@MaineLonghorn I understand how you feel about your dad not being careful. Mine is not either and sends me photos to prove it. I live in a county with higher infection rates and have traveled by car to take my DS20 to college out of state but I feel safer doing those things than visiting him. I don’t want either of us infecting the other. I have not seen my parents since early March.
Airplanes have always had (well, for decades) very high-flow, highly-filtered air systems while in the air - there’s plenty of bleed air flow from the compressor stages to use. As noted, one issue is all of the interactions and crowds you deal with on the way to, and after, flight. 100+ people crowding a gate area is a virtual Petri dish. Onboard, prior to departure, while on APU ventilation, is also not as a efficient as in-flight.
Experiencing the many fascinating cultures and wonders of the world.
Hiking Huaynapichu overlooking Manchu Pichu, diving the Great Barrier Reef, sprinting the track of the original Olympics, sunrise over the South Rim, etc. are unforgettable experience.
As is just sitting chatting for 30 minutes with the artist selling his paintings in the town square in Cusco or discussing Norte Dame architecture or the Sistine Chapel ceiling with local experts.
You don’t get that hanging around hometown. It broadens your understanding of the human race and the world in which we live.
I’m at 49 states, 7 provinces and 25 countries, and look forward to more, after this pandemic is over, now that I’ve retired. (I’m looking at you, North Dakota…)
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”
My daughter (who is expecting a baby in December) wants us to come out in December after the baby is born to support/help her and SIL. Her doctor had recommendations for vaccinations we should get and when. Of course, we’ll do this.
Right now, our big issue is whether to drive or fly. It’s 780 miles between our house in MA and their home in IN. I want to drive and H thinks we should fly. There are 4 airlines with direct flights from Boston to Indianapolis. I just don’t feel comfortable flying. I feel safer driving, especially since when could do the trip in one (long) day. At the very beginning of the epidemic, we drove from MA to OH to H’s hometown (he’s getting his family home prepped for sale.) and it was fine. We made a several stops at rest areas and quickly went in/out. Has anyone done a long drive–any recommendations???
I would be worried about weather issues at that time of year for a long drive.
I haven’t heard of anyone getting COVID from a flight. It certainly could happen, but a short flight seems very low risk to me.
@Bromfield2 we have driven 750 miles each way to my daughters every year for the last eleven. I’ve done it by myself but not for the last 5 years or so.
We’ve also driven 730 miles each way to my moms house. We also do this once a year. I’ve only driven this one by myself once when my dad was sick.
I live 100 miles from my nearest airport and I can not make either trip without a connection. So driving becomes the less of two evils.
When we go to my daughter’s, we will usually drive 4 hours to a city where we used to live. We eat dinner at our favorite restaurant and then it’s only 8 hours to D’s and we get there about the time she gets off work.
My moms we just do in one very long day.
The trips are fine, we’ve done both this summer/fall. We eat in the car and stop at roadside rest stops. They are clean, we wear masks and get in and get out.
This year, we brought my octogenarian in-laws. We only make the long drive one way as our son lives somewhat in the middle. We did the long drive to in laws in one long day as they live 100 miles closer.
I don’t recommend taking 2 octogenarians ? but other than that, the drive is fine.
Long trip, I would fly over drive always (before and after pandemic). Driving is not contactless, you still need gas stations, bathrooms, possibly hotels, food. With that said I live very close to the airport and I would pay extra to get the direct flight but those are not changes from pre covid either. Under 4 hours and I would drive. Again no change from precovid.
We were hoping to try and travel somewhere for a few weeks in December but looking around there do not seem to be a lot of great options. I worked overseas with a Big 4 firm for most of my career and my wife is from one of the countries I worked in. DS lived overseas for the first 5 years and did 6-weeks abroad last summer with NSLIY.
We took him out of elementary school and stayed in Thailand for 6 weeks and then again for a month in Costa Rica…we love to travel and while I get that so many are dealing with terrible issues these days, it is sad to not get to go.
We were looking at Argentina and Turkey but both countries would involve a lot of traveling around the country and medical care could be sketchy, so we will probably stay home and fret over college acceptances…
I am at 37 countries and 32 states and have about 20 more countries I would like to visit plus would love to revisit Thailand, Croatia, Spain, Portugal…
@Bromfield2 i will say this. Indianapolis will get ice storms more often than snow storms. @conmama is from the area, maybe she can chime in on weather in December.
I would drive to Indiana only because then you’ll have a car when you are there.
I recently drove from Florida to Colorado. I found all the rest areas to be very clean and everyone, even truck drivers, wearing masks. A lot of no-touch doors too. I think the most dangerous interaction was with a vending machine. I also found motels to be clean and safe. The free breakfasts were pretty much a piece of fruit and some pre packaged things like granola bars. I went to a fast food place in Missouri and although the lobby was open to order you couldn’t sit inside.
I flew to Florida. I thought the planes were fine, even though the first one was ‘full’ (aisle and window seats full, center left open). The waiting area was full when switching planes, and I don’t know why because that flight was less than half full. I had the whole row to myself and several empty rows. So I agree that airports are more congested but you can control how close you get to others, whether you use the bathrooms, whether you buy things from the shops or stores.
@Bromfield2 early to mid December you should be fine to drive. But after that it’s really up in the air. Some December’s not a flake of snow, other’s tons. Ice storms normally occur in Jan and Feb.
If there is enough snow to snarl up driving…there likely will be snarled up airline traffic as well. With limited flights these days, getting rebooked could be an issue.
There are two of you to share the driving. That will help.
Family member here drove from GA to CT, about the same distance. She took all her own food, and only stopped for gas and bathrooms. She has Clorox wipes with her, but said the bathrooms were very clean.
I’d drive.
MA to IN, I would definitely drive. And if you have flexibility, you just wait to travel until the storm is over and the roads are clear. We are driving NJ to MN in late December to see my father, packing our food in a cooler. The weather may be bad but as @thumper1 points out, air travel will be messed up anyway, and you won’t have to wait around in a crowded, unsanitary airport if there are delays.
Given the current situation, I’d drive. Plus you’ll have your car to use when you get there and don’t have to worry about renting one. You will also have some flexibility - if the weather is expected to be bad, you could always work around that.
We did get take out food when we made the long drive a couple months ago. Not an issue getting the food - but we made sure to carry paper goods, sanitizer, wipes etc. Also had several snacks. Minimized stop on the way - gas, food and restrooms.
Weather is never a guarantee but if you have flexibility in leaving either side of the trip that will help. My brother and his family have driven NYC to Michigan every year for about 20 years near Christmas and weather has only been an issue once or twice - a day earlier or a day later helped to combat that.
The one thing I do worry about with driving a bit is car trouble. Do you have AAA or some type of roadside assistance? Car trouble can all of a sudden bring more people contact and possible hotel stay into the equation. Not likely but just pointing it out!!!
We are driving about 7 hours tomorrow to see our D. They are buying a new house and we are going to see it on Sunday. We will bring our lunch in the car and likely just stop for gas and a toilet break. Staying in a hotel for multiple reasons. They are still showing their house to prospective buyers and my D and SIL haven’t been as careful as we have plus they have a roommate who goes out to work. It will be our first travel that involves a hotel stay. I have wipes and we will wear our masks.
After we leave them we are going for three nights to another area for a mini vacation. We plan on some hikes and maybe some biking. The hotel dining is all outside and by reservation only.
This is all outside our comfort zone but I think we will be okay. Our area and the areas we are traveling have low Covid rates and high mask wearing.
We did a similar drive CO to WA in December. for one month We had a big window of travel time period coming and going. Watched the weather and did fine.
If I was doing it this year I would definitely drive again. We had 2 drivers and a car once we got there.
Then, in the first week of March 2020- I flew to WA for a week (left one week early when I realized what was happening with Covid and that I may not be able to get home on flights). Just when Covid was getting known, I was flying back. It was my most worrisome experience. I was stuck in a very large room at SLC with a huge amount of people waiting for delayed flights at about 15 gates. I walked around for an hour to avoid people. I isolated from H at home for 2 weeks when I got home.
I just drove from Dallas to NW Indiana last week which was 987 miles. I drove so I would have a car when getting to Dallas. If I had flown, I definitely would fly Southwest because of the seat situation. I normally fly but air traveling had my a little worried and I wondered how clean rental cars are now.
Here’s what I found on my drive: If you’re use to wearing masks be prepared to see people not wearing them. I stopped in Oklahoma for a bath room stop and was the only one wearing a mask. Also stopped in Missouri and most people not wearing masks. I couldn’t make the drive in 1 day so I stopped near St Louis. Hotel just west of St Louis had contactless check-in for my room through their app so no need to interact with front desk. They had a sanitized sticker on the hotel room door so you could tell no one had been in the room since they cleaned. Also, I have a bag with “Covid” essentials that I used in the hotel and car such as wipes, hand sanitizer and disinfecting spray. I also carry gloves for the gas station pumps and also extra masks. I also take a small cooler with snacks and food. Maybe I’m a bit paranoia but I also bought a cheap UV black flashlight to use in my hotel room.
My daughter flew Alaska from Seattle and she said they also kept seats empty. When she boarded she could see that the seats and trays were still damp with disinfectant.
I leave for my third Covid-time trip to Georgia next week. We drive 13.5 hours each way, straight through. We stop for gas & at rest stops, and we get drive-through if necessary (we bring food, too). We are very careful, and we have not had issues (knock wood). I don’t think I would feel as comfortable flying, especially since it is a drivable distance.
Well darn, MA just put NJ on its naughty list so no more weekend trips to see my daughter (or vice-versa).
My employer suspended in-person classes until 10/21 but apparently they are going to return to in-person instruction. I think it’s a mistake personally.