Back in March 2020 we were booked to go on a dive trip to the Maldives - Islands in the Indian Ocean. The pandemic was just getting started. We had no idea how bad it would be. If the trip had been just a few days earlier, we might have gone. As it was, we had just enough time to think and we decided to cancel. Good thing - if we had gone, we would have gotten stuck there for weeks, maybe even months.
In January 2021 the vaccine became available for people of a certain age. We hunted and finally found a location where we could drive thru and we were in line for 3.5 hours, but we got our first shot. A few weeks later we got the second one, and in the fall we got our booster shot. We've gotten good at washing our hands often and getting good sleep. We haven't had so much as a sniffle in the last year and a half.
All is well, right? The world is opening up and traveling again. We booked a tour in Central America called Route of the Maya for the first 3 weeks of 2022.
Not so fast, Covid is mutating again and cases are soaring. This is the Omicron variant. It's nowhere near as deadly as the other variants, but it is so much more contagious! We need to get a Covid test before we fly and I felt like we were back to square one to find such a service. I checked with 22 different CVS stores - not a one had an appointment. Jim finally found a drive thru at a local park - no appointment needed, just wait in line for 2.5 hours this time.
That was 3 days before departure. With each day came news of soaring Covid infection numbers, but our trip was not cancelled. We were assured that American Airlines was definitely flying to El Salvador, our first destination. So, it's up to us - go or no go. There is little possibility that we would get really sick, but we could test positive at some border crossing and need to quarantine for 10 days. I spoke with the trip leader and he said that 2 others had already cancelled. Even though our flight is tomorrow, he said we could still cancel with no penalty. Aaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhh
Jim and I took a walk and talked. Got home sat in the hot tub and talked. The last time this happened we cancelled and it was the right decision. But, this is different - it's not on the other side of the world, we're fully vaccinated, most of the activities are outdoors. Oh ... Eff it! We're going.