It's A No Go... Boo..

I was on facebook today, just reading through people's post on my news feed. One of them has a comment, something about making a responsible decision for yourself and others at this difficult time. It was like light bulb hitting my head for that moment, I was pretty much ready to call off the trip given the circumstance with the coronavirus, I think that is really the more responsible action to take. I found that both airbnb and jetblue will provide me full refunds, so I don't have to lose much, maybe only the travel insurance. It was hard to give up the trip though after I have planned it for month, and later in the evening, my Colombian friends texted me and shared this news: Colombia to impose travel ban on all foreigners, except residents and diplomats. I guess I have no choice but to postpone my trip. So disappointed but I will survive. I will just have to go a little later.

The Beginning of Solo in South America - Part 4, a maybe?

Per my original and still the current plan, in exactly 2 weeks from today, I will be flying to Cartagena in Colombia, embarking on a 12-day adventure including a diving and a hang gliding activities all planned. It would have been my 4th trip to South America, and Colombia would have been the 6th country I have visited in Latin America thus far. I have just googled, there are only 12 countries in South America, in other words, I would have visited half the continent in a way! Unfortunately, there is a very very tiny but major obstacle standing in front of me, the coronavirus! This little thing called coronavirus has put China, Korea and Italy in a complete lockdown, and now US has ceased all flights to continental Europe for 30 days. Today, I believe I can still fly to Colombia, but in two weeks, who knows what kind of traveling condition it would be. My concern is not so much about getting the virus, not even about flight cancellations, but rather, if the virus situation is getting severe in the US, a complete lockdown is enforced, I may be trapped outside of the country for a while. That's more concerning than getting the virus for me. My work place has already sent us all to work from home for the rest of March, and there is a small print saying for anyone who has traveled overseas, regardless where, they are recommended to work remotely until further notice. That would be me if I am able to go on my Colombia trip. Even after I come back safe and sound, still I would not be able to go back to my office. It is that crazy a time! Nonetheless, something we can control, like be more vigilant, like washing that freaking hands, like avoiding getting too close to huge crowds or sick people; something we cannot control, like when we are going to die. In any case, we cannot let the fear eat us up, we cannot stop living. We just have to be more careful when we are on the roads, that's all. For some people, probably they would opt to cancel or postpone the trip, para me, I think I will still sit and wait, and see what happens for a little bit. If by any chance, the situation stabilizes for a while and my flight is allowed to fly, I will go on with the original plan. If the situation gets worse, so serious that US ceases all international flights, then I would have no choice but postpone my trip. We'll see... vamos a ver... :)