Too early? Too late? When exactly is the right time to panic?

If and when Rick Steves cancels my tour in April, then I will freak out. So glad I got one international trip in this year, but I am optimistic his tours will run.

I'm a pragmatist, so I've known all along the trip we have planned at the end of December was likely but never guaranteed.

What keeps me from panicking is obsessive planning. For instance, it looks like the UK will impose stricter testing requirements - we won't be able to land, take a simple and cheap lateral flow antigen test while not having to isolate, and enjoy our trip. Instead, we'll have to take a much more expensive PCR test within 2 days of arrival and isolate until a negative result comes in.

But obsessive planning keeps me from panicking much because...
- Up to this point, I've done a lot of research on testing. A cheap lateral flow test was great, but I'm familiar with PCR test pricing and providers. I know we can get a PCR test upon landing at Heathrow, and know we could likely have results either that same day or the next day. We were already set to arrive in the AM and had nothing at all planned that first day so that's not too big a deal (so long as providers play their part and deliver results within the promised timeframe).

- All my hotels, bookings, plans, etc are refundable. In fact, I originally booked this trip in Dec 2019 for summer 2020 and have had to postpone it a few times already. It's a routine I'm familiar with, albeit admittedly still frustrated by.

If we have to postpone out trip, it'll be disappointing and frustrating but almost par for the course by this point. If things do reach a point where panic is warranted, we'd likely not want to travel in that atmosphere anyways. It'd likely mean businesses and attractions were closed, and there'd be so much hassle and so many hoops to jump through as part of the traveling experience we could take some consolation from knowing a postponement meant not having to deal with any of that (for now).

When I first started leading tours back in the stone age, one thing that was drummed into us was the concept of being flexible. Nothing always goes the way we planned.

Rather than panicking, which will lead to bad decisions, it's better to step back and think about your options.

I am currently still on my fall trip. It has become nothing like the trip I planned. Due to many reasons, I've had to alter my plans. Rather than panicking, I sat down, wrote out my options, and chose the path I thought would work best.

For those traveling to Europe within the next two or three weeks, events are making it more difficult and serious thought has to be given on how you proceed.

But the thought of canceling a planned trip now when it was supposed to take place next May, June, or even into the summer, would have me
scratching my head. I have another trip planned for next April and the thought af canceling hasn't crossed my mind.

Panicking is not a good thing. Taking a deep breath and calmly looking looking at your options will help you make a better decision.

At this time, I have a 3 week trip through Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France planned for June. All lodging is booked with free cancellation. The earliest cancellation deadline is mid-April, the rest are within a week of check-in. Flights have not been booked yet. At this point it’s too early to panic, but not too early to start thinking of a plan B. Hope for the best, plan for worst case scenario (last minute cancellation of entire trip).

I am with you in envying those who have just returned.

I decided it was the right time to pull the panic trigger when a planned trip had two strikes against it instead of just the one. Dealing with two "what if the worst case happened" scenarios just didn't feel like fun anymore.

These are great comments, and I hope more of us chime in.

Motorcycle instructors point out the obvious: most accidents would not have been stories that needed telling if the people involved had been prepared, paying attention (far enough ahead), and conditioned to respond in the best way for the circumstances. Panic is almost never the right move. A vacation is not quite the same since you have to commit to a line of travel well before you can actually see the patch of road and the conditions, but it's still the case that thoughtfulness and prep softens most of the bumps.

I have had numerous trips cancelled during the past 20 months. I wouldn’t say I have panicked over any of them, as I would have been more amazed if they had actually happened.

The only time we have been concerned was in March 2020 when we were in Sri Lanka and we were nearing the end of our trip. We were due to head to a remote area, staying at a place with no mobile phone or internet service. We decided that as things were moving rapidly back at home, that to be out of contact for 4 nights wasn’t wise, so we managed to change our Emirates flights and headed home the following day, arriving back a week before our lockdown started.

I have only planned holidays to one country at a time to make it easier to keep on top of the ever changing Covid rules. Some of the trips planned by people on this forum covering 5 countries in 2 weeks would make me a nervous wreck in the current climate! There is no way I would travel outside of Europe at present - too many risks.

Will my winter sunshine trip to the Canary Islands happen in January? We had always put this at a 50/50 chance. Now? Unlikely. Panic? No. Just a realist.

When exactly is the right time to panic?

When you realize the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train, but you still have time to avoid the collision.

The challenge is to get the timing correct

Panic is caused by a lack of information.
As information mounts or is acquired, we're able to make decisions, even ones we don't want to have to make. Information is beginning to come in about this new variant. The panic caused by news snippets will soon be replaced by an informed, fuller picture.

We just began our third week in Romania. We have felt pretty safe where proof of vaccination is required to dine in restaurants and to enter into indoor spaces along with masks. All of the restaurant and store staff wear masks. The Christmas market required proof of vaccination and masks. We had planned to add Bucharest, Vienna and Prague to our trip. We decided it was too complicated with the testing for each country so we cancelled our flights and trains to those cities 3 months ago. We understood we might have to make changes. We fly back to the US on Thursday and will get our covid test on Wednesday. We hope to take the RS Portugal tour in April. We will have to monitor the situation in 2022.

Joe32F
Re the train's headlight in the tunnel
Something similar to that happend here in Seattle Saturday night. A subway train jammed with passengers after a football game had a mechanical failure and was stopped indefinitely in the tunnel between stations. After some time, and having heard nothing from the subway perconnel, with the lack of information most of the pasengers got off and walked along the tunnel to the nearest stations. Sound Transit had to shut down in the area out of fear of the consequences of the "oncoming headlight in the tunnel"

I’m checking my cancellation policies and will not cancel anything until I have to. Wait until the last possible moment when you have all the information you possibly can. So much can change that there’s no point in worrying about anything more than a few weeks out.

So my March trip is still on as far as I’m concerned, but my visit to Mexico in 3 weeks is iffy. I’ll have to cancel by Dec 8 to get refunds, so I’ll use whatever info is available on Dec 7 and make the best call I can. The risk is if it seems ok, I keep my plans, and something happens in that week before I leave and I have to cancel during the no-refund period. Flights are on miles, which can be refunded, but not my hotel. I thought fully cancellable until a week before was reasonable- what are the odds that things would change in that specific week? Not doing that again, lol!

But none of this is panic. I’m done with panic. All we can do is use the information available and make the best decisions possible

I am on the verge of booking a tropical beach break in the Cook Islands in Feb. From mid Jan NZers will be allowed to travel there and return quarantine free (as of an announcement last week). At this point I won't book until a couple of weeks in advance.

We have a cruise in July ex the USA (which we have to fly to) . I am expecting that if that cruise is cancelled we should know by April. If that happens I have a plan B which will still get us to Europe. Which part of Eurpoe? Who knows likely to decide that a week or 2 out.

Panic doesn't play much of a role in driving my life or my decisions. Information does. I took two trips to Germany this year (August and October) -- the latter being a 6-day impromptu trip on a cheap air ticket after a professional meeting in Austin was canceled due to COVID-19.

In between the two, I had a planned trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina that I canceled because at the time, (1) I was spending 15 minutes in a 10'x10' room with someone with COVID about 10-12 times per week, (2) a couple of my vaccinated colleagues who were doing the same got COVID-19, (3) BiH's COVID-19 rate was going up, and (4) quarantine in Bosnia with COVID-19 that I contracted there or brought with me seemed like a bad idea, especially if hospitalization was involved.

So why go to Germany a month later on an impromptu trip? COVID-19 cases in my community plummeted 80-90%. COVID-19 was still low in Germany. I had received COVID-19 vaccine #3 greater than 2 weeks prior to the trip. The medical grade N95 mask I had switched to at work in early August (prior to the run of vaccinated colleagues getting COVID-19) had brought me through that run of cases apparently unscathed.

As for the new variant, I want hard information -- not hyped media hysteria designed to draw more eyes and push up advertising revenue.

I should add on the BiH trip that everything was refundable -- airfare, guides, and lodging. It's easier not to make decisions based on panic when risk is managed.

diveloonie aka Tammy
I could have written that exactly, even the details match mine.

In March 2021 I reserved hotels in England for August. England had higher rates of vaccination than the U.S. and at the time I was optimistic that travel would be open by August. I made refundable reservations but did not buy airline tickets. By the end of June it was clear that England was not going to be open for tourism by August.

We ended up going to Italy which had opened up instead. We had a 2020 trip cancelled so could quickly plan a trip. The requirements became more lenient (vaccination not multiple tests and then no masks outdoors) and then stricter (proof of vaccination for restaurants and tourist sites). We decided we would go unless Italy would not let us in without quarantining. In the end, our trip was more defined by the August heat than covid. .

We are planning a trip to Crete for this coming May. I have not bought airline tickets or made reservations yet but intend to do so shortly. Having traveled with Covid once, I know we will enjoy ourselves even with restrictions and extra precautions. I will not cancel unless the travel restrictions include quarantine which simply is not practical.

As for the new variant, I want hard information -- not hyped media hysteria designed to draw more eyes and push up advertising revenue.

Yes.

We leave in 4 weeks for Spain. I'm still moving forward with plans and reservations, with everything refundable for as long as possible -- as I've been doing all along. Will keep monitoring the news for what the scientists say, as well as any new travel updates and/or restrictions. I'll assume our trip is a go unless.... it's not.

Instead of panicking, look for opportunity, just like retirement investment strategy. After 9-11, the markets dropped and it was time to buy. Same thing in April 2020 when the markets dropped due to the pandemic. I'm wondering if flight costs will temporarily drop as people hold off booking. I've been patiently watching and waiting for a seat sale to Scotland for next June. Maybe this will be the week I book.

Of course anything I book will need to be flexible in case I need to cancel, but I'll worry about that later. I do feel for those who have travel plans coming up soon though. I'm sure my heart would be racing.

Good topic by the way.

By the second winter, we are starting to see a pattern. April through October travel, when we can be outside, offers less risk for planning than November through March travel, at least for the Northern Hemisphere. This is my second fall/winter in France; it is as if a switch flips on November 1st. The difference this year is that thanks to the vaccine, at least in high-vaxx countries, serious illness is low.

On the other hand, I think we can begin to expect that areas that depend heavily on inside air conditioned spaces in summer will produce higher levels of contagion. So to avoid panic, it might be good to keep this in mind when planning travel. Europe from April -October, but Texas and Florida November-March.

My unauthorized, uninformed opinion thinks that tours will run since mask compliance is high in many European countries. Some European tour companies ran tours in 2021. Before panicking, it's a good idea to look at patterns that are beginning to emerge.

We aren't back to the old normal; we now have the new normal. No matter what we did before, we need to find new methods to avoid panic situations. Every late fall, the pandemic will remind us to be more cautious than we are in summer and early fall.

As for the new variants, we'll see what the scientists come up with in the next few weeks and days. Masking, vaccinating and distancing are still the way to go.

I'm starting to mentally prepare for the likelihood our January trip to Barcelona and Rome won't happen. I must say I feel more disappointment than panic. Since everything I've paid for thus far is refundable (except the credit from Walks of Italy, March 2020, that never expires) the financial component isn't a concern. I'm now thankful that tickets for the Borghese and Colosseum weren't yet available the last time I checked:).

I will say this new "twist" is a reminder to think about travel differently than we did pre-Covid. I started planning our 2020 trip eight months in advance. This trip has been on the radar for six weeks-last minute for me, but perhaps more like the new normal. And, circumstances can upend our plans at any time-whether a Covid variant or a family emergency. We chose Barcelona and Rome because of the low infection and high vaccination rates at that time. So for now I'll watch for updates on the medical/scientific front, decorate for Christmas, and make a science-informed decision when the timing seems right (likely no later than a week before departure). Worst case is I'll have another planned trip to pull out of the "future travel" file.

I always follow the advice of Corporal Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR0lOtdvqyg

@ramblin’ on - an actual LOL from me:)

Trip #1 for 2022 has us leaving for Frankfurt on March 20 and flying home from Amsterdam on May 1. We have 8 nights in Germany. The first 2 in Frankfurt and then 6 nights somewhere in the north with family. Since sightseeing is not a priority during that time I don’t particularly care what is open. From there we go to France for almost 4 weeks, then finish with a week in Haarlem. In France and the Netherlands sightseeing is the goal. When it gets close to our departure we will determine if it is safe to go, or even if we are allowed to go. We used miles for our flights and all lodging can be cancelled. We are double vaccinated and boosted, but we don’t know what we don’t know. Will I be disappointed if we cancel? Yes, just as I was disappointed to cancel our 6 week trip in Fall 2020. Trips can be adjusted and rescheduled.

I’m currently planning Trip #2 for late summer/fall 2022, departing for Dublin on August 20. We are using miles and haven’t booked our return yet, but the plan is to fly home from Paris on October 30. This trip will take us to Ireland, Scotland, England and France. We dropped the planned Portugal portion because I didn’t want to add another country into the mix. Again, all reservations I make will have to have a full cancellation policy for me to book it. I’m not going to panic about any of it.

We can’t foresee the future, but in these uncertain times we can prepare for it.

We have learned so much from this forum over the years. This morning we channeled a previous, longtime poster, Ed. We cancelled a very inexpensive hotel room in a city we no longer have the risk tolerance to go to as part of a 12 night stay when we need to be away from our home next week+. Instead of 7 nights on Oahu and 5 nights in a more risky mainland city, we are going to spend all 12 nights on Oahu. Sure it cost 3x as much money but Ed’s philosophy was that sometimes it just took more $$$ or €€€ to solve the problem and be prepared for that.

Our monthlong trip to Germany in May is still in place. We booked tickets recently that have us flying into one state in Germany and staying in that state if we need to for the month. If it’s safer to move about once we are there we will. We have a house exchange and car for the month so it’s only the exchange itself and flight to deal with if Covid prevails for the 3rd time with our 2020 and 2021 cancelled trips.

I had a trip planned to lots of smaller towns in Italy earlier this year. I spent a lot of time keeping up-to-date on the situation because requirements were going to change while I would be there. You know how planning a trip gives you a feeling of excitement & anticipation each day? Well, this one felt so much more like my former work, i.e. engineering project plan, instead. So, I cancelled that trip.

Instead, I went to Mexico with a friend and stayed at her timeshare at a resort. Definitely a different type trip, but it was fun & relaxing.

For 2022, I have two trips planned - RS Best of the Adriatic & a trip to Italy. The earliest is in June, so no decisions need to be made, yet.

February/March 2020 - enjoying a month in Mexico when COVID raised its ugly head in our hometown of Sarasota, FL. Stayed in Mexico despite our childrens' pleas to come home. Of course we both wound up with COVID within a few days of our return, but were lucky to have mild cases.

September 2020 - no RS Portugal tour.

September 2021 - no Hawaii trip after the governor asked tourists to stay away. Everything refundable.

February 2022 - Mexico for two weeks. Making sure we know where and when to get tested to re-enter US.

May 2022 - RS Portugal???? Hoping so.

July 2022 - Hawaii finally.

Panic doesn't help. Planning does. Time will tell what we manage to do, but I sure do wish those without vaccines would get the shots.

On a slightly different avenue than panic, I just got tired of wondering, especially when the scheduled trip is next autumn. Too many issues for me: spreading illness, getting illness, husband aging out of organized touring, global warming...Ugh. The only time I've planned waaayyyy in advance has been for the one successful RS Tour (9 months) and a replacement RS tour (>1 year) next autumn. It's not in my DNA to plan a year ahead for a trip is my conclusion. I'm a short term European travel planning person...a few months at the most. Part of the fun is planning and I didn't feel a lot of fun planning happening. Fortunately, I intentionally got my remaining must see places in Europe done between 2015 and 2018 thanks to a little clairvoyance. I'm also lucky to have done many trips for the 20 years prior to 2019 so I didn't wait for retirement. So I might have different priorities, so don't misunderstand my direct chat. This is just my perspective.

Regarding Panic, one should never panic as it serves no purpose, at any time. If you are still having fun with the plan(ning), go. If not, cancel. Travel is about fun. Regarding getting money back if you decide at the last minute not to walk down the jetway, it's only your travel money gone. With that attitude, you have no worries. IMO

I'm scheduled to fly to the UK on Thursday with a Friday arrival. I have the option to cancel my hotel until three days before arrival - putting Tuesday as my deadline. I'm not panicking but I am definitely seeking to best understand what information is available and looking for perspective from those in the UK. If my trip were further out it would feel less urgent and I would stay informed but more casually so. Unfortunately, the timing of this is directly and immediately impactful to me as a traveler. I know I am compliant and thoughtful about my choices but I must consider the wear and tear on the locals who may be wary of tourists as well as my ability to still carry and spread the virus despite being fully vaxxed with a booster. The next 36 hours or so will be an interesting journey of its own.

I'm booked for the RS Ireland tour next May, with the deposit refundable up to December 31. I'll be watching virus-related events over the next month to decide whether to go ahead with the trip. If so, I'll get my flights, maybe with a refundable fare for a change (depending on additional cost). My full payment to RS will be due March 22, another decision point. This process is easier for me because I don't think RS will go through with the tour if restrictions will seriously reduce the quality of the experience.

I'm glad I don't have a trip scheduled for the next month or so, with all the uncertainty we have now. And I'm glad I got to travel to Berlin for ten days in October. I bought insurance for that trip a couple of weeks ahead, just in case I got sick over there. I'll probably do the same for Ireland if I finally decide to go.

So, a couple of decision dates (December 31 and March 22) with financial consequences, in a climate of uncertainty that by now we're all used to. "Panic" doesn't enter into it. Maybe if my trip were this coming month it would.

I don’t panic either, just make plans that can be altered easily. This happened this past summer where we reduced countries for our trip at the last minute. That made a huge difference. Next trip, tentatively planned for June 2022 was going to be to 2-3 but now just one —basically to the common travel area in the UK. Am a big believer, as are others on here, of keeping the country list low. That makes planning easier as well as adjusting easier. You only need to figure out one set of rules per country and the fewer countries the fewer regulations and paperwork (online and off) you have to deal with. I haven’t started any hard planning, just soft planning—know which hotels I want, what my preferred route is, etc. Hard planning will come later.

Panic probably isn't the right word. I think anxiety might be. Anxiety is very high for those with planned trips and those trying to predict the future to schedule trips.

Right now the chances of a trip coming off in 2022 is 50/50. Until more is known about this new variant, I would say 50/50 are good odds. So, plan accordingly. Only make flights, hotel reservations and other transportation arrangements with full refundability. Be willing to pay more to do so. Think about traveling on your own instead of a tour because your flexibility is far greater to adapt to changes on the ground.

Just prepare yourself for the possibility of an interruption and hope for the best.

Like most people have posted we have a trip to Sicily scheduled for the end of April. Just Sicily. No airfare booked yet. We are hoping to go and even more hopeful that limiting it to one country will be easier to manage. We will then decide on a trip in September, depending on how the new year goes. We did get to Croatia but decided against tacking Italy on to ease the stress. My opinion - I don’t see how locking down completely will help, it didn’t the first time.

I was panicking about our April 2022 trip, until the proprietor of our Salerno BNB called me a few days ago. He had been working on some excursions and just wanted to give me a heads up that he was sending me an email with some options for Paestum, and a boat ride from Amalfi back to Salerno.

Then, our Siena hotel emailed me - basically a reminder that we reserved a garden view room for so many days that was going to cost x amount. I emailed back with a question about the current availability of Covid testing. We are flying back to the USA on a Tuesday, so at this point, we would need to get our tests on Saturday. I received an instantaneous reply that the pharmacies were open on Saturday, but I might want to book ahead.

We will probably be safer in Italy than in most parts of the US of A. We are moving forward, but with all arrangements fully refundable.

'it's too early to worry' and 'it's too late to hope' <<

For me, it's w-a-y too early to hope and it's far, far too late to worry.

At the beginning of The Madness, my dear wife informed me that my trips to Europe were officially delayed until AT LEAST 2023. Because I have no means to argue with "officially delayed", I continue to think about hope but without any worry.

The trip was planned for August 2020 with friends - didn’t happen and didn’t have to panic because the cruise & airlines cancelled. Friends really wanted us to go again in 2021 but it looked like travel arrangements would be chaotic and require last-minute flexibility. As 2021 was already a chaotic year for us, we passed. Their trip had flight changes, each requiring long phone calls to fix. Passing was a good decision for us.

Fast-forward and 2022 - 2 RS back-to-back tours booked for Italy in April/May. We decided to limit ourselves to 1 country for ease in following any COVID requirements and if RS goes, we’re going. If RS doesn’t go, we may still go if Italy is open because the mechanisms required to handle the virus are now in place. Countries may need to tweak the “wheel,” but the wheel has been invented.

On a slightly different avenue than panic, I just got tired of
wondering,

I like Wray's comment. So many "What if" thoughts in my head. What if the rental car shortage means my car isn't available n February when I arrive for a week in San Diego County? What if I'm stuck for a couple of days in June in my hotel in Scotland because my PCR test result is delayed? Joel Goodsen from Risky Business has it figured out. https://youtu.be/a0p7rJsYisw

My then boyfriend and I had a big Italy trip planned for July of 2020. We were heading to Prague and Munich with friends and 15 days on our own to Italy, specifically to see KISS in Verona.
Then, Covid happened and obviously everything changed. We were very lucky in regards to canceling hotels and flights and health wise, we were very fortunate.
We got engaged in 2021 and decided early on we would honeymoon in Italy in November. We just returned two days ago and had a fantastic time.
We need to remember to pack our patience, plan ahead, make museum reservations in advance and keep checking these travel forums. I had moments in which I wanted to just cancel, making it easier on myself to avoid travel, but I love to travel! We are able to help the local economies, mom and pop shops, and learn from each other.
The forums were fantastic in making travelers aware of restrictions, tips, ideas, everything! These are just my thoughts as I reflect on my recent trip.
Good luck! Happy travels whether now or later!

Our last trip to Europe was in the spring of 2019, and we had planned a RS tour for September 2020 (Best of England). We have two RS tours scheduled for 2022: Munich, Salzburg & Vienna (May) and Best of England (September). For both tours we have friends joining us.

Based on a review of past pandemics, I figured that it would take two years to get past the worst of this one, A conservative position would have been to wait until the spring of 2022 before thinking about any travel plans. Another cautious approach would be to wait until there is evidence of endemicity (a state where virus cases are much lower without significant spikes). Due to the RS policy on returning deposits for 2022 tours, I felt that signing up was risk-free.

The initial excitement of signing up for 2022 tours was replaced by a nagging dread that travel would not be fun. We have agreed with our travel companions that the May tour is not a good idea, and are close to making a decision about September with our other friends. I believe that the situation will improve in 2022, but am not sure when that will become clear. I feel sad and disappointed about cancelling 2022 plans, but also a sense of relief from worry.

I am finished with panic (not sure I have succumbed). I would like to instead be sensible. But so much of deciding to travel has to do with our own risk assessment and tolerance - and the climate where we live. I have taken 2 international trips this year (Greece for 2 weeks and Croatia for 4 weeks, with Slovenia dropped in for a few days) and plan to leave Friday for my next trip (4 nights Paris and 4 nights Prague). As part of my risk tolerance, I chose destinations that I was confident would allow me in and that were mostly outside.

I feel pretty comfortable with Paris, but am considering options for Prague should I need it. I have had my vaccinations and booster, and will mask for this one, of course. I know many of you would be cancelling (or have already done so) but at this point my risk tolerance (and the status of open places) is allowing me to move forward. I think Bets said it well - information is key. I would add that being ok with my choices is also key. If I decide our group should not go on to Prague, I will be ok with that (and they will also). And I know how to make the necessary adjustments. As long as I know I have a choice, then making the choice and following through shouldn’t result in panic - no matter what choice I make.

I know many are concerned about catching Covid while gone and having to quarantine. I feel very fortunate that I can afford a quarantine, both financially and time wise, if required and I feel like my odds of having a serious enough case for hospitalization are very small. And you never get to zero percent odds for any trip. Maybe living in Texas where much of life has, for good or bad, gone back to mostly regular patterns makes a difference in risk tolerance. However nothing I have said should imply that cancelling a trip is panicking. It can be as simple as deciding it doesn’t sound fun or it sounds like too much to stay up with or having different health or work concerns.

I will also add that I have flights bought for 3 more international trips in 2022 - either because it was cheap or because I was using miles and needed to act more quickly. And I have hotels for a 4th trip that I don’t yet have airfare for. Everything is refundable - which allows me the freedom to continue making plans.All trips can be cancelled, taken, or postponed. But I love the planning process. So even if I decide not to take any or all of the trips based on current information (not today’s information applied to 6 months from now), I will have had fun and not lost money nor wasted time. Nor panicked.

Good conversation, avi, and one that has as many answers as there are people answering - none of them “wrong”.

Like most people here, I’m keeping May-June plans in place and picking hotels that can be cancelled. Keeping the fingers crossed that the hiking tour I signed up for still goes on but I have to be optimistic that it will (and keep a backup plan in mind). But if I don’t keep thinking the trip will happen then I won’t have any reason to lose that covid/holiday weight. Travel is the best reason I have to get into shape. :)

What Wray wrote really resonates with me - it is a carbon copy of my approach to travel:

"I'm a short term European travel planning person...a few months at the most. Part of the fun is planning and I didn't feel a lot of fun planning happening."

I have planned month long trips to multiple countries as little as a month in advance, and have planned shorter single destination trips to Europe with as little as a week to go before hopping on the plane...that is my style, and it worked for me pre Covid, and it has continued to guide me this year in my planning. I am retired, and that clearly is easier for short term planning, and changing my mind at the last minute. I don't have to get vacation time approved by an employer, or anything like that.

As a result, I have felt very little of the angst and none of the panic that I see some people here reporting. In June, when Europe started to reopen, I planned a trip to Paris for late August, but when by mid July the tide had turned and covid was on the way back up there, I punted that trip. In October, I started thinking about Paris for mid December - plane fares looked good, my favorite hotel was available - and a few weeks ago, I pulled the plug again. I lost no money on any of these plans, and I didn't lose any sleep, either. After the first of the year, I will start looking at a trip to France for March or April, and I will approach it the very same way: refundable fares, and no cost accommodation cancellations, and a quick trigger on cancelling if Covid kicks up again.

You have to be very flexible if you want to travel abroad during this pandemic, and be prepared to walk away from a trip plan when the facts on the ground change.

Add me to those who reject the premise presented by the OP--rather early or late, "panic" is not the word I would use to describe having to deal with sudden changes in leisure travel availability/details/timing. Disappointment, of course, if things really go south, but then it's on to planning the next trip.

If your travel is necessary for a life (or death) event, then that's a different situation, and I would certainly feel stress about getting to where I needed to be. But even then panic is (as has also been pointed out above) not at all helpful in resolving the issue at hand.

I know I am compliant and thoughtful about my choices but I must
consider the wear and tear on the locals who may be wary of tourists
as well as my ability to still carry and spread the virus despite
being fully vaxxed with a booster. The next 36 hours or so will be an
interesting journey of its own.

Thank you for thinking of them and in the wake of Rick's "local" viewpoint, it's important to remember that.

Regarding locals....it depends where you are. I recently visited France.

In the larger cities, the ones that don't rely on tourism, there was no negativity of my being there.

In smaller towns and cities, the ones that truly rely on tourism, I received a friendly welcome with some even thanking me for visiting. They had struggled during the height of the pandemic and were thankful tourists were returning. Many wanted to know if I thought Americans would soon be returning.

So if you think you are doing them a favor by staying away, you might actually be doing them the opposite. It really depends on where you are going.

I don’t have anything to add, but just wanted to say how much I am enjoying reading this and especially the topic as Avi framed it. Lots of good contributions here.

I only panic if I see that the flight crew is panicking. In every other travel situation I just weigh my options and go with the best choice. However, sometimes that choice is to just stay put.

I've worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years and the best piece of advice I can give you is book directly with the hotels and airlines, even if it's a little bit more expensive, because they have more control of the reservation. If you book prepaid through an online travel agent like hotels.com, we often can't refund your money or change your reservation. It's in the contract we signed with the OTA. If you book directly and you are nice, ( all of Rick fans are nice, but I speak with a lot of people who need to learn some manners and have not watched any of Rick's shows and it shows) we will do everything we can to help you.

Also, you are more likely to be upgraded to a nicer room if you book direct.

We've got this. We will be traveling again soon!

Panic now!
J/K. I had to reschedule my Germany trip 4x! I was finally able to go, then just barely made it back before they had covid wave #5. I feel like I got sick of panicking and just opted for rebooking perpetually for around 18 months, and making sure everything was refundable or rebookable.

In March of 2020 (my trip was scheduled for the end of March) I knew it was going to be bad as soon as Italy saw people getting very sick and it beginning to spread. Mind you, I was still down for going and wearing a mask and spraying everything with bleach until of course the USA and Europe said "NO TRAVEL." Then I had my 7 hour + Lufthansa hold on the phone (a record!). I rescheduled for October hoping people would be logical and stay home and it would be mostly tampered down like Korea or China within 6 months.. (#joke).

By about mid summer I knew we were hosed and we couldn't go in October. Europe was not opening, the supposed "vaccines by fall" never really happened and people were getting sick here in the states still. Fall looked like it was going to be bad everywhere.

Fall- ok its bad everywhere and with no vaccines in sight and everything still closed. I moved the trip again to April of 2020 hoping things wouldn't be bad and since I could get vaccinated early perhaps our regulations (and Europes) would be fixed. (#joke#2). Got vaccinated in Jan/Feb since my job allowed it....

But yes no dice on getting into Europe with having to quarantine and that not changing yet. Then there was "Delta" --- realized we couldn't go around March and rescheduled for October.

Europe opened in the summer so I was very hopeful about going in the fall, but still cautious and looking at their covid rates and the regulations, there was no way we could go if things changed to having to be quarantined or there was lockdowns that looked "imminent" . With museums closed and no ability to eat at a restaurant (or even outside of one) there is zero reason to go.

I had to basically watch the German news sites (and this forum) for the whole month of August and September. When Germany only changed regulations for the un-vaxxed as it was fine for vaxxed to go, and no lockdowns seemed impending (at the time) my friend and I decided to pull the trigger, but we literally were watching the news up to 1 week before our flight to see if we needed to change it. And well, we went.. We were extremely precautious, had a rental car, bleached and medical-grade cleaned everything in our rooms upon entry, wore new masks everyday, gloves, ate outside as much as possible. Both of us were fine and didn't catch the covid. BUT--- if things were like they were now in Germany there is no way either of us would risk going since it seems lockdown is probably pending and there isn't a way to really enjoy eating if you have to be indoors and constantly staring at everyone who has a dry cough. That is the big "if" question.

Granted, knowing if lockdown is "pending" or what authorities will do is anyone's guess, but if it looks probable, well it most likely will happen and you don't want to be trapped in your hotel, bored to tears and unable to see what you came to see. Or worse yet, have to quarantine for 14 days or however long at your own expense before coming, or extra worse yet, while you are in country! No one wants that. My friend and I are younger (under 40) and healthy + vaccinated. There is only so much one can do though.

To me the panic moment is when you see nations closing borders- which is what they are doing with omnicron. Depending when your trip is scheduled I would seriously consider re-booking. For me if I had a trip in the spring I wouldn't pull the trigger just quite yet-- I'd wait a month to see if this is the nasty bug people speculate it is, or if it ends up being milder. If it was this December or January I would cancel. No question.

@Travelmom - In my opinion, Prague can also be mostly outside. At least, all the outside things we did there were our favorite parts of our one and only visit there. See bbqboy.net for "Prague's most beautiful walk," for one suggestion.

Thanks, @Janet. I agree about Prague. I know we WILL do some things inside (like St Vitus and an opera) but a lot will be wandering. The new mask (and vaccine required to enter) regulations should help. Even our tour of the Strahov Monastery library is private and is during lunch when it is closed to everyone else! I was sad the Christmas markets are cancelled but it may snow and Prague is gorgeous in the snow. :) What I mainly meant was the fairly high Covid numbers - I feel like they are probably worse than anywhere else I have traveled this year. Except maybe my home state…..

I have just settled into a dull acceptance of the unpredictability of international travel at this time; no energy left for panic, too hesitant to book anything for fear of it not happening, tired of the confusion surrounding what one has to do upon arrival in different countries, annoyed at myself for not trying harder to travel before this new time of restrictions began, envious of those who did manage to go. Any time off work must be planned for very carefully, I can't just pick up and go, and certainly not in summer/early fall, which seemed to have been when most people went. I almost decided to fly to Budapest for a few days to see the Christmas markets but figured I'd better just wait for next spring. I did get to spend 5 glorious days in NYC in October and it felt just a little bit like a trip to Europe--lots of things to do, great walking city, fabulous food & museums...it was satisfying and I'm glad it came off without a hitch.