Copenhagen to Rome sounds dreamy. We will definitely keep you posted about where we are going to be. Cappuccino every morning for me!  Keith and I are enjoying your current adventures. We are getting lots of good ideas. The Canadian dollar is in free fall though, so it won’t be this year, that is for sure. 

You have all my sympathy and then some. Keith and I had a non cycling trip to Australia in October and November for our youngest son’s wedding and we often contemplate when we watch the news that our timing was very lucky. At the time, with the fires (the wedding was in the Blue Mountains) we weren’t so sure!  Incidentally, we love Australia and we are going to get our bikes there one day, although it has many of the problems Canada does...long distances between spots and busy highways. Unless we are hiking the back country Keith and I are leaving the tent at home these days. 

Our oldest son and his wife are living in Singapore so we are looking at a trip there. I would like to go via Vietnam and do a bike tour there. It would be our first supported tour I am pretty sure. A good way to get our feet wet biking in that part of the world.  At any rate, for now we are at home, and it is raining. We are glad we got out yesterday. 

Hang in there. Italy will be waiting. And stay healthy!

Yes Jacquie given the current escalation of medical and economic situations caution is probably the best choice. If you have time to watch it, this approx 11 minute address by the Singaporean PM is one of the most succinct overviews of the COVID-19 situation I’ve heard: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaoVg6ejgRQ&feature=share

Thanks for the link!  He's definitely a better communicator than some.

It's looking more and more like we will rebook for the fall and plan to do the route in reverse.  At this point, the only losses would be the deposit for our accommodation in Bormio and my coveted position as a Ride Marshall for the Whistler Gran Fondo since we'd want to be on the Italian roads before mid-September.  Our chance of seeing the Giro d'Italia in person is already lost.

The COVID-19 situation in Australia is rapidly escalating. The government has now put a temporary ban on gatherings greater than 500 people, and changed the official travel advisory to Level 3 (the second most restrictive) for all countries. 

Added to the mix is news that one of our most senior government ministers has COVID-19, and he’s been in close contact with the Prime Minister and most other cabinet ministers. It will be interesting to see if they agree to testing and self isolation for two weeks.

Australian supermarkets have begun rationing certain items in response to recent panic buying. 

I’m over in New Zealand visiting family and it seems like business as usual here. There were a few extra questions at border control (including a check of my bicycle tyres for dirt) but otherwise it’s much calmer than in Australia.

I’m moving to North Carolina in the fall and had planned to sneak in a month-long tour this spring along Via Claudia Augustus and the Dolomites. I had wanted to cycle this  route  last year, but a case of shingles necessitated a less challenging tour through southwest France. A few weeks ago, I saw that the Covid-19 cases in Italy passed 250 and I pretty much knew that the virus would continue to spread globally - but hoped it would settle down before my planned departure in mid-May. I am now accepting the fact that my ride through the Italian Alps has once again been thwarted by a virus. I haven’t cancelled my flights, but am now thinking of short tours this spring and summer on some of the Hall of Fame Rail Trails found here in the Midwest. In the meantime, I am doing all I can to flatten the curve and hoping everyone, especially those of us in higher risk categories, stays healthy.

Sorry about France, Brent. We were looking forward to following you and Alex.  But your philosophical approach to it all is comforting.

Hi Susan yes your assessment of Italy as a likely destination seems very accurate. It’s not just the disease risk, but also the risk of being caught up in control measures.

For example I’m currently in New Zealand visiting family. Just today a few hours ago, a two week self isolation procedure for overseas arrivals like me was announced .... starting tomorrow. I arrived two days ago! Phew! 

Glad you arrived in NZ before the self-isolation went into effect!  I too am concerned with being quarantined, but my biggest worry is getting sick while on the road. Stay healthy.

With borders around the world being closed, we're not too sure what is going to happen.  We are currently in Gualeguaychu in Argentina and need to make our way to Porto Alegre in Brazil in time for our flight back to South Africa in a month's time.  The sensible route there is through Uruguay so if either Argentina, Brazil or Uruguay close their borders we could be stuffed.