August without vacation is like pizza without dough; Like a pool without water; Like China without Chinese.
Of the many things that have changed in the post-pandemic world, few have been so utterly transformed and little remarked upon as travel. Something that never before happened in all human history has occurred: 217 countries and territories worldwide have imposed travel restrictions, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. This is because the spread of Covid-19 is closely linked to our global mobility — our love of travel was one of the reasons the novel coronavirus went worldwide within months. And this, unfortunately, is still holding true, all these bizarrely long months later. The Center for Disease Control’s ongoing warning is blunt: “Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19".
Let’s have a look at the different types of travel 2020 has brought to our lives.
Work-cation: working redefined
Work-cation, in the sense we used to think of it, has become sort of a cruel joke. It used to mean traveling somewhere but still working your regular job and possibly your normal hours. The main idea behind it was that by removing yourself from the daily grind and habits you could refresh your approach to work. Now, as millions find themselves working remotely but right in the middle of their daily grind — a grind that has only intensified, as kids do their schoolwork at home, and the walls of our homes have taken on an unmistakable jail-like vibe. In the midst of this slog, the idea of a work-cation now seems sort of a quaint artifact from yesteryear.
Yet work-cation might be a more vital option now than ever before. The Japanese language’s character for crisis is an amalgam of hardship plus opportunity; the trick is to see the opportunity. Now is a time we can do things we couldn’t do before: the entire family can work from somewhere else. Maybe that means a trip to see relatives, or maybe it’s a more far-flung locale — Barbados, for example, is offering extended visas and refashioning the entire island to make remote workstations on beaches and in hotels, marketing sunshine and seawater as a balm for all our troubled minds. Interestingly, in the U.S., regular hotels are seeing occupancy rates plunge while long-term stay hotels are up 74 percent — hence many hotels are offering special deals for those who want a change of location to work remotely.
As the idea of work becomes detached from the idea of office, the opportunity has arisen to reimagine your own workaday mode.
Safe-cation: the fine art of hyper-conscious travel
The online travel site Travelocity correctly predicted the newest trend during the summer of COVID-19: safe-cations, a mini getaway to destinations that are cleared for safe travel during the pandemic. While most international travel is not possible, travel within the U.S. is still doable, so long as every precaution is taken. This means really taking six foot social distancing seriously, wearing masks (and even face-shields), bringing your own hand-sanitizer and Clorox wipes everywhere you go, and doing your homework — that is, don’t travel to areas where COVID-19 cases are spiking, and look out for places where you can do contactless check-ins and check-outs. It also makes sense to pack in as much flexibility as possible into your plans, as we have seen how quickly things can change during the age of novel coronavirus.
Let’s be clear: there is more risk inherent in traveling now. Airlines have implemented many changes — some even leaving rows empty to increase social distancing — but you are still breathing other people’s air in the confined space of an airplane, so it’s the single biggest risk you can take. Trains and buses are only marginally safer. So, it makes sense that the other trend Travelocity has identified: most hotel bookings are within 100 miles of people’s homes this summer. A lot of folks are taking road trips around their home state, a little less of a departure than faraway locations but still a way to quench your thirst for travel. Take a look at a hundred-mile radius and see if you can find some overlooked gems to go explore. Still, pack your mask, keep your distance, wash your hands, and — this is really important — if you or any of your traveling companions aren’t feeling well, don’t go.
So. Vacation hasn’t gone away, it’s just changed. The very first time the word itself appeared was in the 14th Century, in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales: “....when he had vacation from other worldly occupations.” Vacation still means such a respite. In these times, it’s up to you to more creatively find your respite.
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