Do you think as many Aussies will make trips overseas?

[MMDown Under]

12 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Have a look at the Aveda Leura in the link that lyndarra posted above.

Nice, but out of my price range.  

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, possum52 said:

There was a court case by US Winnebago against the Australian company - https://avidarv.com.au/2013/06/14/winnebago-australia-successful-in-retaining-the-winnebago-brand/ if you are interested in reading about it.

 

1 hour ago, possum52 said:

There was a court case by US Winnebago against the Australian company - https://avidarv.com.au/2013/06/14/winnebago-australia-successful-in-retaining-the-winnebago-brand/ if you are interested in reading about it.

That was it. It was in the back of my mind as it was in local news back then.

[lyndarra]

40 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That was the company I was thinking of but couldn't remember the name. I want the Longreach! 🤣

They have a massive range of new and used motorhomes (or RVs as our northern cousins call them).

Wife and I bought a second hand 16' Viscount pop top caravan there which I still have but now thinking of selling it.

[OzKiwiJJ]

29 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Nice, but out of my price range.  

Did you look at the second hand listings?

[MMDown Under]

6 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Did you look at the second hand listings?

no

[DiamondFour]

On 5/4/2020 at 7:53 AM, MMDown Under said:

1 million Aussies live permanently abroad.  More than 11 million trips overseas were taken by Aussies in 2019.

ABC News

 

Thinking about future travel, as always.

• What do you think about overseas travel, in the future?
• Do you have a desire to see more of Australia, after the long drought and devastating bushfires and corona virus lockdown? Originally yes, but not anymore due to disgraceful behaviour of Australians driving caravaners out of towns, driving backpackers away and our general failure to help people in need.
• Will finances effect your decision, e.g. poorer investment returns, weak Aussie dollar. No as money not spent now can be used later
• If there is no vaccine, by 2021, will that effect your overseas travel decisions, from 2021? Definitely not as I am not going to quit living and live the rest of my life in fear.
• Would you travel to NZ as part of NZ/Aus bubble? No, done New Zealand far too many times to care to go again.

 

 

As soon as international borders reopen I will be booking my first available trip to Japan and possibly the Diamond Princess if it is still there.

[Tikibird]

We do mostly land trips to more remote places for bird watching and only occasional cruises. 
I don't think we would fly to a ship until things are 100% normal because it's one more stress if we had to cancel; but there are enough good itineraries out of Brisbane so that is not a problem.

Over the last few years, (knowing we are not getting any younger) I have been prioritizing the long haul flights like Africa, South/Central America (birding), Turkey (have friends there) and the occasional SE Asia.  Partly because of getting older, partly because it is no longer as easy to get miles as it used to be.  My husband uses a CPAP since the last 6 months so he can't do long haul anymore.  I was planning to do any remaining long haul on my own and we go to short haul (no overnight flights) SE Asia or Pacific Islands together, also cruises ex-Brisbane.  I am also worried about increasing travel health insurance as we get older so I want to finish all physically challenging overseas travel goals before we are 64-65ish.  There isn't a whole lot left - remote Indonesia, Singapore, maybe Philippines, PNG, Fiji, New Caledonia, Solomons, NZ South Island.  I would have liked to get to Mexico, Guyana, Northern Brazil, Northern Peru, Chile but that was always going to be financially challenging. 

The virus will not affect our travel as described above other than what the law allows or has banned.  The minute the bans are lifted I will be booking more trips.  If a vaccine is available of course we will get it.  But if it doesn't happen, we are not going to "exist" in fear.  That's not "living" in my book.  We believe in living life to the fullest and travel is a huge part of that.  We will also obey any social distancing and mask wearing laws set by the country we are in. 

14 day hotel quarantine especially if we have to pay for it would kill this as they seem to use 4-5 star hotels and would probably be rack rates.  Quarantine at home would not be an issue. 

We do have future travel around Australia planned for the future after we are 65 and buy a new car.  Our current car is 2007 Ford Fiesta and not up for long road trips. 

[BrissieB]

1 hour ago, Tikibird said:

 My husband uses a CPAP since the last 6 months so he can't do long haul anymore.  I was planning to do any remaining long haul on my own and we go to short haul (no overnight flights) SE Asia or Pacific Islands together, also cruises ex-Brisbane.

Why does this mean you can't do long haul anymore?

My husband has had a CPAP machine for the last decade and that has not stopped us doing any long haul flights.  There are travel CPAP machines available and some airlines have power available to certain seats. 

Don't rule out something you love to do together when there are some good options available to get around it.

[ilikeanswers]

3 hours ago, Tikibird said:

I would have liked to get to Mexico, Guyana, Northern Brazil, Northern Peru, Chile but that was always going to be financially challenging. 

 

Just curious why you say Mexico is financially challenging? My experience has been that it one of the cheapest countries to travel in. 

[Tikibird]

3 hours ago, BrissieB said:

Why does this mean you can't do long haul anymore?

My husband has had a CPAP machine for the last decade and that has not stopped us doing any long haul flights.  There are travel CPAP machines available and some airlines have power available to certain seats. 

Don't rule out something you love to do together when there are some good options available to get around it.

He is not nearly as keen on the exotic bird watching as I am.  And I would rather not have to deal with the machine on a plane.  Hence take day flight to destination and sleep in a hotel.
 

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

Just curious why you say Mexico is financially challenging? My experience has been that it one of the cheapest countries to travel in. 

 

The cost of getting there from Australia!!!  And preferably not via USA, would be up through South America as part of a big multi country trip.

Edited May 9, 2020 by Tikibird

[ilikeanswers]

2 hours ago, Tikibird said:

The cost of getting there from Australia!!!  And preferably not via USA, would be up through South America as part of a big multi country trip.

 

I see what you are worried about and yes if you go via Santiago it is expensive but from what I have worked out when calculating the expenses of my trips even with the pricey flights my Mexico trip is still the cheapest one I have ever done and I was a little over a month in the region. So while the flights might be expensive you make up a lot of savings in country 😉. 

[BrissieB]

9 hours ago, Tikibird said:

He is not nearly as keen on the exotic bird watching as I am.  And I would rather not have to deal with the machine on a plane.  Hence take day flight to destination and sleep in a hotel.
 

Well if he's not as enthusiastic about birds as you that makes sense.  I can assure you CPAP on a plane is not a big deal so if you do find somewhere a bit further away to go together don't rule it out.  I know in the early days of hubby having a CPAP it felt like a huge effort but we've done so much travel with it now it's just as easy as packing your phone or socks :). 

[MISHELL1968]

I don't think there will ever be a 'cure' for COVID, it's going to be like the flu going forward.  Every year there may be a vaccination, like the flu shot, for the most virulent strain.  It's a virus, after all, and mutates quickly - already several different strains around the world impacting different communities.  Maybe going forward we have an annual COVID shot, if we chose, much like some of us chose to have a flu shot.

There will never be a cure.

 

We will never be rid if it.

Travel is a calculated risk, as it always has been.  Travel, or not, cruise, or not, ultimately it's going to be your choice based upon the risks as you weigh them.  Things are, certainly, going to be different and there may be some particular rules/expectations regarding what we do (as individuals) should we become infected whilst undertaking a 'high risk' activity - and cruising may be deemed to be just that!

At this point in my life, without and major health issues *touch wood*, I will cruise again as soon as I can.

 

I won't fly unless I have to, but that's because I am $h!t scared of flying 😄

PS: to answer the actual question - who knows!  I can only answer for myself  🙂

Edited May 9, 2020 by MISHELL1968

[DiamondFour]

2 hours ago, MISHELL1968 said:

There will never be a cure.

 

We will never be rid if it.

There will definitely be a cure and vaccine. The medical Doctors I have spoken to on recent appointments are confident that there definitely will be both. Also the medical news I have been reading is that experts have identified proteins that are used in existing vaccines that have the ability to kill the virus and bind to it that are already approved for human use. As the virus fizzles out in Europe and we continue to watch over the summer techniques will be developed in the mean time to identify and isolate people reducing spread until a vaccine is produced. Out with the old of turning up to work with a runny nose. That is in the past. Things will change but as far as vaccines are concerned if a fully qualified Doctor has told me he is confident a vaccine will be developed then he is someone that I will believe.

[lyndarra]

12 minutes ago, DiamondFour said:

There will definitely be a cure and vaccine. The medical Doctors I have spoken to on recent appointments are confident that there definitely will be both. Also the medical news I have been reading is that experts have identified proteins that are used in existing vaccines that have the ability to kill the virus and bind to it that are already approved for human use. As the virus fizzles out in Europe and we continue to watch over the summer techniques will be developed in the mean time to identify and isolate people reducing spread until a vaccine is produced. Out with the old of turning up to work with a runny nose. That is in the past. Things will change but as far as vaccines are concerned if a fully qualified Doctor has told me he is confident a vaccine will be developed then he is someone that I will believe.

Does "fully qualified" include immunology?

There is still no vaccine for SARS, MERS and the common cold. These are all corona type viruses.

It took years too develop a vaccine for the papilloma virus, the cause of cervical cancer.

We can hope for a vaccine but don't hold your breath waiting.

[DiamondFour]

6 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Does "fully qualified" include immunology?

There is still no vaccine for SARS, MERS and the common cold. These are all corona type viruses.

It took years too develop a vaccine for the papilloma virus, the cause of cervical cancer.

We can hope for a vaccine but don't hold your breath waiting.

I do not question what my Doctor is qualified in but as far as my Doctor being confident of a vaccine that gives me confidence.

 

From what I know the common cold is a different type of virus (rhinovirus) to this new coronavirus. The common cold is supposedly on the same branch of the virus family tree as polio. From what I have read SARS and MERS sent away quick enough so the money dried up that was funding a vaccine. I have read articles that vaccines were close to being developed and then the viruses waned off and vaccine research was stopped.

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, DiamondFour said:

I do not question what my Doctor is qualified in but as far as my Doctor being confident of a vaccine that gives me confidence.

 

From what I know the common cold is a different type of virus (rhinovirus) to this new coronavirus. The common cold is supposedly on the same branch of the virus family tree as polio. From what I have read SARS and MERS sent away quick enough so the money dried up that was funding a vaccine. I have read articles that vaccines were close to being developed and then the viruses waned off and vaccine research was stopped.

You are correct. However there is more than one virus that causes "common cold" of which rhinovirus is one, as is coronavirus, and there are others that remain unidentified.

[redransom]

On 5/4/2020 at 11:31 AM, Pushka said:

I think the issue is that Insurance will never again cover for Covid. And if there is still active disease and there is no vaccine nor very effective treatment then unless we are going to a country with reciprocal health care (UK and I think Italy???) then unless we are immune from it then we can no longer travel overseas. 

Without a vaccine I wonder if we could even get travel insurance for Australia/NZ cruises?

[Porky55]

On 5/4/2020 at 7:53 AM, MMDown Under said:

Thinking about future travel, as always.

• What do you think about overseas travel, in the future? Most definitely, have family in Europe - son and grandkids so no brainer 🙄 But it will happen without a doubt, Global economy and all that stuff!
• Do you have a desire to see more of Australia, after the long drought and devastating bushfires and corona virus lockdown? Not particularly
• Will finances effect your decision, e.g. poorer investment returns, weak Aussie dollar. No 
• If there is no vaccine, by 2021, will that effect your overseas travel decisions, from 2021? Yes - feel a vaccine really needs to be part of the return to a “normal” world.
• Would you travel to NZ as part of NZ/Aus bubble? Probably 

 

[MicCanberra]

Insurance (or lack of it for many) would be a bit stopper for people to travel.

[VK3DQ]

On 5/11/2020 at 7:52 AM, MicCanberra said:

Insurance (or lack of it for many) would be a bit stopper for people to travel.

Yes Just checked on Insure & Gos website ..no new policy's ...one would be very unwize to travel without travel insurance

 

Regards

John 

[joejoe 59]

On 5/6/2020 at 11:13 AM, MMDown Under said:

Does anyone own a small motor home or a camper van?  I prefer the small size, but would like an en suite.  

I love camping.  We camp at Woodford for the Woodford Folk Festival and Mullum for Bluesfest.  I love the lifestyle.  You meet such interesting people camping.  However, as one gets older going to the toilet, during the night, gets to be a problem. 

We love camping as well. We have met many lovely people on cruises that also camp/caravan. 

We have a Viscount but if we were to move to something with shower/toilet we would look at a Golf Savannah,  only about 17ft but has everything. 

Sadly we should be hopping on a Mediterranean cruise tomorrow followed by a Baltic cruise😢

 

[MMDown Under]

2 hours ago, joejoe 59 said:

We love camping as well. We have met many lovely people on cruises that also camp/caravan. 

We have a Viscount but if we were to move to something with shower/toilet we would look at a Golf Savannah,  only about 17ft but has everything. 

Sadly we should be hopping on a Mediterranean cruise tomorrow followed by a Baltic cruise😢

 

That would have been lovely trip.  Australians tend to make the long haul flights worthwhile, by doing extended travel, which makes the disappointment higher. 

[joejoe 59]

On 5/17/2020 at 4:06 PM, MMDown Under said:

That would have been lovely trip.  Australians tend to make the long haul flights worthwhile, by doing extended travel, which makes the disappointment higher. 

Yes it would have been a fantastic trip, maybe we will get to still do it sometime in the future. 

[lyndarra]

To date I've done six trips to the UK/Europe. The shortest was 3 weeks, the longest 8 weeks. When going that far we made sure we made the most of it.

Edited May 20, 2020 by lyndarra
typo