No, really. What else do I write about when I don’t want to spread COVID-19? When my desire to travel grows but so does the number of new cases reported daily?
I’m taking any and all ideas please. This pandemic has been rough.
Summer wasn’t so bad. Cases seemed to trend downwards, things were open and the sun was shining for a majority of the day.
I got to go camping in the Adirondacks. A nice trip keeping myself masked up and social distancing.
Now, almost all states in the US seem to report increases in coronavirus cases. What am I supposed to do with that? I have a mental map of so many places I want to visit, so many things I want to do, but can’t since I’m trying to stay home and slow the spread.
So what do I do with a travel blog? Do I keep writing about being stuck indoors for a whole winter in Western New York?
Here’s a recent trip I went on. I went from my bed to my couch the other day. It was a difficult one, for I did not have socks on, so my feet got cold in the 15 seconds it took for me to reach my couch.
Does that count? Who knows. I know this much; when it’s safe to travel again, I am booking a flight or hopping in my car and going somewhere far and new.
I miss the feeling of discovery. Finding a hidden gem in a busy town, chatting with strangers about their hometown or those moments of quiet when you look out the window and take in the landscape you’ve immersed yourself in.
I miss those moments that catch you off guard. The friendships you didn’t see coming, the impromptu karaoke performances, and of course, the drinks on the house.
At this point, I would happily wait in a two hour long line just to get through security in an airport. I would sit next to the loudest snorer you’ve ever heard on a train. I would face motion sickness on the world’s bumpiest bus ride. Anything to go somewhere new for a few hours.
For me, it’s been pretty difficult since March. Working in news, I get tons of reports and insight on where the pandemic is heading. Here’s my dirty little secret — I have no idea where it’s headed.
I thought we would be clear by summer. Clearly we all know that’s not correct. Now I sit in my apartment with no clue when I’ll be able to hop on a flight to a new destination. It’s frustrating.
So I ask you, my loyal readers. Where do I go next? What does a travel blog do during a pandemic?
Erin Goes Everywhere 