The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: Were you planning on taking a vacation or business trip that had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus? If so, tell us where you were planning to go, and do you still plan to go when it’s safe?
Talk about it.
No trips or vacations, but I had a couple of other plans that had to be put on hold.
Just returned, under the wire, from a road trip to Joshua Tree Nat’l Park and Death Valley NP, before all the virus stuff hit. No other trips planned, especially flying; will wait ’till the planes (and passengers) are fully sanitized before that type of travel. Starting to plan for future road trip, once all the virus stuff is behind us, but want to make sure hotels have had time to get fully up to speed, and hope gas prices remain low.
Yep!
Was supposed to be in Las Vegas on the 13th of April.
The casino and hotel is shutdown for now.
No traveling was planned,….just local places I/we can’t visit for now.
Hi Roz…hope you are doing well. Did you get hubby to clean out that garage:) I need to do mine really bad.
No travel plans either
Hey Simonpure~
Yes, doing well & health. We have been working on the Veggie Garden. The Hubby is working on finish areas of the bathroom,…the project was started in 1995,…LOL!! The garage is a nightmare and he is avoiding it, and hoping he’ll be back to work before he can get to it. We’ll see if this turns out to be early forced retirement for him, since the oil industries in the U.S. have taken a bit of a hit.
Were you working,…laid-off,…retired? You mentioned in another post about going back to work to get a vacation,.. 🙂
Hug!
A vacation in June with a large group. It’s been postponed, but we haven’t set a date. Only time will tell.
Do you know how sometimes you put things off you know you should do and it turns out to be the right decision. All last year my wife was saying she wants to go to Spain. I would like to go to Spain also but for some reason I kept putting it off.
If you’re able, try to work in a visit to Sevilla, for the Feria de Abril, which translates to April Fair. The event takes place at the fairgrounds, is free to attend, and was so much fun to watch all the women, young and old, stout and slender, strolling about wearing flamenco dresses. The men, on the other hand, were mainly on horseback, wearing traditional gear, and frequently had a young son accompanying, similarly dressed. And the horses————-also all gussied up. Get hotel reservations early, because they fill up quickly, and prices double.
Thanks for the tip but that will have to be next year. Have to check out the weather in April for Spain. For many years my wife and I have been traveling around and never have had less that perfect weather for a vacation. Crazy how that works out.
Ricardoh
I realized after I posted that I should have mentioned NEXT year, not this year. As for weather, Sevilla is in the south of Spain, and at that time of year is pretty hot, but not unbearable. I’ve been to the Fair twice and feel the spectacle is worth the small discomfort of heat. When I go, I try to work in several destinations, staying only 3-4 days each place, traveling between cities on the excellent train system, and sometimes by bus. For Sevilla, Granada was one of my other destinations, to see the Alhambra, then on to Cordoba, both short train rides apart. From Sevilla, we took the high speed Ave (train) to Madrid, flew to Paris, train to Carcasson for the castle there, train to Brussels and Bruges, Belgium, then back to Brussels for flight home.
I was supposed to have visited family in Ohio for Easter. I cancelled the trip. There’s no good reason to travel for pleasure at this time.
We were suppose to go to Tahoe and stay at a nice North shore hotel, instead we took the motorhome and snowmobiles instead of skiing.
Had a great time! When you have a motorhome most vacations go on as planned when most places close up.
Well I was suppose to ho to Japan in Feb or March thanks goodness I did not buy air ticket that would be bad!
My dad and my step mom had to cancel their trip to Europe and they have plan to go to hawaii in September and that gonna cancel I am sure.
My daughter and son-in-law just moved from Illinois to Florida. We had intended on meeting at the Loveless Cafe as they passed through Nashville. Instead, they texted as they passed through town, and we all waved. We had heard that they were stopping people at the Florida border, but surprisingly, no one was at the border as they entered the state.
We were in southern Baja and our cruise (7 passengers, 3 crew) ended 3 days early because of fears that we might not be able to get a flight back home. There were no cases down there at the time, but being locked down in a foreign country with a less than stellar medical system was not appealing.
BTW- Only one passenger flew into Cabo on the plane we flew out on. The entire crew volunteered for the flight.
My son and his mom (my ex-) were planning on going up to Vancouver this week for spring break. They obviously cancelled it.
Yeah – Eurotrip in May. Looks like we’ll get all the money back though.
At the end of April, I was supposed to fly to visit my daughter and then my brother who will have the final of eight chemo treatments next week. I was hoping to take my 22-month-old granddaughter to surprise them. Of course, we will not go now. Haven’t even spent time in a month with my granddaughter who lives 7 minutes away.
Sorry to hear that. Trips to Europe, Tahoe etc. can always be rescheduled. Time with family cannot. Hopefully you can wave and see your granddaughter from afar, they change so much at that age.
No really cancelled, but postponed. My daughter and family, 31/2 years old granddaughter and 11 year old step granddaughter plus son in law lives by Pasadena. Second grandchild due tomorrow (boy) I was just about to request vacation time for early May to drive down to see newest grandchild. I was furloughed from Macy’s, so now I have the time, but as long as shelter in place cannot go. Don’t know when Macy’s will call us back to work. They paid us our vacation time, so don’t know how it will work when I go back to work. Assume I can work something out with my manager, she is very nice and accommodating.
Be it ever so humble…
tax assessor’s office to pay property taxes
We cancelled our trip to visit the family in Oaxaca Mexico on March 22. Neither of us could imagine spending so much time inside three flying sardine cans. I’ve ended up with nasty viruses soon after arrival on a number of trips and passed them along to visitees before, and we couldn’t run that risk with this one. That would’ve been awful forever if we were responsible for my elderly mother in law getting it, and we also didn’t want to take any chances with coming home again, not knowing if incoming travel might be halted. Delta fully refunded our tickets when I cancelled 2 days prior. We’ll be going when it’s safe. I just hope we’ll get to see my beautiful MIL’s smile again.
Silva, would that be the state of Oaxaca or the city? Oaxaca State has several very nice beach towns, such as my favorite, Puerto Escondido, while the inland Oaxaca City is a popular destination for many, including me. Been there several times, and I like to travel to the nearby towns, to visit the pottery makers, the wood carvers and weavers, not to mention El Tule, the tree famous for old age, and the ruins of the ancient city of Monte Alban. Much good food to be found in la Ciudad also. That being said, in my opinion, there’s nowhere in Mexico that compares with the abundance of places to see and things to do as found in Mexico City.
I married a guy from Oaxaca, Oaxaca way back when. Isn’t it a fabulous state? My family cooks absolutely incredible amazing food, too. Whenever I go I try to get them to take me somewhere I haven’t been before. I’m running out of places though. Plus my MIL just wants us to be with her when we get a chance to visit, and she can’t do road trips anymore. They know some good places off the beaten path which is nice, of course. I loved Puerto Escondido too. It’s been over thirty years since I’ve been there, so I know it must be a lot different by now. When I first started visiting there were still trains, and burros in the streets hauling wood and alfalfa, and beautifully dressed indigenous women bringing their crops and wares in to town, piled up on their heads and on their backs. There was NO corporate America represented there, with one exception; there was a very small Sears Roebuck and Co. store in town, and driving by looking into the windows there was always about 20 wringer washing machines on the floor! This was in about 1984!!😁 Not one single grocery store either, we shopped at the central markets where everyone sold what they made and raised. I was married in Tlacolula de Matamoros. My MIL came from there. A brother in law has his grandfather’s Mezcal distillery now, they still use a horse and the original monster grinding stones to press the juice out of the yucca heads, and an ancient copper still. Good stuff. Have you been to Hierve el Agua yet? I finally got them to take me there after asking for twenty-five years. I’ve never explored much in DF. Not for lack of wanting to though.😊
Was suppose to go on a one day trip March 28, with the Scandinavian Club, winetasting to Sonoma and ending with dinner at a Swedish restaurant in Petaluma, cancelled of course. Next even with that club is in Walnut Creek, every spring we have a club event at a couple’s nice house and yard in WC, usually about 40-60 people, good food, wine, friends and music, jazz and rock and roll, the host is a musician. It is scheduled for May 24, will probably be cancelled, hope it will be rescheduled for June or July, by then I’m more than ready to have some fun and see friends.
Had 2 day trips planned, one prepaid. I now do more yard work than I planned because of a totally empty calendar.
Yes, D.C. for one kid, Seattle for the other. Both cancelled, plus 3 weekend camping trips. Pretty bummed.
Yes
My girlfriend was supposed to come from Germany on march 17,then we were to go to Hawaii for 10 days then a week of local fun stuff. All cancelled. Hopefully we can do this trip in late September early October.
This year we had planned and paid for a trip to Lake Como, Italy and a cruise down the Yangtze (through beautiful Wuhan). Needless to say…….
Quite a few trips had to be cancelled: college tours for the graduating senior, a mission trip for Native American children, and a fun overnight in SF. The not being able to visit potential colleges is the toughest though.
Yes, Have a trip to Italy planned mid june for 3 weeks with a cruise as part of it. Just waiting for the cruise to officially cancel (for the refund) and then hopefully the airline will cancel the flight for the refund. I will take the credit but I’d rather have the money back. And Yes, I will totally cruise again and head to Europe as soon as it’s safe to go.
Colorado trip to visit my Dad and close relatives on Amtrak. They gave me a full refund for one way from Martinez to Denver roomette included. $437.00. I was sad not to see my relatives so we FaceTime instead.
Yes, canceled two work trips and one personal. Work trip to NorCal and another to Maine. Had the 3rd personal trip planned for a family graduation in mid-May down in San Diego, but that is off now as the ceremony is postponed until Fall.
Will take all trips as soon as company lifts travel restrictions and be glad to go to San Diego when the ceremony is back on!
Sigh…
Was supposed to leave for a beach house in Costa Rica two weeks ago. Trip was planned for over a year. The home owner let us rebook for a year from now, but United dinged us $125 per ticket to cancel/refund. I see that they now are offering the same cancellation for free. If I find two free hours to kill on hold, I may go chase that money. At any rate, I’m assuming the house and the beach will be there next year.
For now, I guess there’s always Disneyland…oh wait…nevermind.
Pacman
Assuming you used a credit card to book that flight, contact the card issuer (customer service number on back of the card) and dispute the charge. The card issuers usually, but not always, take the side of their customer and refund your money. I’ve had occasion to dispute several charges, and all were resolved in my favor. Good luck.
We had an 11 day trip to Europe cancelled last month as well as a two week Mediterranean cruise in June. It looks doubtful that our week in Oregon in July is going to happen. Oh well, at least we’re well and comfortable at home.
Not cancelled, just postponed. Target is now Munich in October.That may shift for obvious reasons. 🍺🥨
If are going to Munich in October, I assume you want to go when they have the legendary Oktoberfest, should be fun. I have been to Munich great town.
That is my intention. If they even have Octoberfest this year.
Knowing the German’s as I do, have several friends from Germany, it would take a lot for them to cancel. Germans work hard, but they also play hard, not a bad philosophy. I can see it being cancelled because the preparations start month in advance. Anyway there is lots so see and do in that area. Have fun.
I booked a flight to Hawaii for June and my airline is suggesting I cancel it. They took my money and issued me a confirmation number and everything but website says “problem issuing tickets, please call for help” and right below that it says “Overwhelming calls, please only call if you fly within 72 hrs.” So I’m just in limbo waiting to see if I’m going to Hawaii in 2 months or if I’ll be rescheduling.
A friend is supposed to be flying out here in July for a concert but the concert has been cancelled already so she cancelled her flight. It really sucks! No friends and no concerts, boooo.
Yes, a family member was graduating from Westpoint in New York. I was excited to see her graduate as well as visit New York as I had never been. Now I won’t get the chance, and she won’t get to celebrate her hard work the right way.
Wow Westpoint! Tell her Congratulations and good job! from Barbie.
Yes, my fifth grandkid is due at the end of April and I had to cancel my trip to Utah. Considering driving instead because I really want to be there. Also have a group trip planned in early July to Cozumel. Praying that the Stay Home order is rescinded before that so we can still go.
If you saw my earlier post you will see we are in the same position, my 2nd grandchild is due any day. I hadn’t planned on being there when he was born. My daughter’s mother in law is a nurse practitioner and she was scheduled to be there, but now won’t. I had planned on going down to Pasadena early May, but that won’t happened, hoping for late May or early June, I don’t fly down, I always drive.
No, but my tax advisor cancelled which is even worse.
I was supposed to fly down to San Diego next week for my mom’s 88th birthday.
Ain’t happening now…
Our first rip ever to London. Was a Christmas gift from hubby to see Downton Abbey. But cancelling it turned out to be a good thing. My daughter had a major seizure, her first in nine years. So blessed I was here to find her, get her stable. Thank you God! Now, we will be touring the United States with our kids and spend money on hotels, restaurants and stores here in our own country. Yeah! This whole situation we are in tends to make you focus on the important things in life.
You are so right and a blessing you were there for you daughter. However, I do hope that sometime in the future you will be able to go to London, it is a wonderful city to visit, I have been there twice. From London you can do several day trips. like to Strafford-on Avon and Windsor castle. However, taking a trip here in the states is not a bad substitute, many wonderful places to see. I hope to go to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone late summer or early fall.