As you know, the whole world has been struggling navigating through this Covid-19 pandemic. Many forms of travel were shut down for a while, and some still are. After quarantining for 5 months, I was desperate to get out of town once places and travel started opening back up again. So when another couple invited the BF & I to go to Cabo with them, we were super excited, but also super nervous.
After weighing the pros and cons, we decided the risk was worth the reward. (Please note none of us are in high risk groups or have underlying conditions, and had been VERY limited with exposure to others.) We did our research on our travel destination, airline regulations, and requirements upon entry. There were 3 couples total, so we decided renting a house would be safer (& more fun) than staying at a hotel.
::PRE FLiGHT::
I packed the BF & I some "flight bags" that included sanitizing spray, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, a bag to put the dirty wipes in (because, ew), N-95 masks (one per person per flight), aaand some mini bottles of alcohol since we weren't exactly sure how in-flight service would be.
We were already being picky about where we went, and who we hung out with prior to the trip, but about a week before, we became EXTRA cautious. After all, we did not want to get sick right before the first vacation we had since January! We checked our temperatures everyday prior to traveling, and increased our immune boosting vitamins and supplements.
The morning of, we took our temps one last time and then left bright and early for DFW! The airport wasn't completely empty, but was also hard to compare to "normal" since we had such an early flight. Masks were of course required everywhere, although I do remember a few people sporting them as "chin diapers" rather than worn the correct way. Masks ranged from the flimsy medical masks usually seen on dentists, to N-95 or similiar ones. We wanted the most protection we could, so wore the ones pictured, although I must say the nose piece was killing me by the end of the flight.
::ON BOARD::
Upon boarding our AA flight, the BF & I immediately sanitized and wiped down every surface of our seats, headrests, armrests, window, air controls, and flight attendant call buttons. The passenger behind us saw us and chuckled, saying he was an infectious disease expert and the convo went something like this:
Him- "You know the chances of getting it are like 1 in 25,000 right?"
Me- "Actually it's about 1 in 100 in the U.S."
Him- "How do you figure that?"
Me- "Umm.. math? 3.3 million cases and under 330 million population."
That shut him up and had other passengers wiping down their seats as well. =)
And honestly, airplane seats are already some of the dirtiest surfaces... if you don't believe me, check out @passengershaming on IG. (I sincerely hope that cleanliness is a trait that sticks with us all for a long time, especially on planes.)
Being in first class, we did receive a cheese and grapes snack pack, and there was full beverage service. I don't believe there were either in economy, but all passengers were handed a paper bag with a mini water bottle and bag of pretzels when they boarded.
Masks were required at all times unless actively eating or drinking, but I think I heard a flight attendant have to remind quite a few passengers about this rule throughout the flight.
::ARRiViNG iN CABO::
The airport was one of the emptiest I have ever seen but I felt like the staff was doing a terrific job at directing people where to go, checking temperatures again, and had several sanitizing mats laid out to clean off shoes and wheels on luggage.
We rented a vehicle for the group and made a pit stop at Walmart for food and supplies. I was shocked to see that they were far more diligent than places in Dallas were at that time. Again, checking temps upon entry, and shoe sanitizing mats at the entrances.
After getting what we needed, we were off to our house! We figured staying in a house would be much safer than in a hotel surrounded by other people and with a full staff coming in and out of our rooms, so we found a gorgeous house in the gated community of Pedregal. This was back in July, so many places (bars, restaurants, stores) weren't open yet, but that didn't bother us because we spent most of the weekend at our house. The BF & I did end up going back in August, and many more places had opened up by then.
::iN SUMMARY::
Now that it's mid-October, I'm sure a lot of you have been traveling in some fashion or another. If you are still hesitant, or unsure about a certain destination, simply do your due diligence! Know your risk level and any personal additonal precautions you should take. If you're hesitant to fly, but need a change of scenery, consider renting an RV or going on a road trip. If you are flying, do your research on the airline's standards and rules, as well as that of your destination. But no matter how you're traveling, or where to, be smart and bring plenty of masks and cleaning supplies. It really is better to be safe than sorry.
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