Thoughts and a Few Questions

[bhoffdhoff]

We are scheduled to go to Aruba for our 21st time in March. I have to admit, the large positive numbers have me afraid. We are both vaccinated and boosted. I am not worried about getting sick, but rather testing positive and not being able to return home. I just don't know what we are going to do right now. We are going to Florida for a few weeks in a couple of weeks. That does not concern me. We do what we can to stay safe.

On another note,...thank you Andrea for doing such a great job as moderator.

[Andrea J.]

thank you

I am more worried in FLA than I am in Aruba.

At least in AUA there are mandates.
Here in FL we apparently can be "free to be you and me"

We are scheduled to go to Aruba for our 21st time in March. I have to admit, the large positive numbers have me afraid. We are both vaccinated and boosted. I am not worried about getting sick, but rather testing positive and not being able to return home. I just don't know what we are going to do right now. We are going to Florida for a few weeks in a couple of weeks. That does not concern me. We do what we can to stay safe.

On another note,...thank you Andrea for doing such a great job as moderator.

[WaltVB]

thank you

I am more worried in FLA than I am in Aruba.

At least in AUA there are mandates.
Here in FL we apparently can be "free to be you and me"

I think after 2 years of this crap, "free to be anything" sounds pretty good to just about everyone. I get what you're saying and I'm surprised there have been no mandates issued. I guess this variant just doesn't warrant it.

[Jayshea]

We are very happy we went to Aruba at the end of October because there is no way we would go now with the numbers where they are right now. We both still work and would not want to get stuck there using all our time up. Also husbands health issues would keep us home. We are scheduled to go to Florida the end of the month but after reading others mentions of no masking, distancing has us wondering if we should cancel.

[joehick]

Add us to the list of travelers. We just got back from a week in Nashville. Agreed if you weren't glued to a TV set or other media you wouldn't think there was anything going on. Of course we complied with the federal mandate of wearing masks while in airports and on planes, but we seldom wore a mask any other time unless it was specifically required. Most people didn't. Folks were living like normal, sitting at bars (gasp!) and wait for it... DANCING! Folks gave a little space where they could, and nobody was on top of you. On the way home we had to overnight in NYC due to missing our connection. American put us up and gave us food vouchers. At the hotel yesterday morning we were required to show our vaccine cards to be allowed to eat in the restaurant. We made our plates off of the buffet (while wearing masks) and took it back to our room... no big deal. We had our vaccine cards with us, but not in our pockets when we went down for breakfast, so we just ate in our room. I liked that because it was quieter. I would travel to Aruba tomorrow without hesitation, we have no issues with the testing requirements.

100% agree

[joehick]

I was just discussing this with my wife last night. The final payment for our t/s rental is due in a few weeks, and I found myself wishing I had held off renting as early as I did. If I could get a full refund for our t/s, I'd probably cancel. Our trip isn't until early May, and I know a lot can change in four months, but the thought of dealing with testing going there and coming home, dealing with the lines at MIA, driving three hours to our sleep/park/fly, not to mention all the other stuff we have to deal with when we are traveling. That said, I know that once we get there, we will have a blast....and lord knows we need a break. Just hoping things calm down by May and traveling becomes a little easier for everyone.

4 months! That's a life time in covid time.

[phrogg108]

I decided on a (very expensive expensive) whim to just now book our trip for October of this year. I need something positive to look forward to and figured, as a few have said earlier, ya only live once. So, God willing and the covid don't rise, we will go in October once again! If I could go tomorrow, well, I probably wouldn't be able to since I have covid right now but if I didn't, I would absolutely go in a heartbeat!!

[cpjones]

I decided on a (very expensive expensive) whim to just now book our trip for October of this year. I need something positive to look forward to and figured, as a few have said earlier, ya only live once. So, God willing and the covid don't rise, we will go in October once again! If I could go tomorrow, well, I probably wouldn't be able to since I have covid right now but if I didn't, I would absolutely go in a heartbeat!!

Hey friend..... I hope your Covid is mild and easy to tolerate.... and we all look forward to an amazing trip report! Get well quick!

[Colette M]

I decided on a (very expensive expensive) whim to just now book our trip for October of this year. I need something positive to look forward to and figured, as a few have said earlier, ya only live once. So, God willing and the covid don't rise, we will go in October once again! If I could go tomorrow, well, I probably wouldn't be able to since I have covid right now but if I didn't, I would absolutely go in a heartbeat!!

Thats amazing. Good for you! Sometimes you really need a trip to look forward to when things are tough. Knowing you are going will get you through. I did the same thing around Black Friday. Booked for September since we loved Aruba this past September. Hope you and your husband feel better very soon!

[ArubaAngela]

I’m currently in Aruba, we arrived on December 14 and staying until January 31st. We have a condo at Azure Beach Residences and I have to say that I feel safer in Aruba than at home in SW Florida. As Andrea mentioned, Florida has no mask mandates and pretty much a free for all. When we came cases we’re only about 200 and yes Im concerned that they’ve gone up so quickly, but that’s happened everywhere.
one thing that’s happening here is that are so many cases of residents getting sick, and if one person in a family gets Covid they all have to isolate. This week a few restaurants we wanted to go to were closed until next week, due to employees calling in sick. Our restaurant here, Poke-ono is only doing takeout, Las Ramblas was closed this week, as was Windows and Elliottis. Those are only the ones I heard. Also, when we went to Alhambra casino, where we go much too often, LOL, they didn’t have enough dealers working so several tables weren’t open, like the crap table, Mississippi Stud, 3 card poker, and high flush.

When the CDC made the announcement about Aruba going to Level 4, I had 2 friends that are coming this month text me the info. I told them US is Level 4 also, and Aruba has been 4 and just changed to 3 in November. My advice, is to come to Aruba, just be aware of your surroundings, mask up indoors. This was my first Christmas and NYE a here and I was amazed at how crowded the island was. Could tell the difference by January 2nd that people were leaving. Also, since so many people cancelling, planes will not be full coming down.