Need to travel

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” 
– John A. Shedd

Eleven days ago, I drove about 120 miles north to the tiny town of Newhalem, where I took custody of my new kittens.  That's the only time I've been outside the city limits of Seattle since mid-March.  The only time I've been really beyond walking distance of my house, for that matter -- luckily, walking distance for me is a fair distance.

As I've noted before, I confess that I'm lucky.  I don't live in a small flat in Queens, with total congestion outside my apartment building.  I can venture out for a walk without much fear of contagion.  I hate to complain.  I urge others to be patient.  I keep so urging myself.

But today, one of my relatives-by-marriage, a resident of San Diego, posted photos of her husband, her dog, and herself on the ferry to Block Island, where her dad has a vacation home, back East in Rhode Island.  I was too flabbergasted to ask for further details, but I assume they flew.  They all looked happy.  

I seethe with jealousy. 

I'm jealous not out of any particular interest in visiting Block Island, but because she's traveling.  Not just 120 miles, but across the country.  

Some people need to socialize.  Some need to play sports.  Some need to make origami animals.  I need to travel.  It's in my history.  Since childhood.  It's in my blood.  I canceled three planned trips out of the country this year, because of Mr. Covid-19, and my heart is broken.

Oh, did I tell you?  I also like to whine.

I still have precarious plans to travel to Levanto, Italy, in May.  A one-year postponement of a birthday party I had planned for May 2020.  Only one couple who had been signed up for this year has indicated that they can't do it next year.  And we have two new couples who want to join us next year.  The deposit for the rentals last year has been retained, holding our rentals for 2021.

But my willingness to go through with it, and the willingness of most of the others to join me, depends on the availability of a vaccine that we believe to be both safe and efficacious.  The rumors about the date such a vaccine will be available vary wildly from day to day.  Will it be ready by November?  The end of the year?  Sometime in the spring?  Not until mid-2021?  In two years?

We hear all of these predictions.  I discount the November date completely.  I'm not interested in being injected with an "election special" vaccine that hasn't been proved both safe and effective -- i.e., that hasn't completed its Phase 3 testing.  But America's hero, Dr. Tony Fauci, says that at least one of the vaccines under development may be available to priority recipients by January.

I'm (cough cough) old enough to be a priority recipient.  So are many of the others in the group, and those who aren't may not be as concerned about the risks of travel.  (Exhibit A being those irritating relatives now lounging about on Block Island.)  If I could be assured of being vaccinated by April, the trip would be on.

There would still be issues to be resolved, such as how long the vaccination is effective, and whether Italy will drop its bar against American tourists by May.

I'm trying to be very rational in balancing my desire to travel against the risks involved.  But I begin to see why college kids throw caution to the winds, especially after a drink or two, and go dancing on crowded dance floors with their masks flung aside.

I really need to travel.  I need to hear spoken Italian, to walk Italian trails, to drink Italian Campari and Chianti, and to indulge in all the Italian varieties of pasta.  As done by Italian chefs.  I also need to talk to relatives.  Face to face.  One on one, and in groups.  Zoom is great, but it's not the same.

Well, we all have our little Covid-19 problems, and mine at least aren't medical.  I hope my readers are all doing well, physically and psychologically.  I find that keeping a sense of humor about my frustrations and irritations does help.

As does having a blog in which to vent. 

 "Stay healthy, y'all," as the saying goes!