The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of people to remain confined to their homes for months. But now, with the gradual return to normality and the arrival of summer, many are planning how to spend their vacations. The threat has not yet disappeared and traveling will not be the same as before the disease. We have spoken with seven great Spanish travelers who have visited all the countries of the world - or almost all of them - to tell us how they are going to live this summer and what it has been like to spend quiet months, and locked up, in the same place. Some of them told us, just now a year ago, their lives as travelers and gave us tips for touring the world. What will travel be like from now on for those who have been traveling all their lives?
Jorge Sánchez: writing at home, away from family
Jorge Sánchez dreamed of traveling the world since he was a child. He started with Europe at 18 years old. Today, at 66 years old, he has already visited all the countries that exist. But the pandemic has forced him to stop and cancel some trips that he already had prepared. He has been quarantined in his hometown, Hospitalet de Llobregat, away from his wife and son, who live in Russia. "In May I had planned to travel to Siberia to meet my family, but it could not be," he says.
In the months of confinement, Sánchez has dedicated all his time to writing travel books and for the moment intends to stay in Hospitalet. The trip to Siberia is not the only one he has had to give up. This summer he also planned to fly with his wife and son to the Canary Islands and then return to Siberia with them for the winter. But it does not seem feasible unless the situation changes in the coming weeks and the borders between Russia and Spain open. In May, 75% of world destinations had closed their borders to international tourism due to the coronavirus, according to the World Tourism Organization. Little by little some places have reopened their borders. But just in case, Sánchez has a plan b. If the situation does not improve, he will do alone in September what he considers, after the Camino de Santiago, "the most interesting pilgrimage in Europe". It is the Via Francigena, which consists of walking from the city of Canterbury, in England, to the Vatican. He estimates that this route may take about two months.
Both on this and on his next trips he assures that he will be "extremely careful, much more than before." Now, as soon as he sets foot on the street, he puts on his mask and considers it convenient to wait “until the situation improves or a coronavirus vaccine is found before taking a trip to remote places. I'm not a carefree young man anymore, ”he says.
“No trip is worth more than health. I want to live many years to be able to educate my son and love my wife as long as possible, ”he says. It is not the first time that an illness forces Sánchez to be more careful. Remember how in Ivory Coast he contracted malaria. After a few days of traveling around the country with several Spaniards, he began to have a fever: "My colleagues admitted me to a hospital where I slept three days in a row, although I don't remember anything." Once he woke up, he canceled the rest of his journey through West Africa and returned as soon as possible to Spain.
Marina Comes: without leaving Spain
Marina Comes, from Tarragona, had her first camera at eight years old and when she played with dolls she made them travel. She studied law, worked as a mercantile lawyer for about 12 years and "on the day the perfect circumstances arose" she took a gap year to travel. Now live on it. She is a freelance photographer , has visited 58 countries and shares her experiences on Instagram. In 2019, Forbes magazine included her in its list of the best influencers in Spain.
This summer he will focus "for the first time in many years" on national destinations. The coronavirus crisis led to the cancellation of planned trips to Chile, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Morocco, the United Kingdom or the United States. Even so, she does not consider moving less: "Traveling and photography are my two great passions since I was a child and I do not plan to give them up." This year, "the tourism sector has not been able to plan summer campaigns with influencers " so it has been noted that the projects arrive on short notice and sometimes from one day to the next. In the short term, he intends to visit Navarra, Tunisia, Mallorca, Asturias and Tarragona. "I do not rule out the appearance of any more last minute project," he says.
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Guess who's back to travel life? ✈︎ Hello Navarra🌞💃🏼🇪🇸 ❥ 🇪🇸 Hello everyone! Yes, these photos are from my first post Covid19 getaway and Navarra has been the chosen destination! I can only say that these days we will never be forgotten ... how well we have been treated at @castillodegorraizhotel, the excursions we have done through various areas of Navarra, from the magical forests of Baztán to the desert of Bardenas Reales (the that you see in these 3 photos). If you have missed the Stories, go to my Featured in Navarra right now because I promise you that the locations will surprise you, a lot! Are you ready for all the photos of this first trip? I'm so happy! 🥰 and I hope you are too 😘 ❥ Hey guys! Yes, this is my first trip after lockdown (🥳) and the region of Navarra (in Spain) has been our chosen destination! It's been so exciting to hit the road again, to stay in a beautiful hotel like @castillodegorraizhotel, to go on hikes and take photos in amazing landscapes (like the desert in these photos). If you missed my Stories I reccommend you to check my Highlights about Navarra and you'll be surprised by how diverse this Spanish region can be! From the greenest forests to the most dramatic deserts ... 😍 I'm beyond happy to be back guys and I hope you're happy too! Stay tuned because I'm gonna spam you with many new photos this week! . ❥ #castillodegorraiz #turismonavarra 🧡 ________________________ Dress @revolve Boots @mtngmustang
A post shared by ᗰarina ᑕ omes ✈︎ (@marinacomes) on Jun 29, 2020 at 11:50 PDT
Comes does not have among its objectives to visit all the countries of the world: “To do it in a short time, many of these trips have to last one or two days and that does not appeal to me. I don't care if I repeat a country eight times. There are always new routes to discover ”. She does not consider that the coronavirus will change her way of traveling much: "I have always liked less crowded destinations, natural areas, road trips, secondary roads, inaccessible corners ... I do not like being surrounded by tourists." In addition, he has been traveling with hydroalcoholic gel for years because he finds it "very comfortable". From now on he will also wear the mask to all his trips “as the Japanese did years ago. We laughed at how exaggerated they were to always wear them and I think this custom is here to stay, "he adds.
Sabino Antuña: small excursions in Asturias
Sabino Antuña, 83, was planning to travel to the island of Tasmania in Australia this summer. But he has decided to postpone his plans and stay in Asturias, where he will only make small excursions. Still, he has no intention of stopping traveling. “I don't plan to move less, but I do move to suitable destinations and with preventive measures. In these days I will contemplate alternatives such as European countries with low rates of infection and I will see if in October I can go to Uruguay, which has had few, to visit friends in Punta del Este and continue towards Polynesia, "he says.
As he told Verne last year , he has turned his passion for traveling into his life project. But from now on and until there is a vaccine, he will choose where he will look at every detail: “The damn virus, to me and to all the travelers of the world, must condition us when choosing destinations and means of transportation. " He will avoid traveling by cruise ship or bus and will only attempt to ride trains that allow him to reserve an individual seat. It will also try not to stay overnight at intermediate stops "to avoid some emergency confinement or to do so very close to the airport in order to flee quickly." In addition, it ensures that the mask will not be removed, you will constantly wash your hands, require maximum cleaning in the accommodation and wash your clothes daily.
Before buying any ticket, it is advisable to "check if our nationality or origin of origin can be rejected and find out well about the level of pandemic that the destination country is going through". Although remember that outbreaks appear "where one least expects it." Therefore, it is advisable to book the flight at the last minute, although it may be more expensive, to book the accommodation with possible cancellation up to 24 hours before and to try to make the hotel belong to a chain that is in several cities, which “would facilitate the change of hotel without no cost ”.
In the nearly 60 years he has been traveling in all the countries of the world, he considers that he has gone through similar situations. For example, he has visited countries "that, unfortunately, do not meet even the most basic hygiene conditions." "Cholera, malaria, dengue ... They are just some deadly dangers that require extreme care when traveling frequently in the many countries that have it," he says.
Carlos Useros Moyano: finish the Camino de Santiago, if you can
As a child, Carlos Useros Moyano read books by explorers, leafed through atlases, or gawked at some world map on imaginary routes through unknown countries. He is 50 years old, has visited all the countries of the world and in the last quarter of a century has traveled for an average of six months a year. The rest of the time, in summer, he works in hospitality on the Costa Brava to be able to travel the world with the money saved. "I started working in early July when I normally did it at Easter, in April, because of the coronavirus," he explains.
He had no short-term trip planned. But surely you choose to finish the Camino de Santiago. "The pandemic forced me to leave it in the middle of the French road," he recalls. For the moment, he believes that it is better to visit places in Spain and wait to see how the pandemic evolves and to which countries you can travel and with what guarantees. In the coming months, he believes he will travel less than before the pandemic and to well-ventilated destinations such as "natural parks or places where he can spend more time in nature and enjoy the outdoors." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States indicates that the probability of contagion is greater in closed and poorly ventilated places.
Traveling from now on will not be the same: "I think I will travel more stressed because I will have to be aware of many factors when before I did not have to worry about almost anything." Before the pandemic, he made sure that nobody stole from him, if there was terrorism at his destination or when his visa was going to expire. Now comes into play "the fear of catching anytime, anywhere." To avoid contracting the covid-19, it will flee from crowds and plan ahead what places it is safe to go to and what activities or visits to do.
The symptoms of the disease caused by the coronavirus remind him of those he suffered when he contracted malaria on a trip to Cameroon in 2011. "He had been pale and limp for several days, with bone pain and a high fever," he says. He was diagnosed with malaria and spent a week in bed "with treatment and sweating a lot." Until he regained his energy and was able to continue his journey. "I returned to Spain after several months, although at first I was about to buy a flight," he says.
Sofía Pozuelo: by motorhome in northern Spain
Sofía Pozuelo, a 26-year-old travel blogger, was in Tunisia when the health system in Spain began to collapse due to the coronavirus. She decided to go home and soon afterward the pandemic also forced her to cancel a trip to Pakistan that she had planned for April. “For the summer I did not have anything planned yet when the situation worsened, since I usually organize my trips with little time in advance. I am to improvise ”, he affirms.
In recent weeks he has toured Aragón, Navarra, the Basque Country and France. His next plan is a motorhome trip through the north of Spain and in the short term he intends to move mainly in Europe: “I don't know if I will travel less. Everything will depend on how the situation progresses. We are experiencing something unprecedented for our generation. ” You are aware that you probably cannot keep up with the same pace as before the pandemic. He has visited 34 countries and in the past two years has spent several months in Southeast Asia and South America. Although she considers that there are places in the world where “being a woman can mean an increased risk of something happening to you”, that is something that would not stop her from visiting any country.
There is no doubt that the coronavirus influences the decisions made when traveling: “Whether by destination, how I get to the destination, what I put in my suitcase, the time I go to places so there is less people…". Now he prefers to choose destinations where the pandemic is being better managed and prioritize nature and rural tourism. Also opt for free cancellation reservations and contact any accommodation to ensure you take special hygiene measures. In addition, it considers “more important than ever” to take out travel insurance that includes coverage for medical expenses for coronavirus if traveling abroad and the costs of cancellation of travel due to contagion of the covid-19 or hotel expenses due to the extension of the travel due to medical quarantine on both domestic and international travel.
Álvaro Rojas Encinar: driving through eastern Europe
The instagramer travel Álvaro Rojas Encinar (Wander Reds) picked up an airplane on 10 July after four months. "It has been a long hiatus, considering that the last two years I have dedicated myself to traveling to try to fulfill my objective of visiting all the countries of the world," he explains. He has become the youngest Spanish to do so, at 31, after visiting Cape Verde on December 6, 2019, according to the travel portal Nomad Mania, which keeps track of people who have traveled all countries: "I was very lucky, since having postponed my dream, now it would be impossible to achieve it."
During confinement he has written a book. And you are again ready to resume travel. "It is going to be an unambitious summer for which I am used to," he says. Still, he plans to visit a multitude of places. First he started with a small road trip through eastern Europe in which he plans to visit Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia. You will also try to visit national destinations and pass through Portugal to get to know Coimbra and Alentejo. Afterwards, he would like to go to Turkey and in September, "if destinations outside Europe are still closed", he will take a car trip through southern France, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and San Marino.
If anything has caused the spread of the coronavirus around the world, it is uncertainty. "Everything is in the air, of course, it depends on how the situation evolves with the covid-19," he admits. The pandemic has made her change the way she plans her trips. For years, when he worked as a financier in a multinational, he used to plan his escapades well in advance. Now his intention is "to improvise according to the situation, taking advantage of opportunities or bargains that appear." "Normal travel will not come until a vaccine appears and its use is democratized," she stresses.
As far as possible, he will make trips by car and avoid public transport and crowds: "Driving through Europe and visiting rural or outdoor destinations can be the ideal plan in these times." “Maybe if all goes well, it is a good time to dust off my plans to tour Canada and Russia by car. With all the travel restrictions, the last thing I want is to be crossing many borders and processing several complicated visas. It would be logistical madness! ”She says. Therefore, it is convenient to “simplify”. In other words, "look for a country with a lot to offer, instead of jumping between several on the same trip."
Román Hereter Pascual: waiting for the vaccine
Journalist and photographer Román Hereter Pascual, 61, visited Ethiopia in January. Japan in February. And in March, I was planning to go to Tuscany. But the situation generated in Italy by the coronavirus led him to cancel the trip, as well as another to Japan in April, another to Russia in May, and others to Armenia and Georgia in June.
At the moment, he has not planned new adventures because he does not feel "the urgent need to travel." She is, she says, "waiting for the long-awaited vaccine and better times." With the pandemic, he considers that "the discomforts typical of airports have multiplied exponentially" and recalls the situation generated by some cruises, which have become mobile pockets of the pandemic in which passengers have been confined for more than a month. .
Hereter, if he finally decides to travel, he will do it by car. Thus it is possible to “decide at all times whether to turn around” if new sprouts arise. “Last year I went around the world through Caliphonia, Polynesia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. Now it would be unthinkable, "he says. At the moment, it is time to "renounce exoticism and bet on culture": "Change distance for proximity and have direct control over your own trip so as not to depend on third parties who can restrict our freedom".
At 45, Hereter finished visiting all the countries of the world. He is used to making an average of 10 trips a year. But he assures that "nothing happens" because one is without traveling. In his travels, he says, he has also experienced difficult moments. In Nicaragua, he claims that he witnessed a live confrontation between the guerrillas and the army that left 45 dead. In Tuvalu he was "about to die" from ingesting a sea snail that was poisonous. In Namibia he was left hanging in the desert with two flat tires traveling alone without food or water when there were no mobiles. “I am used to living with a certain risk, but this is invisible. And with age you become somewhat more conservative, also when traveling, "he concludes.
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