I must say: It sure would be great to be able to take a trip right now.
I’m confident that all of you who love to travel—especially the millions who, like me, are living under virtual lockdown right now—can relate. And yet, paradoxically, the best thing we can do right now to ensure that we will all be able to travel again soon, and to once again connect with other people around the world, is to stay at home, as far away from everyone else as possible. That’s why I’m joining Vogue’s Anna Wintour and other Condé Nast editors in pledging to stay at home for as long as this takes.
Like others, I was distressed by recent photos of crowded beaches, from Bondi to Fort Lauderdale, in recent days, or the anecdotes I’ve been hearing about Tinder hookups and pickup basketball games here in New York City, just as it has emerged as the latest global epicenter in the COVID-19 pandemic. While our connected world has helped this pandemic’s spread, it also gives us the tools to be together, apart: on Friday evening, my team had a virtual happy hour; over the weekend, I saw many dear faces around the country over Facetime and Zoom that I’d gone months without seeing in the pre-COVID-19 era. I know that there are many people affected by this crisis who don’t have the luxury of these resources, and those of us who do should consider ourselves lucky.
Condé Nast Traveler U.S. Editor Jesse Ashlock at his work-from-home station
Meanwhile, we are also lucky to have our imaginations, which let us fantasize about what that next trip will be when the time comes. And make no mistake, it will come—sooner, if we can all be responsible about the personal choices we make now. That’s why we at Condé Nast Traveler have adopted the mantra “don’t cancel, postpone.” (Follow us @cntraveler on Instagram to see some of the social campaigns we’ll be launching in the new few days.) It’s important for the travel industry, which faces a frightening and uncertain future. But it’s also important for you, to remember that you won’t be housebound and grounded forever, that like everything this is temporary, and that before too long we’ll all be out there again satisfying our curiosity about this strange and wonderful world. Until then, let’s stay home and dream together.
