The dream of flying and traveling again
There might be light at the end of the tunnel after a suffocating summer.
For more than seven months, Hong Kong people lost their freedom to travel, like almost everyone else in the planet, because of the epidemic.
Forget the cherry bloom in Kyoto, the street food and bookstore hopping in Taipei, or the relaxing beach and spa in Phuket or Bali, many of us cannot even fancy to visit the Greater Bay Area – including Macau - because of the complicated quarantine arrangement.
Still some of my friends are going to China in summer despite the double 14-day quarantine arrangement when Hong Kong allowed only two people for dining together for the better part of August. (The cap will be raised to four from Friday)
Now that the massage and fitness centres are re-opened, we might even look forward to a further relaxing in karaoke or swimming pool, or even short-haul travel.
The SAR government is in fact approaching 11 countries to set up “travel bubbles” , including the favourite tourist spots - Japan and Thailand – but not Taiwan, where there are more than just travel issues.
So perhaps we can actually plan something around Christmas – fingers crossed.
It looked easier said than done because the restart process is going to be a long and winding road.
The so-called travel bubble will facilitate easier travel but still travelers would have to be tested before departure and upon arrival.
Health code may help but it is going to be a gradual process.
There might be quotas and quite likely limitations as to where people can visit. For example, it will probably be Kyushu and Okinawa, not Tokyo or Osaka, to be opened first.
Travel experts said the travel talk, which has been going on for some time under the project code “Open House Hong Kong”, is not something novel, but it aimed to boost hopes in the ailing travel sector.
Still it is the first step in the right direction, noting that it is only a small step in the long back-to-normal journey, they said.
Meanwhile, turn on Youtube for your dream destination and enjoy your takeaway. Stay well and ready for your next journey.
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