Vacation in a Pandemic

Have you traveled much during the last two years? It hasn’t been easy to travel with the Covid situation, but IT IS POSSIBLE to have a vacation in a pandemic!

I’ve been curious about how others have managed to travel given all the Covid restrictions. For this reason, I initiated a request for a collaboration post from fellow bloggers who have traveled during the pandemic. Feel free to click on their links to see more blog posts from them! You will find my collaboration input at the end of the post.

If you are looking to travel in 2022, I hope you will find this information helpful and motivating for taking a vacation in a pandemic!

Tucandream.com

My better half and I purchased a small acreage in Montezuma, Costa Rica in the fall of 2019, and had just had our building plans approved for construction of our retirement home when the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Costa Rica was in lockdown from March 2020 through September 2020. In September 2020 the Costa Rican government started slowly lifting entry restrictions. For the United States at first, a few states were allowed entry, and then in October 2020, the entire United States was approved albeit with entry restrictions including a health pass and a health insurance requirement. We booked our return tickets to Costa Rica for November  2020, and fervently hoped that no further pandemic flares would throw a wrench into our plans.

We were curious about what this new travel world would be like. We found out soon enough when we received an email to notify us that our flight had been canceled. Happily, it was no trouble to rebook new flights and soon enough it was departure day. The Denver airport was like a ghost town, with only minimal employees and few travelers. We flew through security, showed the airline our health pass, boarded, and we were on our way.  Upon arrival in Costa Rica, all passengers’ temperatures were scanned as they passed into the immigration area and immigration officials checked our health passes, health insurance, stamped our passports and we were in!

Since that first flight back to Costa Rica in the fall of 2020, I have flown back and forth several times. I have learned a few things about pandemic travel in my journeys.  The most important thing to know is that you have to be flexible. If you can’t handle last-minute changes to plans, you’d best stay home. It’s almost inevitable that there will be changes. and I’ve also learned that you can’t make plans too far in advance.

Returning from Montezuma to San Jose Airport involves a 5-hour bus ride including a ferry passage or one can book a flight from the local airport in Tambor. On that first pandemic trip, about 10 days before my scheduled return to Denver from Montezuma, I received an email notice that my flight had been rescheduled to depart a day earlier and at a completely different time. None of the direct flights from Tambor would get me to the airport in time for that flight, nor would the bus so I’d have had to leave even a day earlier to make the flight work. I canceled the flight and rebooked on another airline.  I was fortunate as there was another affordable option close to my departure and I hadn’t booked my transportation from Montezuma to San Jose yet.

There is a definite upside to pandemic travel, and that is the lack of crowds at many airports and many international destinations, as well as some very pocketbook-friendly travel options.  I’ve enjoyed the quieter atmosphere while traveling in Costa Rica and  I’ve seized the opportunity to visit some destinations I might have avoided as they are often crowded.  I’ve found myself the sole person on beautiful beaches, had only the monkeys, birds, and butterflies for company on my frequent hikes, and selfishly enjoyed the tranquility. 

Submission is from Carolyn Miller at Tucandream.com. Carolyn is a location-independent CPA who resides in Colorado and spends much of the winter in Costa Rica.

Jigsaw Puzzle Queen

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel quite extensively during the pandemic. I’ve always traveled a lot but because of Covid, my travel style has changed majorly. I’ve been going on most trips with a local outdoor travel agency, traveling with them to places like Costa Rica, Madeira, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, France, Jordan, and, in the near future – Oman.

What originally started as a need, since I didn’t want to travel by myself during these times and nobody could join me, turned into a comfortable travel solution. It’s a small travel agency which organizes group trips. I’ve known it for years and occasionally joined their trips in the past, making many friends along the way. They take care of finding all the intricate travel requirements, keep a check on the updates, arrange for lab tests in the destination when needed… They just do it all. And all I have to do is follow the instructions sent to me in an email.

In 2021, I took one trip to Mallorca with a friend over the Easter break. It was such a difference! The confusing travel requirements of airlines, destinations, etc. take a lot of time to research, and even then, you can’t be 100% sure that everything will go smoothly. Plus, we had to get tested before flying back home and that was tricky to arrange. Not only did we have few options for booking tests online, but we also had to travel to a hospital on the outskirts of the city. It consumed a half-day of our already short trip. 

I’ve found comfort in joining a group trip and exploring destinations where I wouldn’t typically travel solo. Especially in countries like Jordan, Oman, or even Costa Rica, it’s almost necessary to rent a car and that would make a solo trip too expensive and exhausting. I’m glad joining small group tours has allowed me to travel nearly as frequently as before the pandemic.

Submission is from Veronika at Jigsaw Puzzle Queen. Veronika is a 30-something who loves jigsaw puzzles and traveling.

The Globetrotting Detective

I live in Munich, Germany, where restrictions due to COVID-19 are extremely strict. In Germany, if you are unvaccinated, you have to get yourself tested every single day to use public transport and to go to work. Besides, unvaccinated people are not allowed to join events and enter museums, restaurants, bars, sports and leisure facilities, or beauty salons. Last but not least, wearing a mask is a must in most public places.

When I have a vacation, I just want to escape from this suffocating environment. My strategy in this situation is to look for travel destinations where you can travel without a vaccine pass, where there are no such restrictions as in Germany such as wearing a mask, and where you are not required to stay in quarantine after your arrival.

First, I search outside Europe as Europe seems to be the strictest continent in terms of COVID-19 measurements. I simply checked Asian and African countries. In countries such as Iraq and Egypt, you can fly in with a negative PCR test, you are not obliged to stay in quarantine, you are not discriminated against if you are not vaccinated and you don’t need to wear a mask anywhere. Therefore, traveling to Iraq and Egypt seemed a great idea. I immensely enjoyed traveling in these countries, as it felt that COVID-19 is a non-existent phenomenon.

I entered both countries with a negative PCR test done in Germany. During my journey in Iraq and Egypt, I enjoyed all the freedom any travelers need. I went to museums, joined group activities such as diving, traveled by public transport including shared taxis, buses and ferries without wearing a mask. I could also freely move around in hotels, restaurants, beauty salons, and stores. Then, at the end of my trip, I could simply leave the country with a negative PCR test. 

Submission is from Diana at The Globetrotting Detective. Diana is a Munich-based Hungarian solo traveler. Read more about her trip on traveling to Iraq.

Moyer Memoirs – Empty Nest Travel Adventures

We recently took a Royal Caribbean 7-day Christmas Cruise during the pandemic. Our cruise started in Puerto Rico with plans to stop at 6 Caribbean ports. We were nervous about traveling during the pandemic but we had taken the safety precautions and fulfilled the requirements of vaccinations and boosters in order to prevent any bad side effects from the virus. We also took out insurance on our trip because there were so many places that Covid could ruin our vacation plans.  

Port City of Puerto Rico during the Pandemic

We spent 4 days in Puerto Rico prior to our cruise. All the tourist sites were open. We visited the Rainforest, enjoyed a hidden natural slide in Puerto Rico, spent a day touring Old San Juan, and took a ferry to the island of Culebra. Puerto Rico is very cautious about Covid all around the island. There is social distancing everywhere so that overcrowding does not occur. All hotels and restaurants require a presentation of a vaccination card prior to entry. The locals adhere to all of the policies strictly and wear their vaccination cards on a lanyard around their neck like a badge of honor. 

The Boarding Process for the Cruise

As a safety precaution, each passenger was required to take a Covid test prior to boarding the cruise ship in order to  show the negative results. This was a good preventative plan so that each of the boarding passengers were assumed to be covid-free prior to embarking. This is stricter than the airline’s requirement to enter Puerto Rico when we first arrived on the island. All we needed was our vaccination cards for that.

Even with assigned staggered boarding times, the cruise ship boarding process was still crowded and chaotic. The cruise line assigned an embarkation interval for each passenger, however, the luggage drop-off, document verification, and security lines were all crowded with people outside of the cruise terminal even before the boarding processes had begun.  

However, once these preliminary stations were passed, passengers entered the cruise terminal and the route to embarkation was easy. There were several aisles with no waiting and a one-on-one touch-free process with the cruise line agent that assisted with the remainder of the boarding process.

Once onboard, we went directly to our rooms where our room key was waiting for us. We dropped off our carry-on luggage, reported to our muster station, and listened to the 3-minute explanation of the safety protocol. We were one-on-one with the cruise personnel. We then had our room key scanned, thus fulfilling our muster drill obligation.

Safety Protocols Onboard the Cruise Ship

There were numerous safety protocols onboard the ship to protect the passengers and crew. Masks were required everywhere inside unless you were actively eating or drinking. Every passenger adhered to this protocol and was quickly reminded to pull up their mask should a crew member notice that it was lowered.

There were areas that were designated as vaccination-only areas. For instance, the lower area of the theater was for vaccinated guests, while the unvaccinated guests watched the shows from the balcony.

Elevators were restricted to only 4 passengers in order to prevent crowding. There were sanitizing stations in each elevator lobby and throughout the ship. Anyone entering the casino was expected to sanitize before entering, even if you were just passing through.

The dining areas were monitored for the number of passengers. There was a strict mandatory adherence to sanitizing. Everyone had to use hand sanitizer prior to entry, and if entering the buffet, there was a hand washing station that everyone was required to use. The cruise line employees served all the food and drink so that no passenger ever touched a serving utensil prior to someone else.

Ports of Call During a Pandemic

This was the most difficult part of cruising during the pandemic. Each port of call required a different percentage of positivity in order to allow the ship to dock. There were several islands that did not allow our ship into port due to our positive percentage. This meant that we had an extra sea day. The cruise line refunded us a percentage of our cruise fare along with the port taxes for each port that we missed.

Disembarking the Cruise Ship

The cruise line also staggered the disembarking process and gave passengers timed intervals to disembark. The lines formed on the main deck and were regulated to allow only a slow flow of passengers out onto the gangway so that hoards did not gather to pick up their luggage. This also enabled the lines through customs to be socially distant.

Final Thoughts on Cruising during the Pandemic

Cruising during the pandemic has its difficulties with missed ports, extra testing, and social distancing. The limited number of passengers, however, makes for a smaller crowd and an easier time enjoying the ship without the gobs of people gathering around everywhere.

Submission is from Michelle Moyer at Moyer Memoirs – Empty Nest Travel Adventures. Michelle is an empty-nester who lives in Ohio.

KarsTravels

In the last two years, we’ve made fewer travel plans than the years before. Normally we had the next trip planned before going on the first trip. In 2020 we traveled a lot less than expected at the beginning of the year. But in 2021 we traveled a lot despite all the restrictions and lockdowns. We even managed to make a road trip abroad.

Traveling in the last two years has meant checking what the restrictions are. Especially when traveling to a different country, we needed to check the rules again and again. Since the rules change last minute, we didn’t want to travel to a different country and break their rules.

For instance, we live in The Netherlands and went to France, Portugal, and Spain in the Summer. First, my son and I needed a negative test no older than 48 hours, then it was only valid for 24 hours. A week before going we didn’t need to do a test at all for France. They bumped the age limit from 11 to 12 years old, so our son didn’t need testing anymore. They also changed the days after the last vaccination from 14 to 7 days with Pfizer, hence I didn’t need a negative test anymore.

We discovered in 2021 that one-day road trips were perfect. They could be done with minimal contact with others. We still discovered new places, but now in our own ‘backyard’. We simply loved doing these trips. A favorite of my husband and me was The Flower Route in Spring. The tulip fields are simply gorgeous. All in all, it was a perfect way to discover our own country, keep to the rules in place, and be out of the house.

Another way of traveling we did almost every month in 2021 was going for weekend getaways to hotels. Especially close to the beach is a favorite of mine. Walks on the beach have always been a possibility despite the restrictions in place and can really rejuvenate you.

Submission is from Cosette from KarsTravels. Cosette and her family are based in the Netherlands and focus on road trips in their blog.

Travel – Moments in Time

The pandemic definitely impacted our travel plans, both business and leisure traveling. But we adapted. And it wasn’t at all a bad experience. We decided to be cautious and not plan trips abroad. Romania is a lovely country, with a lot to offer to its visitors. As we had many places we hadn’t visited yet, we were sure we’d find somewhere to go and something new to discover.

We focused on taking mostly short trips – one-day trips. This was partly because we usually travel with our dog, and she’s gotten old and has some health issues. We went to the seaside several times. We enjoy the beaches of the Black Sea. We also went to the mountains to different resorts such as Brasov, Sinaia, and Busteni.

We have a tradition of visiting new places each year, and we kept this tradition during the pandemic as well. One of these new places was a salt mine. This was a special trip as we went for our son’s ninth birthday.

I have to add that when we went to the Slanic-Prahova Salt Mine, it was just 12 days after the traveling restrictions in Romania were lifted in 2020. We LOVED that it wasn’t crowded. Some of the things to do at that salt mine were closed (playground for children, karting circuit), but the souvenir shops were open and the huge salt mine was a pleasure to explore!

During the pandemic, we traveled closer to our city of Bucharest and discovered some great parks and forests among other attractions. 

All in all, while it hasn’t been ideal, we managed to travel, be safe, and not have our plans canceled all at the same time! We took this as a win! We are grateful that we were able to travel and that we got to see many new places with the benefit of fewer crowds. We hope to go abroad soon! 

Submission is from Loredana from Travel – Moments in Time. Loredana is a travel blogger based in Romania.

JanAdventures

In addition to the above collaboration submissions, I would like to add my personal input about traveling during the pandemic! You may already know that I haven’t done many far-away travels in the last two years. There are several reasons I chose not to travel far from home.

The main reason for not traveling much is due to the hassle. I wasn’t motivated to take any pre-departure or post-arrival Covid tests. Not only are they expensive, but it can also be a challenge to find and book the tests. I wasn’t keen to wear masks on long flights or at the hotel. The thought of all that took away from the traveling experience.

For these reasons, we chose to travel within Switzerland. We did several trips to new places in this country that we hadn’t seen yet. It was a good excuse to go exploring in our own backyard!

Below are blog posts from my travels during 2020 and 2021.

Cool Things to See in Flims Switzerland
Spring in Switzerland
Biking the Heart Route in Switzerland
3 Day Itinerary in Ticino Switzerland
5 Lakes Walk in Zermatt Switzerland – a Must-Do!
E-Biking in Switzerland

Best Towns in Alsace France
Discover Adelboden Switzerland in Summer
What to See in Meiringen Switzerland
Unexpected Excursions in Lugano
Best of Appenzell Switzerland
Awesome Autumn in the Swiss Vineyards

Other than traveling in Switzerland, I did a trip last summer with a girlfriend to the Alsace region of France. It felt great to go somewhere outside of the country.

I’ve decided that I will return to traveling as much as possible in 2022. I want to finally visit my family in the U.S. after more than two years. I booked an organized trip to Jordan in April, and I have reserved an Alaskan cruise for September 2022. I hope the pandemic will ease up to allow me to do more of what I love… TRAVEL!

Summary of Vacation in a Pandemic

As you can read from the many guest posts, there are different views and experiences about traveling and taking a vacation in a pandemic. If there is a will, there is a way!

I have a feeling that travel will never be the way it once was. We may be forced to wear masks or follow guidelines for a long time. I am hopeful though that we can all move a bit more freely while still respecting the restrictions.

Have you taken a vacation during the pandemic? Where have you traveled to during the pandemic? Please let us know by leaving a comment below about your experience!

If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!