In the past, I would make a general plan of my trip and then make adjustements as I went along. However, with the constant changing of rules, I now feel it is prudent to hhave a Plan A, Plan B and even a Plan C.
Anyone else making backup plans for their international travel?
We have plans for Italy in September, for about 3 1/2 weeks. Plan A is to fly in and out of Rome, with most of the time in Sicily and some time in the Naples area. We have a list of hotel options, restaurants scouted, a plan for transportation including budget air, rental car, and train. At this point, we only have reservations for the first two nights in Rome, and may not make many more.
Plan B is to just get to Rome, then lay out a plan based on what regions are open. Sardinia good? go there, North is fine, then re-visit there.
Plan C would be to modify the tickets to a completely different destination. Greece likely will be open, maybe Croatia, who knows.
We used to travel more by the "seat of the pants" so have no problem winging it, we recently retired, so no firm schedule, might be fun.
We have already adjusted Plan A due to restrictions in England and Italy. (I realize things are getting looser in England but too late to change back now.)
I reworked the itinerary so much it is now Plan B but I am very happy with the amount of time (5 weeks) we are going to spend in Switzerland. I expect to be able to expand the contents of our book which published just before COVID hit in 2020.
Plan C will kick in if we cannot get into Italy or France (unlikely at this stage, I think). We are never "seat of the pants" but I have tried to keep our reservations fluid enough that we can change directions with minimal economic impact.
I am delighted it appear we can spend our last bit of the trip hiking in Dorset now that the quarantine restriction is lifted. Whew!
Plan A is traveling around Umbria this November/December for 5 weeks (what we had planned to do in 2020). Only been to Orvieto previously.
Plan B is traveling around Sicily for 5 weeks in early spring 2022 (what we had planned for 2021). A return trip.
Plan C is 5 weeks in Rome whenever we can, just to keep the trip simple and possibly booked at the last minute. Also a return trip.
I guess Plan D is we just go to our cabin and dream about going back to Italy as we have been doing since COVID.
Plan A: Fly into Bologna Sept 14/15, spend three nights, then join a 9-day bike tour from coast to coast, ending north of Rome. At the end of the tour I have four nights in Rome before returning to the US on Friday the 1st. The flights have been booked since December, and the Bologna and Rome hotels are booked with free cancellation. But the bike tour is with a British company, and the majority of the others on the tour are British, who currently cannot enter Italy without a five-day quarantine. So the tour may not go. The tour company claims to be optimistic the restrictions will be lifted by mid-September.
Plan B: Do Bologna as planned. Then pop up to Lake Garda and the "Garda Bike Hotel," which offers bike rentals and tours. Spend three nights there, then do Florence before going down to Rome.
Plan C: Skip the biking and just play tourist.
Plan D: Throw in the towel. Cancel the flights for credit. Cry.
Plan A: To Lithuania (open) and Latvia (closed) in late July for about a month, then fly to northern Italy, returning home by mid-October. (I'm still at home without an airline ticket in case you're wondering.)
Plan B: To Lithuania when I feel comfortable with the health situation (not looking good), then bus to eastern Poland for 7-10 days, then fly to Italy.
Plan C: To Lithuania for 2 weeks in mid-August, then fly to northern Italy.
Plan D: Straight to northern Italy.
I hate short days, so picking a place way to the south and heading there in October or November is totally out of the question. It would be easier if I were willing to give up now.
Plan A was us going to Croatia for 8 days then meeting 4 family members in Dubrovnik for a 7 day small ship cruise. We postponed from September 2020, cruise happened. We got an email about a week ago the cruise is cancelled. At least we got a full refund.
Plan B is in effect. Family still meeting us in Dubrovnik but now I am making a 7 day itinerary for 6 people to replace the cruise. Ferries, private drivers for transfers, private tour guides, hotels etc. not complaining because I love the planning. It’s keeping us busy. Hopefully we won’t need a Plan C
I just canceled a 3 week trip to France scheduled for August. My Plan B is to spend my vacation time and dollars exploring Oregon (my adopted home state) and Washington! Folks around the country — and around the world — come to the PNW for vacation; I’m excited to be a tourist close to home.
Plan A was England in June 2020; B pushed it to September 2020; C pushed it to June 2021; D pushed it to July 31 (next Saturday). When France accepted US visitors and we learned that we could connect through Heathrow (without leaving the terminal) and use our Plan D tickets, we adjusted the tickets to add the RT flights to Paris. So we're going to drive around France for two weeks - Plan E.
We kept thinking Boris Johnson would let in people with both jabs but it took him longer than we thought so England is booked for next June. We gave up on this year. Probably for the best. Even with them opening, pub visits are going to be worrisome with the Delta variant being so easy to catch.
Plan A was originally Netherlands, Germany & France in Nov/Dec 2020. Plan B was Plan A in 2021. Plan C now is France only.
Choose your destinations with some care, and work in a little flexibility and PLAN A should work fine.
Barbara, returning today from the region you are planning for. You won't be disappointed.
I think the airlines force those of us who plan ahead to always have at least Plan B. Airlines changing or canceling flights force us to be flexible.
Plan A June 2022 PNW to Zagreb for a boat and bike trip Kvarner Bay. Arrive June 2nd embark on the boat June 3rd. Worried that outbound flights will get changed and we will miss that departure - we used miles and waited too long for friends to get their acts together to get the May 31st flights which would give us a cushion. When will I learn? Haven't decided what Plan B will be but I do keep checking to see if anything opens back up for May 31st.
I think I'm on plan Z.
Plan A - Sit this out until at least 2022 and revisit then. Probability of success - 100%. No need for Plan B or C. It's amazing how much crap people are willing to put up with just to travel during a pretty inopportune time. Just follow the trajectory of new cases and you'll see the writing on the wall for Fall/ Winter - it will be 100k soon, it seemed like it was just a week ago when it was 50k and now it's over 70k (I use the NYT tracker).
My thinking (for 2022) is that if Plan A is not feasible, then there is no point in having a Plan B, as it will mean things are still bad.
just to travel during a pretty inopportune time
Our remaining travel years are waning. If I was 40, I might think "Oh well, another year," with 30 or 40 years of travel still ahead. We have maybe 10 solid years of travel still ahead of us.
We feel we can be safe, following reasonable protection guidelines including vaccination, mask-wearing, dining outdoors, pursuing outdoor activities, and staying away from group activities so we are chomping at the bit to get going again!
I’m with Oreon on Plan Z. I was very hopeful for 2022 and have three months abroad booked (Antarctica, Italy, Scotland and Ireland). However, seeing the latest news reports on the vaccinated and breakthrough covid infections vis a vis cruises and case stats, those hopes are pretty much dashed. We are in our early 70’s and our event horizon is fast approaching. We are grateful that we have traveled so extensively precovid as that may be all we get. I pray that I am wrong.
Plan A --- Depart for 2 months in Italy September, 2021.
Plan B --- I'm very concerned about testing positive just as we'd be leaving Italy to return home. If you test positive you immediately have to quarantine for 10 days (you cannot leave your hotel room and meals are delivered to you). It's my understanding that the Italian government pays for this. After 10 days you retest and if still positive you have to quarantine for another 7 days and following that you're allowed to return to the US. With the Delta variant spreading rapidly and still so many people not vaccinated it feels like a real possibility we could feel okay and test positive. SO, Plan B go to Hawaii and San Francisco for 2 months.
Mark, we plan on getting tested minimum 10 days before our trip even though we are both vaccinated.if positive we have time to quarantine at home. If negative, we will stay close to home and spend those days packing, double checking our reservations, etc. trying to be extra cautious.
Barbara, We got tested a week ago, after a trip to a wedding mid-month. Now we are avoiding all social occasions, dining out doors only, masking up everywhere indoors in anticipation of our pre-flight test on August 21.
What is amazing to me is that if we had a direct flight US to Switzerland or US to Italy (both are on our itinerary) we could enter with just of vaccination proof, because we change planes at LHR we have to have a test.
Barbara, picture this ... Standing in line in the Istanbul Airport to pick up my test result for the trip home ... thoughts of the first time I saw Midnight Express fresh on my mind ... when a Middle Eastern gentleman who had been in line before me begins yelling "you can't keep me from returning to my country!" as security escorts him away...
Have a fun and safe trip!!
Barbara, that’s a great idea! We will do something similar.
just to travel during a pretty inopportune time
It was not as inopportune as you perceive and way better than traveling or just working in America all the time where there Covid. problems restrictions also
