First vacation since 2019.... and it's different.

I have found it harder to get myself excited once the trip is actually close, almost as if I don't really believe it will happen. I think so much time at home has also made the "get up and go" part more complicated - I'm so used to being comfortable at home that it seems like a lot of trouble to change locations every few days. I also feel a lot more guilty about leaving the cats with a petsitter - so much home time with them left them feeling truly like part of the family! And of course, every little sniffle sets off the alarm bells - I'm about two weeks out from a trip and am back to the mask life to keep from getting anything, let alone covid, prior to departure.

I've mostly found that once I actually get going, the excitement returns. I've been in several crowded places, but rarely one of those "top ten" spots of a location. So far I've mostly been returning to places I know and visiting sites that I've never gotten around to, which has been refreshing.

yes, I also had a change in anticipation prior to, as well as attitude during, for a recent trip. Haven't been able to quite put my finger on why yet. I definitely enjoyed the trip and there were many high points, am really glad I went, but just not the same level of overall excitement before and wonderment during as in the past. It was almost like I was in a fog, odd.

Yep, what you describe. However, I will say that effect has worn off after having made several trips. The preparation is harder but the excitement comes back.

I just returned from a trip, also my first since 2019.

It was weird in a lot of ways. I definitely had to change my attitude and remind myself to stay positive and just keep traveling. Very long lines almost everywhere (London and north of England), restaurants closing early or limited menus. I ended up eating more fast food than I wanted to, but it beats getting shut out.

Also, unrelated to travel, but my company had announced a lot of layoffs about a week before I left so there was the uncertainty in the back of my mind.

I have not. I guess only you can figure out why you might feel that way. For many, it’s the virus, but you say that’s not it. If you figure out what it is, let us know. Otherwise, try to enjoy your trip. It will be over before you know it and back to reality!

Yeah, I can relate. Amy, we also have a pet sitter for our two cats but I feel a bit guilty, too.

Widespread flight cancellations are in the news here every day, so I'm bracing for that a bit.

The crowds have become more of a negative for us in recent years. One reason is because of the fact that there are a LOT more people traveling, and so it's crazy crowded at times. Plus, if you have to test negative before returning to the states, then that can weigh on your mind.

For many, it’s the virus, but you say that’s not it. If you figure out
what it is, let us know. Otherwise, try to enjoy your trip.

My wife and I were talking about it today at Edinburgh Castle. It's people being in our way. It's a nice problem to have again, but after 2 years of not fighting crowds, it's a bit annoying. Slow walkers, people walking right in front and blocking your view like you're not even there....it's all magnified right now because it's new again.

I tested the waters last October and went to NYC; needed to see how I felt about near-constant mask-wearing and other restrictions--it was fine and turned out to be a wonderful trip with no issues. Then I planned my 8 days in London for late April and felt the same as you, very different set of feelings leading up to the trip, a sort of nervous trepidation instead of gleeful giddiness. Once on the ground--and I chose a very familiar city to make it as comfy and easy as possible after 2.5 years of only domestic travel--my usual happy feeling returned, but as I travel solo and can move swiftly in a crowd or museum etc, I also found myself irritated by large groups of people milling aimlessly and always, somehow, in the way of fast-moving people. I managed a balance of touristy things and then
time exploring neighborhoods and parks. Near the end of my trip I was feeling fairly grouchy any time I ventured into a crowded area. My best friend went to London solo a week after I did and reported nearly the exact same feelings.

Oh no! Grouchy due to crowds and slow walkers! I already disliked crowds pre-Covid. This may be too much for me to bear!

I definitely understand the decreased anticipation and low level anxiety. While I've done several trips here as my daughters live in Florida so I have no choice, I've been having a really tough time getting excited about my September trip to Greece which was cancelled (for the third time) in 2020. I haven't even finished booking my inter-island flights or car rental as I sit here looking at them every day and watch the prices go up. I finally booked my international airfare just 2 weeks ago (I usually book 9 months out). Maybe I just don't believe it's going to happen or I'm more worried about the return testing than I think I am. Whatever it is, I'm sure I'll be fine once I get there.

I'm sure we'll all get our travel mojo back after a few trips!

We were away last October. It felt very strange at the airport and while flying. Then again while on the way to the hotel. But that first night was a Saturday, and we had a few drinks and hit a few pubs that had live music. For the first time since March 2020, I forgot about Covid. The rest of the trip had the same feelings as always.

There is one thing that's changed for me, and that's the solid proof of how much of our income has been going towards our trips. I've done some soul searching on where we'd be in life, financially, if we hadn't been traveling. I always come to the same conclusion: divorced (lol). Honestly I never in the end look back with any regret. It's right for us.

My wife has described her feeling as being in a fog. Perhaps we've been isolated too long. I've planned an Alaska cruise for the fall and hope she'll be ready for Europe next spring. My enthusiasm for travel is as strong as ever and it's hard waiting for her to be willing to go but I really don't want to go without her.

Joann-I don’t think you will have to worry about crowds too much in Greece, with the exception of maybe up on the Acropolis.

Allan, we never traveled when I was a kid growing up. Later, when I asked my mom why, she said because you and your brother fought too much. I thought a lot about that. I have 2 girls, who probably fight as much as any set of siblings. We have traveled with them, and yes there were occasional squabbles. Would I rather be at home with them squabbling or in some terrific far off locale? I look at it the same way with crowds of people. Annoying at times, but willing to pay that price to travel.

LOL Andrea! I can relate.

I’ve taken two European trips since Covid and am planning a third. I have discovered that Covid has robbed me of the fun and excitement of planning a trip. I have had so many trips cancelled since this virus arrived (eight — some big; some long weekends), that it seems like a big question mark whether I’ll get to take the trip I am planning. I don’t want to be disappointed again!

Fortunately, I have enjoyed the trips once I got there. I’ve always hated crowds, so no change there.

Maybe this doesn't count. I've only taken trips domestically, which means only within Calif.. No flying as yet, I'm going by train on
rides from two to four hours.

Regardless of the masking I see where I am, inside / outside, I keep it on anyway. Better to be going than the alternative.

Just returned from 10 days in Paris. Traveling "post" Covid is different. We avoid crowds under normal circumstances but now we're even more aware of it. People coughing and sneezing everywhere, no masks. We wore masks in crowded places, on the plane, metro, busses, and trains. We heard others speaking English but they apparently weren't all that worried about testing before reentering the US. We self-tested several times before and during the trip. Our official negative test was such a relief! A very happy and carefree day. It was great to travel again but really different.

I'm finding half of my pre-trip anticipation these days is negative. I'm not worried about COVID from a personal health standpoint but I am worried about whether COVID will spoil my travel plans. Will there be a new outbreak that causes countries to close down borders again? Will the rules change, again, between the time I buy my ticket and the time I actually travel? Will there be a new or different requirement that keeps me from catching my return flight? Will I lose money booking a flight, car, hotel or activity that I won't be able to show up for?

Lately many friends are starting to travel again. My questions pre, during and post-trip tend to be about requirements to travel. Were there inconveniences, or worse, roadblocks, that interfered with their travel plans? Were you able to make your flight, lodging, tour plans without hardship? Did you have to comply with any special requirements?

I heard a lot of horror stories in '20-21. For example, I spoke with a Danish citizen in Florida who traveled home for Christmas. She made it home without incident. When she returned to the U.S., however, she ignored a lot of warnings and was arrested at the airport in Miami. A lot of scrambling allowed her to travel to Panama, where she was again handcuffed and detained in the airport. Panama ended up allowing her to travel to Mexico. Once she had spent a couple weeks in Mexico, she was allowed to enter the U.S. and return to Florida. Needless to say these are unsettling to someone who loves to travel.

In '21 I flew to San Diego to visit friends and relatives. My plan included several stays with siblings and cousins plus a week stay at a nice condo overlooking the ocean. After arriving, the governor shut the state down. The new rules specifically precluded someone from out of state staying in the condo (unless it included 14 days of quarantine). At the same time restaurants, museums and entertainment venues were forced to close until further notice. After that experience, I'm not sure when I'll plan another trip to California? It was stressful and dissatisfying, to say the least. We had to change our plans and weren't completely sure we wouldn't be homeless for part of our stay.

Fortunately I'm getting better reports these days. Friends have recently returned from a golf tour in Scotland and a river cruise in Germany. My lingering worry is these are booked tours. I much prefer creating my own itinerary, booking accommodations on the go and traveling at my own pace. I'm hoping for my first international trip, since Feb. 2020, late this summer or early fall. I don't know that I'll be completely comfortable until I've been on a couple trips and more countries are opening borders to vacation travelers without unusual requirements.

I'd bet you are right about you not being used to it... but I imagine that others are a bit more oblivious and over eager as well, which probably magnifies the effect? It does seem that everyone seems to feel entitled (or desperate) to see/do and that changes the atmosphere and flow, if ya ask me!

Maybe I am the odd one out here. I started traveling abroad again last fall, and I enjoyed the anticipation and the trip every bit as much as I did pre-Covid. I was in Egypt when the world started shutting down in March 2020, and maybe that flavored my attitude toward traveling again for several reasons:

1) I felt like I had unfinished business from March 2020. I was on a beautiful dahabiya/sailboat on the Nile when we got word that the airports were shutting down, and, dog-gone-it, I wanted to finish that trip.

2) We were booted out of three countries in 48 hours in March 2020 as borders were shutting down. It was a crazy experience, but we managed to arrive home safely. Instead of making me more worried about travel, the experience made me more confident that I could deal with quarantines or trip interruptions or whatever else might get thrown my way. Masks and the red tape of Covid tests seemed a minor inconvenience in comparison to what I had already dealt with.

3) I really wanted to support and reconnect with our guides and drivers and other folks in Egypt, who I knew had gone through a very tough 18 months or so.

We were a little ahead of the curve in timing our trip, and so crowds were not a problem.

No regrets here about getting back on the road again.

Worry of testing positive and getting stuck definitely took away some of the pre-trip glee. Plus, after having to cancel twice, I had this constant feeling of not getting to worked up in case I had to cancel again. I was so very upset the first time.

I was really grouchy and irritable the 3 days leading up to the trip.

The trip itself was mostly fine, as we were with our sons who had never been to Europe before. But there still was this constant worry, especially the last few days before we had to test. My stomach was in knots and it definitely was a cloud.

The crowds didn’t bother me too much, except when we were trying to go to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence 3 weeks ago and it was shoulder to shoulder. We turned back and just went that night. Always putting our masks on and off in those large crowds was a drag.

We won’t return until the testing is lifted. I also wouldn’t mind going in the winter sometime with low crowds.

We just returned last night- our first trip to Europe since 2018. We had a great time and the extra time to plan allowed us to do some new and fun things. And our first time in London...wow. We'd heard so many stories about people loving it, but we don't necessarily like big cities. Turns out the hype was completely warranted.

We didn't necessarily have a fear of covid (we've been vaccinated and double boosted). But we won't go back until the testing requirements to re-enter the United States are removed. The pros and cons of testing prior to returning have been discussed here repeatedly, so I won't get into that. But the bottom line for us was the test to return really weighed on us throughout- we have jobs to get back to and a pet at home. We self tested a few times prior to our "real" test, just in case we needed to start our clock early for a positive test result. Fortunately, it worked out and we tested negative.

As I mentioned, we spent the last week in London and fell in love with it. What an amazing city. But man, those crowds (almost completely mask-less, even on the tube) can be tough to avoid, even if you try. We can't wait to return- there are so many more places to explore in London, but we'll bide our time until the return policies change.

You are three years older. Attitudes and tolerances for things change.