Here it is. We’re on the move again. Our lease in Flower Mound, TX, ends on October 31st, Halloween. We extended it until Saturday, November 14th. That gives us 5 weeks to get back into Airbnb mode and hit the road.
The reasons that led us to stop are no longer valid:
There was a global shutdown. Grocery stores were in shortage, and we feared running out of food. There was fear. All activities were closed (Museums, restaurants, etc.).
So, we decided to find a safe place that would allow the kids to have fun:
We had a great time. The kids swam every day, we enrolled them in various classes (programming, soccer, arts, and drawings). And the neighborhood was fantastic with parks and lots of green spaces.
Summer is now over, and it’s been 6 months since we’ve been here.
I don’t pretend to be a spokesperson for pandemic management, but the situation is now stable:
People wear masks. Restaurants are open at low capacity. Different museums and activities now provide limited tickets based on hours. Grocery stores have adapted and can quickly impose limits on products.
In conclusion, humans are very adaptable, and the situation is manageable. This puts us at a crossroads. We want to travel and live. We are dependent on international borders. If the pandemic ends in the coming months, then we will be ready to travel. If the pandemic continues until 2021-2022, then we want to have a place to live before starting the journey.
I also have confidence that the airline industry will adapt in the same way as after September 11. There will be an additional step during check-in, such as validating one’s health status or confirming through a quick test that one is not carrying the virus. This will allow flights to resume, and the airline industry to rebuild.
Finally, Flower Mound, TX, was purely random. We chose to stop here because we were close to this place. If we had been in the middle of Florida, we would have stopped in Florida; if we had been in Montana, we would have stopped somewhere around there.
So, we hit the road again, knowing that we will adjust the plan based on events. Our plan takes us to British Columbia until March 2021. We drive to the east coast and then head north. We might take a trip to Canada if quarantine is no longer mandatory.
Plans are made to change. At any time, we can start the real world tour. We’ll let the second wave take its course in America and Europe and see if borders close and reopen. So, if we make it to New York and feel the situation is viable, we head to France! The same goes for Chicago.
In the pessimistic case, we’ll make it to British Columbia and cross Canada from west to east. Otherwise, we can also go to Hawaii; it would be exotic for the kids while staying within American territory.
As I write this, more than 50 countries without quarantine are reachable for Canadians. Here is the map:
Six months ago, there was no reason to travel. Everything was closed. Now, with the road trip, we’ll be able to gauge the pulse of life and see the fun the family can have by visiting historical sites and strange places.
I’m confident. We’re going for it. I can’t wait. See you soon!