Planning a Vacation, 2020

[Mountain Cat]

The point of a vacation is to get away from your day to day, and do something at least somewhat different. You also need something of a change of venue, which makes it different than a "staycation". Especially when you are already retired, and at home all the time to begin with. AND I can't wait until the 91st day of 2021 to post this, much less until after I do take this vacation in a week or three.

Booking dates for my vacation are June 4th or 5th, or potentially both overnights. The owner of the facility is not concerned about any ole coronavirus at this locale, and I'm inclined to trust.

I encourage everyone to post their summer 2020 vacation plans, in the same spirit as the below - or, take it further... I will take it further in the same spirit when I actually take this vacation - and yes I WILL take it. Tentatively planned for June 4-5th, but it could well happen sooner... because yeah, I'm getting a bit punchy here. (EDIT: or winter ones for the South of the Equator Crowd.)

 

[Mountain Cat]

PLANNING!

Destination:

Firstly, I realized that this would be an overnight expedition, since a lot of travel seems to be contraindicated right now. I didn't want to travel far from home - but the point wasn't to go out and visit my cousin in Arkansas, or to see Cahokia in Illinois, or (especially not in their weather at this time of year) my family in Florida. Or my current fascination: to visit the Badlands of South Dakota, along with that infamous Wall Store. For one thing, I hadn't lined up chicken or quail sitters for when I'd be gone, and it was a spur of the moment decision. (The cats, given plenty of food and water, can usually take care of themselves.)

Firstly, I needed to find a location where there would be an opening, as most if not all hotels, motels and resorts seem to be considered non-essential. Okay some are open to house up medical professionals, travelling politicians (are they essential?) or whatever.

I did find a place to book, and it is actually part of the scenic western Massachusetts "almost-Berkshires". From what I can determine, the pros and the cons are as follows:

Pros:

• It's not an airbnb. I'm sure those are usually fine, but it was good not to have to take the chance.
• The price was right, exceedingly inexpensive.
• The place promised to be clean and sanitary. In fact, I'd been informed I'd be the very first guest since the venue opened up.
• It promised fresh air and green countryside. And nearby there was the Nature Conservancy, and the sound of clean running water. And nearby on the other side, hiking trails.
• No requirement to wear masks or PPE, although tick repellant is advised.
• Dinner and breakfast would be provided, and wine is on the house.
• The dining ambiance should be outstanding.
• Booking the place took seconds.
• Full Moon lighting available depending on booking dates.

Cons:

• The room would be cramped. But hey, I'm not bringing everything I own from my personal bedroom in with me. Vacations are to minimize personal effects. I tend to curl up when I sleep, anyway.
• The bed would be hard - but knowing this in advance, I would supply my own personal bedding. Besides, this way I'd know who'd used it prior to me, since it would just be me... Yep, just my own personal cooties.
• While the dinner will be provided, there won't be any choices on the menu, and I won't know what the menu is until shortly before departure.
• No TV - but that's not exactly a real con. Don't watch TV anyway.
• No electric. Hey, nothing wrong with an off-the-grid vacation! People go camping all the time! This just happens not to be a tent.
• No WiFi nor cell service. Okay, bring the phone and lantern for light source, and the Kindle to read by after dark.
• No running water or bathroom, but you can certainly listen to the stream running through the next door Nature Conservancy property.
• The neighbors are likely to get noisy about 4 or so in the morning. And I don't mean the Nature Conservancy, which is hardly ever at home.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

Holidays for 2020.....I had lots of plans, but who know's now if we'll have the chance to get away?

We should have been about half way through our Italian trip right now (today is the day we would have been travelling from Rome to Sam Gimignano) so holidays are a bit of a sore point right now in this house We still want to do the trip we planned so we're keeping our fingers crossed that we can both get 3 weeks off work next year and try again.

As soon as non-essential travel is allowed we'll probably head off to the New Forest for a weekend (assuming we can get a pitch...because I expect everyone else will be wanting to do the same!) - we've only had the opportunity to use our new motorhome once since we bought it so I'm desperate to get away in it. Apart from that, I'm hoping that things will be somewhat closer to normal by September and that we can at least go ahead with our planned trip to Germany and France. Though its probably going to need some adjustments now because I very much doubt the wine festival on the Mosel will be happening (impossible for people to keep their distance). so we might just stick to France - they're supposedly opening campsites in June, so providing the UK gets a handle on things then hopefully we'll be allowed to travel and get at least one holiday this year!

 

[TastyReuben]

We should be cooling our heels this very moment in London, instead of (me) making a standing rib roast.

The only other thing we have planned in 2020 is a wedding this autumn, in Florida, and we're about 50-50 on whether we're going to go to that.

2021, we have the cruise/London break we were supposed to be on now rescheduled to then, but until we see some kind of normalcy return to traveling, I think we may be stuck for awhile. Our traveling is almost exclusively UK/Europe, and I don't really have any need to drive out to the Grand Canyon or Yosemite.

 

[Lullabelle]

Tomorrow we were supposed to fly to Sorrento

 

[rascal]

Down here we vacation at Xmas, everyone gets 2 to 3 weeks break. We normally go to Nelson at top of South Island. It's summer then so lots of BBQ and swimming in the sea at rabbit island. It's so amazing there, huge picnic area on an island. We normally hire a house as our kids and grandkids come as well. I know it's a holiday but I do all,the cooking and we babysit the kids while their parents go out. I want to retire to Nelson. We didn't go this summer but depending on covid, we hope to get back there again. And depending on air travel, nz and ozzy are talking opening a bubble to air travel. If that happens we will take a break next winter, (June July) in ozzy. We like Queensland a lot.

Russ