The Future of Travel

If you don't already know by now, travel is something so important to us. So obviously, COVID-19 is a very sore subject in our home. It breaks our hearts that our 2020 travel plans have all been postponed, that we can't pick up our bags and go somewhere for the weekend as we've done so many times in the past, that we don't get the same thrill from planning a trip.

Don't get me wrong, we are still constantly

thinking, plotting, and thinking

of new places we want to go.

But it goes without saying, it's not that easy.

This new "normal" has caused us to change so much about the way we travel.

Before the pandemic, we would plan travel with a list or certain starting points - where do we each want to go, think of the weather there, compare with our calendar and look up prices, do research on what to do there, etc. It was methodical, but solely based on our desires and a plan.

Now, we think of things in such a different way - how many COVID cases does that city have? Is the hotel refundable in the event of a surge? How long before our next trip? Can we drive there? (Yes, we are still very fearful of flying). I think it's important to also give some background: Matt has always been a germophobe and Jacky has asthma, so while we want to go back to a regular life ASAP, we are also weary and may prolong that more than society does, just to ensure our safety and the ability to travel for many more years to come! We've even toyed with the idea of getting an RV/camper, but that's just not realistic for us right now, sadly!

So now, planning a trip feels like planning a surgery, rather than an enjoyable and leisurely activity for each of us.

We read this article yesterday and it really hit us.

The future of travel is so different than what we know.

Granted, some of these things are innovative, necessary, and a yes from us! We had already speculated many places going digital (which is a millennial's dream, but now we're REALLY all going to live on our phones) but it got me thinking about other things that will change about travel.

• Will we ever ask stranger to take a picture of us again? Now that we travel more (and think we are professional bloggers) we have a tripod, but obviously this is a bougie item. I just went through so many selfies versus that one time Matt allows me to ask a stranger lol and really thought about this one!

• Will the random couple at the table next to you strike up conversation, or will they be too far?

• Traveling isn't cheap! And with everything operating at limited capacities, how much worse will the final cost be?

• Airlines requiring health screenings prior to boarding - how much will this add to our airport pre-departure time frames?

• How much extra planning will be involved? With pools requiring reservations, we can't even imagine a popular landmark that would normally have busy crowds and lines

• With these limitations at hotels, will AirBnB become even bigger?

What are your thoughts? Are there other changes you see for the travel world? What will you miss most when you start traveling again?