Better late than never

Two years ago, Carol and Chuck Siegel planned to take their younger grandchildren on an African safari for their b’nai mitzvahs. Ron Krit, his wife, and two sons planned a family vacation to Toronto. And Zach and Erica Hofeld–who were dating at the time–booked a Honeymoon Israel tour.

None of these trips ended up happening in 2020 thanks to the pandemic. But now, as the world continues to return to normal, all three families have gone on their vacations–and found their travel experiences much sweeter for the wait.

For the Siegels, who had been on two safaris in the past, went on one safari together and a second with their oldest grandchildren, said their third visit to Africa was very different from their previous trips. “Traveling is not like before,” Chuck said. “On our first trip, the only line we waited in was a security line. It’s not that way anymore.”

Changing requirements for COVID testing and vaccination to fly into South Africa combined with the usual planning required for international travel proved stressful for the Siegels. “It was a chore to get all this done,” Chuck said, “but I would do it again in a minute!”

And as soon as they got to their destination, “it was wonderful to not have to worry because everything we did was outside,” Carol enthused. “It was very exciting being close to leopards, lions, and elephants–and very special to share this experience with our grandchildren.”

On his family’s vacation, Ron Krit also found ways to stay outdoors. Although they planned to visit Toronto before the pandemic, they decided to go to New York City instead to see the sights and visit family members who they hadn’t seen in the last two years on the way back.

For both the family visit and the vacation, “we consciously planned activities that were outdoors,” Krit said. They visited The Edge–a skyscraper offering the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere–and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, toured the Statue of Liberty, and spent time in Central Park.

One of the benefits of traveling during this time was a significant decrease in crowds. “I feel like if we did the same trip two years ago, there would have been so many more people,” Krit said.

Overall, he continued, “it was a fantastic trip and what made it even better was that we hadn’t traveled in a long time, so it was special to ‘get out of Dodge.'”

Zach Hofeld described his travel experience similarly–as he visited Israel, “a special place in my heart,” for the third time; his new wife, Erica, got to experience the country for the first time.

Erica was excited to “build my Jewish community” after converting to Judaism. “It was really important to me, and can be tricky when you’re older,” she said. On the trip, the “little moments of bonding with the group and having meaningful conversations” were even more special after two years of pandemic-related isolation.

During their trip last spring, Zach and Erica took time to consider their values and how they will want to raise children–and enjoyed visiting sites like the Western Wall and meeting Israelis with fascinating life stories.

In addition to fewer crowds, the Hofelds felt safe traveling because of their vaccinations and screenings. Honeymoon Israel also implemented high safety standards to ensure travelers could focus on the experience instead of the pandemic.

For people considering if now is the right time to go on belated trips, Zach advises, “Go! It’s a no-brainer. If you’re medically cleared, there’s everything to gain by getting back out there.”