Looking forward to getting away has been on everyone’s minds - whether it’s just crossing borders from New South Wales to Queensland, Victoria into WA or international travel.
Though the lockdown on the Northern Beaches and subsequent travel chaos has shown just how precarious the situation is as a result of the pandemic.
And the responses from the FINSIA community - even before the Sydney cluster - have shown a subdued sense of caution, with most thinking about destinations closer to home.
AUSTRALIA unsurprisingly is top of the list, and the majority of FINSIA members and contributors say they are looking forward to be able to visit family rather than heading off to a specific place.
Joy of Money co-author Julia Newbould summed it up, saying: “I am happy to stay close to home at the moment - I much appreciate my surroundings and helping those in retail and hospitality around our own areas that I’m not even thinking about my next overseas trip yet.”
Though she has been able to spend “a lovely long weekend at Ettalong on the Central Coast and go on a yoga retreat in the Blue Mountains which was a great change of pace.”
Co-author Kate McCallum, who took part in the Joy of Money webinar series for FINSIA, said: “We did a staycation in July this year – we planned something each day that was new and different in our local area.”
But Kate SF FIN is Iooking to travel further afield once the efficacy of vaccines has been proven.
“In terms of where I’d like to go when things open up, I find skiing exhilarating and love Japan. So a ski trip to Japan will be top of my list.,” she added.
FINSIA Vice President Grant Cairns F FIN plumped for Byron Bay hinterland.
FINSIA President Victoria Weekes SF FIN had to cancel several international trips - to the US and China - during 2020 but managed to take breaks in the Blue Mountains and the mid north coast for a farm stay.
Funds and Asset Management chair Wes Hatch F FIN almost certainly speaks for the majority when he says: “Cannot wait to head home to see the family in Perth and to travel more through Australia.”
NEW ZEALAND is where our Retail and Business Banking council’s Chris Bayliss - Judo Bank CFO & COO - is looking forward to for a next holiday.
“Most looking forward to visiting Queenstown NZ, as I had two holidays there cancelled in 2020, including one for skiing,” he told InFinance.
NEW CALEDONIA was mentioned by several respondents eager to leave Australia but not head too far.
ITALY was one of the places in Europe that came up as a go-to holiday spot with several votes.
Western Australia Council chair Wayde Keyser F FIN was one of those, recalling a trip to Lake Como, where he “was a couple of years ago. Can’t wait to go back there to ride the bike, eat lots of pizza (and gelare) and enjoy beautiful weather and scenery.
Lake Como was also mentioned by a hopeful traveller looking to go there Sicily, Portofino, and the Amalfi Coast.
GREECE is where Financial Advice & Services chair Vicky Ampoulos SF FIN would have gone if she had the chance - as it’s regular destination.
Author Heidi Dening, who took part in a FINSIA webinar with tips on resilience building back in July, is also thinking of Greece for a Mediterranean holiday.
She said: “I’ve had a massive urge throughout 2020 to get to the Greek Islands where i can eat freshly caught fish, swim in warm waters, immerse myself in Greek culture and drink cocktails while I watch the sun go down.”
But given the caution, it’s probably a question of heeding the words from her webinar.
“Have something that you are going to look forward to. We can't travel very far at all, but what if by the end of the year that you could travel to one of the regional areas of your State that was decimated earlier this year by Bush fires,” she said.
“What if you started looking into that town or where you're going to stay? Where are you going to eat? What things that they had for you to do and start planning to live life again. Often it is the planning of good things in our lives that can bring us so much joy and have something to look forward to.”
