We are both retired, five years now, so we haven’t had to make many wrenching adaptations during this home-bound period. We have had five years close proximity to each other so far without family breakdown or strife, so its business as usual.
Work and travel disruption
All work in Ireland had been cancelled since 27th March, 2020 and the promised date for incremental re-opening, with staggered back to work, was 5th May (the 5th of May deadline was extended again outwards to the 18th May). All non-essential services were closed for the time being, and it was doubtful whether many services or schools would reopen before the summer break. In light of the slow down many publications were reducing travel content on the number of pages in their print editions and online travel sites were seeing a halt in traffic. With the result that travel writers are changing their vertical content from travel to food etc. It is pretty hard to feel passionate about travel at the moment when we have no idea if and when we’ll be able to travel again. Certainly, the future travel landscape looks bleak for the foreseeable future and in particular group travel will be hit heavily.
We were supposed to travel to Seville in Spain for early April 2020, on an organised week long tour of the region. Travel companies and airlines are providing vouchers instead of refunds, so hopefully we will be able to do this at a future date. Similarly, we were booked to spend two weeks in the Caribbean from the 24th of May, 2020. It is hard to think of a single event in our lives that hasn’t been cancelled.
All non-essential businesses are closed. People can still go to essential work and outside for exercise (within a radius of two kilometres of home), as well as shop for groceries. Over 95% of the population have taken the order very seriously. When we go grocery shopping, the stores are limiting the number of people they let in at one time, however, once inside, most people still maintain “social distancing”, however, it is still a bit nerve-racking. People generally are definitely having more trouble focusing on tasks. We are all taking it one day at a time, for now.
Since January 4th 2021, Ireland has been placed in Level 5 (most restrictive) lockdown. Vaccines are being rolled out slowly. At the time of writing, May or June 2021 have been sited as possible dates for possible reduction of the Level 5 restrictions. (We live in hope.....!)
Coping mechanisms during COVID-19 pandemic
Focus on reading what you already have in your stack of books;
It can be challenging to maintain structure to one’s day;
There is a tendency to feeling weirdly lonely, while erroneously thinking others may not be feeling the same;
It is important not to go around in your pajamas all day. Make a point of showering each day and putting on proper attire;
Most of the world is shut down, and life is still a rollercoaster, good times and bad. Use the solitude to commune more with nature. Let your silence be drowned out by the cacophony of nature;
You could participate in webinars, online classes etc aimed at anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of blog marketing and distribution;
Exercise, exercise, exercise to the physical level that your age and conditioning will allow;
It’s important not to spend your time looking back and wishing things were still the same;
Learn a language or take a cooking class online, these are great ways to feed your yearning for travel and the exotic;
Never stop learning;
Sleep more and keep dreaming and planning.
The Future
The positive effect of purchasing carbon credits in lieu of long distance travel, are hard to quantify. However, there is no disputing what happens to the Earth, when humans are largely absent from it, for the first time. The moral dilemma of air travel is even more poignant. Of course, a global Covid-19 pandemic is not the answer to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but the phenomenon should give us cause to reflect on the impact human activity has on the planet – including how we travel.
Altruistically, travel gives us the global perspective we need to care about the future of our home here on Earth. Travel is a privilege, not a right. Try to imagine a world without travel. It is possible, that If we don’t change how we travel, there won’t be a planet left for us to explore ?.
For centuries, human civilisations worshipped the Sun. In modern times we still worship the Sun, though our temples have taken on a slightly different look and feel to those of old. They are now found as boutique inns with infinity pools, eco hotels, all-inclusive resorts along miles of white sandy beach, in an attempt to surround you in a natural cocoon of luxury.
At least that is the way it was, before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence of the pandemic, thorough hand-washing and social distancing will stick with us for the foreseeable future. Group vacations from now on could take on a completely different meaning, if indeed they continue to exist at all. The spontaneity of hanging out with friends, making spur-of-the-minute plans, eating out, travelling, playing sports, enjoying concerts, shopping, etc. may all now be things that will only return very slowly, so when they eventually return, do not take them for granted again.
When the world rights itself and reopens for business, travel writing and travel blogging may become the exclusive medium by which a viewer can be transported back to previously visited destinations, via their visual and cognitive senses. Viewing the pictures and reading the copy could trigger memories and the stories may remind them of local accents and characters, and the recipes have the potential to tingle their taste buds and nostrils.
eWorking from home could eradicate the meeting over a coffee potential for impromptu sharing and spontaneous brainstorming. Financial well-being could become an increasing worry post pandemic.
Like everyone around us, we are concerned about the health and safety of family, friends and the world in general. A positive affect of the pandemic worldwide lockdown is the general improvement in the environment, hopefully as a consequence, sustainable travel will be even more important than ever before.
It will take time for the travel industry to come back. Not only the fear of travel, due to the virus, but the expense of it as well. But then again, the rich and the retirees have the most disposable income available, and they will be even more determined to catch up on their dream destinations.
To quote the great Irish poet, Seamus Heaney “ If we winter this one out, we can summer anywhere”.
Link to our Travelling in a COVID-19 World article.
Link to our Hotels in a COVID-19 World article.
Link to our Lessons learned in 2020 from COVID-19 article.
Link to our Irish Government framework for living with COVID-19 article.
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