RV Lifestyle Story and photos by Rex Vogel And if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we have no idea what’s coming next. The first half of 2020 has been filled with twists, turns and roadblocks which none of us expected. We’ve had to change our lifestyle...say good-bye...learn to wait. Let’s face it: 2020 has been rough. It has been a year like no other! We’re more than halfway through and no one is sure whether it’s flown by or dragged on. One thing is for sure, however − you deserve some recognition for sticking with us through it all! As I write this in mid-July, much has changed − for our country, our neighbour to the south and beyond. Hopefully, by the time this issue reaches you, we will have a clearer idea of when we will be able to travel to our snowbird roost. (At the time of writing, the border is closed until at least September 21.) After spending half of the year cooped up inside due to a certain virus that we’re all sick of thinking about, our need for a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel has never been greater. But what if the border does not open for snowbird travel? Not wishing to entertain the thought of spending the winter in the igloo that is Alberta fromDecember throughMarch, we have a Plan B (reservation at an RV park in the Lower Mainland in British Columbia). “We’ll Meet Again” was a popular song − and saying − during the SecondWorldWar among Americans and Canadians alike.Then, both countries were united against one enemy, just like during this pandemic. So, expect friendly border crossings again soon − or soonish. Just pack your toque in case you need it, eh? Planning in advance is essential, and that includes a pandemic-specific packing list. Make sure to stock up your COVID kit before departure. Face masks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable plastic gloves and toilet paper are the new road trip essentials. These items are in high demand and may be out of stock. If, for you, these last few months stuck in coronavirus quarantine have felt a little weird, you’re not alone. For me, April through June seemed to take forever. Now, in July, I can’t remember what day it is half of the time. I’m starting to feel as if I’m enduring a perpetual time loop, reliving the same day over and over. But I’mnot alone! Helen Rosner, a writer forThe New Yorker, tweeted that her therapist described this weird time in our lives as “an infinite present,” which feels pretty accurate. With no future plans, no anticipation of travel, or sports, or summer festivals or celebrations, it’s an endless today, never tomorrow. There’s a name for this phenomenon: temporal disintegration, according to E. Alison Holman, PhD, a psychologist and an associate professor with the University of California Irvine’s Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. And, she says, it’s a direct result of trauma. Living in the New Normal If ever the world needed a bridge over troubled waters, it’s in the year 2020. 26 | www.snowbirds.org
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