COVID-19

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Dear Globetrotter:

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 541st issue of your monthly worldwide travel magazine, “yours” because it is largely comprised of letters, articles and photographs submitted by you and your fellow subscribers.

"My wife, Eileen, and I left Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 12, 2020, flying to Quito, Ecuador, via Miami to join a cruise to the Galápagos Islands ... .

"Upon arriving in Quito, and because of COVID-19, passengers were greeted by airport staff in full hazmat suits checking our temperature and handing out health questionnaires, all before we entered the country."

(excerpt from John Leach's letter)

Excerpt from letter submitted by Beverly Hazen (Mayville, NY) "... Upon our arriving in Seville [March 11, 2020], we heard of President Trump’s announcement that flights from Europe to the US would cease in a matter of days. While there was an underlying concern regarding COVID-19 that could not be totally ignored, the tour itinerary was keeping us moving along, and our tour director was reassuring that the tour was continuing. ..."

On Nov. 21, 2020, moving to my new home, I flew from Vancouver, BC, Canada, to Nairobi, Kenya, on Lufthansa.

While I knew of Kenya’s Ministry of Transport’s directive that proof of a negative result of a PCR-based COVID-19 test, taken within 96 hours of arrival, had to be presented for entry into that country, what I wasn’t aware of was that it had to be presented at check-in at the airport before leaving Canada.

"I wanted to give a shout-out to one of ITN’s advertisers, Flo Tours. ... I was booked with them to travel to the five ’Stans, Sept. 7-25, 2020. Due to COVID-19, they had to cancel the tour on Aug. 4. I was offered a credit to another of their tours anytime through 2022.

"I requested a refund of my deposit instead, on Aug. 6, and they graciously credited my credit card the next day." (excerpt of letter from Mary Anderson, Littleton, CO)

Following is an excerpt from a letter submitted by Linda Vogel of Pomona, California:

"I had a happy experience with the travel insurance company Generali Global Assistance (San Diego, CA, 800/874-2442; www.generalitravelinsurance.com), from whom I had purchased insurance for a March 30-April 22 tour of Algeria, Tunisia and Malta that was subsequently canceled due to COVID-19. ..."

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 537th issue of your monthly worldwide travel magazine. Though featuring fewer pages than in previous years, and despite all that’s happened since the coronavirus showed up, ITN is still in production. We appreciate the continuing support of those who have felt moved to respond to Evenyl Roemmich’s “Travel Resource Challenge” (July ’20, pg. 26). It truly helps. Thank you.

"My wife, Debbie, and I had fully paid for a “Pearls of Dalmatia” tour (mostly Croatia) with Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA; 888/370-6765, odysseys-unlimited.com). The tour was to be April 16-May 3, 2020, and cost just over $9,000 for the two of us, including extensions but not airfare.

"On March 16, Odysseys called to say they were canceling the tour and offered either a credit for a future booking or a full refund. We chose the full refund, and the money was returned to our credit card while we were still on the phone. ..."