Wednesday, June 16, 2021

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND?

 VACCINATED AND HOGTIED
It has been quite the year of COVID and the itch to travel for your moldering adventurers has only gotten partially relieved by our recent trip to Sandals South Coast in Jamaica. To make that “relaxing” trip happen we had to comply with a litany of Jamaican COVID protocol rules. We did so only with the aid of the Sandals staff who contacted us a few times before our trip to make sure the paperwork was filled out and tests were taken. Sandals also provided a COVID test at the resort, free of charge, to ensure our return.
Sandals took all the headache out of traveling, but what we are learning now as we explore other foreign destinations it is a head spinning array of rules that differ from country to country and that changes weekly. With variants of this virus sprouting up and how particular countries view the COVID threat level of United States it can mean we have to quarantine in a hotel for up to two weeks while getting tested several times, all by the way at our cost. As we have been fully vaccinated the chance of us getting sick is low, but though the rules have relaxed quite a bit here in the U.S., places like the UK are strict and impose severe penalties if their rules aren’t followed. Some countries, like Australia and New Zealand, still have their borders closed to outsiders. Some countries, like Italy and Greece are fairly open, with their particular requirements for entry shifting as things change. My head will explode if I try to figure out how to go to two different European nations on the same trip.
Yeah, it’s a nightmare, try to keep up.
We have family in the UK and we haven’t seen them since 2019. We were hoping they could come here for a NJ shore holiday, but the cost of their country’s required testing is too much for this young family. The NHS does not cover testing for extraneous travel. We could go there, but run the risk of having to quarantine in their small home and it’s not on an honor system, they come to check up on you.  We are keeping our fingers crossed though and hope things will change for the better in the short time.
ENJOY YOURSELF
For the time being infinity is closer than one would imagine. At least we have unfettered travel throughout the United States, so we planned a trip for a week’s stay at Virginia Beach. We might as well enjoy ourselves while everything gets sorted out.
If you’re so inclined to travel abroad here’s an up-to-date article about foreign destinations and the restrictions involved.
Thanks for reading
Remember to LIVE LOVE and TRAVEL
Janet and greg
© 2021 by Greg Dunaj


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