Are you going on vacation this summer? Do you have any travel plans? These are burning questions nowadays. As Spring is taking hold, temperatures are warming up and days are getting longer and indeed, after a year being cooped up, everybody is ready to move on and wondering how to make the most of this summer.
Surely, there are plenty of people who are going to jet off to the over side of the world. They might have a great time enjoying freedom in countries that are desperate for tourists’ cash or might end up being locked up in a fantastic resort (or not!) somewhere exotic.
Some will take the risk of boarding a plane for a 10 hours flight without really knowing what they will find upon arrival. Will they be free to roam or will there be restrictions in the country they chose that weren’t there when they booked their tickets? Will they test positive upon arrival and spend their vacation in a quarantine hotel?! Anything is possible really.
Lessons learned from this past year
If last summer taught us anything, it is that every country has a high stake at play.
At this stage, it doesn’t seem that a single government has been spared criticism for their handling of the pandemic. People are tired of the restrictions in place, the pace of vaccins roll out and are overall ready to enjoy a mostly care free summer. Most governments will face huge backlash, at the bare minimum, if strict restrictions were still in place by this summer. They know it. Their political careers are on the line.
So on one side, you have politicians who want to keep their jobs, business owners who need to make money and people who want to enjoy life. All of those are on the side of “carpe diem”: Let’s have a great summer!
Of course on the other side, you have the virus. The virus is just doing his virus thing, spreading, reproducing and mutating at every chance it gets. It’s nothing personal, it’s survival for him.
In the middle, there is probably a lot of people who don’t know what to do.
So, what shall we do then?
Tips to plan a summer vacation during a pandemic
Here are some tips from a cautiously optimistic point of view. Tips from someone who tends to believe that the pandemic isn’t over yet but that there are still ways to enjoy the summer, by planning wisely and getting ready appropriately.
Consider staying in the Northern Hemisphere
Considering the virus spread last summer, it seems highly probable that the Northern Hemisphere will have an easier time than the Southern Hemisphere where it will be winter. This shows in the statistic from last year but probably isn’t foolproof. Europe for example was in strict lockdown before the summer and when it “opened” again, all seemed fine for a while but eventually the number of cases increased again…The second wave, that came after the summer, made the first wave look like a ripple.
Use a travel agent
I’ve been wondering for a while if this pandemic was going to help travel agents getting back on their feet. And now I think it might be the case, at least for a while because restrictions and obligations are becoming impossible to follow. It certainly is the case in Europe. It has become really hard to understand what you are allowed to do, from one country to another and even from one specific region to the other. Things evolve super fast too. If you are not comfortable doing all the research and taking the risks, a travel agent shall be able to help greatly.
Follow the trends before your stay
This advise reads funny! What I mean is that you should read as much as you can about the restrictions in place at your destinations and look at the statistics and how they evolve. Countries usually have in place an official website that gives information on all the restrictions in place and what paperwork you need to have with you. However you might need to also read the news to know what shall be open or not. Read the official websites first!
100% refundable!
Whatever you book, make sure your stay is 100% refundable or at least very flexible in terms of dates. Form flight to accommodation. But read the fine prints. Some airlines have been slow to reimburse their clients it seems.
I personally wouldn’t book specific attractions in advance, unless absolutely required. Concerts might be cancelled at the last minutes, indoors venues, restaurants, clubs might get shut down… Getting refunds from multiple sources might become a full time job and could lead to additional losses, especially if dealing with several currencies.
Get vaccinated
Getting vaccinated is one way to protect yourself and to protect the local people. It is easier said than done at this stage.
At the time I’m writing this, less than 6% of the World has received a first dose and only 2% have received the 2 required doses to be considered fully vaccinated. That isn’t a whole lot even if vaccination is steadily increasing.
Indeed vaccination in your own country might have a much higher rate but it should not hide the fact that the World population is not all treated the same.
Stock up on masks before your trip
Even if you are vaccinated, the likelihood that masks will be mandatory where you’ll be going is very high. Stock up before you leave, as you don’t know how easy it will be to find masks where you are be going.
You will most likely need single use masks so do plan on a disposal bag for those #NoTrash. If you are bringing reusable masks, do consider how you will be washing those.
Stock up on your favorite hand sanitizer
Pretty much everywhere you go now, hand sanitizer is made available before you enter. I suspect it might not be the case in every single country and I’ve already been to places where the dispenser at the entrance was empty anyway… so do bring your own.
Anyway, by now, you know that some of those gels smell horrible and some are just terrible for your skin! By bringing your own, at least you are sparing your hands from the worst ones! But do bring your hand cream too 😉
I would add that paper soap is going to be your best friend this summer, not just on road trips!
Print forms in advance and download apps that may be required
Depending on where you’ll be going, there might be forms required to do certains things. Since you may not have an easy access to a printer during your stay, do print in advance the required forms or any other paperwork required. Some countries have apps to fill up such forms online, others don’t.
Choose your accommodation wisely
A pocket size bedroom in a fancy hotel is probably not the best option for this summer. If something goes wrong, if restrictions are imposed during your stay and need to spend a significant amount of time in your rental, you probably want it to have more legroom than your flight seat. Self-catering accommodations should therefore be on top of your list.
If it has a view and some outdoor space, even better!
Bring some reading and maybe a deck of cards!
Again, if something goes wrong, you’ll probably want to do something else then watch local tv. If curfews are still in place, evenings could become boring, so plan accordingly.
In short be informed & be ready!
Whatever your perfect summer vacation looks like, do consider that we live unprecedented times and that things can evolve quickly. Stay informed ahead of your trip, cancel or rearrange if necessary, prepare in case of sudden changes of sanitary mesures at destinations. Once there, do your best to stay informed as well and be ready to change your plans.
In case you are wondering what my summer plans are…
To be honest, I haven’t decided on anything super specific. Currently in Europe, we are in a bit of a limbo, with a lot of restrictions in place and not a lot of confidence on where this is going.
Still, I’m pretty sure summer is going to happen! And I too want to enjoy it!
If you followed any part of the story about the renovation of my Indian motorcycle, than you know I spend a lot of time at my dad’s place and this summer might not be so different. So indeed, I hope this summer is going to be spent riding my Indian!
In an ideal world, I’ll start with short rides from my dad’s place, while maybe pitching my tent in his field to have a ‘vacation’ vibe. I did so last year and watching the summer sunrise in that field, while drinking coffee, was glorious and filled my soul with happiness. Plus, there are plenty of places to explore in the region my dad lives in and that’s a blessing.
And then maybe, I’ll get more adventurous and go a little or a lot further, still riding Minty. I do have a dream of finishing the road trip I started 3 years ago! It was a great itinerary and now I want to do it on my Indian. Although I have a feeling that this is slightly too ambitious for this summer, considering my riding expertise level!
So, you see, I don’t have fancy plans. Maybe I’ll have to take my car and not Minty if I really want to go further. Maybe I won’t get a chance and will work on the renovation of my second bike. Right now, nothing is certain but for once, I’m ok with that.
What is pretty sure is that I’m not getting on a plane this summer. I’m just not ready and I’m not even vaccinated yet and might not be before the summer. But life can be enjoyed nevertheless and I do intend to do so, wherever I may be.
Have a happy & safe summer!
Be considerate of others. Be considerate of the planet.
If you are planning a camping trip, I do have a handy check list for you. Click on the list below to access the detailed list and free printable.
