Trips/events cancelled, trips/events planned?

[texsuze]

I know this topic is being covered somewhat in Paula's post, but I'd like to hear about folks' specific trips, events, etc. that are/have been impacted by the whole corona cootie thing.

DH was set to make a reunion trip, of sorts, to a game lodge in Zambia. That was in June when the cootie crisis was blowing up. The international travel situation started shutting down, so even the folks from South Africa, NZ and Oz were not able to get there. His trip is tentatively rescheduled for June 2021.

Me, I scrubbed my scheduled trip to Costa Rica Would've been in November, but as time inched forward and I evaluated the flight schedule (Miami departure and one-night stay-over there), plus the fact that I'd be on a small ship cruise, I had to put on the brakes. Thankfully, I had trip insurance, and was watching refund, etc. deadlines closely. Haven't yet rescheduled something for 2021. My preference would actually be to visit Scotland or Wales, so maybe a fortunate turns of events.

DH and I are planning to attend what looks to be a big wedding in September. The venue is one of those all-inclusive "event barns" with space for distancing, but how much of that is likely to take place with folks celebrating (dinner & dancing) and who haven't seen each other in years? The bride is the daughter of special friends from our suburbia days; we basically watched her grow up. I would hate to miss the wedding, but it could be Cootie Central. I know DH will not back out, regardless.

Your stories, please....

[Tanga]

We usually do one or two vacations a year. Bonaire and diving is a big one, and it would sure be nice to go there, but like most of the rest of the world, they won't let anyone from the US in. We're not going to even think about planning anything for a year or so, or until the actual experts think it's a good idea.

texsuze I would not go anywhere near a big wedding in September! Especially in Texas! DH is going to go? Are you going to quarantine from him until he's tested clear? You know things are on a landslide getting worse and will be even more out of control by then. How can anyone endanger everyone like that?

We're pretty much on little day trip vacations. With the long days of sun, we can do a lot. Living near SF, we can do some nice trips. We did down the coast to Big Sur and past Hearst Castle a few weeks ago, and a few weeks before that did the mountains north of Lake Tahoe. We were going to do north along to coast to Mendicino today, but it's too late. It's been really, really hot here (especially for the bay being in sight) and then last night had massive thunder and lightening for hours, which is very unusual in the winter, and then heavy rain! It's wet outside! I don't remember it ever raining once here in July or August. Then we're having rolling brown outs because of the power grid, so probably just hiding inside for the day.

[texsuze]

Tanga, I'm very conflicted at this point re: the wedding. DH will go regardless. He and I don't see quite eye-to-eye on the corona cootie situation. It's one of those topics around our household that I deem "off the table", along with religion and politics Life's too short to spend in endless point/counterpoint, which is where he seems to be these days Is this a senior guy thing? Ha!

If I had more details on the wedding re: safety, how many attendees, etc. I might feel more confident about going. RSVP has yet to be mailed.....

[Chisamba]

as scatterlings of Africa my immediate family is spread across 5 continents. getting together is rare. My mother lives in Ireland, it will be her 90th birthday this year. we were going to have a giant celebration with everyone from all corners of the earth coming. of course bringing germs to a 90 year old is our of the question so it has been canceled. I do hope Mom's health holds out til the pandemic is over.

hubby and I have our 35th wedding anniversary on August 27. That trip too is canceled.

[blob]

The fiance and I had a plan to Japan planned in June that we had to cancel. We were really excited--neither of us has been before and there would have been lots of olympic buzz to add to the mix. This is the second time a trip to Japan has not worked out for us. Ah well.

Every year one of my closest friends and I go on an outdoorsy camping/hiking road trip. She's out in CA, so we usually fly somewhere and rent a car. This year we were planning to do South Dakota and Wyoming. We were planning to go end of August and sadly decided to cancel. Although our plan was to be in remote places and camp, the airports and flying seemed unsafe/irresponsible. Perhaps it's foolish, but we're considering/debating what it would look like to do a trip in October at a location that we could both drive to--basically meeting somewhere in the middle and camping in the woods there. I'm not sure this will be at all feasible, but having something to continue to plan/think about is nice. This yearly trip really helps keep me sane and so missing it makes me rather sad.

[Tanga]

Tanga, I'm very conflicted at this point re: the wedding. DH will go regardless. He and I don't see quite eye-to-eye on the corona cootie situation. It's one of those topics around our household that I deem "off the table", along with religion and politics Life's too short to spend in endless point/counterpoint, which is where he seems to be these days Is this a senior guy thing? Ha!

If I had more details on the wedding re: safety, how many attendees, etc. I might feel more confident about going. RSVP has yet to be mailed.....

That is terrifying. He can literally kill you. "Hopefully" he will see people getting sick and dying around him enough before then so that he learns to care enough about his family and you not to kill you.

I'm seeing more and more people I know or around people I know getting sick and dying, and this is in probably one of the "safer" areas of SF bay area. My BFF forever unfortunately moved from WA to NC last year as is a vet. She is stuck in stupid hell. She works for a vet that doesn't think Covid is a problem and is a tRumper! And her neanderthal husband just tested positive. Her rural county is now starting to mount up in the death numbers.

[Srhorselady]

Well, my first cancellation due to Covid was the World Cup in Las Vegas. Then my tour of the Canadian Rockies (I would have been leaving this week) was cancelled by the tour company when it became obvious the borders were going to remain closed. I waited for the Company to cancel to make sure I got a full refund. Then we scheduled a road trip to Santa Fe and Mesa Verde. Well New Mexico started requiring Arizona residents to quarantine for 14 days. Although I don’t blame the New Mexico governor, the Bed and Breakfast we reserved in Santa Fe explained what all these cancellations are doing to her business I felt sorry for her (and me) when she explained it might be three months to get my refund. We still had wonderful reservations in the Park at Mesa Verde BUT then the Federal Gov partially closed the Park again. The Park Itself remained open, but they closed access to all the ruins so all you can do right now is access the scenic points. So we cancelled in time to get a refund. By this time we were rather frustrated and I had the time with the petsitter and barn help reserved (which can be difficult when you have horses at home) so we were determined to go somewhere cool at least for a few days. Arizona is on track for the record hottest summer ever. We’ve had 38 days over 110 F with no end in sight until next weekend. So last week we drove to Williams Arizona and stayed in a very nice Bed and Breakfast (safer, in my opinion, that motels) with gourmet food etc. Williams has 3200 people with a temperature range from 55 at night to 87 during the day. It’s up in the pines. We also went to the Grand Canyon south rim (an hours drive) and there was NO ONE there. It was wonderful! Masks required inside or within 6 feet of people, but although we could see people we Were rarely within 6 feet. I haven’t been to the south rim in the summer in over 30 years due to crowds! I highly recommend this as the time to go. Bright Angel even had vacancies! We also went to Bearizona (it’s in Williams) which I highly recommend. It is getting very good reviews as a very natural wild animal park. The drive through section is well designed to give the animals room but also provide animal sightings no matter the time of day. You can also drive it multiple times. We saw White arctic wolves (mostly sleeping) right near the road, although one did get up and wander across the road and lots and lots of bears. They have two herds of Bison, one is mostly white bison, big horn sheep, etc. The walk through is well done too. Nice jaguar enclosure with one black and one spotted. However, their current pride is the three Orphaned grizzly cubs. They were so cute playing together and destroying an Amazon box covered in peanut butter and maple syrup. The shuttle and shows are closed, but that was fine. Any way it was a wonderful relief from the heat too. Also in the middle of this Covid mess I put a down payment down on the trip of my lifetime. Petra Jordan and a cruise down the Nile in January 2022.

[exvet]

Thanks for the suggestions Srhorselady. We usually do a rim to rim hike every year or two; but, figured it was out of the question this year. It likely is since we really haven't gotten ready for doing such a strenuous hike but we could still get the shorter hikes in if they're allowing visitors AND there's lodging. I've never been to Bearizona, passed it lots of times but never gone. I think I'll have to talk someone into it since he's desperately looking for something to do that's fun.

We cancelled our cruise to and from Hawaii that was scheduled for late January for obvious reasons. I've had to do all of my CE on line, usually go to one big meeting in the country. We also postponed our trip back home to North Carolina.

My son got engaged in April and was prepared to not set a date for a while. Looks like they're going to get married in October of 2021 due to the wait list for most of the typical services and venues in the area.

[Srhorselady]

Exvet, FYI. When I was at the Canyon last week I overheard a hiker saying they were not issuing overnite camping passes, but some people got around it by “hiking” at night. That was okay. I wouldn’t go this week, however. Williams hit their record high temperature ever 96 degeees! Better next week. Feral horses were in the Park, crossed the road in front of us on the way out.

[heddylamar]

We had a big party planned for my nana's 90th (and 1/2) birthday in July, but cancelled it in March. Between her history of lung ailments, home being closed to visitors, and several of us traveling 3,000+ miles ... it was just not worth the risk, to anyone. Fingers crossed we can celebrate next year or later. So far she's stayed safe.

We also skipped the nephew's unmasked open house/baby announcement. After that — and several other things that just seemed like and open invitation to COVID-19 — we decided we're avoiding spouse's side of the family entirely. It sucks. They're local, and if they were sensible we'd have people to interact with. Meanwhile, my more sensible family is all 1,000–3,000+ miles away.

We've been doing google hangouts lunch/happy hour with friends and my extended family, and several have asked if we'd go visit my mom ... Mom's 1,000 miles away and on satellite internet. Neither of us can work over satellite, so we could drive out for a weekend, but that's all. If something happened, I'd drive out. Otherwise, it seems to just be a lot of risk of exposure when we can talk over the phone/text.

As for the barn, it's normally only 3 of us there — BO, myself, and another boarder — with a 4th on occasion, and, even rarer, BO's spouse. I've seen the other boarder twice this year. With the exception of BO's spouse, we all WFH, and we're maintaining over 12' space, so I feel like the risk is low. The biggest risk of outside exposure is that 3 of our 4 mares have decided to become frequent flyers with the vet But the vets are as observant of space and masking as we are, so I haven't felt unsafe with visits for my mares.

[exvet]

Exvet, FYI. When I was at the Canyon last week I overheard a hiker saying they were not issuing overnite camping passes, but some people got around it by “hiking” at night. That was okay. I wouldn’t go this week, however. Williams hit their record high temperature ever 96 degeees! Better next week. Feral horses were in the Park, crossed the road in front of us on the way out.

Thank you again. We've always done rim to rim during the day, starting out at 5 am. The only time we've done the canyon at night has been in my/our younger and foolish days (more ambitious) and did rim to rim and back again. Those days are long behind me LOL. We might do the Promitory point hike or something that we know we can go down an back in less than 12 hours. Steve is driving back from Minnesota this Thursday so the Canyon isn't on the list for this week or weekend but could be the following weekend. Of course we might brave Oak Creek Canyon next week before the weekend. My son has been camping up above Payson on the rim the last several weekends and warns that the traffic on either route south has been horrendous each time they've come back. That alone may be enough to keep us at home.

[Tanga]

Srhorselady Oh yeah, I forgot the World Cup! That was cancelled. Ulrike was supposed to come from Germany here, then we would play tourist here, go to Vegas and back, and then in May I was going to go to Germany and do dressage stuff, like see Aachen.

Sigh. I forgot about that. It seems so long ago. And we would have been watching the Olympics now. Wow.

[Sue B]

I'm trying to figure out what to do for DS. He is a senior in high school this year and we had originally planned to go to Ireland and Norway for graduation. I don't know that it will be possible next year. I think I've decided to table the whole planning thing for a few months and see what happens.

[Snork]

It seems like a lifetime ago when we actually planned, and then went on, trips. Sometimes the only way I know it really happened is because the Facebook memory reminders come up on my own feed.

We missed out on quite a lot of travel. The annual "let me catch my breath and just be" trip to my best friend in NC where I get to see sunsets, sunrises and horses every day was a bummer. The girls Canadian camp (and the concomitant getting there and back, both trips by and in itself, with a few days in Toronto each way) didn't happen, and that was sad. Belize on TG won't be happening either. I hope and pray we will make it to NC for our annual Biltmore dinner but I'm preparing the girls that it might not happen either.

But, perhaps the saddest was loss of USAG National level competition for both girls. My oldest had already decided that she's done with gymnastics after this year so her national level competition was to be her last hurrah, the last chance to hang out with friends and shine. It was to be *my* last chance to see my beautiful girl in a leotard! We were looking forward to a very chill competition in Salt Lake with a side trip somewhere spectacularly beautiful. I keep mentioning the word bummer but, frankly, that's exactly what it was, although my oldest says she was almost relieved she got to stop training early. Still, Salt Lake City trip would have been nice and since the sister is in a completely different division, she wouldn't have even had to share the spotlight, something she really despises.

The youngest had fought like a small tiger this year, through a broken leg, subsequent lost move syndrome [the most terrifying thing in sports I have ever witnessed] and just a lot of turmoil, all for her chance at the nationals. She's younger and at a higher level than the sister so there's nothing at all chill about her competitions. This is the "all eyes on me" crowd and there's a lot of pressure. She made it. Then, everything stopped. I feel terrible for her even if the return to St. Louis isn't so high on my bucket list (Nationals rescheduled for next year same place, same date) that I mourn not getting there in 2020.

Definitely going to NC as soon as I can, planning for Canadian camp for the girls next year (YAY Toronto again!), not giving up on visiting Salt Lake City and, eventually, I do really want to go back to Belize again.

[Moutaineer]

If you do make it to Salt Lake City, remember I live up in the mountains about 35 miles out, and make a pretty good tour guide!

[LeoApp]

I was supposed to go on a riding trip through Normandy on 8/28 but canceled it. I am still waiting to call Delta in case they cancel or change the flights such that I can get a refund. If not, I will get a credit good till 9/2022 and let us HOPE things will be ok by then!! My travel insurance never kicked in because it was to start on 8/28, but they did give me a credit that I can use next year. My riding tour operator in France REFUSED to give me my 500 deposit back but is holding it for when I can come back.
So if all goes well, I will go Sept of 2021 and a lot of it will already be paid for!
I am planning on retiring next year as soon as the pandemic is over. Right now I can't go to the gym or travel or take any classes, so I might as well keep earning money. I am hoping that by April I will be able to say Sayonara to working, and start the next chapter in my life.

[khall]

I have not hosted on clinic yet this year. I usually host 4-5 each year.

DH and I try to go on vacation each year. Last year I went to Portugal in September with two friends and DH declined to go. So he did not get to go on a big vacation like we did in 2018 (maui) but just our short anniversary trip in December to Charleston. Had planned on some sort of a trip this year, that is not happening.

So we are going to a lake that is local to us and doing some kayaking for fun. DH would really like to go to the beach, we are about 3 hours from the coast so may try to have a day trip.

I have no interest in getting on a plane any time soon. DH is supposed to fly in October for CE but who knows.

Stay safe all!

[texsuze]

Update on attending friend's wedding: DH and I, for very different reasons, have decided to stay put and not attend the wedding of our friend's daughter. I'll miss seeing them, but it would be too complicated for us to go at this time. No other trips planned for the remainder of the year, although I'd still like to make a quick get-away within a few hours drive, if I can work it.

[Tanga]

texsuze I am glad you are not going! It's just not worth the risk or the guilt. People are dong amazing things online, like with Zoom, so hopefully you can attend virtually.

We're on even bigger lockdown here because of the fires. We can't take any day trips because of the fires. All of the north and south coast is on fire and all of the roads and parks are closed. We've been pretty lucky with the smoke, but today is a bad day. I'm so sorry for the people in the midst of it. The woman who runs the CDS central office lost her home. My friend in Healdsburg is still waiting it out hoping the fire doesn't get her this year--it got half her property last year.