Among the countless issues Covid has presented in 2020 one impact a lot of travelers have been talking about is “What will traveling look like after Covid.” I think this is an interesting question for many reasons and I wanted to take a little time today to put some thoughts to paper *well digital paper I guess*

I think to start off the best comment I can make is that traveling is not going to be an on/off switch. One day we will not wake up and feel 100% confident that today I can travel vs yesterday I couldn’t. I think as a society working towards a Vacine is the only long-term way to get consumer confidence back to what it was pre-covid, but we know that is potentially years away. We know you all have the traveling bug just like us (and staying inside is driving us all slowly insane) so you might already be planning your first trip which we think is step 1

STEP 1: Just Start Planning

Being stuck inside with access to the internet atleast gives us the ability to research “eventual” trips. My wife and I made a hitlist a few years back and we’ve steadily added to that list over the past 2 months while we are inside. We focused on dream vacations & long term trips aboard & started the planning process. A few items that have come up on our list

– Eventually living abroad for multiple months in possibly Italy of Spain.
*One positive thing Covid has taught us is the feasibility of remote work*

This has meant my wife and I have spent more then 20 hours researching the process of how to make it work. We started refreshing our language learning skills with Duolingo, and it has lead us to discover that she may pursue a different career path (which has lead to more research and work) but all of that is great thing.

I believe one of the most important things we’ve learned is that at some point we will feel ‘more comfortable’ doing a trip then we do today and the type of trip will directly dictate our comfortability.

SHORT TERM TRIP IDEA: Camping!
This is what everyone has been talking about and what is more socially distant then a few friends 6 ft apart from each other around a fire sharing a few drinks (*well actually not “sharing” but you get what we mean)

SHORT TERM TRIP IDEA: Roadtrip!
In the USA we are blessed with some really incredible infrastructure which leads to enjoyable long-drives. Queue up a podcast, pack a few days worth of food in the car and take that long car ride. I know we are considering Skyline Drive in Virginia and the Delaware Water Gap ourselves

We know that the airlines/tourism industries will really be hurting coming out of this so we definitely expect there to be incredible deals to unforgettable locations which are usually to expensive to afford. Take this time to plan out one of your “Once in a lifetime” trips and make a plan to do it after Covid. Visit Bora, Bora or the Maldives, consider snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef or a lavish trip to London (using all your discounts of course)

STEP 2: Realize Travel will be changing long term.
For me this is the hardest thing to consider b/c sadly right now most borders and not open for tourism and we are becoming more nationalistic as a world. This belief I don’t think will change overnight and it’s our job to help lead others when we feel comfortable enough to make these trips.

Get ready to expect a less than stellar visa process, more expensive flight tickets as airline carriers try and make revenue on less global travelers, expect some longer-term hire prices as the industry attempts to function “Safely” while still being profitable. It’s yet to be seen whether Delta can survive without a middle seat or your favorite local restaurant can operate at 50% capacity without going belly up. We definitely have a rough few months and years ahead but don’t let your passion fade.

One of the beautiful things about being self employed is the ability to work from nearly anywhere around the globe. As long as you have your devices and an internet connection, you are up and running in seconds, tackling emails, slack chats, or general to-do items. This realization led us to check our calendars and venture to new places with the goal of answering the question: “Can you travel without missing work?” After our February 2019 trip to Miami, we answered that question was a resounding YES!

Miami, FL: Home to beautiful beaches, boutique hotels, and a blended cultural scene that is unmatched in the United States. With Spanish being the most dominantly-spoken language in Miami, sometimes it’s easy to forget you are still on U.S. soil. The beautiful neighborhoods surrounding Biscayne Bay make even a simple drive around Miami a memorable experience.

After traveling to Miami a few times in the past, Dave and I decided it was time to organize our first “GoWorking” Trip.

What is GoWorking?

It’s a way for entrepreneurs and remote workers to leave their home offices, cubicles, or coworking spaces to travel to a unique city, meet fellow self-employed individuals, and explore a new place all while returning with inbox zero.

Meet the Crew: This animated group was filled with countless characters that made the trip what it was. We had entrepreneurs who started mobile apps for on-demand babysitting (Napp), created a live music website (Phantasy Tours), and worked remote for publishing companies.

Our Agenda: During the mornings, we woke up early and took our conference calls from the on-site safe. We sent emails, kept projects moving forward, and ensured any fires were put out. There were a lot of noise-canceling headphones, and free cold brew to keep us all focused.

The afternoons were when we got to to connect on a professional level with the group. We spent hours talking about our businesses and the challenges we were facing. We shared horror stories and experiences to help each other. Somedays we had tours of local startups like Wyncode, a local idea incubator and coding bootcamp, and Rokk3r Labs, a locally based VC focused on solving industrial problems in Latin America. We even made Concrete Beach Brewing our home base for one afternoon, which we all enjoyed.

The nights were spent exploring Miami’s incredible neighborhoods like Wynwood’s graffiti-filled alleyways and walls. We ventured down to South Beach to take in the night life and even spent time listening to live music and playing pool.

We always had a home base at Miami Beach’s boutique accommodation, Freehand Miami. Their on-site pool and the Broken Shaker cocktail bar made nights sitting around the lights reflecting off of the water a wonderful memory. We met other travelers and connected with a community in ways we never expected.

This was the first, of hopefully many, GoWorking trip. We hope to see you on another soon!