covid diary: day 1

My Gramps always said about Gram, "If I even said the word 'trip,' she would be packed and out in the car, honking the horn for me to hurry up and go." This is me too. I have a constant case of the itchy feet. I'm always looking for the next place to explore.

We had planned a fun spring break trip with the boys: Fly to Baltimore, drive to Delaware, and stay at a swanky oceanfront resort on off-season rates. Over the past few weeks, as we've watched the news about the novel coronavirus, we've debated whether we should go. We justified going because it's a short flight (that's already paid for), the resort rate was nonrefundable, we had no plans to be in large gatherings or crowded places (in fact, we avoid those generally if at all possible), and none of us have conditions that put us at high risk for complications of coronavirus.

BUT.

We both have parents who we like seeing. We have friends with weakened immune systems. One of us works outside the home. The boys will be going back to school (pending local developments on that front). And it's not worth it to us to put a single one of those people at risk.

So this morning I made a bunch of phone calls. I got the resort to agree to refund the nonrefundable rate charge and cancel the reservation. I canceled the rental car online (thank goodness for one less interaction with a person on the phone!). The airline was understanding about canceling the flight, but the best they could do was give us a travel voucher to use before the end of May. So depending on how things shake out, we may end up eating that cost.

You would think I would be disappointed, and I am. But more than that, I'm RELIEVED.

I guess what I'm saying is: If you're in doubt, if you're spending a lot of time on the fence like we did, it's worth it to make those phone calls, try to recoup your losses, and stay home. It won't be forever, and even if you're a travel bug like me, you might feel an overwhelming sense of relief knowing you did the safer thing, even if you think it's a little on the paranoid side.

Oh, and wash your hands and stop touching your faces. And sanitize your phones. End PSA.