we want to do a trip to Italy in the fall. I wanted to book with a reputable tour company in case things go south with Covid, but my husband, if he is going to go, wants to spend time learning to cook in Tuscany, and found a place to stay for 4 nights there that offers that. I want to see other parts of Italy, so now we are thinking of renting a car and doing this trip sorta Ala carte. But if things go south; the fall ends up being a problem with variants, then we have to cancel multiple things with various policies. (We will use a travel agent though). So its so much more work .
So do a dream trip ala carte that is more risky, or book a tour that provides an ok trip . Its a lot of money to spend on a vacation, but we want to hit our bucket list now, as you never know what the future lies. so torn.
I’m just finishing a trip to Hilton Head, SC. Everywhere is very crowded and every waiter, clerk, bartender has commented that they are doing much more business than they ever had.
At one (fairly fancy) restaurant, they usually serve 175 to 200 per night and have been doing 275. They were telling people that reservations for dinner were available at 4 and after 9, but nothing during the dinner hours (generally, not at this restaurant).
They also said there are 10,000 jobs open on the Island (maids, waiters, cooks, life guards - everything). My friend lives here and has had trouble getting prescriptions filled because they don’t have enough pharmacists to work all the hours needed.
We recently returned to Arizona after traveling to Palo Alto California to attend our son’s commencement ceremony. Hotels and restaurants all felt safe - still distancing and mask wearing was universal. I only felt uncomfortable twice. First was at an upscale mall that was extremely crowded. Second was on return flight to Arizona. Our Southwest Airlines plane was 100% full and when we arrived at the Phoenix airport it reminded me of travel during Christmas - amazed at the number of travelers.
Look up Tripmasters. https://www.tripmasters.com/
They do custom vacations like you are describing.
You put your possible destinations and they find the options for you in terms of travel and lodging. Friends who used them said they absolutely would use them again. Plus they also have contact info in case there are glitches along the way.
I am going to St. Croix at the end of July for a family reunion of sorts–my sister-in-law and niece live there and my other niece (daughter of sister-in-law), her husband and 2 kids, plus my cousin, her husband and their two kids are coming. Just a few days but I am really looking forward to it. Booked on JetBlue extra-legroom seats.
Then in the fall, I am proposing meeting my Israeli friends in Greece. I have never been. They are great travelers and wherever we wind up, I am sure we’ll have a lot of fun.
After you return I’d love to know your thoughts about St Croix. It and St Thomas are two we’re considering for our future, though there are others on the list too.
Returned last night. Airports (Savannah, Baltimore, Denver) were PACKED. Denver at 11 pm was absolutely crazy - staying 6 ft apart on the train? Not possible. Not a single seat available when waiting to board planes at the gates.
Our family always picks up on the departure level because the arrival level is always backed up. Daughter picking me up said cars were double parked all the way down the ramps.
Yes, it is pre-covid level summer travel.
And the mask mandate is back in Israel for indoor activity. Events are not being canceled or restricted, however.
We (I, W, D and S) are going to Outer Banks. We are staying in Kill Devils area. I found a B&B which has 1 BR apt. This is our first visit to OBX. Any suggestions - things to do, things to avoid while we are there.
Thanks
Got back last night from the drive from San Diego to Seattle (via Cannon Beach) and back again. California is fully open; neither Oregon nor Washington are yet. All along the way up with son and back with husband, we masked anytime we were indoors (including hotels, all Hamptons) and until seated in restaurants.
There was a wide variety of mask compliance in all three states. At our first stop heading north near Santa Clarita CA, the McDonald’s was only open for take out and had a sign requesting masks. On the way back, husband and I stopped at a popular pub nearby and the staff was (as permitted) maskless. The tables indoors and out were somewhat spaced out but most customers didn’t wear masks when being seated or going to restrooms.
In Redding CA, which is a state hotbed of unvaccinated, the local IHOP had staff (more or less) wearing masks, but all the booths were in use and none of the customers masked. (We were getting take out.) The staff was somewhat confused because state mandated employee mask requirements were changing by the day.
Mask compliance was also varied at highway rest stops (first time I used public restrooms). Generally more people were masked going into the restrooms. At one rest stop in Oregon, I noted that they had taken down the mirrors.
In Compass Beach at dinner, tables were still socially distanced and the staff was masked. Maybe half the people on the streets were masked.
In Seattle, we only went to one grocery store (everyone masked) and one lovely outdoor restaurant (all staff masked and all customers until seated).
In all three Hamptons we stayed at, we checked in online ahead of time but got key cards rather than digital cell phone keys. The breakfast was all handed to you by staff for theoretically eating back in your room, but the Hamptons in Redding CA and outside Olympia WA let you eat in their breakfast area. The eating area in Astoria WA was closed off. Food selections were somewhat similar; one had hot trays behind the plexiglass shield and served what you wanted on a plate. Others had hot food wrapped up. All had a small selection of yogurt, cereals, coffee cakes, bagels, etc. provided by the staff.
It was an interesting experience. Even though we consistently masked, psychologically it felt different than how we’d been living in San Diego before fully opening. This was true even in the states that weren’t open. We knew we weren’t going to be able to socially distance from unmasked people. We realized that all we could do was trust our vaccines and do the best we could.
Daughter is flying again, this time without the extra seat I bought her last time. I wonder how to get her a really effective N95 mask!
Revisions (effective 5/06/2022) to COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (Frequently Asked Questions) says that, as of 6/17 in California:
The “settings where CDPH requires face coverings regardless of vaccination status” are described at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx and do not include restaurants and retail stores in general (i.e. not in a transportation hub, K-12 school, health care facility, etc.).
However, in this particular highly vaccinated area where I am (not Redding), it seems that most restaurants and retail stores since 6/17 still have a very high rate of employees wearing masks, regardless of whether they still want customers to wear masks (most now have no sign about masks at all or have a sign indicating “mask not required if vaccinated”, but a few still have “mask required” signs).
I wasn’t confused but the staff was; I have been reading the rules, which did change twice in a week. My point was that the restaurants are still figuring out what they want to do. In San Diego, restaurant employees were still masked - at least as of June 20.
In our state, the rules have been pretty consistent. Masks indoors except while dining. People tend to mostly follow and mask pretty well.
Going to dinner this week in San Diego we saw restaurants where some staff was not wearing masks. Same at my Ralph’s and Trader Joe’s this week.
Just wanted to respond specifically to say I’m so happy you were finally reunited with your son! Hope you had a wonderful visit with him.
Thanks so much! Yes, it was great to spend so much time with him, especially the time in the car with just the two of us. He promised it won’t be another 18 months until we see him again. Unfortunately neither husband nor son is interested in Hawaii this December because of the uncertainty of how “normal” tourist activities will be etc.
So happy for you. The only thing that would deter me from booking a Hawaii vacation in December is the cost of airfare and lodging. Prices have almost doubled compared to what we paid last November.
One amusing result from the trip is that our son has discovered the charms of flying first class on Alaska Airlines, especially out of SEATAC. Lounges, dedicated TSA line, “free” food, roomy seats, etc. He may never go back to Southwest.
Of course, he needs to know that he needs to be a frequent enough customer to get upgrades from miles or status, or be willing to pay the price of first class, in order to get those perks.