Travel still matters. Read that sentence over again, and you may think almost two months of lockdown has taken its toll on our sanity, but we believe it’s the truth for many more reasons than one. International travel is a privilege we humans have come to take for granted in recent years, and now that it’s been stripped away from us, we find ourselves in a completely unexpected situation – not unlike most airlines, we’ve been grounded! While the world anxiously waits for current restrictions to be lifted, so that safe and healthy travel can resume, we simply ask our readers, clients and followers not to give up on your future Ibiza dreams.

If you were already planning to visit the white isle this spring, rescheduling your trip to a later date in summer will help Ibiza’s tourism sector get back on its feet sooner, rather than later. So much of the island’s economy revolves heavily around the tourist season in high summer, and at the point the COVID-19 crisis hit Europe, most island brands and businesses were in the thick of plotting, planning, recruiting and budgeting for the season ahead. For the majority of these companies – no matter how big or small – pre-bookings are essential to ensuring business runs smoothly in the lead up to opening and beyond. By being flexible with your travel dates, you can directly help those affected by forced closures, or delayed opening dates, be ready to spring back when the moment arrives.

On one hand, we understand that it may seem insensitive to even think about planning a trip right now, but on the other, we believe it’s important to stay inspired. Our incredible Ibiza community extends far beyond the reaches of this little island in the Mediterranean and if we don’t continue supporting venues that rely on summer tourism, they may not all be able to survive the current crisis. Over the past two months, workers were made redundant, plans have been placed on hold, renovations halted, beaches closed and it felt like summer 2020 was in limbo. But rest assured, when this period of uncertainty comes to an end, travel will once again become a cherished luxury – one we will appreciate from the bottom of our hearts for the rest of time.

Next week sees Ibiza enter ‘Phase One’ of the Spanish government’s lockdown de-escalation process to slowly and safely lift the lockdown restrictions. We see this as great news; a step in the right direction, one that takes us closer to the start of the summer season with each new day. In the coming weeks, you’ll see some of your favourite restaurants and businesses re-open, albeit with strict limitations for the time being. Social media might give you a glimpse of your Ibiza friends out and about on the island, finally catching up with one another in wide open spaces (with a responsible amount of social distancing of course) and in the sunshine. This transition from isolation to travel won’t be immediate, but now there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Remaining optimistic and connected is what has given Ibiza lovers – and indeed, island residents – hope during these times of isolation. The impact of this experience extends far beyond knowing when we can next sip a piña colada by a pool – it affects the livelihoods of those who would normally be laying out sunbeds on the beach, the sellers that would offer you fresh fruit on the beach and waitstaff in restaurants. It affects the bartenders who make your drinks, the chefs who cook over hot grills in the kitchen, the housekeepers that keep your villa clean, the gardener maintaining the grounds, and all the people working behind the scenes logistically to make that Ibiza magic happen. Giving these seasonal workers a glimmer of hope are the enquiries we’re receiving for summer villa bookings, as new flexible booking conditions have made it easy for eager travellers to plan ahead.

We often praise the wonderful year-round lifestyle that living in Ibiza offers its residents, but the island without holidaymakers in summer would not be Ibiza at all. During these difficult times we send much love and strength to our community around the globe, we urge you to stay home (hopefully not too much longer now!), stay safe and be well. We are all in this together, despite the fact we are apart. We’re filled with anticipation for the positivity and happiness that this summer will eventually bring. We hope you feel the same.

OK so as usual, I have digressed. Back to how I was feeling at Paradise Lost – happy! So happy to see my friends, so happy to talk about anything BUT ‘the virus’ and so happy to be drinking my favourite cocktail, the Rosita Mala, again. Of course, this led to me feeling quite drunk, which led to craving pizza. Fortunately, La Bufalina in Vara de Rey had also just re-opened and had a table for us. I swear, it was also the best tasting pizza I have ever eaten in my life. Talk about appreciating the simple things. I just abhor frozen supermarket pizzas; I tried making my own homemade versions in lockdown and also hated them. Just like Coca Cola, in my opinion, there’s nothing better than the real thing. So after a few drinks and some tasty slices, I was home in bed by 11pm (so civilised) and felt like I’d ticked the Phase One box. I stayed home for the rest of the week, until the weekend when I visited friends (in my barrio) at their home for a barbecue. Yet another simple pleasure that was so amazing to experience again.

Fast forward to May 26, 2020 (and include two more visits to Paradise Lost plus tapas and 1€ beers at Popa Ibiza, the first place to re-open in my beloved Dalt Vila restaurant square, plus a little yoga practice on a friend’s terrace) and it was announced that Ibiza could enter Phase Two. Hallelujah, screeched the beach-loving residents on the island, who had been up in arms about not being able to swim during Phase One. This behaviour also fazed me – I’m a goody two-shoes, if Pedro says no swimming, then no swimming. Then again, I also don’t enjoy swimming. Or the beach. Anyway, now happy residents can return to the beaches of the island and live life in the great outdoors. We can also now ‘congregate’ with up to 15 of our friends. Hotels could open (although there is no point in Ibiza, while the borders are closed), bars and restaurants could extend their terraces, and allow limited numbers inside. You can try clothes on in shops (though they must be steamed afterwards!). We can drive anywhere, with friends in the car. Places of worship can re-open. Libraries, museums, monuments, even cinemas (at limited capacity of course). But here’s the biggest difference (well, it’s just my opinion) between Phase One and Two – now, it’s mandatory for all citizens to wear face masks in public places where it’s not possible to social distance.

Now personally, I’m NOT fazed by this. It does seem a bit like too little, too late, but hey, if Pedro says wear a mask, I’ll wear it. It seems like a small inconvenience to make those around you feel safe (if not yourself). But wow, was the population of Ibiza fazed. There are petitions to stop it, there are people ‘fact-finding’ so many reasons why it’s unhealthy, counter fact-founded by doctors who say it’s not going to poison us (when worn for short periods of time), there are people complaining left, right and centre. As I went about my business today (feeling quite suffocated in my mask but abiding by the law), which took me from Ibiza town to Santa Gertrudis and San Lorenzo, I felt quite proud to see almost all of the population wearing masks in public. We may not like it, but it shows our solidarity as a community. We want the lockdown to finally be lifted, to welcome tourists once more, and of course, to prevent any further contagion of the virus.

Which leads me to today. The local government has just requested that Ibiza move to Phase Three next Monday, a week earlier than its due date (Phases are initially supposed to be two weeks, but are based around healthcare facts and figures in individual provinces). And this too fazes me a bit. Why do we need to rush it? I feel like we’re JUST getting used to this ‘new normality’ as it’s constantly referred to (although according to the government, the ‘new normal’ doesn’t start until Phase Four – you can see why it’s easy for one to get fazed by all these details). Can’t we just take a couple of weeks to adapt to each new phase? Obviously no one wants to live in a state of alarm forever, including myself, but I find that easing back into life helps ease the anxiety associated with it. Anyway, Pedro will say yes or no this weekend, and I am sure I will report back at a later date on how we’re doing.

For now however, the sounds of happy children playing in the streets has overtaken the sweet sounds of the birds chirping at sunset. A number residents have been able to go back to work, after months of stressing about unemployment or lack of government assistance (hey, Pedro can’t be good at everything), which is great news. The sun is still setting in the west, and now we can go to places like Hostal La Torre and watch it go down with a Balearic beat soundtrack, like old times (let me warn you – the first time WILL make you cry, unless you are a heartless beast). People are talking about this summer being another ‘summer of love’ or ‘just like the 70s’, which in theory sounds amazing, but let us not forget how much the island has expanded since the 60s, 70s and 80s. We need our tourism sector to thrive, for many people on the island to survive (ooh now there’s a slogan!).

Whether the clubs can open or not, well, that remains to be seen. But hey, La Liga (Spanish football) will be back on June 8, because that’s deemed important. National tourism will commence from June 22 (I can’t wait to see you Formentera!) while international tourism has been confirmed from July 1, with no quarantine, but the exact conditions are yet to be announced. And so, we wait. We go through the Phases. We wear our masks. We support local businesses as best we can. We watch the daily updates on hospital patients, ICU cases, and outpatients under observation (which remain very low in our Ibiza bubble). We look at the way other countries handle (or bungle) the crisis, and since it’s all being managed so differently all over the world, we really have no solid indication of what’s coming our way (or not, depending on restrictions). I feel positive and have hope that it’s all going to be OK. Even if the changes faze me a little in the first place, I eventually come round. So come on Phase Three – show me, and the rest of Ibiza, what you’ve got!