Traveling Changes You

by Candra George

I FOUND OUT I was pregnant in an airport bathroom. We had been living in Angola, Africa, for five months, and the one thing I wanted during that time was ice cream. Oh, what I would’ve paid for a pint of Haagen Daas! When I landed in Dubai, a layover on my way to Amsterdam, I found it! In between Dior and duty free was an actual Haagen Daas ice cream shop. It was as if I had manifested it myself! However, as I awaited my turn, my body began to go against what my mind was longing for. And when I reached the counter, instead of ordering, I promptly emptied my stomach contents in the nearby trashcan. Twenty minutes later, after 10 years of marriage, I’d see a positive sign on a Clear Blue and Easy. You really can find anything in the Dubai airport. When I arrived in Amsterdam to meet my husband, I got to tell him he was going to be a father. It was Father’s Day 2011.

Traveling changes you. There are places and moments that live in your heart forever. Paris is another example. I had always wanted to go to Paris. Daydreaming, I imagined buying couture, speaking French and being madly in love. While I got my fairytale, it was completely different. I was seven months pregnant, I ate chocolate croissants every day, and I bought the only thing that would fit—jewelry. In awe at the Eiffel Tower, I tearfully asked a lady in French, “Will you take my picture?” She laughed and replied with a Southern accent thicker than mine, “Oh, Darlin’, I don’t speak French!” She was from Oklahoma and took one of my favorite photos I have of myself expectant.

My travel tastes have always been a little more than adventurous. One favorite involved sleeping in a train car in the heart of Angola, Africa, and then vertically hiking a 344-foot waterfall. In February 2020, days before the shutdown, I was photographing the Aurora Borealis in the remote village of Wiseman, Alaska. Its population of 14 live off the land 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle. I’ve never been happier to be out at 2 a.m.—in -47º, with my eyelashes coated in ice. My son, now nine years old, gets to join some adventures. He loved sledding down the frozen Yukon River but wasn’t thrilled to use an outhouse.

Now with Covid, travel is a different kind of adventure. Vaccinated and ready to run, my husband and I decided to take a chance on our little spot in Mexico. It’s a place where we truly relax. Valentin Imperial Maya is about 30 minutes outside of Cancun. We’ve been before, but this time took some friends along with us. I have to say that not only did we have the best trip, but I learned a lot about how to navigate the changes in travel. Here are a few things I’d like to pass along.

PLANNING

• Everyone has an idea of how they feel safe. Decide where feels safe for you, and research the protocol requirements they have in place. We found that our resort was only at 30 percent capacity, and while still offering a 5-star experience, all indoor entertainment was canceled. Many activities were moved outdoors and restaurants social distanced.

• Check and see if your destination country is open for non-resident travelers, if they require a negative Covid test or quarantine, and if they’ve implemented a tourist tax. Many have added a tax either upon arrival or departure. Most can easily be paid online and scanned on your phone at the airport.

• Excursions are a great way to spread out, unmask, and have some normalcy. If you’re going to be limited on indoor entertainment, plan on something fun outdoors. Many of the excursions were less expensive and private!

AT THE AIRPORT

• Arrive earlier than you think you should, and pack some kindness in your carry-on. Airlines are attempting social distancing, and everything is taking a bit longer. Apply for TSA pre-check, and do as much as you can digitally.

• Also online are immigration forms. Flight attendants no longer pass out forms for declaration upon arrival in a new country. Now, all can be done days ahead from your phone. You’ll have a smooth transition with a QR code at immigration.

• Take some snacks in your carry-on. Many airlines aren’t offering food and beverage service on all flights. Grabbing a water and snack after going through security can help hold you over until you can get tacos by the pool.

• The CDC requires all incoming international travelers to provide a negative Covid test within five days prior to arriving to the United States. This is required even if you have been vaccinated. Many resorts and hotels provide this service free of charge.

After five glorious days in Valentin Imperial Maya, the six of us boarded our flights home with memories and our souls renewed. Laughing with my husband, and sunrise walks with the girls are worth every ounce of effort it took to get there.

And while none of us took an airport pregnancy test, when we landed back in New Orleans, the pilot came across the intercom with a message. He said, “I’m going to need all of you to get off this plane in a hurry. I’ve got a hot date! If you’re headed to the Quarter, I’ll see you there!”

All signs point to clear skies, more traveling, and lots of adventure in our future! My next stop? Hiking Moab, Utah.