My brother was meant to arrive here next week, it is probably better that things were cancelled in this case. For us, it is always a question of money to travel so far as we have to be away from work unpaid as well, since we can pretty much only travel in the Australian summer, which is Finnish winter without holidays. Unfortunately here, there isn't always the flexibility and holidays are nearly always summer holidays. But, we have to go at some point - my wife and daughter has never been.
!ENGAGE 25
I remember him mentioning the trip and it being cancelled.
I have the same issue with needing a lot of time, being a 15-hour flight. Going for anything less than 2 weeks is awful. And now with increased airfare price and probably quarantine and medical checks at both ends, no thanks. The only people travelling are VIPs who seem to be immune from regulations.
Fortunately, my wife's job is flexible and I get a lot of vacation at my own which is why I don't want to take another job even though I could probably get paid better. Oh well, too many choices.
Yeah it is a challenge now. A big issue for us is that my family are also spread through Australia, which isn't a small country. That and I have a business that doesn't run itself... come on Hive...:)
My sister flew there as fast as she could, but arrived a few hours too late unfortunately. I feel terrible for her. She is now quarantined with permission to attend the funeral and cemetery - and that's it.
It will be interesting to see what happens a year down the track from now in regard to travel and pricing. I am guessing that the prices will go up.
Australia is a big place. Fortunately, my family in Canada is spread out within about 5 hours drive of the Toronto airport. My family in Korea is spread out within a 5 hours drive of Seoul...but some live about as far as you can get from Seoul without leaving the country.
My grandfather died 5 days before I was scheduled to fly to Canada to see him. It would have been my first time seeing him in just under 2 years. I did get to go to his funeral though since he was cremated it was easy to delay a few days longer than usual ~ that and he happened to die on the day I had my wedding ceremony in Korea, and I was headed to Canada to have one there, so they wanted to avoid messing with it more than necessary.
The family spread makes things hard and I have a feeling that my own daughter isn't going to stay in Finland or wherever we are - "life abroad" seems to run in the family.
It sucks that travel isn't instant but at the same time, I think we should remember that not so long ago, we wouldn't have even heard about people passing for months, if ever. It is kind of strange in the modern world as once upon a time, death was so common throughout the demographics that people had to be used to it.
Life is weird.
At least we have face time.