Travel in the Time of Pandemic By Sharon Kurtz
I have a love affair with travel—it is all I think about and all I want to do. Instead of counting sheep at night when I lay my head on the pillow, I am counting the days until my next adventure. I am an indefatigable world traveler, and sharing tales of my travels is my passion. Needless to say, my life revolves around travel. I first heard about the Coronavirus outbreak while traveling to Maui in January, musing that it was unfortunate, but it didn't affect my life. As recently as returning from Buenos Aires in mid-February, I was not concerned about being exposed to the virus at the airport or during the flight home. In less than one month, the outbreak, then epidemic, and now worldwide pandemic has affected me at every level. How quickly things can evolve and change. I am scheduled to depart for a bucket list trip to Turkey in less than 3 weeks, ticking down the days, I can think of little else. The anxiety is palpable. Not because I am worried I will be exposed to the virus, but because I am afraid that it will impact my upcoming trip. As of today, my trip is still a go, Turkey has not reported outbreak of the virus. Having planned and anticipated this trip for 18 months, I don't want to cancel. I am still holding out hope that my trip will happen. I take precautions, and sanitizer, wipes, and tissues are always in hand. I wash my hands with soap & water while humming happy birthday twice through, taking care to avoid crowded places. Today, I am healthy with no underlying concerns. I have weighed the recommendations that I self-quarantine for the greater good. Still, I am longing to gaze upon the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, ascend in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia, and explore the ruins of Ephesus as planned, not in an unknown tomorrow. As a survivor of serious illness, I know the future is not guaranteed to any of us. I choose to live my life without regrets, and travel while I still can.
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