When the world around is turning into a madman’s corner, pleasant experiences are what keeps one sane in such uncertain times. And, we know that there is no better therapy than travelling that feeds the soul!
Sonali Ahuja
Are the COVID-19 regulations putting a brake on your planned trips? Is the avid traveller in you yearning for a vacation away from the blinding city lights and deafening noises? Or are you craving for a drive down the winding mountain roads, sunkissed beaches, lush green forests, and gleaming shorefronts? Without a doubt, the answer to all these questions is a ‘big’ yes!
Though resuming with the new normal is a bumpy ride, yet it offers an altogether different experience. The key to hitting the roads, boarding flights, and conquering the world once again is following certain travel advisories and guidelines since they make your journeys safe and happy.
Go for Short Haul Getaways
Trips that cover multiple locations and are usually longer than 10 days are long-haul travels. Though the idea sounds interesting, yet it has its own share of challenges. You need to check for international and domestic flight connectivity as well as the time taken for visa processing.
Every destination has its own quarantine rules—‘n’ number of COVID tests involved, time required to process RT-PCR reports, timely results, etc. Adding to all these is the mother of all problems, general anxiety—frequent change in places with long-duration journeys can be a bit stressful.
Owing to the current pandemic situation, it is advised to plan short-haul getaways/destinations, at least till August 2021. Maximum flying of 4-5 hours is an intelligent option to the long-haul flees. Take a direct flight to the destination you are planning to visit and avoid transits if possible.
Know the Quarantine Rules
In the wake of the pandemic, every country has issued its own travel and quarantine rules. They can also differ if you are found positive at the hotel v/s at the airport. Learning about them before booking allows you to be prepared beforehand. Above all, keep an eye on the number of cases of that particular location you wish to travel to.
Check if the hotel you have booked offers a flexible cancellation policy. A majority of high-end hotels are accomodating with either credit notes or refunds until last minute if there are travel restrictions by the government or traveller turns positive at the last moment.
After all, the world needs more of such responsible tourists to help in curbing the outspread of virus!
Choose Private Experiences
It is good to avoid crowded spaces such as cities and urban getaways as much as possible. Instead, you can go for countryside retreats, safaris, mountains, beaches, and other such places where human inhabitation is less. Private experiences over shared tours are here to stay for a long time as we resume with the ‘new normal’. Besides, far away from the maddening crowd is where can rewind, rejuvenate and relax!
Get Vaccinated
Going forward, a lot of countries are more likely to open up to only vaccinated travellers. So, if you are planning an international getaway, get vaccinated whenever possible. Also, getting appropriate COVID-19 insurance is not a bad idea. (None cover the stay component yet in India)
Keeping all these points in mind, what are the options to choose from?
You can be spoiled with choice since there are a plethora of locations to choose from including the USA (for those with a visa), Turkey, Russia, Central America (Belize, Mexico, Costa), and Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania). Not only this, but you can also select from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Phuket, and UAE (Dubai).
Though the times are tough especially for the travel-hungry souls, however, if we all follow the health advisories issued by the government, the curve can be flattened!
