What does safe traveling look like during a pandemic? I hit the road a couple of times in July to get a better understanding. The big test was getting on a plane and leaving the country. Yes, we’re taking this conversation international. Where to? Mexico baby!
If you don’t know this already, my handsome husband has germaphobe tendencies. As you can imagine, this season with the “c word” has been David’s biggest nightmare. And simultaneously what he’s prepared for his entire life. When given the opportunity to hop on a plane to Mexico, I was surprised and encouraged that he was all in. First step (per usual), call my travel advisor. Eric Hrubant of CIRE Travel was ready to get us there and back in the safest way possible.
Between Eric’s knowledge of aircrafts and flight patterns and David’s research of in-flight images, we opted for business class seats. This allowed for additional space between rows and ensured we only sat next to each other. Next came transfers. We stayed at Grand Velas Riviera Maya who coordinated transfers to and from the airport. In between that stay we chose Chable Yucatan and needed to determine how to get there safely. Taking the extra steps to rent a car felt risky so Eric hooked us up with a seamless transfer through one of his trusted suppliers. Talk about saving time and stress.
Prepare for Yourself & Others
An important part of this season is not only respecting others, but understanding our own comfort zones. We purchased travel-sized packages of antibacterial wipes to clean our seats, armrests, buckles, and seatback tables. In addition, we travel with our own bottle of CIRCADIA hand sanitizer (shout out to @SpaGirlNicole). In addition, David recommended we get on the plane last. I had not thought of that. Especially when you have that business class seat, you are ready for Group 1 boarding. Honestly, holding back and waiting till the end helped avoid unnecessary anxiety of overcrowding. Masks on and ready to go!
Geared Up for Safe Travels
We made our way through three airports on this journey: Boston Logan International Airport, Cancun International Airport, and Miami International Airport. Some do social distancing better than others. Boston was the leader in safe traveling. Slightly biased? Perhaps. But close seating was made impossible thanks to barriers and there were ample amounts of hand sanitizer available at every turn. Hudson News also sold sanitizer, wipes, and reusable travel straws. That was a thoughtful touch.
It’s important to note that the Admiral’s Club at Miami International was open and that did help us feel safer. It was limited to 50 percent occupancy, masks were required, food service was suspended but snacks were provided. Those snacks saved my hangry self! (By the way, we did try to hit up the Admiral’s Club in Boston, but it hasn’t reopened yet. They were available to help and were collecting information of travelers interested in going to the club. To be continued.)
The transfers Grand Velas and CIRE coordinated were on top of cleanliness. Masks, gloves, hand sanitizer (offered, used, and always available), AND our luggage was sanitized for us. Plus ice cold bottled waters for the ride. Safe traveling wins all around.
Lessons Learned
David and I went back and forth on whether to drive to the airport or take an Uber. Initially we thought driving and parking was a better option. Then we remembered long term parking at Logan required a shuttle service and that piece would see more interaction than an Uber. One thing has definitely changed since the last time I traveled internationally in March. The availability of Ubers is not as plentiful and takes significantly longer. If this is your preferred mode of transportation, plan ahead. Uber Black arrived quicker so we opted for that on the way to Logan. Keeping this in mind, on the way back we worked with CIRE to have a car service home. It was safe, efficient, and eased our comfort.
I’m going to be real with you. On our way to Mexico I was nervous waiting for the flight. Mainly because my airport routine was already shook (see delayed Uber story above). Then I started overthinking whether I should buy a bottled water. Can I take my mask off and drink it? Is it smart to keep doing that? Am I putting myself and others at risk because of my thirst? The beauty of our marriage is we talk through everything to avoid anxiety. David put my mind at ease and said, “I’ll take a bottled water while you’re there.” Smooth operator. We arrived in Mexico, got our luggage, and swiftly got into our transfer.
The Real Deal
The most uncomfortable part of this journey besides aforementioned anxiety was having a mask on for seven hours of travel. However, on the way home we had a connection so masks were on for 12 hours and I didn’t even think about it. All of the above is part of the travel experience, but not the reason we travel. It’s not the most memorable part of the journey and certainly not going to convince you to hit the road. But it is necessary. It’s what gets us where we want to go and probably what stops some of us from making the trip during this season. We are now home in Massachusetts. David and I are happily self-isolating for the required 14 days. Why? Because this trip filled our cups to a point of overflowing. And that is why we travel.