it to her--(although there are more people qualifying for the booster now, so maybe it would be more difficult?)

[disneysteve]

I wonder if you could just go to a Walgreens or a CVS? That is what my sister's SIL did. (She was in the earlier qualifying group). She didn't even need an appointment--she just certified that she qualified for the 3rd dose and they gave it to her--(although there are more people qualifying for the booster now, so maybe it would be more difficult?)

I could do that but honestly I don’t want to get it right before we leave just in case I have a reaction. We leave in 2 days.

[Like2Plan]

I could do that but honestly I don’t want to get it right before we leave just in case I have a reaction. We leave in 2 days.

That makes sense.