To Go or Not to Go, That is the Question in a COVID World

 

It’s been a terribly long COVID year, with diminished social, physical and mental activity. The winter was mind-numbingly oppressive with limited outings. It was a difficult time processing evolving scientific information and deciding what behaviors felt “safe”. Travel is usually a great way to combat the winter blues, but in late 2020/early2021 the CDC was recommending against travel. Both my husband and I have backgrounds in science so we have been diligently following recommendations, but my mental health craved a break from languishing indoors waiting for life to resume. Then hope came in the form of available vaccines! My husband, Fareed, got vaccinated immediately as a healthcare worker. In January we began to think a trip was a possibility, but we limited our search to warm, drivable, dog-friendly and outdoor-active locations. We toyed with Tucson, San Antonio and Savannah. We decided Tucson was too far (22 plus hours) and thank goodness we decided against San Antonio as the historic Texas Polar Vortex Blackout would have been our “getaway” from the cold! None of these places would give us the guaranteed respite from a Midwest winter we craved.

Our outlook changed when I was offered a COVID vaccine. I jumped at the chance. We began to consider flying and traveling further south to the Caribbean. A beach trip would be the one place we could be almost entirely outdoors. The US had begun requiring a negative COVID test to board a flight home from the Caribbean and some islands weren’t allowing visitors without oppressive quarantining once a visitor arrived, so we decided those places would not be worth the effort. Since the US Virgin Islands is a United States territory, a re-entrance negative test would not be required, however the USVI did require a negative COVID test from a certified lab no more than 5 days prior to arrival. I hunkered down and did not leave the house for 10 plus days in early February (except to get my vaccine, of course) to ensure my COVID results would stay negative. We booked our frequent flyer flights on American which offered a de facto insurance policy of free re-banking miles if we had to cancel our flights. We picked midweek flights so they wouldn’t be as busy and chose seats without anyone next to us. Then we found the cutest cottage on St John with those exact days waiting for us to book (Sago Cottage in Coral Bay). With only 3 weeks of planning, this was the most last minute Caribbean vacation we had ever taken.

We stayed the night at the St Louis Airport Hilton and took their 4 am shuttle to the airport. The shuttle left early so we were actually at the airport before 4 am and with TSA precheck, we were the first ones through security! People have asked me if it was crowded at the airport, and no, its definitely not when you are the very first persons in the terminal! Everyone was required to wear masks in the airport and on the plane, although there were those who kept pulling their masks off for opening phones and continuous noshing. I had on a N-95 with a surgical mask over it, as well as eye protection because I did not want to catch COVID after making it this far. Since Fareed was fully vaccinated, he always sat between me and anyone else in our airplane row.

Our 5:45 am American Airlines flight was completely full (so much for no one next to us) and people were slow to get on and find spots for their luggage in the overhead compartment. We ended up pulling away from the gate late- AND then our plane still had to be de-iced. We arrived in Miami with only 20 minutes until our next flight was supposed to leave. We had to run 8 gates weaving among people with our luggage and made it as the last (sweaty) persons on the plane before the doors shut. From then on out it was smooth traveling.

Our ultimate goal was St John, United States Virgin Islands. To get there, it is necessary to fly into St Thomas and then ferry over to St John. Luckily the St Thomas airport was organized. Everyone lined up outside the terminal to show a completed USVI travel portal app with COVID negative verified results before being allowed in. From there, we took a private transfer to the ferry dock, which our villa owner had helped arrange.The ferry over to St John is a short 20 minute ride and all open air, but masks were required.

Masks were also required in the Starfish Market where we bought some grouper and veggies to grill, fruit and eggs for breakfast, as well as beer and snacks for the beach. Grocery shopping in a foreign market is not the tedious chore as it is at home, but it is pricey.

We drove up over Bordeaux mountain to meet up with our villa greeter. She had us follow her car up an unpaved side ride to the villa on one of the worst roads we’ve ever driven. She opened her window to tell us a few things and drove off for a completely contactless greeting.

 

We immediately unloaded clothes and groceries and stepped into our island paradise home. The journey was worth it.

I want to thank my friends Amy, Mary and Joanne for encouraging me to continue to write my blog.