Coming through the pandemic

Published On: 23 Feb, 2021 05:14 PM

It is now 22nd February 2021 and just under a year since we were last over at the villa. And what a year it has been for everyone!
When we went over to Florida at the beginning of February 2020 Covid was not really something of any great significance in our minds. We had heard the occasional news item about it but no one seemed to be overly concerned at that stage. We visited all of the theme parks and they were as busy and fun as always and we had several wonderful weeks holiday with various family members. So nice was the weather that as a last minute idea we invited my 84 year old Mum out to join us for a week. Sadly she fell and broke her shoulder on her second day with us and at that point everything started to change! For a week she was in and out of hospital as a result of a bad reaction to the medication she was given and was unfit to fly home on her booked flight. By now the threat of Covid had become very real and the thought of her and then a week later us even being on a plane was a worry. Even more of a concern though was that flights back to the UK were starting to get cancelled and we were incredibly worried about not getting my Mum on another flight. Fortunately a week later than originally planned Mum was fit to fly and got a flight home in early March. By then our own return flight due the week later was starting to be at risk. All of a sudden the theme parks closed and at that point flights started to cancel too as well as costs for a seat suddenly rocketing. We looked into trying to get an earlier plane back but seats were hard to get and by then the cost was ridiculously high so we decided to wait it out until our scheduled flight home. At the airport you could see the tension on everyone’s faces waiting for the desk to open and boarding to begin because even at that stage there was talk in the queue that the flight may be cancelled. Luck was on our side and we were checked in. I was so relieved I actually cried when we walked away from check in knowing we were able to get home. It was one of the last few flights to do so.
Since then life for us all has been one of lockdown restrictions, travel plans cancelled and for many the worst case scenario of loss of loved ones. We have heard of many villa owners who have had to sell their Florida villas because the loss of rental income for so long made being the dream of being an owner no longer a possibility. We thank our lucky stars that we have been able to weather the storm and not loose Florida Delight although I can’t say we haven’t had a few sleepless nights over the past few months.
By the end of November 2020 we had our first guests in 8 months staying at the villa again which was absolutely wonderful. Since then we have been very happy to have had a few more families stay and things are starting to show a return to a bit of normality. This photo was sent to us from a family staying in the villa in January and it well and truly warmed our hearts seeing the pool being used and enjoyed again. All of our guests booked in for most of 2021 are from the US but by October we have our first families from the UK due to fly out and we know they have their fingers well and truly crossed that by then flights will be a back to normal again and we will all be vaccinated and safe to travel. Here’s hoping.
In the meantime there is still quite a way to go for us all but it seems like we are starting to see positive steps in the right direction. Stay safe everyone x