Happy Hawaiian Holiday - day "minus 9" - why go NOW?

 

Hawaiian Governor Ige and the various county mayors are discouraging tourists and restricting events due to the "delta variant" coronavirus surge in the summer of 2021. Restaurants are operating at 50% capacity, gatherings are limited to 10, and rental cars and fine restaurants are booked out months in advance. Most of the money we have spent up to now is still refundable, for a few more days. Apart from the personal disappointment and burden of canceling, why go to Hawaii now?

• In fact, I am anal about traveling. I book everything far in advance. The flights, rooms, tours, dinners, golf, luau and cars were reserved long ago, in some cases before the virus rates dropped in the spring.
• They haven't said "no". Since we made our basic plans, Hawaii changed the rules to make it easier to enter the state. Recently, new restrictions have been mandated, but our group of 5 is smaller than the maximum gathering size of 10 and the restaurants are open. Vaccinated US citizens like me are exempt from quarantine. The Lieutenant Governor has said any new testing requirements would be announced two weeks before taking effect, and we'll be in the state in 9 days. Politically speaking, the governor is loathe to shut down the tourist industry (again).
• I suppose tourists put pressure on the community spread already occurring, but if I am in Hawaii, I am not contributing to the spread somewhere else. The virus is not a Hawaiian issue; it is a global issue. It simply doesn't matter where I am. The governor of my state could just as easily tell all the residents to go on a trip to reduce the pressure at home. In any case, the rules for flying and entering Hawaii keep the infected away.
• Most of our planned activities take place out of doors; hiking, beaches, golf, even the luau. We just need to wrap ourselves in plastic during the flights.
• My kids are taking me to Hawaii, how cool is that? If we try to postpone, who knows what will happen?

Stay safe.