Can I Get Away from it All?

The View from Jupiter Island Beach
Jupiter Island, Florida
November 6, 2019

I had planned to be on a Southwest Airlines flight departing Baltimore-Washington International Airport for Palm Beach International Airport this morning to enjoy a couple weeks in Florida and my condo there and escape to the beach. 

I canceled the trip due to the rise in coronavirus cases in Florida and specifically Palm Beach County. 

Coincidentally, there is a moderately comprehensive article in this morning's The Wall Street Journal titled,

Is It Safe to Travel Again? Your Coronavirus Questions Answered

Appropriately, the article features an image of a Southwest Airlines 737 in flight! 

Osprey Flying Free
Jupiter Island, Florida
November 7, 2019

The article appeals to those of us who want to get away from the new normal, whatever that has become, and attempt to find old fashioned escape-ism by collapsing on a beach somewhere and enjoying the sun, sand, and surf. 

Sadly, there are not many places open to travelers and even within the U.S. vacationers need to be mindful of quarantines and travel requirements. 

The opening paragraph of the article:

As countries begin to reopen, is there any place abroad where I can travel right now? 

Not easily. Many countries remain closed to nonessential travelers and non-residents. Some nations are gradually lifting their bans but only permitting in tourists from countries where the number of coronavirus cases is relatively low or steadily declining. The European Union lifted its internal borders last month and as of July 1, began allowing visitors from up to 15 other countries, including South Korea, New Zealand and Rwanda. But tourists from the U.S., where coronavirus cases are surging, are still prohibited from entering most European countries.

In fact, the Canadian border remains closed to non-official U.S. persons!

Also from the article:

Can I take a road trip? Are there coronavirus checkpoints at state borders? 

As more hotels and national and state parks reopen across the country, road trip vacationsare picking up speed. Only Florida currently has checkpoint, on Interstate 95, just south of the Georgia border, to screen travelers. Those visitors arriving from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are required to quarantine for 14-days. New Mexico has a checkpoint on US 64, leading in and out of Taos Pueblo, which is closed indefinitely to nonresidents. For other roadside travel restrictions, see AAA’s Covid-19 map at TripTik.AAA.com. And for more road trip guidance, including tips on how to safely get gas and food along your drive, read “Expert Advice for a Safe Road Trip.”

And so I remain in Maryland, hunkering down even though the state is slowly reopening. I long to be free to "move about the country" but I am smart enough to realize the now is not the right time. Yet.

Well, I have more flooring to install and next week I have a deck to stain. I am definitely keeping busy--maybe too busy with my full-time job and then my full-time projects. 

But, I'd really like to get away from it all, but safely and smartly.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD