Coronavirus Impact on Travel

[idigTexas 2330]

1 hour ago, HiggyBaby said:

So we are planning on a trip to St Lucia end of June. They are apparently going to require proof of a negative Covid-19 test within the 48 hr period prior to arrival.
Wonder if this requirement is enough to get approved for one via your doctor?

I'm not suggesting that anyone falsify test results, and think it should be a felony to do so, but am wondering what constitutes proof?

[BabaYaga 15624]

13 hours ago, milkman said:

Got on a plane today for the first time since early March. Other than having to wear a face mask it wasn’t bad. I figure these planes are the cleanest they have ever been.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Heard the same from others.  

[kevwun 16438]

3 hours ago, Iceman said:

each county generally has one of the new mega stops for traffic in each direction on major arteries.

Unless you are in Brewster or some shit, can you not make it 30 minutes?

We pretty much never use them, I was merely pointing out that you can't count on them for bathroom stops if you are trying to avoid crowds.

[conVINCEd 21477]

2 hours ago, HiggyBaby said:

So we are planning on a trip to St Lucia end of June. They are apparently going to require proof of a negative Covid-19 test within the 48 hr period prior to arrival.
Wonder if this requirement is enough to get approved for one via your doctor?

Getting the test done prior to running the germ gauntlet at an international airport seems like it might not be very effective.

[Biff Tannen 46165]

On 5/17/2020 at 4:11 PM, Mo Horn said:

This article gives me hope that our Italy trip in September might still take place. Or, we switch to Greece, which looks to be even more possible. 

If I read it right, Italy is only opening to tourists from the EU.  US is not mentioned.

[Mo Horn 8938]

45 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

If I read it right, Italy is only opening to tourists from the EU.  US is not mentioned.

You're right, that's what it says. But it gives me a little hope that if that goes well they might open it up to everyone. I'm trying  to find any ray of light. 

[kmac30 416]

Uh, they have these things called gas stations.
If you're off the beaten path, then pee in the grass.
Have you never taken a road trip with your kids?  I guess I take it for granted that we've been driving to CO every summer since our youngest was born.  We now have 3 boys, ages 3, 5, and 8.

Dude. I’ve been to roadside gas station restrooms and they don’t scream germ free. Can only imagine what’s up in that shit now. It would also be a different story with 3 boys. I only have 1, with 2 girls. I’m not asking them to do something I wouldn’t (sit on a gas station toilet).

None of it is going to matter. My wife is completely freaking out and not about to go out in the world right now.

[Your Mom 4971]

2 hours ago, kmac30 said:

Dude. I’ve been to roadside gas station restrooms and they don’t scream germ free. Can only imagine what’s up in that shit now. It would also be a different story with 3 boys. I only have 1, with 2 girls. I’m not asking them to do something I wouldn’t (sit on a gas station toilet).

None of it is going to matter. My wife is completely freaking out and not about to go out in the world right now.

https://www.rei.com/product/876179/reliance-luggable-loo-portable-toilet

[utee94 16085]

Get an RV and travel with your own toilet, EVERYWHERE you go.

 

 

[Mach 1 1677]

Relax. I've just stumbled upon the solution for all your germ concerns.  I present to you the Covid killing UV light sabre from China.

 

My wife just bought one.  We can now fly anywhere we damn well please and disinfect any part of the plane we come in contact with, especially - I'm told by my wife - the toilet where the highest likelihood of infection occurs.  Some of our fellow travelers may have their retinas burned and skin cancer kick started here and there, but hey, not our problem.

I figure we couple this with some hydroxychlarquine and we'll be fucking impervious.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Mach 1

[Your Mom 4971]

I think that's a repurposed blinged up hair flattening iron.  

[AustinMT 952]

1 hour ago, Mach 1 said:

Relax. I've just stumbled upon the solution for all your germ concerns.  I present to you the Covid killing UV light sabre from China.

 

My wife just bought one.  We can now fly anywhere we damn well please and disinfect any part of the plane we come in contact with, especially - I'm told by my wife - the toilet where the highest likelihood of infection occurs.  Some of our fellow travelers may have their retinas burned and skin cancer kick started here and there, but hey, not our problem.

I figure we couple this with some hydroxychlarquine and we'll be fucking impervious.

[thunderlounge 8409]

The fat lady has "officially" sung on my summer trips. Not that I expected them to happen, but I had to plan that as if they were until they were cancelled. Everything pushed back 11 months, so that will help when I rebook as those flights should be showing in time so I can move without much hassle.

I have a bad feeling it's going to be a busy one next year.

[Brisketexan 106890]

Yeah....I still have no idea what we'll be doing this summer.  We still have a tentative plan for a family trip to a beach motel in Orange County, Ca. in early July.....we're all just in "wait and see" mode.  If it happens, we'll all fly in to LAX, then drive down.  I imagine that we'd mostly hang out together -- avoid doing things that involve crowds, that sort of thing.  But knowing there's some risk just in traveling, and deciding whether the risk (hopefully low) is worth it.

Then we have a week at a Texas beach house with one other family in August -- right now, that should happen.  It may end up being our only summer trip.  Sigh.

[thunderlounge 8409]

I don't know what I'll do for vacation time this summer either. Probably isolated camping. Exactly where is another story. Depends on river levels, etc. Which to be fair, I'd be doing anyway.

[midtown 3354]

Belize opens at the end of June. I'm planning a 4 night trip in July barring things not deteriorating. Delta has reasonable flights and AA through Miami and my lady friend is platinum on both for upgrades

[AustinMT 952]

6 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Yeah....I still have no idea what we'll be doing this summer.  We still have a tentative plan for a family trip to a beach motel in Orange County, Ca. in early July.....we're all just in "wait and see" mode.  If it happens, we'll all fly in to LAX, then drive down.  I imagine that we'd mostly hang out together -- avoid doing things that involve crowds, that sort of thing.  But knowing there's some risk just in traveling, and deciding whether the risk (hopefully low) is worth it.

Then we have a week at a Texas beach house with one other family in August -- right now, that should happen.  It may end up being our only summer trip.  Sigh.

Our Italy/France trip in April canceled of course.  Hoping for October, but that is being very optimistic.

For now, booked a house with great views in Angel Fire. Driving up in late June for 8 nights.  Will bring most of our food and booze, and enjoy cool weather.  

Edited May 20, 2020 by AustinMT

[kopp0e 1135]

It looks as if car rental rates should be outrageously cheap right about now..?
Maybe I will look to take a trip to the Grand Canyon (sometime this summer)...

 

[AustinMT 952]

1 hour ago, kopp0e said:

It looks as if car rental rates should be outrageously cheap right about now..?
Maybe I will look to take a trip to the Grand Canyon (sometime this summer)...

 

Wow — that’s crazy

[midtown 3354]

I guess we never really realize how many cars are out being driven to where the only need a few hundred spots at any given airport.

[DDD Dad 14648]

So if Calgary doesn’t happen it looks like we will go see some friends at their house on Lake Winnipesaukee in July.

[justhookit 4206]

9 hours ago, midtown said:

Belize opens at the end of June. I'm planning a 4 night trip in July barring things not deteriorating. Delta has reasonable flights and AA through Miami and my lady friend is platinum on both for upgrades

Don’t get me wrong but I’m hearing bad things about Costa Rica right now. As in, they will be “open” but you definitely aren’t getting in there from the United States unless our numbers go down.  A lot. Will be interesting to see how much resolve they have.

[Chewbacca 7830]

Don’t get me wrong but I’m hearing bad things about Costa Rica right now. As in, they will be “open” but you definitely aren’t getting in there from the United States unless our numbers go down.  A lot. Will be interesting to see how much resolve they have.

They sound like they are a lot smarter than we are., TBH.

[justhookit 4206]

6 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

22 minutes ago, justhookit said:

Don’t get me wrong but I’m hearing bad things about Costa Rica right now. As in, they will be “open” but you definitely aren’t getting in there from the United States unless our numbers go down.  A lot. Will be interesting to see how much resolve they have.

They sound like they are a lot smarter than we are., TBH.

If they would let me in I’d get down there right now and ride this out there for the next year or whatever. I’ve got no doubt that whatever happens here it will be much better there. For a multitude of reasons. It’s going to be sad when I eventually do make it back down because I know that a lot of friends I’ve made over the years will no longer be there. Unlike people here in the US they just don’t have any other options besides working in the hospitality industry. It’s all they know and it was the best opportunity they ever had in life. Like Port A, or Colorado for you, we all need a summer travel season or else a bunch of people we know are fucked.

[Biff Tannen 46165]

11 hours ago, DDD Dad said:

So if Calgary doesn’t happen it looks like we will go see some friends at their house on Lake Winnipesaukee in July.

Dr. Leo Marvin?

[midtown 3354]

12 hours ago, justhookit said:

Don’t get me wrong but I’m hearing bad things about Costa Rica right now. As in, they will be “open” but you definitely aren’t getting in there from the United States unless our numbers go down.  A lot. Will be interesting to see how much resolve they have.

Pessimistically optimistic. 

[LW Goatman 1129]

For bathrooms, hotel lobbies, chik fil a, and starbucks are usually pretty clean. 

[tfoolry 8352]

Finally won the chargeback to Easyjet for flight between Paris & Milan earlier this month.  Don’t ever book a flight with that clown show.  

[Telegraph_it 3379]

The name didn’t give it away? The livery definitely should have. 

[rage-a-holic 4732]

RyanAir and Easyjet: never book flights over $50 with either.

[Party_Taco 3889]

The flight deals are insane right now, with many extending out to next March... haven’t pulled the trigger yet, but damn if my finger isn’t itchy!

[shakahorn 1656]

LATAM just declared chapter 11. That ought to make flying to/from S. America a lot more challenging.

[conVINCEd 21477]

6 hours ago, shakahorn said:

LATAM just declared chapter 11. That ought to make flying to/from S. America a lot more challenging.

I believe they are the only airline that flies to Easter Island.  I’ve always wanted to check out the moai.

[gecko 1104]

I booked hotel reservations over Memorial Day for the July 4 weekend in Jackson Hole.  Being able to score something this late in JH is pretty remarkable.  Granted, lots of things may not be open and I don't expect July 4 parade or fireworks but if that translates into smaller crowd size in Grand Teton it will be a win-win for me.

[Scary Stranger 1725]

1 hour ago, conVINCEd said:

I believe they are the only airline that flies to Easter Island.  I’ve always wanted to check out the moai.

Took the family in fall of '18.  It was really cool. 

 

[midtown 3354]

7 hours ago, shakahorn said:

LATAM just declared chapter 11. That ought to make flying to/from S. America a lot more challenging.

Why?   LATAM isn't going to stop operating.  It's not shutting down.

[riloh05 107]

did

IAH-lake charles on Thursday Nugget Pool was awesome and the gamblings was good.

lake charles-IAH-PHX- Friday-Monday. Stayed at the Sanctuary it was awesome. Old Town was fun. Felt good. Great weather and good vibes.

PHX-IAH monday

IAH was packed. PHX not so much. PV/Scottsdale/Old Town covered in californians.

[wild_turkey 3296]

I booked hotel reservations over Memorial Day for the July 4 weekend in Jackson Hole.  Being able to score something this late in JH is pretty remarkable.  Granted, lots of things may not be open and I don't expect July 4 parade or fireworks but if that translates into smaller crowd size in Grand Teton it will be a win-win for me.

One of my favorite July 4th experiences was in Jackson. We sat on the baseball field and watched fireworks being shot off of the ski slope, drinking pale ales from Snake River Brewing.

I hope your trip goes well and tend to agree with your thought that the Tetons could be less crowded.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19305]

I am starting to plan my trip to Spain for next Easter.  I am cautiously optimistic that we will either have a vaccine, a treatment, or some sort of partial herd immunity which will allow that to happen.  I have to be optimistic.

Then it is Paris and Southwest France in September/October.

2022 will be for some combination of Italy/Thailand/Egypt.

[Wanker Bob 379]

On 5/20/2020 at 4:26 PM, kopp0e said:

It looks as if car rental rates should be outrageously cheap right about now..?
Maybe I will look to take a trip to the Grand Canyon (sometime this summer)...

 

They were crazy cheap from late March until mid May but for some reason now have shot back up. I usually rent for business travel for convenience and tax purposes but with things shut down haven't needed it. So the wife and I got a Mustang GT convertible for a week in April to fly around doing burnouts on the deserted streets for fun. Cost: $78

[zork 629]

On 5/18/2020 at 6:53 PM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I have been looking for a place to pack up a rental car and take the dogs for a week in July/August.  I am shit out of luck at this point.  Decent places are running 1k a night, if they are available, AND rental cars for week are running about 1k to start.  It is fucking nuts.  

pickup and dropoff in newark(of course you have to get there and back): 

https://www.kayak.com/Cheap-Newark-Car-Rentals.8252.cars.ksp

Be sure they are unlimited miles and bada bing bada boom. /Jersey

[Iceman 2978]

it ain't the car rental fees that get ya... it's the tunnels and bridges.

$15.... for one time?   was my first reaction to ever getting that shaft job.

[midtown 3354]

Btw.  If you normally use google flights to search for tickets you may want to double check with another aggregator.   On a few legs I am researching  in Asia in oct they are really out of whack.

[TXSG8R 3362]

So an update to my United shit.  Got an email from Chase last week that I was receiving a voucher, not the refund I was told I was getting after escalating for an hour until I got to a supervisor (Scarlet WJ, go fuck yourself).  Finally have time this morning for round 3 on this shit.  

[TXSG8R 3362]

They are totally firewalling the refund department.  I was told it would be over a 2 hour wait to talk to someone and that I should use the united.com/refunds page to request the reevaluation of my refunded voucher.  Pretty sure Id rather take a fucking boat than fly on United at this point.  

[midtown 3354]

Well this might be the first nail in my trip to SE Asia in Oct. I had planned to fly out of BKK. It's possible I could still transit through but going into Bangkok proper sounds iffy.

[kevwun 16438]

Making any international travel plans this year is wishful thinking.  You are just setting yourself up for disappointment and headaches when you have to cancel them.

Edited May 27, 2020 by kevwun

[Anton Chigurh 3335]

Probably stupid, but booked Yellowstone for late August.

Will be in a cabin. They only have residences with private baths open for reservations at the moment (lots have common areas for showers/shitters).

[midtown 3354]

Making any international travel plans this year is wishful thinking.  You are just setting yourself up for disappointment and headaches when you have to cancel them.

They were already made. I still put the odds at 60/40 for it to happen. I don't get disappointed

[HenryJames 67347]

16 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

Probably stupid, but booked Yellowstone for late August.