Vaxcation Traveling During COVID-19: Bonna L. Nelson

Vaxcation Traveling During COVID-19

by Bonna L. Nelson

The crisis has reminded us of the beauty and fragility of our planet, a place full of wonders to be experienced. When you are ready the world awaits.

AFAR Magazine, an experiential travel publication, January/February 2021 issue

Now what? We are recovering from the virus. We are grieving those lost. We are trying to overcome job loss, financial loss and hardship. We are suffering from the confinement. We are in need of being with loved ones.

We are vaccinated or double-vaccinated, depending on which vaccine you received. We all cancelled most of our 2020-2021 travel plans to places near and far, as well as milestone celebrations and holidays. We are all missing family and friends. We all want to see them in person instead of on Zoom or Facebook.

We all want some real hugs. We all want to see the real smiles behind the masks. What to do?

The Centers for Disease Control

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(CDC) guidelines change from week to week, along with the COVID statistics. Some countries, states and counties are deemed safe, while others are hot spots. New variants of the disease crop up here and there, and scientists aren’t sure how the current vaccines will hold up to the new varieties of the coronavirus.

Most safety measures remain ~ avoid crowds, wear masks, social distance, wash hands frequently, use hand sanitizer and research the safety and requirements of your destination. Do your research. Determine if you will need proof of vaccination, proof of a negative COVID test or to quarantine on arrival. What are the requirements when you return home? What are the risks? Perhaps engaging a knowledgeable travel specialist to navigate the confusion would be helpful?

We have to research and read recommendations and each make decisions about traveling and seeing family and friends accordingly. More and more folks are considering “vax-

Vaxcation us with spring breakers and virus outbreaks, and my husband, John, cations,” vacations post-vaccination. didn’t want to drive that far. Okay, they say, we are vaccinated John remembered a South Caronow. Where can we go? Who can we lina island that we had been to before see? Can we plan a safe gathering that he thought would be safe and or trip? isolated, and he was comfortable

We were ready to be with our fam- with the driving distance. When he ily and start planning a vaxcation, called, he learned from the realtor two weeks post-second vaccine. And, that the area followed CDC protobeing somewhat of a travel writer, I cols but that, unbelievably, no home needed to travel again. We weren’t rentals were available! According ready to fl y yet, but we thought we to several rental agents during the could handle driving. Like many pandemic, many homeowners moved people, we felt safe driving. Road into their weekend or investment trips via car or RV are on the up- rental properties. They found that swing. People feel more in control they could work from home during when driving versus other forms of the pandemic and the kids could transportation. go to school online. So, they settled

We usually take an Easter/spring at their beach houses and got away break trip with our kids ~ daughter from the cities and crowds, causing a Holly, son-in-law Randy and grand- reduction in available vacation rental daughter Bella ~ to Florida or the homes across the nation. islands. Florida seemed too risky for Just as we were about to give

up, a house became available, and we quickly made a deposit. It was newly sold, renovated and furnished and just waiting for us to enjoy. It was vacant before we rented, and all enhanced cleaning protocols were followed, including hightemperature washes of provided linens. We were told to bring our own quilts/bedspreads. Our home rental destination used the same CDC COVID cleaning protocols required by hotels, motels, B&Bs and other accommodations. Be wise and check on protocols before you book.

Our next challenge was safely managing the 12-hour drive (with stops). Which route to take? Where to safely stop? Should we break up the trip and stay overnight somewhere?

We selected our route and packed the car with our belongings and some items for the kids, since they decided to fl y and rent a car. We stocked up on snacks, drinks, masks and hand sanitizer, fi lled the car with gas and headed south. We took turns driving and decided that we could make it in one day.

Through all four states, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, the states’ Welcome Center facilities were clean and, though busy, most people wore masks inside and out. Gas stations and fast-food shops also followed protocols, with signs on doors requiring masks and distancing. We always took our own alcohol hand wipes in with us. One much-needed gas stop on the drive back in the middle of nowhere was peculiar in that, though the Shell gas pumps were open, the facility doors were chained and bolted and a man was asleep in a car parked peculiarly on an angle in the otherwise empty parking lot. We fi lled the car with gas and drove back to the highway in search of another rest stop.

Traffi c was a bit of an irritant on

Vaxcation cause the terminals on spring break weeks were jammed. Lines for food the trip down, with multiple traffic and boarding were definitely not six jams for no reason ~ no accident, feet distanced. Masks were used, but no construction, not near a town, distancing not so much, and most just slow going. On both the drive airlines fill center seats again. On down and back tracker trailers a lighter note, the new BWI service ruled the road. There were so many. robot was entertaining, providing We wondered if they were making information and even taking photos up for lost time as manufacturing of passengers. and deliveries were increasing as Holly and Randy said that the the pandemic slowed. Maybe spring rental car process was uneventful. break/holiday traffic? There were no crowds at the car

Our kids flew. They said that they pickup or drop-off. Protocols were felt safe. They were vaccinated, and it followed. No longer does the attenwas a short flight. Randy, who works dant walk you to your car to inspect for Southwest, which they flew, said it. So, Holly photographed flaws and that he knew the airlines follow spe- blemishes. The same routine applied cial cleaning protocols between each at the drop-off. No inspection. The flight and that they had installed new process was quick and pretty much specialized air filters. people-less.

They followed all rules regarding Cruising is another favorite way masking and used hand sanitizer. for many of us to travel. For me, They cleaned the airplane seats and cruises provide a comfortable, luxutrays and distanced as much as pos- rious, easy way to travel to many sible. I say as much as possible be- destinations around the world, such

as our trips to Central America, the Panama Canal, the Eastern Canadian coast, around the Mediterranean and Antarctica. Last year, the CDC issued restrictions on U.S. cruises through November 1, 2021. The cruising industry has been hoping that the CDC would allow sailing by midsummer 2021.

The hot-off-the-presses news as I was writing this story at the end of April was that the CDC will allow U.S. cruises to resume by midJuly 2021, depending on cruise line compliance with all CDC guidelines. Cruise lines welcomed the news and are optimistic that they can comply with all CDC requirements for U.S.

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