[Garywt]

Originally Posted by rustyp

Do you have a place to stay lined up for ten days last minute high season ?

Yes, our house.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by GRACEALLEMAN

We live in the villages... in the quiet part, we also just moved here after a long drive, but further than yours, Portland Oregon!,... if you're looking for a place to stay?...we have a beautiful clean quiet queen sized room with a private bath that we rent to visitors. We were super host on Airbnb for 15 years, if you're interested please get ahold of me, we have no pets and no children, thank you

Thank you for the offer but we own a house in The Villages.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Larry chappel

You state you're retired and the cold bothers you. Why not come down and stay until your wife can join you in April. You own a home here use it and enjoy life.

I have to go home to get my Chemo and a few other things.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Cheapbas

It’s a tough drive, we tried it on Jan 3rd, a Sunday, light traffic day and planned on trying to do it straight through. Well courtesy of oversleeping and some traffic backups due to accidents, after 14 hours and most of the way through SC we just couldn’t do it. We finished the remaining 6 hours the following morning

We generally leave around 4:30 in the afternoon so we get through NY and NJ without traffic. We had been driving through and if we left on chemo days I could easily drive until 9:30 in the morning or longer. My wife would do the last 3 or so hours and we would arrive early afternoon. Driving on a regular day the 2-3 AM time could become deadly so we started to stop in Virginia to spend the night.

[Garywt]

Wow, one of the 2% I guess. It is just a conversation.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Jean G

It’s great that you asked for input. I personally find others can bring up things I hadn’t considered. My only thought, being a woman, is “How does your wife feel about you going without her?” Good marriages respect each other.

She is the one generally telling me to go. She is a little concerned this time. If I could fly she would be totally fine but the doctor has told me no planes so no planes. it is.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by davephan

If the vaccinations only last for three months, and it takes over a year to vaccinate the whole population, it’s pretty easy to see that plan will fail!

The OP’s wife must not have a ‘remote’ job. I think that the best solution is to hunker down in the snow belt state until your wife is free to get time off from work to take vacation time. Then fly down to Florida, so that you don’t waste a lot of the short vacation time driving to and from Florida.Then rent a car in Florida, so that you’re not trapped in the Villages, without a car. A week car rental isn’t that much more expensive than two round trip shuttle rides.

You might consider flying first class, if you can afford it. It’s much less crowded and packed in at the front of the aircraft. Sun country has $45 to $49 extra cost seats in the first several rows, much less expensive than airlines that offer first class seating. There were many empty seats in that area, and it was packed behind that section. We felt much more comfortable, not having to sit in the totally packed area of the aircraft.

Nope, wife is a hospice nurse and has to see patients everyday. Doctors says no planes. Even with the shots I will still wear the mask etc and do everything I have been doing for a year. I do sit in the house day after day because or the cold and snow. I can’t afford to fall as my bones are compromised and the cold goes right through those old bones.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by laboutj

Can I ask OP why you can't fly? I personally think it's safer than going shopping in Publix. There are HEPA filters in the cabins and the air gets turned over every 3 minutes.

My doctor says no flying. My immune system is very compromised do to all the chemo I have had. I follow his orders as I put my life in his hands everyday.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by merrymini

Why come down without your wife? Things in Florida are pretty wide open considering how closed a lot of states are like NJ where I am now for my son’s wedding. I feel like I am incarcerated! Do not believe a lot of what you hear on this site. People are as scared as jack rabbits and will say anything.

There are a few things I want to get done and check on some things. After April we will not be back until Oct or November. It is not as fun without my wife but we have friends down there so that helps.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by FutureFloridian

I can understand why you're really torn, but can't help you make the decision.

As others have mentioned, the second dose of the Covid vax can pack a big punch. While DH and I haven't yet received it, our daughter (age 25, currently on emergency medicine rotations) received the second dose and had several of the typical reactions. My MIL (age 90's) received the second dose and had no reactions, whatsoever. Go figure.

Also, keep in mind that it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination.



I don't think anyone mentioned this, but if you go to FL, what's your state's re-entry procedure?

In NY, travelers must obtain a test within three days of FL departure, prior to arrival in NY. The traveler must, upon arrival in NY, quarantine for three days. On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test... If both tests are negative, you are free ! This essentially turns the 10 day quarantine into a +/- 6 day quarantine. This is still the rule in NY, even if the traveler has received both shots.

Are you and your wife both OK with you coming back to your home after traveling, or will you need to find somewhere else to isolate, as you await the results of your Covid tests or wait to make sure you don't develop Covid (unlikely, because you'll be vaccinated)?

All the best to you, whatever you decide

Thanks, my wife has tests for me and our friend in the Villages can test me as well. I am basically isolated anyway and my wife, being a nurse, has been exposed a number of times.

[Garywt]

Originally Posted by Professor

Stay with your wife for crying out loud. You only have so many days left on this earth...so why spend them alone? My wife and I are together 24/7 (we both work remotely from home) and have not been apart in years...and yes, we like it that way.

She works and I don’t. We are together most times. She is sitting on the couch next to me now after I had chemo all day. We camp together, we boat together, we live in our house together and generally head to our Florida home together but sometimes we don’t.

[Garywt]

Thank you to most who replied with thoughts and suggestions. Will definitely hold off through the weekend to see how I am feeling. Still might hold of longer than Thayer but only time will tell.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Considering how much is closed due to the virus why not wait at least until the vaccine has taken hold.

In the words of Confucious he who buys house without wife is an idiot.

Assume you meant closed up there, not much closed here. Also he can look into the Auto Train.

[LizzieBorden]

I think you asked the question to get some ideas...not smart remarks. I would wait for a couple days after the shot as most people I know that have had the Moderna have a reaction. On your day of departure, I would leave extremely early AM and drive your 10 hours and be off the road and in a hotel (even though they seem to be safe, I bring my sanitizing items and clean all surfaces). That way you may be driving in the dark at the beginning of your trip, but you will be off the road mid afternoon and then find a hotel and rest up. On your second day, same thing, up early, hit the road, stop every two hours, stretch for 5 minutes and get back on the road. You will be here before 5 pm on the second day. Listen to your music on the way down, pack a lunch, make it a fun trip even though you are by yourself. I have done it quite a few times and its not so bad. When traffic wasnt heavy, I made some phone calls and talked with some old friends along the way etc. Enjoy, and come stay in your home, even if you have to take four total days to go here and back home, it will clear your head, get you out of the cold, and you get to enjoy your home. Coming south, when we stop, we usually stop at at exits that have a Cracker Barrel. Not to eat, but to walk around in their shop, use the rest room, and it gets us out of the car. We use the app “I Exit”. Try it out, there are a lot of good things on that. I say life is short, you should go for it. The alternative is sitting home, not going outside, dealing with the cold when you have to. It will be March here and our days are already getting warmer. Pack your snacks and drinks in a cooler. We also make our hotel reservations at Hampton Inns or Hamton Properties, We are Hilton members, and when the pandemic is over, we will start traveling more. That way, mentally, you know you have a place to sleep, and you know exactly how far you are going that day. These are the tips we have learned over the years. GO FOR IT!!

[Skunky1]

When you’re in a partnership stick with it. In other words suck it up and wait for your lady.