Alternative Travel Plans???

[luxecruisers]

6 hours ago, K32682 said:

 

Friend of a friend. The owners are less worried about the money than having someone in the place. 

 

Nice!

[luxecruisers]

5 hours ago, pris993 said:

The reference I made to last trip on earth is a one way to the cemetery.  Before that happens trying to get one more trip to Israel, hopefully in 2021.   Had a trip planned for May of 2020 which got cancelled due to the virus. 

 

We are blessed with may travel memories, will keep going as long as we are healthy to do so but now have to wait til virus under control.   

 

What an amazing life! Thanks for clarifying the "last trip on earth." Crossing my fingers for Israel for you - an epic trip for sure! 

[luxecruisers]

38 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

I want go tell everyone: do NOT go to the Western National Parks, National Monuments, and National Forests!!!!!!

I keep trying to plan a few week-long or more camping trips and I'm having a b!t@h of a time finding a campground for a reservation to tie together for a trip!   Things are going gangbusters with so many people renting RVs this year and hitting the road for all the National Parks.  Problem with many of the campgrounds is that they are multi-use - you reserve the same spots if you are a tent camper or an RVer.  I really don't like doing the "first come first serve" spots because if you can't get there by 7am you don't have a spot and then where do you camp???  
It took me awhile last year to plan out my trip last year for a 2 week road trip to Southern Utah/Northern Arizona.   Just me and my camping gear.  It was one of the best vacations I've ever had!  Now, I'm looking to the North, the West, the East (to Colorado) and the further South and it's hard to cobble something together.    It's definitely not like the old days where you just piled into the car and headed out!   I've got a short camping trip next week, BUT there's a forest fire that just started up 8 miles from the campground we women were going to camp at.  Sheriff evacuated the campground up the road from ours, so we just have to 1)keep our eyes on the fire website and 2)see if we can find an alternative spot that we can get a site.   Sigh.   

 

[luxecruisers]

41 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

I want go tell everyone: do NOT go to the Western National Parks, National Monuments, and National Forests!!!!!!

 

Thank you for letting us know! I had a feeling that national parks would be busy and full ... Doesn't sound like fun. Have you looked in NM at all? 

[lenquixote66]

7 hours ago, luxecruisers said:

 

What have you been doing at home to keep yourself distracted, if anything?

I have approximately 1000 books on my shelves to re-read,300 VHS movies to watch,a few hundred DVD movies to watch ,hundreds of CD’s,casettes and LP’s to listen to.

Good friends to call and e-mail with .A loving wife ,children,grandchildren and a grand dog.

[Northumberland]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

You could do a trip over to Edmonton and watch an NHL game...

Although it's a great thought and we'd love to go see our home town Winnipeg Jets play the Calgary Flames, which starts tonight, I'm afraid they aren't allowing anyone to go to the games. So, we'll just curl up in front of the old TV and cheer them on from home. 🏒

[cruisemom42]

54 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Algeria sounds phenomenal! 

 

As for Hurtrigruten, have you ever cruised with them before? Love the idea of a much more off-the-beaten path type of cruise. 

 

Hate to break this to you but it might be important to know: https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/08/01/hurtigruten-cruise-line-33-crew-infected-covid-19-norway/5562151002/

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I'd been following this since yesterday. Disappointing, but not totally unexpected.

 

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Do you have any requirements before taking long intl flights?

 

Since that still seems some time off, I haven't really quantified my thoughts. I suppose at a minimum I'd like a direct flight (less exposure to multiple groups) and would want to be as close to the front of the plane as possible. 

[slidergirl]

15 minutes ago, Northumberland said:

Although it's a great thought and we'd love to go see our home town Winnipeg Jets play the Calgary Flames, which starts tonight, I'm afraid they aren't allowing anyone to go to the games. So, we'll just curl up in front of the old TV and cheer them on from home. 🏒

That's right.  I totally spaced on that little thing. 😼  

 

[slidergirl]

55 minutes ago, luxecruisers said:

 

Thank you for letting us know! I had a feeling that national parks would be busy and full ... Doesn't sound like fun. Have you looked in NM at all? 

 I was half joking.  But, just by trying to find campsites, it sure does seem like things are busy.  I can find a night here and there, but not 2 or 3 in a row and so far nothing to tie over a weekend. Last year, I did Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Bryce National parks in my November trip (with a few other places).  I was absolutely shocked at how crowded they still were in early November.  For Zion, I had to do a walk-in campsite because all the others were taken.   Yes, I'm looking for NM and TX as part of an October or November trip.  I'm not a big fan of heat, so I wouldn't think of down there in the Summer.  I'm looking a little more north or east for one earlier.
The little camping trip we had for next week just got cancelled.  The forest fire is not getting contained and we would either get evacuated later in the week or smoked out (not good for asthmatics).  So, we're in serious hunt for another place that isn't going to be in the 90s in temp.  

[pris993]

2 hours ago, luxecruisers said:

 

What an amazing life! Thanks for clarifying the "last trip on earth." Crossing my fingers for Israel for you - an epic trip for sure! 

Thanks, happy travels to you too. 

[getting older slowly]

9 hours ago, luxecruisers said:

 

This is interesting. A full lockdown in Australia or in Melbourne or in Victoria? Thought your numbers were low ... 

We are in Melbourne and been basic lock down since March then had the second wave,

just as they are easing lockdown so you could travel a bit further ( but not recommended  ) we went back to Lockdown  Four reason to leave home, food, medical, exercise, caring/work... but only local....

 

We are now of the verge of full lock down like New Zealand only to leave home for food and medical....     we will be told today or tomorrow.....

 

This will only be For Victoria at the moment, ubt other states had having outbreacks as well.....

 

Cheers Don

 

[luxecruisers]

1 hour ago, getting older slowly said:

We are in Melbourne and been basic lock down since March then had the second wave,

just as they are easing lockdown so you could travel a bit further ( but not recommended  ) we went back to Lockdown  Four reason to leave home, food, medical, exercise, caring/work... but only local...

 

At least you'll have your Australian Rules Football and cricket ... 🙂

Edited August 1, 2020 by luxecruisers

[luxecruisers]

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I have approximately 1000 books on my shelves to re-read,300 VHS movies to watch,a few hundred DVD movies to watch ,hundreds of CD’s,casettes and LP’s to listen to.

Good friends to call and e-mail with .A loving wife ,children,grandchildren and a grand dog.

 

So much to be grateful for! 🙂

[luxecruisers]

2 hours ago, slidergirl said:

 Yes, I'm looking for NM and TX as part of an October or November trip.  I'm not a big fan of heat, so I wouldn't think of down there in the Summer.  I'm looking a little more north or east for one earlier.

 

October is when the Balloon Fiesta takes place in NM; sadly, it's been cxled this year. 

 

Let us know if you find anything vacant or manageable in the North or East for the summer. 

[slidergirl]

17 hours ago, luxecruisers said:

 

October is when the Balloon Fiesta takes place in NM; sadly, it's been cxled this year. 

 

Let us know if you find anything vacant or manageable in the North or East for the summer. 

I have a good case of "brain fog" going on - have had it since February.  Sometimes I don't write what I want...

My compass directions are from where I live in Utah.  So, "North" would be Idaho, Wyoming, Montana. "East" would be Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota.  "West" would be Northern California, Oregon, Washington.  "South" would be Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California.  I try to keep it within what I would be comfortable doing within 2 weeks with multi-day stays at campsites.  

Here where I am, my town has cancelled every event for the Summer so far.  Our Falls are relatively low-key, so they are waiting to see how things flesh out before deciding on more cancellations.  

 

I will say that I would love to do a 2 week road trip through "Old Florida" - those backroads and old towns.  I belong to a FB group where people have posted photos of places in "OF" and it just calls to me.  But, that's too far to drive to do and it would cost too much to haul my camping gear on a plane.   

[evandbob]

The head of Air BnB just stated that ALL travel as we used to know it has ended.  There is a competition for new ideas and modes of travel.

 

Many posters have said they will drive to National Parks or RV cross country rather than get on a plane or cruise ship.  This might alleviate the over tourism some ports of call have been experiencing as well help as the environment recover.

 

But please dispose of masks and gloves properly!

Edited August 2, 2020 by evandbob

[Warm Breezes]

On 8/1/2020 at 7:34 AM, luxecruisers said:

 

Were there tons of people at the National Park? 

No.  We were at the same park a couple of years ago with my mother and it was much busier. Having said that we were there mid-week this time (not sure about last time).

[clo]

On 8/1/2020 at 12:47 PM, luxecruisers said:

As for Hurtrigruten, have you ever cruised with them before? Love the idea of a much more off-the-beaten path type of cruise. 

 

We cruised them two years ago to Antarctica on their 400 pax Midnatsol and a year ago on their Norwegian coastal cruise on their 100 pax Lofoten. Loved every bit of both trips.

[clo]

4 hours ago, evandbob said:

The head of Air BnB just stated that ALL travel as we used to know it has ended.

Could you elaborate please? I see nothing online and our host just stopped by and he didn't either.

[wowzz]

On 8/1/2020 at 9:44 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Since that still seems some time off, I haven't really quantified my thoughts. I suppose at a minimum I'd like a direct flight (less exposure to multiple groups) and would want to be as close to the front of the plane as possible. 

Of course, you do know that the nearer the front of the plane, the more likely you are to die?

As Billy Connolly said, you never hear of an aircraft reversing into a mountain. 

[lenquixote66]

On 8/1/2020 at 10:47 AM, pris993 said:

With well over 60 cruises, we have actually exhausted our bucket list, seen most European capitals, cruised the Mediterranean and visited the Middle East, the Baltics, plus the usual Hawaii, Caribbean, Alaska, North East to Quebec City , Panama Canal and Mexico.  Now at age 73 and 88 we are content to do cruises out of San Francisco to Mexico on Princess when they return.  

 

The reference I made to last trip on earth is a one way to the cemetery.  Before that happens trying to get one more trip to Israel, hopefully in 2021.   Had a trip planned for May of 2020 which got cancelled due to the virus. 

 

We are blessed with may travel memories, will keep going as long as we are healthy to do so but now have to wait til virus under control.   

One of my regrets in life was not going to Israel when I was physically able to do so.

I had an experimental surgery in Feb.that did not work .I was supposed to have another procedure this month but I am cancelling it.I do not believe that now is the time to go to a hospital.A cousin of mine living in Calif went to a hospital for severe abdominal pain and died yesterday.Cruising and traveling in general is not likely for me other than a trip to the cemetery but I will postpone that for as long as possible.

[cruisemom42]

15 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Of course, you do know that the nearer the front of the plane, the more likely you are to die?

As Billy Connolly said, you never hear of an aircraft reversing into a mountain. 

 

I'll take my chances. In the case of a crash into a mountainside (odds of which are...astronomically low?) I'm not sure I'd want to be a survivor.

 

And I hate the increased movement you feel toward the back of the plane anyway. I spent plenty of time sitting back there as a child, traveling with my parents because that area -- at the time -- was the "smoking section" and they were smokers. LOL.

[wowzz]

7 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I'll take my chances. In the case of a crash into a mountainside (odds of which are...astronomically low?) I'm not sure I'd want to be a survivor.

 

And I hate the increased movement you feel toward the back of the plane anyway. I spent plenty of time sitting back there as a child, traveling with my parents because that area -- at the time -- was the "smoking section" and they were smokers. LOL.

Sigh! You do know that Billy Connolly is a comedian,  don't you?  I never thought anyone would be gullible enough to take my reply seriously. 

[cruisemom42]

Just now, wowzz said:

Sigh! You do know that Billy Connolly is a comedian,  don't you?  I never thought anyone would be gullible enough to take my reply seriously. 

 

yeah, sorry -- my reply was also meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I was going to write that I would be happy to provide food for the crash survivors but thought that might be a bit over the top.  

 

The smoking part, sadly, is true.