Bolt on Points

Travel Tips

2020 – stick a fork in it, it’s done!

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What a year it’s been on so many levels. Most of us are breathing a sigh of relief that it’s ending and with vaccines now being distributed, hope of a better 2021 is palpable. 2020 was a year that saw us spend a total of four weeks in quarantine, something I hope to never repeat.

From a travel stand point, it’s been a disaster of a year (more on that later). On a personal level, things took a turn this year that I would’ve never guessed this time last year. On what felt like a whim, Leigh and I uprooted our lives and moved to Maui, and for the most part, it’s been a great decision. As COVID rates have gotten exponentially worse on the mainland – particularly our previous home of California – we feel fortunate to be in our bubble here, where numbers are generally low, the weather is great, and there’s no shortage of outdoor activities to do.

I know it’s been a couple of months since my last post, and it’s not because I haven’t been thinking about travel, but rather because life just got crazy. Between starting a new project with my day job and us buying a condo here (surprise!), we’ve been pretty strapped for time. As any local will tell you, by the time 9pm (or as we say, Maui midnight) rolls around, I’m ready for bed. This blog – which has truly been a passion project – has just fallen by the wayside since frankly, travel is mostly speculative at this point. I’m hopeful for travel in 2021, but again, more on that in a bit.

Some fun things have happened since moving here five months ago (wow!): I’ve managed to get to decent surfer status, become a full-blown a cycling addict, and joined the Maui adult baseball league.

It’s not all a fairytale; among other things, being this far from our families during such an anxious time has also been tough, though I’m thankful we went home to visit them for the first time in a year in October. With both of us having high-risk family members, there’s a constant anxiety in the back of our minds that I can’t wait to subside once they’re vaccinated. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the gratitude and amazement at all of the healthcare and frontline workers who’ve sacrificed so much throughout all of this. You all are rockstars. Period.

Finally, the pandemic and moving to Maui has done something for me that was probably much needed. It recalibrated my life to focus on the here and now. While it’s fun to constantly be looking at the next trip or event, it caused me to miss out on some of what’s happening right in front of me. Although I miss having that “thing to look forward to” feeling, living in the moment has been so utterly fulfilling. Thank you for that, 2020.

2020 travel highlights

Now since this is a travel blog after all, I wanted to do a quick review of an abbreviated travel year. Frankly, this was going to be a banner year for us in terms of travel: we cancelled trips to Paris, Japan, Kauai that were schedule between May-October. We’ll try to make some of those up next year, but for the time being, we’re counting our blessings: we’re both still employed, our families are healthy, and we’re in a much better living situation than we could be in San Francisco right now.

My travel stats this year were minuscule compared to other years. 50k butt in seat miles and about 50 hotel nights is the lowest since I started traveling regularly in 2012.

So, without further ado, here’s a look back:

Destinations

South Africa – This was without a doubt our monumental trip of 2020, for multiple reasons. First of all, we left March 3rd, right as the coronavirus was starting to spread globally. We toyed with not going, but decided this was a once in a lifetime kind of trip, so let’s do it, and are we ever glad we did. As I said in March, it was surreal being abroad (and frankly so far away from home) watching the dominos fall around the globe.

As for the trip itself, we’d always wanted to go to South Africa, specifically the Cape Town region. We skipped Johannesburg this trip and we didn’t feel like we had to do a safari this trip since we’d done one on our honeymoon in September of 2018. We ending up spending 4 days in the wine region and five nights in Cape Town itself. This is truly one of the most stunningly beautiful regions of the world with food and culture to match. The drive around the Cape of Good Hope is simply breathtaking.

Mauritius – This was the second half of our African adventure. We stayed five nights on points (with the fifth night free) at the St Regis Mauritius. The country is painfully beautiful and the property is destination worthy itself.

Water skiing in Mauritius was definitely a highlight of 2020

Charleston – We started the year meeting close friends in Charleston in January. It was a blast! We ate and drank way too damn much, plus we got to go to the Low Country Oyster Festival, something Leigh and I hadn’t done since our first year of dating. As a bonus, we drove down to Savannah to visit Leigh’s family.

Clear Lake, CA – By summer, we were all feeling cabin fever, especially those of us in big cities on lockdown. We managed to get away over the July 4th weekend to a much lesser known lake in NorCal and it didn’t disappoint. We had a stunning cabin through Airbnb, rented a boat for a day, and there’s a wine region with more than 20 wineries that holds its own against other, more well-known California regions (and tastings are $10).

Dallas checking out his view of Clear Lake

Moloka’i, HI – We actually just got back yesterday and whoa. Moloka’i is like stepping back in time. There are no fancy hotels, although the Hotel Molokai is lovely, no fancy restaurants, and barely any cell service. All of this in the same county that Leigh and I call home! Moloka’i has a large reef system surrounding it, much like the Caribbean, so the diving is great. Despite what you’ve heard, everyone we encountered was friendly and happy to see us. As they say: Moloka’i Mo Bettah

Halawa Valley in Molokai

Airlines

Turkish Airlines – We flew Turkish for the first time (four total) during our trip to Africa; each experience was excellent. What they lack in their hard product with a dated seat, they more than make up for with their service and food (there’s an onboard chef). We flew both their flagship 777-300ER as well as the A330, the former being a much better plane all around.

Their business class lounge in Istanbul is – or was – an incredible experience. I say was because our outbound flight was an entirely different experience than the return. Food made to order as well as all the mezze items you can imagine on a buffet was the case en route to Africa. Coming home, everything had been put in individual servings and the service significantly cutback. Our planned excursion into Istanbul for a tour was also 86’d thanks to COVID.

United Polaris – Our flight from SFO to Frankfurt was our second taste of United’s flagship product on their 777-300ER and again, it lived up to be a solid business class product. We had great flight attendants, the food was good, and the Saks bedding is always a winner. The lounge at SFO – with it’s al a carte dining and mixology drinks – is always a great experience.

American Flagship business (domestic) – Once Maui reopened to visitors, our flight options to go home and visit family increased and this was by far the best. American runs a 777-200 on Maui to DFW, which has 45 lie-flat business class seats. We managed to snag these at 45k miles/person each way, but for an 8+ hour flight (one a red eye), it was well worth the miles to have comfort and space. Out outbound flight had a laughable 22 passengers on it.

Hotels

Grand Hyatt SFO – I’ve stayed here twice, once pre-COVID and the other the night before we moved to Maui. Either way, this is a fantastic hotel, though pre-COVID much better with a generous lounge. In July, they did comp us a bottle of wine as a Globalist as well as provided free breakfast from their takeout market. Get a room facing the tarmac for the plane spotting using the binoculars and plane guide found in the room. Needless to say, there weren’t a lot of planes to spot in July.

St Regis Mauritius – Stellar in every sense: the beach, the property, the food/drink, and the staff. Although they were sparsely occupied during our stay thanks to – you guessed it – COVID, we were treated like royalty and I don’t think a full hotel would’ve changed that. As Ambassador Elite, we received daily free breakfast and an incredible room upgrade, complete with welcome champagne. The cherries on top was the bartender naming a drink after Leigh and coming back from hiking Le Morne Brabant to find our breakfast had been laid out for us in our spacious suite (because we’d missed the buffet).

AC Hotel Cape Town Waterfront – I know this isn’t Marriott’s fanciest brand, but for 80k Marriott points, we got five nights at this new hotel right in the heart of the waterfront district. We were upgraded to a huge suite with views of the water. Breakfast was included and they have a great bar program, all walking distance from the V&A Waterfront.

Looking to 2021

With vaccines coming, I’m hopeful that travel will start to return in the second half of next year. Airlines are hurting, so there will be deals to be had. The same goes with hotels. While we’re biding our time, it’s not a bad idea to book speculative award bookings since most airlines are offering generous cancellation policies, including reinstating award miles for free.

I miss traveling, but having a lot of time at home has been so rewarding

Thanks to status extensions from pretty much every brand, I’ll keep my statuses through 2021, so if/when we are able to travel, I’ll look forward to using those benefits (among other things, I have 320 United Plus Points to use by January 2022).

I don’t expect my work travel to ever be like it was before March: travel to visit a client for multiple days every week is likely a thing of the past. Companies are struggling to figure out how to get their own employees back in offices where it makes sense, while many are moving to more remote work.

I will do whatever I can within reason to keep and maintain status. For instance, I’m one year away from Lifetime Platinum with Marriott, so I’ll prioritize that next year.

Where to in 2021?

After five months in a place like Maui, Leigh and I are both craving a little hustle and bustle, so it’ll be places like Japan that we’re eyeing for early trips. I would also love to return to Africa. I suspect it’ll be Labor Day or later for these trips (at least for us anyway).

I hope to return to Japan where even the airport lounges have great sushi to order like the JAL First Class Lounge at Narita

As long as we’re on Maui, there are places I want to visit while “in the neighborhood”. French Polynesia is has remained open for US citizens, so I suspect we’ll end up there as soon as Hawaiian Airlines reinstates their Honolulu – Papette flight (which can be booked for only 35k American miles each way). In addition, I’m dying to fly United’s Island Hopper, spending a few days in Guam, then heading onward to Palau and its pristine coral reefs. Rebooking our Kauai trip is also a priority in the first half of 2020.

Final thoughts

While I’m hopeful, I think the reality is that it’ll probably be 2022 when travel starts to look and feel more normal. Governments are wary to let outsiders in; just look at what’s happening with this new strain and UK citizens getting boxed out of countries all over the world (welcome to the club, guys…). I believe a good indicator for travel will be Japan, where they’re still struggling to figure out how to hold the Tokyo Olympics next summer with spectators. If they can make it work, I suspect others will follow (at least that’s my hope). I also suspect that proof of vaccination will almost certainly be required in most countries.

If we’ve learned anything through this pandemic it’s that we need more realistic expectations. Every prediction so far has been too rosy and too conservative from a timing perspective. If 2020 was the year of chaos and uncertainty, 2021 will be the year of *patience is required*.

Where are you hoping to travel next year?

How to survive Hawaii’s 14-day quarantine

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After a little over a month in Maui, I thought it would be appropriate to look back on our initial two weeks (in quarantine), which were exciting, boring, and a big tease all in one!

Hawaii’s quarantine is no joke: with fines of up to $5,000 and a year in prison, we decided we would abide by it. Further, we’d been warned by our local realtor that other locals were not afraid to turn people in they though might be breaking quarantine. Also, Hawaiian culture is based on many things, but one of them is a respect. As a guest in Hawaiian’s home, it would be blatantly disrespectful to flout the rules, not to mention it’s a public safety issue. Unlike the mainland, there is no option to drive to the city or county or state next door when the local hospital is full.

The quarantine orders have decimated tourism, which accounts for about 25% of the state’s economy, however I applaud Hawaii for keeping their citizen’s safety as the priority.

I’ll breakdown how we prepared to be quarantined, how we combatted boredom, and other considerations if I had to do it over again (oh please no). Quarantining would be much more aggressive than when Leigh and I self-quarantined upon returning from Africa in March. While we didn’t go into stores or public places, we could at least take Dallas on a walk. Coming to Maui, there would be no leaving our apartment for two full weeks!

One other thing to note, which is not clear in any of Hawaii’s documentation, is that the 14-day clock starts as soon as you land in Hawaii. We’d heard that the arrival day didn’t count or that you were free the start of the 14th day, but it is technically the same time as when you arrived into Hawaii.

A couple of other big changes have also happened since we arrived: after daily cases approaching 400, Oahu is mostly shutdown; and the 14-day quarantine is once again applying to inter-island travel. Since pretty much everything in the state goes through Oahu in some form or fashion, there was really no way for the state to just say it’s an Oahu problem, but rather the state as a whole.

It goes without saying that if you’re coming to Hawaii, you’ll want to stay for at least three weeks in order to make it worth it, although I’d recommend longer if you have the ability to work remotely since two weeks on lockdown is such a big commitment.

Planning

There are a couple of things that made our situation uniquely challenging. 1) we were moving, so we had a lot more stuff than most, and 2) we have a dog (more on importing an animal into Hawaii in another post).

We were fortunate that we hit it off quickly with our Maui-based landlord, Caron Barrett, who also happens to be a realtor. She and her wife have lived on Maui for nearly 20 years, so they know how things work, the right people to help, and they also happen to be dog lovers.

Initially we all thought the quarantine would be lifted by the time we started our lease on August 1st, so long as we could get a negative COVID test 72 hours prior to arrival. Well…things took a serious turn south on the mainland as the first wave – which never actually ended – exploded in multiple pockets across the country, including California. Once again, testing times extended to well beyond the 72 hours, not to mention Hawaii itself had a hard time procuring enough tests for its residents. In mid-July, the state announced that it would be pushing back the start date of the pre-travel testing program to September first, and with that went our freedom for the first two weeks.

Caron immediately went to work on trying to solve the biggest and most pressing problem for us, which is what do we do with Dallas during quarantine since we can’t take him for walks? Maui does have grocery delivery options through Safeway and Instacart, as well as food delivery, so that was less pressing.

She ended up connecting us with Coconut Concierge, a full-service concierge company based in Kihei. After an intro phone call with the owner, Krysti Kokot, Leigh and I felt much more at ease about the impending quarantine logistics. We setup a schedule to walk Dallas several times a day (at a very reasonable rate I might add!) as well as an initial Costco/grocery run for us. When we arrived, our fridge was and cupboards were stocked, including with some much needed cold beer after our travel day.

Arrival

Next stop: house arrest

We arrived at OGG airport, where our local vet was waiting for us in order to sign-off on Dallas’ paperwork. He’s an ESA, so he flew in cabin with us. We grabbed all of our stuff (4 carry-on’s, 4 bags, and 2 cardboard boxes + a dog) and called a Lyft XL. After taking what felt like a clown car with all of our stuff, we unloaded and were now officially in quarantine. We did have several opportunities to let Dallas use the bathroom before officially shutting our door, which I know he appreciated.

Later that evening we ordered dinner and Krysti came by to walk Dallas. Outsiders are prohibited from entering a quarantine home, so we met her on the front porch with Dallas each time.

What our new apartment lacked in space, it more than made up for in views. At about 20 steps from the ocean, we watched the sun go down from our lanai. We went to bed early that night feeling relieved that we’d not only made it, but that we had someone like Krysti to help us out with anything we needed.

Quarantine

Lazy days

Arriving on a Friday afternoon was both helpful and agonizing. We were grateful for the first part of Saturday as we got acclimated with our space, unpacked, and organized, however by the afternoon, we were bored. Sunday was no different. Never before have looked forward to Monday morning and starting the workweek!

So what does a day in the life look like when you’ve just arrived in paradise and you legally can’t go anywhere?

A typical weekend day had us waking up around 5:30-6:00am (the sun rises early and it’s tough to sleep in here!). After coffee, we’d find our first workout to do, typically flow/pilates/core, followed by a HIIT or bodyweight strength workout using the Peloton app. By the this time, Krysti would be here and ready to take Dallas on his morning walk. We’d make breakfast and then watch TV. In an effort to feel connected, we’d watch some sporting event, whether it be baseball or basketball. After some lounging, we’d start to think about what we wanted for lunch and getting that ready. By this point it was midday, so obviously it was time for a beer (or wine in Leigh’s case). We’d eat lunch on the lanai and continue sitting outside while we both read. After a few more beers and some snacks, it was time for a nap. I’d wake up to find that I had a honey-do list waiting for me, which I’d get to only after a sufficient amount of procrastination. At some point in the afternoon we’d FaceTime with friends and family, which we found to be a crucial part of quarantine. Having some element of human connection was critical. As dinner approached, we might open a bottle of wine and begin cooking, after which we’d eat dinner and watch the sunset from the lanai, thankful to have another day in the books. The evenings typically involved watching a movie and by 8:30, we were getting ready for bed. Other than having a few too many cocktails, it was pretty much the most boring days of my life.

Our workdays were more structured, especially until mid-afternoon since we were working PST hours. Morning workouts, breakfast, work, lunch, more workouts once work was wrapped for the day. With little else to do, we’d have an early happy hour on the lanai, followed by a home-cooked meal. Once again, early to bed. Rinse and repeat.

Our quarantine period went from a Friday to Friday (+2), which meant we had two full weekends. While the first one was nice to settle in, the second one was torture. The days were long with little to do when not working. We managed to get through it thanks to some good books, TV shows, loaned board games, alcohol, and did I mention alcohol? 😉

Final thoughts on quarantine

Taco Tuesday, quarantine edition
A puzzle is a must

There is no doubt this was a trying couple of weeks. We’d done so much work getting ready to move, including putting most of our belongings in storage, packing what we wanted to bring, and getting Dallas ready for Hawaii (no small task), so getting here only to be stuck inside was tough. I’ll leave you with four points that I think are crucial to surviving a STRICT 14-day quarantine.

  1. Outdoor space is required. I honestly can’t imagine doing this in a hotel room. Thankfully we have an oceanfront lanai that has enough space to dine al fresco, lounge, and even workout. Without it, there’s no way we would’ve kept our sanity. I would highly recommend getting a place with ground floor outdoor space vs a balcony. The outdoor area around your home or unit is considered part of your quarantine space, which for us, would’ve meant the difference of getting a dog walker and not.
  2. Physical activity. It was absolutely critical to our “survival”. Some of the workouts we did were stupid, but it was something to pass the time and break a little sweat in the process. In addition to workouts, the front entry to our apartment has a long breezeway that’s essentially isolated from anyone else in the building, which we both used to walk god knows how many laps in order to hit our daily steps goal. Let’s just say I’d walk at least an hour a day in a very short space.
  3. Try to have fun with it. 14 days of being forced to do nothing is few people’s idea of a good time, even when you can actually use the break! Now having done 28 days of quarantine this year, this one being much worse than the last, I can say that your mindset will determine how confining it really feels. Pickup a new hobby or finally start learning that foreign language you’ve been putting off. Setup video calls with family and friends. Work on your bartending skills!
  4. Patience. If you’re quarantining with someone, starting with an oversupply of patience will be necessary (especially if it’s a significant other/spouse). You’re going to get on each other’s nerves, especially if you’re in a small space. Come ready to laugh off a lot of things.
In quarantine you’ll have plenty of time to practice your bartending skills!

You will survive!

Our first taste of FREEDOM!

A quiet three months

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Like everyone else, getting through the last three months has been interesting…or uninteresting, depending on your view. Here in San Francisco, our reopening has moved slower than most places. Starting this weekend, outdoor dining – which is not common here – has started with restrictions, however many elements of the city remain shuttered: the subway, offices, hotels are all still closed.

The subways are boarded up in San Francisco

Leigh and I returned home from our South Africa trip exactly three months ago today, which is crazy! We’re both still working (thankfully), and frankly, have been busier than ever. Like many, we had a to cancel a trip we had planned around Memorial Day (to Paris), and really don’t have any trips planned for the rest of the year. If we do travel, it’ll likely be last minute.

One of things that’s struck me about the last three months is how quickly time moves by when there’s nothing concrete to look forward to. The pace at which the weeks have gone by really has been dizzying, and the most depressing part is that we have very little to “show” for that time. I don’t mean that in any material sense, but rather the human interactions with friends and family, milestones, and other events that have fallen by the wayside. I know our situation is light compared others, especially those that have lost loved ones through the pandemic.

At first, I remember documenting a city that overnight became a ghost town and trying to memorialize all of the times I waited 20 minutes just to buy groceries or plywood over our favorite haunts. Like many, we started to try new things, but eventually, the newness of the situation wore off and our life adjustments became routine (although I still forget my mask at least half of the time). We don’t own a car and our families live on the east coast, both of which has exacerbated the feeling of isolation during this time.

We already cooked 90% of our meals at home pre-COVID, however I tried my hand at baking, which was fun (yes I made a sourdough starter, which I subsequently forgot about only to find it in the back of the fridge two weeks ago, now black). As renters, our house projects are somewhat limited, however we did convert our office/guest room into a dining room and built a new dining room table!

New table, who dis?

I also installed a pull-up bar in our garage and my awesome (formerly) CrossFit gym was awesome enough to let me borrow some equipment, so between having gear and attending virtual classes, staying in shape hasn’t been the struggle I thought it might. In fact, I’ve lost 7 lbs since quarantine started. 😉 We make it a point to take long walks now with our dog, with a goal of at least 4 miles a day.

Black Lives Matter and racial justice

I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the massive protests that have been occurring through the country in the name of George Floyd and racial justice. As a product of Alabama, I can say that I wish I’d done more as a student and young person while I lived there. I never witnessed explicit racism, but I heard crude remarks and witness systemic racism that in hindsight, I wish I’d done more to stop.

Leigh and I marched last week, but that isn’t enough. Systemic racism is pervasive in our country and the only way that we can change things is to build a better system. That starts at the ballot box and electing leaders, at ALL levels that look like the population of the United States. Local elections are hugely consequential when it comes policing and the criminal justice system.

I’m so inspired by the black and youth activists of today, but none that enthusiasm doesn’t matter if we all don’t do our civic duty: vote.

Protests start change. Voting is change.

Vote

I also want to seek out and hear more black voices in the travel industry. A great story is Jessica Nabongo from Detroit, the first black woman to visit every country in the world. I would love to hear other recommendations of who to follow!

What about travel?

This is the longest stretch I’ve gone without getting on a plane in 8 or 9 years and I truly don’t know when my next flight will be. We are planning travel as we find availability into spring of 2021, including Hong Kong, Morocco, and Kenya. Booking refundable awards is a nice temporary escape from the routine, however most of our planning is spent on exploring the west coast in outdoor environments. I’m also enjoying the peace-of-mind that my statuses are all extended into 2022, which really has put a damper on my desire to travel, which is a good thing (kudos to the airlines and hotel chains).

In the Bay Area, we’re spoiled with options for things to do, many of which don’t even require an overnight. Just last weekend, we woke up early and drove to Pinnacles National Park outside of Salinas and did 13 mile of strenuous hiking.

Pinnacles National Park

As for overnight trips, we did go to Pismo Beach over Memorial Day weekend, and that was a nice break, although the “we’re not doing this due to COVID” excuses at the Marriott Autograph Collection hotel where we stayed got a little tiresome. I’ll detail more of that later and what I think it signals for the travel industry.

Pismo Beach

We are also planning a camping trip to Lassen National Park, an overnight near wine country (wineries are open with ample outdoor space for distancing), and maybe a trip down to Big Sur (I’ve had my reservation canceled at the Ventana Big Sur three times so far and now there is zero award availability the rest of the summer 🙁 )

So what’s next?

I don’t know, but something different. I hope. Despite our suburban (southern) roots, we are both city slickers. We love being able to walk, bike, or take public transit to anywhere we need to, not to mention the cultural advantages of a city like San Francisco. When you take all of those things away, cities start to look much different and less-appealing, although this city is a one of the best ones to be stuck in given our climate and amount of outdoor activities within the city limits. Now that we can work anywhere, so we’re now asking “why do I live here?“

As I write this, first wave of COVID is still aggressively ongoing, with new hotspots in 20+ states, including California. Experts are warning of a second wave in the fall, so our thought now is where do we want to be when the music stops: an urban environment that could be ghost town in a matter of days, or somewhere that offers outdoor activities regardless of a pandemic? We know the answer to the question, the where and the action are still TBD.

How have you dealt with the pandemic? Are you questioning where you live?

Wow, it’s been a crazy two weeks! (coming home from Africa)

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I’ve been radio silent for the last couple of weeks, some by intent, some not. Since my last post, the COVID-19 outbreak is now officially a pandemic, and within the US, it’s clear we’re woefully underprepared (and late to the party). Things are looking bleak for not only the health of the global population, but the economic outlook has gone from bad to worse. The stock market, and countless retirement accounts have lost almost a third of their value over the last two weeks, and most economists expect a recession to immanently. Anyway, I’m not here to break news, but rather give my slice of the pie.

Leigh and I left for South Africa on March 5, back when the Coronavirus was still – rightly or wrongly – an isolated phenomenon. We’d been planning this trip for almost a year, so the thought of cancelling it seemed extreme. Even more extreme when you consider that during the first week of March, COVID-19 had not officially reached the contentments of Africa, South America, or Australia, or even been classified a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Since that time – and the day we left – it’s clear that it is now everywhere. We just left Mauritius yesterday, a small island in the Indian Ocean, where they too are experiencing cases of COVID-19. This is not something any of us can run from.

The most surreal travel experience

Thinking about anything other than penguins was not an easy feat.

Leigh and I have been to almost 40 countries in the last seven years, and we’ve never had an experience like the last couple of weeks. It all started when we left San Francisco, only to find an empty SFO airport and Polaris Lounge due to flight cancellations to/from Asia. Meanwhile, Washington leadership assured the country that we were safe and this was not such a big deal (to be fair, we don’t pay a lot of attention to what comes out of the White House). With those things in mind, we decided to continue onward with our trip, arriving in Cape Town on March 7th. When we arrived, we were greeted with temperature checks and questions about where we’d been. Passing those tests, we spent the next 10 days in the Cape Town region (the Wine Lands and Cape Town proper). By the time we were getting ready for the next part of our journey – Mauritius – Coronavirus had entered South Africa, and at the same time, the US shut down it’s borders to foreign nationals from Europe, escalating the crisis. Two days after leaving South Africa, they followed suit and banned all foreigners from entering the country. Foreigners that were already in the country needed to get tested immediately. We got out just in time, as airlines immediately began cancelling flights all over the African continent. We had an incredible time in Cape Town, eating some of the best meals I’ve ever had. With that said, when you juxtapose the looming crisis with the disparity of haves and have nots of South African life – especially after visiting a township – made it all the more real that real pain was to follow, everywhere.

Langa Township in Cape Town

Upon arriving in Mauritius, it was clear that things were going from bad to worse. We were staying at the St Regis Mauritius – an incredible property on the crystal clear turquoise waters of Le Morne – where we found ourselves to be two of about 80 people (the hotel has 196 rooms, or 400+ people). By the time we left yesterday, there were 40 people left at the resort. We got an incredible upgrade and plenty of attention, but in frankly it was weird and eerie to be one of a handful of people at a resort in high season. The hotel did an admirable job adapting, while still trying to run a business (and none of the individual employees would ever let you know they’re worried).

Chamarel waterfall in Mauritius

During our time in Mauritius, things deteriorated rapidly. As I mentioned, Mauritius started seeing cases, and just two days ago (March 18th), the government announced restrictions that prevented anyone other than citizens from entering the country. Those measures went into effect yesterday (March 19th) at 10am, and it was clear the island was not prepared.

Thinking we would pick up some last minute items, which included everything from rum to vanilla to toilet paper (now a US delicacy), we were met with the same panic buying that the United States has been seeing for weeks. Concurrently, we woke up yesterday to find that Turkish Airlines had cancelled Mauritian flights effective the March 20th, although we didn’t actually know the effective date, which meant our final morning was nothing short of a panic.

Sure, there are worse places to be stuck, but the idea of being almost 13,000 miles away from home during a pandemic seemed foolish at best. After we confirmed our flight was in fact the LAST flight off the island that would get us home in any reasonable time (and not through the EU), we were met with a wave of uncertain certainty, meaning we were certain we needed leave paradise for our home, and uncertain of when the next time we might actually travel. Between water skiing, snorkeling, and beach time, we relished the last couple of days in Mauritius.

A shameless picture of me waterskiing. Le Morne Mountain is quite the backdrop!

A retrospective

During the trip, I kept thinking about what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. For one, I felt guilty that I was traveling while the world was coming to grips with a pandemic not seen in a hundred years (Google: 1918 flu epidemic). I wanted to justify WHY we were traveling. The “we already had it planned”, “it wasn’t a big deal at the point”, “we’re young and healthy”…all of it. It wasn’t until our last day in Cape Town that it really hit me that I don’t owe an explanation to anyone, but rather a responsibility to everyone. Yes, we could’ve cancelled the trip, but didn’t. We decided to stick it out, mainly because who the hell knows when we will take our next trip (our trip to Paris in May is almost certainly cancelled). After I made peace with our decisions, what’s really hit me is how interconnected we – the people of earth – really are.

Despite the nationalist rhetoric that’s presently coming out of the US (and other countries) is flat wrong and economically stupid. We all happen to share one planet, and as of 2020, share one global economy. Watching the dominoes fall from afar – and so, so, so rapidly – is an experience I will never forget; the rain cloud in the distance, coming closer until you’re soaked.

We were also struck by the people of Mauritius (and South Africa, though it wasn’t as dire when we were there) – some of the most kind and generous we’ve met to date – that now face an uncertain future. How will they provide for the families or make ends meet? They’re asking themselves the same questions that citizens of previously far-off countries have been asking themselves for weeks. We made it a point to leave extra gratuity on every bill in hopes it might bring a little uplift to a country where the per capita income is around $20k/year.

What’s next

Who knows?

While we were in Cape Town, we toyed with coming home as soon as travel restrictions were announced. Our parents – all of who are in the 70’s – are high risk for COVID-19 for reasons beyond just their age, which frankly scared the hell out of us. With that said, there was really nothing we could do, especially considering our international travels, so instead, we pleaded with them to follow the CDC guidelines (and stay at home)!

Ultimately, we made a personal decision not to cut our trip short, and as I sit on our final flight home, I’m grateful we didn’t. We don’t have kids, only a dog, so the thought of rushing back to San Francisco to be on house arrest just didn’t seem to make a lot of sense. Let’s enjoy this last hoorah as much and as safely as we can, because who knows what the future holds.

As I mentioned, we’re supposed to go to Paris in May, but I seriously doubt that will happen, and I’m content with that. Like most people throughout the world, we’re most focused on whether or not we keep our jobs and can continue to afford to live in the most expensive city in the US. Travel is secondary. That’s not to say if we find a great deal to a place we want to visit – WITH a flexible cancellation policy – that we won’t book it, but it’s just not top of mind right now. We don’t know what we’re going home to, and having food and supplies is number one, especially since the entire state of California has been given a shelter in place order.

On the health front, Leigh and I are self-quarantining for two weeks upon our return this evening, given our extensive international travels. We will do everything we possibly can to not enter any place of public place where we might infect someone else. Staying away from people is the absolute least we can do, and we’ll also do our best to order delivery from some of our favorite restaurants to keep them afloat (not interacting with the delivery person of course). We’ll also order gift cards from those that offer it.

The last couple of weeks have been eye-opening for everyone, but for us, watching it from afar has left an impression that we won’t soon forget. We are all brothers and sisters in this world, and we owe it to each other to be responsible and take this pandemic seriously. Travel can wait.

How I’m approaching travel during the coronavirus outbreak

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By now, we all know that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread throughout the world, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 people. Hundreds of flights to Asia and Europe have been canceled, leaving airline stocks in the dirt. Further, most airlines are now offering some sort of change fee waiver, which I’ll outline below.

Between the news cycle and the lack of testing kit roll-out in the US, it’s no wonder that hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes are nowhere to be found. With spring break approaching and other pre-planned trips coming everyday, what’s a person supposed to do?

1) Don’t panic

It’s easy to get freaked out with the wall to wall media coverage, but let’s be clear: this is not the bubonic plague that is coming to kill us all. Yes this is a serious health emergency (an impending economic one too), but panicking is something that’s not going to help anyone. Buying up an entire store’s worth of supplies or food – like I saw at my local grocery store – is also detrimental to the greater good.

Please, buy only what you need and stay calm.

2) How I’m approaching travel during this time of uncertainty

Uncertainty is one of those things that us as human beings don’t deal with very well (take a look at the stock market over the last week and half). As Leigh and I get ready to leave tonight to South Africa and Mauritius, we’ve had droves of people ask us whether we’re concerned about the coronavirus, to which we’ve emphatically replied no.

With that said, here are several questions that people should ask themselves when traveling for the foreseeable future:

  • Where you’re traveling
  • Is my travel necessary?
  • Are you willing to get stranded?
  • Are you a higher-risk population?

Where you’re traveling

It’s likely that if you were planning to travel to one of the outbreak hot zones (Italy, China, Iran), it’s likely that your flight has already been canceled. But what other places should people be concerned about?

Generally speaking, Asia is a tough place to try and travel right now just because of so many flight cancelations. At this point, US domestic travel appears to be running as normal, but of course that could change any day. In the most broad terms, three continents appear to be largely unaffected to date: South America, Australia/South Pacific, and Africa. Again, as more testing comes online, that could change.

Is travel necessary?

This is a loaded question, but it’s one we should all ask ourselves at this point. Do you really need to fly across the country to have that one meeting giving the state of flux things are in right now? Likely no, but everyone’s situation varies. Many companies – such as Amazon, Salesforce, and Twitter – are actually prohibiting employee travel all together (mine is suspending all international travel). Further, we’re seeing large gatherings of people start to either be prohibited (like France) or canceled (like numerous upcoming conferences). My view and personal situation is if – and for many that’s a big IF – can do your job remotely, now is probably a good time to enjoy some time at home.

Personal travel is one that each person will need to consider themselves. Back to Leigh and me, we’ve assessed the risk and feel like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip is one we’re willing to take some risk.

Are you willing to get stranded?

For most people, this is probably the biggest concern of travel right now. As we see more and more international flights get canceled, it’s becoming more likely (though not yet likely) that getting home could be a challenge.

Leigh and I experienced this exact concern a few years ago when we were visiting Bali, which at the time was dealing with the ongoing eruption of Mount Agung. Our concerns were never really whether we might be in danger, but rather would we get there and then get stuck (there are worse places 😉 ). Nevertheless, we ended up going and had a great time. Even though we were there in high-season, crowds were considerably less, while the locals, many of whom depend on tourism, were happy to have us.

Now with that said, every situation and place is different. If local or national governments have asked people to stay away or if there’s a state of emergency, don’t visit! One good place to start is the CDC’s website, which has the most up to date information, including areas where it recommends canceling all travel.

Now as for Leigh and me today, we’re actually bringing our work computers for a change in the event something unforeseen happens and we can’t get back on our planned date. We’ve also made arrangements with our dog sitter and friends in case we’re unable to get back to our pooch.

I always like to live my life by the same motto the Boy Scouts taught me: BE PREPARED!

Are you in a higher-risk population?

Luckily, the disease is not as fatal as initially feared, and there have been just 9 deaths in the US – meaning there isn’t a lot of data to date on who’s most susceptible. What we do know so far is worth consideration:

  • In China, most of the deaths have been in adults, with effects on children there appearing to be minimal based on reporting
  • Of the 9 deaths in the US, all have been in Washington state and 6 of those in people over 70.
  • The deaths of the other three are due to underlying chronic illnesses (which we still don’t know)

With that said, if you’re older, have a weakened immune system, pregnant, or have chronic conditions, it’s probably best to wait it out at this point.

3) Know which airlines are offering change fee waivers

All major US airlines are offering some type of change fee waivers, which can be found here:

Closing thoughts

This is just the way the my household is approaching travel, not the way everyone should. While this is an ongoing health emergency, it shouldn’t stop everyday life from occurring or make the entire world afraid of each other. Travel offers us an opportunity to view and understand the rest of the world, and in times like these, that understanding is more important than ever.

Everyone’s situation is unique, but hopefully posing yourself some questions is helpful. Further, listen to the health agencies in charge of managing the crisis and not the political spin!

Are you still planning on traveling over the next few months?