Dare we consider using the term ‘post-COVID’ to describe 2022? Clearly the virus will be a prominent news item, but its impacts upon life finally seem likely to diminish. As a parting shot, our THIRD attempt at a trip to New Zealand has been thwarted by the long island’s strict international travel rules, which will persist until May 2022. Immensely disappointing, we are now looking at mid- to late-2022 before we can set foot in Hobbiton. I now have so much flight credit we could do a round-the-world trip (but in, like, 2027 to be safe).
My friend and I were reflecting on our trip to Sydney in June and what lucky bitches we were to get away with it! Our trip was on the very same weekend that some COVID-y BBQ-loving New South Welshman visited every shop known to stock a grill. From that point NSW descended into its peculiar lockdown-that-wasn’t-really, Victoria went straight back under the doona and New Zealand hastily popped the travel bubble. Yes, delighted that we saw Hamilton when we did!
So being the sucker for punishment that I am I thought for Christmas, why not try another sneaky interstate trip? Another friend of mine is from Brisbane and, having recently quit her job, decided to take her kids up there to stay with family for the whole summer holiday. I already had flights booked for a weekend in Brisbane to meet my nephew in early December and when she heard this she urged me to make it a longer trip and ‘come to the resort’ with her. I didn’t need to be asked twice!
Having been made a permanent employee in July I can now use my rec leave without worrying, so I booked two weeks off in addition to the week we all get as a shutdown between Christmas and new year. That gives us 3 weeks in sunny Queensland, two of those camping and one in Brisbane.
Of course it’s not a holiday these days without some border anxiety. Queensland declared South Australia a hotspot two weeks ago, effectively preventing us from entering. But, their rules would change when they hit the 80% double vaxxed rate. The vax rate was sitting at 77.7% so I thought we would be ok by mid-December, and we are! All welcome from today, 13 Dec.
All we have to do is apply for a border pass, be double vaxxed, have a negative COVID test within 72 hours of flight and get a second COVID test on day 5 after arrival and quarantine until we get the result … ok it’s a lot. Happily, I live near a testing centre so we will drive through on Tuesday night and have our noses assaulted. Bitti is not old enough to have a vaccine so she will wear a mask from the moment we get in the Uber until we leave Brisbane airport. Getting her to stop touching objects and surfaces in public spaces will be the bigger issue. I never really noticed how much she fondles things until COVID hit. Cannot wait until she is vaccinated!
One thing I hadn’t thought about re being away at Christmas is that you still do all the crazy seasonal catch-ups, you just have to fit it all in before you go. Not to mention doing the present shopping early enough that it can be distributed before you go. A few people will be waiting until January for their gifts as I ran out of puff last week. Now my entire focus is on packing for the trip. We have one ‘present suitcase’ full of things for my nephew and the family we are travelling with. Not to mention Bitti! Another suitcase is full of sun dresses, bathers and towels. The last is full of sun cream.
I’m determined to leave the house clean so when we come home it will feel lovely. But realistically, that will not happen. If we can get off to the airport without any major hiccups I’ll be quite self-satisfied. So now I am off to try to communicate to the cat how important it is for his health and future prosperity that he shits IN HIS BOX while visiting with nanna.
Two Little Travellers 