Ellen here. Recently I was talking to a friend and she was lamenting over the fact that she’s not been able to travel internationally in almost two years. She told me that she and her husband had planned a trip to Croatia prior to the pandemic but cancelled it because “they’re not letting people in.”
I chuckled, “Oh dear, that will be news to my colleague and the 31 travelers he escorted on a Croatian cruise in August!”
It is interesting to me that there is so much misinformation out there and people just aren’t sure what to believe, how to plan a trip, or even if there will be a trip to take!
Our WOW! Travel Club team has been busy traveling internationally since May of 2021. Of course we are traveling carefully, cautiously, and responsibly, but we’re traveling none-the-less.
I recently returned from a 13-day trip that included visits to Turkey, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. I’m leaving for Canada in a couple of weeks. I also flew to Vegas a couple of times recently.
Marilyn went on an international trip in October (although, I can’t divulge where she went, as it is going to be the site of her mystery trip) and just returned a couple days ago from two weeks in Colombia!
And then there’s Gabriel. This man is traveling at pre-Covid levels (always safely and responsibly, of course!). He’s been back traveling internationally since May of 2021, with a trip to Egypt & Jordan. He then took a small-ship cruise around the Greek islands in June. He followed that trip with another small-ship Croatian cruise in August/September. He returned four weeks ago from a visit to Switzerland, and is leaving at the end of the month for a WOW! Trip to Egypt and Jordan! He also made three flights to Vegas and three to Hawaii since April.
In addition to the WOW! Team getting back to traveling, so have our WOWee’s (folks who have traveled on a WOW! Travel Club adventure). We’ve heard of them traveling to Spain, Costa Rica, Greece, France, Hawaii, Portugal, Italy, Iceland… all over the map!
When asked about his recent trip to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago, Tim N. replied:
“In September, we travelled from Los Angeles to Spain. We had not travelled for 18 months and were nervous before the trip due to Covid, but we took certain precautions, and we had an absolutely fabulous time. As to precautions, we both had Covid boosters and flu shots, purchased a MedJet policy which would return us to LA if we were hospitalized with Covid or for any other reason, and we loaded up with KN95 masks and other safety supplies.
Once we were in Spain, we felt very safe. The Spanish people are highly vaccinated and all wear masks and practice social distancing. Everything in Spain is open and less crowded than normal, very clean, inexpensive compared to Los Angeles, and everyone is very nice and helpful.
Whatever initial nervousness we had disappeared while we were there, and we arrived safely back home. Travel with the right precautions and the right destinations during Covid is a wonderful experience because it is so in uncrowded and because you are made to feel so welcome. We are excited and not nervous about our next scheduled trip overseas.”
Has Covid changed the way we travel? Absolutely. Is it still worth it? 100%! While there is a bit more preliminary “work” to be done prior to departure, all-in-all, it is not at all arduous and, by all accounts, well worth the effort to be able to travel again.
Since pandemic protocols are new to ALL of us, there is no single rule or guideline that applies to every country. For instance, when I flew into Istanbul, Turkey, I had to complete a visitor’s form and show my vaccination card. Had I not been vaccinated, I would have had to provide a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of arrival in Turkey. At one of the museums I visited I needed to show a copy of the Visitor’s form (which included vaccination dates).
Every country has different restrictions and conditions. The main advice any of us would give is DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Do your research and don’t be panicked by headlines – be an informed traveler. A great source of information is travel.state.gov – the official website of the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. This is where you can find Covid 19 protocols for every country to which you may be traveling.
Also, keep in mind that there can be different requirements for each leg of your journey. A good way to prepare yourself for situations such as these is to use a tool called Sherpa. For your travels you’re able to put in your flight details, including connections and vaccination status. A detailed list of requirements will populate based on your stats. We suggest it for all flights so you won’t be caught unaware.
The take-away from all of this is… TRAVEL!! Dust off your passport, scout out destinations, pack your suitcase and see the world. Sure, there’s a bit more effort to put in on the front end of things, but the joy you’ll feel as you’re out enjoying this amazing planet will be well worth it.
Everyone I’ve talked to who’s gotten back out there traveling is SO happy they did – the crowds are smaller (or in some cases, non-existent), the locals are thrilled that you’re visiting their country, and there is a shared sense of gratitude that life is (somewhat) returning to normal. Sure, you may need to wear a mask indoors, socially distance, occasionally show proof of vaccination, and take a Covid test or two, but those are minor inconveniences compared to the exhilaration of travel!
And speaking of travel…
Unlike anything we’ve ever seen, people are anxious to travel! Normally, we announce a WOW! Travel Club trip and it takes a few months to fill. Now, we announce a trip and it fills up within a week! In some cases the demand was so great that we added a second date range for two of our trips.
Here’s the lowdown on what’s available for 2022:
Magical Northern Lights, Canada – March 1-5, 2022
This trip was SO incredibly popular that we added a second trip. We are now offering two dates: March 1-5, 2022, and March 5-9, 2022. Some spaces have opened up on the first departure (March 1-5 only) – let us know if you’re interested in this Bucket List experience!
Iconic Greek Isles – Private Yacht – September 29-October 7, 2022
Just like our Northern Lights trip, this one was sold out in a week! We have since added a second sailing: September 29-October 7, 2022. We have a few staterooms available (second sailing only). This is going to be one for the books – don’t miss the boat!
Discovering Japan – November 3-12, 2022
We’ve got two spots available on this once-in-a-lifetime Journey that takes you to the most iconic parts of Japan: Tokyo, the base of Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, and Osaka. We also offer a four-day extension that takes you to the southern part of the country: Kurashiki, Kotohira, and Hiroshima. Japan’s been closed to tourists for over 18 months. Demand for travel in Japan will be huge! Sign up now!
Copyright 2024 WOW! Travel. All Rights Reserved.