Have you heard about the Coronavirus? (heavy sarcasm)

It’s gone from what was called a hoax to the biggest, and in some cases, the only topic on every news program. The virus is now a worldwide pandemic. Entire countries have gone under quarantined conditions. Other countries have shut down their borders to outsiders.

While it’s not quite as desperate in the United States, yet, people are starting to freak out. Yesterday at the stock market, the Dow Jones dropped more than two thousand points. Two senators and some members of the House of Representatives have self-quarantined themselves after maybe coming in contact with someone has the virus at CPAC. Normally sane citizens have been hoarding hand sanitizer and other essential items.

Sporting events worldwide have been cancelled. Colleges are sending their students home and having them finish the semester online. I can go on and on, but you’ve heard all of this and more.

What if you have a vacation planned? What do you do?

A week ago, I got on an airplane to Las Vegas. The flight was full. A week ago, people were nervous, but they didn’t stop going wherever, especially if it was in the U.S. Yeah, they looked around at every cough and sneeze, plus some wore masks that didn’t really help, but it made them feel safer. They still traveled.

A week later all that has changed. Folks are being way more careful. Way more…

A former classmate just cancelled a bucket list trip to Japan. I know people who have postponed vacations to Los Angeles and Miami. Last night I was checking out flights to Omaha, Nebraska. I was planning on going there later this month. I found flights for $98/round trip/ Let me repeat that…NINETY-EIGHT DOLLARS!! Normally, I would have booked it immediately, but there aren’t normal times. I at least want to think about it before going ahead. Most likely, Nebraska can wait.

What about cruises? What do you do if you have a cruise planned?

Obviously if your cruise is leaving soon, you’re going to cancel or postpone. We’ve seen how passengers on cruise ships have been quarantined for up to two weeks. Imagine being stuck in your stateroom for fourteen or more days. No one wants that. No way you’re going to risk that.

But what if you have a trip planned for some time in the future? Let’s say it this summer….three or so months from now. Do you anyone with those plans? If not, you do now. ME!!!

I have plans, along with my sig other, to get on a ship and head to Alaska for a week. Yeah, I know it’s too early to make any definite decisions, but is it really?

We had this discussion over the weekend and decided it was too soon to make any decision. The cruise leaves in late June, so there’s plenty of time to decide what to do. But every day it seems like the news about the virus is getting worse. As I was watching this yesterday, my thoughts were “we aren’t going.” SIGH!

I realize that’s not rational thinking. After all, three months is a long time. This could be over by then. It also could be the next plague. No one really knows. I do know one thing. I don’t want to be part of that new cruise joke, “Book one week. Get two weeks free.”

While writing this, I had a new idea. We could move the trip from June to later in the summer. They run these cruises through September. We both have plenty of free time, so why not? I guess we’ll have to wait and see….just like most everything in life.

But for today, the only thing I need to do now is wash my hands. I better hurry. It’s been a half hour since the last washing.

Related Post: Are you afraid to fly during the Coronavirus scare?

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