Longing for travel? 2021 hopes, plans?

[André Le Nôtre]

My wife and I take frequent trips/vacations to escape the horror of living in Southern California (Pasadena, actually, we do have some standards!). Usually we drive north (south never) to enjoy some great scenery/beaches/food/wine/culture/trees in the SF Bay area and environs (Half Moon Bay, Marin, Sonoma coast) or the Central Coast. However, we try to get to Europe every other year--2019 was France, 2017 Ireland (...Russia, Italy, etc.).

This year, we had four trips planned and had to cancel three of them due to concerns about COVID. We were able to escape to our favorite seaside cottage for a week of self-isolation back in August, but other than that, we are stuck here in SoCal. (Silver lining for me this year is that I am working completely remote so I have to see less of it--no commuting).

Anyway, we are hoping to get to Spain next year (May/June) for about a month. A likely itinerary is Madrid, Granada/Cordoba, Barcelona, San Sebastian/Bilbao--each site for about a week. We are particularly interested in the museums, architecture (Gaudi cathedral, park, etc.), food, wine, and the remnants of Moorish culture (Alhambra, Mosque in Cordoba, etc.)

Challenges here include vaccination (how soon we can get ours), how well-protected we will be even after vaccination, and the cost. I wonder whether the cost of flights and accommodations will skyrocket next year due to pent-up demand for travel. Don't know whether we're pushing our luck hoping to do this in late May-June.

Any thoughts? Any trips you have put off due to COVID? Any plans/hopes for 2021 travel?

[flyingdutchman]

Ya, try Asia.

[Karl Henning]

I'm longing more simply to be able to socialize.

[André Le Nôtre]

Ya, try Asia.

I've only been to Hong Kong and Guangzhou--but I loved it! Asia is really eye-opening (for many reasons) for traveler from the West. Japan, including Kyoto, Kanazawa, and Hokkaido are very high on our list! China, Thailand, Tibet are also of great interest, but there are too many places to go and not enough time (or money).

[springrite]

Moscow, if possible.

[André Le Nôtre]

Moscow would be great indeed! Extremely expensive from what I understand. We were in St. Petersburg for a couple weeks in 2007 with side trips to Tsarskoe Selo and Novgorod, and it was incredible. St. Petersburg may be the most beautiful city in the world--art surrounds you. The palaces, museums (e.g., Hermitage!), parks, bridges, churches, public buildings, monuments are breathtaking. I highly recommend St. Petersburg if you are in Russia. Unfortunately we did not make it to Moscow, but we probably should have tried.

[springrite]

Moscow would be great indeed! Extremely expensive from what I understand. We were in St. Petersburg for a couple weeks in 2007 with side trips to Tsarskoe Selo and Novgorod, and it was incredible. St. Petersburg may be the most beautiful city in the world--art surrounds you. The palaces, museums (e.g., Hermitage!), parks, bridges, churches, public buildings, monuments are breathtaking. I highly recommend St. Petersburg if you are in Russia. Unfortunately we did not make it to Moscow, but we probably should have tried.

If I get to go, I will certainly go to both. Moscow is where a conference will take place and I am invited. IF the pandemic subside by then, I will certainly be there, with a few side trips, I am sure. In fact I wouldn't mind going to Germany, or Prague...

[MusicTurner]

Longing indeed. Only travelled domestically in 2020 due to the circumstances, but still had some fine experiences, with 5 cheap trips of varying length.

Main problems with going abroad, if things open up more, would be covid-19 and treatment options. Authorities here will be introducing a more differentiated and flexible system as regards travel advice, based on regions/provinces, not whole countries. Which is a good idea.

Also, things seem to only really normalize in the later part of the summer 2021, they say. If so, domestic travels until then, and maybe an overland summer trip to nearby Western Norway's fiords, or, less likely provincial Germany. Unexplored parts of coastal Norway would be great. Sweden has had, and has, too many problems currently, and flight destinations as a whole would be less likely.

But am also longing for Southern Europe, and, in the long perspective, possibly more of Asia - which would be years away in the future, though.

[MusicTurner]

(...)
Anyway, we are hoping to get to Spain next year (May/June) for about a month. A likely itinerary is Madrid, Granada/Cordoba, Barcelona, San Sebastian/Bilbao--each site for about a week. We are particularly interested in the museums, architecture (Gaudi cathedral, park, etc.), food, wine, and the remnants of Moorish culture (Alhambra, Mosque in Cordoba, etc.)

Challenges here include vaccination (how soon we can get ours), how well-protected we will be even after vaccination, and the cost. I wonder whether the cost of flights and accommodations will skyrocket next year due to pent-up demand for travel. Don't know whether we're pushing our luck hoping to do this in late May-June.

Any thoughts? Any trips you have put off due to COVID? Any plans/hopes for 2021 travel?

An exciting Spanish route indeed, I hope you'll succeed. As you might know, Granada has small De Falla and Lorca museums. And Toledo, close to Madrid, is definitely worth an excursion or more, of course.

[Herman]

There are people who, looking at the big picture, say that the era of reckless international travel is over. Consider yourself lucky you have seen a lot of the world.

Global tourism is a major vector for pandemic infectious diseases and air travel is a major detriment to the environment. Sorry to be a downer, but on the other hand, I'm pretty sure the destruction of the planet will proceed as before.

[The new erato]

Also, things seem to only really normalize in the later part of the summer 2021, they say. If so, domestic travels until then, and maybe an overland summer trip to nearby Western Norway's fiords, or, less likely provincial Germany.

'
Send me an PM whenever you decide to visit western Norway. I can provide you with guiding and perhaps some company/accomodations.

Personally I hope to be able to travel late 2021. San Sebastian/Galicia is high on the list (I've been there twice), but late autumn isn't optimal on the Atlantic coast.

[Holden]

International travel seems to be dependent on a vaccine.

[The new erato]

International travel seems to be dependent on a vaccine.

Yes, I guess so. Therefore late 2021 at best.

[MusicTurner]

'
Send me an PM whenever you decide to visit western Norway. I can provide you with guiding and perhaps some company/accomodations.

Personally I hope to be able to travel late 2021. San Sebastian/Galicia is high on the list (I've been there twice), but late autumn isn't optimal on the Atlantic coast.

Thank you. I love Galicia too

[steve ridgway]

We prefer to stay in Britain and go somewhere with our dogs. Wouldn't mind going to Northumberland again, it's very quiet and a couple we're friendly with have moved there.

[MusicTurner]

We prefer to stay in Britain and go somewhere with our dogs. Wouldn't mind going to Northumberland again, it's very quiet and a couple we're friendly with have moved there.

That's one of the privileges of living there - the space and variation you've got. Yorkshire/Northumberland are on my wish-list too.

[Karl Henning]

We prefer to stay in Britain and go somewhere with our dogs. Wouldn't mind going to Northumberland again, it's very quiet and a couple we're friendly with have moved there.

Nice.

My sister and I are hoping to drive down to Tennessee to visit with another sister in January.

[Que]

Travelling and COVID...

My wife and I were in NY in March when, at the end of our stay, the pandemic broke out there.
I believe we attended the last performance at the MET before it closed.
It was a performance of, o irony, The Flying Dutchman!
Our scheduled flight back left 4 hours before Trump's travel ban from Europe came into effect.
We were worried that the flight might get cancelled, or be overbooked, and chaos at the airport.
Images of the fall of Saigon came to mind... with a massive run to the last planes on the runway.. . 

But the situation at JFK was nervous but orderly, and our flight with Royal Dutch Airlines left as scheduled.
The plane was full of Europeans scrambling to get home - quite a few other European airlines actually did cancel their flights. A few Italians on board were told that they would be unable to continue their journey to Italy after their arrival in Amsterdam, since all flights to Italy were cancelled and its borders were closed.
In a chat the flight attendants expressed their concerns about their jobs. I told them that the Dutch govt. would probably support the airline financially (which it did - so far €3.4 bln).
When we arrived home, we self isolated for 2 weeks. Not sure if I could distinguish between mild virus symptoms and jetlag, but we were OK. The office closed when I came back and I have been working from home ever since.

After NY, I had planned going to Seville with a close friend, but that never happened.. ..
We have agreed that we will go as soon as that is safe again. Perhaps next September?

Last summer travel restrictions were relaxed in Europe after the 1st wave. Partly to save the tourism industry in Southern Europe from total collapse. In hindsight probsbly not a good idea.... but it provided a short window to squeeze in a stay of a few weeks on Corsica (French Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy). We drove and took the ferry with a private cabin and basically self isolated in a seaside house with garden, except for getting necessities. We had nice weather and a great time. Beaches were deserted. Considering the circumstances, a wonderful vacation.

For after COVID (AC) my wife and I are discussing a leisurely trip to Asia, possibly Thailand.
And when things get really back to normal, I'd love to do some trips to Italy.
On my wishlist is attending an open air opera performance in the amphitheatre in Verona, for instance.

Anyway, let's  dream on.. 

Q

[Scion7]

Bucharest ... at the head of a large invading tank-column.
Greater Hungary, lads!!!

[Herman]

For after COVID (AC) my wife and I are discussing a leisurely trip to Asia, possibly Thailand.
And when things get really back to normal, I'd love to do some trips to Italy.
On my wishlist is attending an open air opera performance in the amphitheatre in Verona, for instance.

Don't know if you're aware, but Thailand is a totalitarian state for the benefit of an absentee king, his harem and a small elite of generals. The tourism is part of it.

Thai people have been demonstrating for months now to put an end to supression, and yet, tourists are saying "but it's so lovely and cheap!"