Well, we are 11 months into the global pandemic and I’ve finally cracked: I’m traveling. Tomorrow I’m taking an early morning flight to Tucson, Arizona where I will enjoy a spacious Airbnb guest house to myself for 15 days. I plan to do some remote work from there and take a few days off. There will be lots of hiking and walking and seeing new things. It will be warm and sunny everyday and I don’t have to worry about snow and ice. I hope to see a friend for some outdoor activities. I’m soooooooo excited.
Here are some things I’m worried about for my trip:
-Waking up at 3:30am tomorrow morning.
-Are Ubers/Lyfts readily available in my neighborhood at 4am? I haven’t taken one in a year.
-Figuring out how to eat under my mask while I fly.
-Figuring out how to insert Earplanes under my face shield while flying, which I usually need to help with pressure.
-What happens if I start one of my daily violent coughing fits while in public tomorrow? It’s not COVID, it’s just the winter! Doctor confirmed!
-Where’s the best grocery store near my AirBnb?
-What are the best restaurants for take out near my AirBnb?
-How am I going to remember when my work meetings are with the 2 hour time difference?
Here are some things I am not worried about for my trip:
-Catching COVID. Let me clarify: I am not more nervous than I currently am on a daily basis about catching COVID. I generally feel a sense of anxiety every day about this, and expect I will continue to feel that while I travel. I plan to wear two masks and a face shield throughout my travel days, and that is the riskiest part for me. Otherwise my potential exposure will be about the same as it is at home, going indoors just for groceries and picking up food, and maybe seeing some people outside. I’ve been to Tucson before so I am not going to feel pressure to do all the touristy things, and can just enjoy the weather and being in a new place.
So what’s your initial reaction to hearing that I’m flying for recreational purposes during COVID? I’ve told a few people and heard the gamut of reactions: everything from severe judgement and the desire not to talk to me anymore to jealousy and agreement about calculated risks being worth it. I believe all of these are valid reactions: it’s a difficult time and we are all dealing with it differently. I didn’t think I would risk flying during the pandemic, but now that it is a cold winter, I’m still home alone everyday, and not seeing any people I decided it was time. Essentially, I decided that the mental health benefits of traveling were worth the physical health risks for me at this point in time.
Wish me happy travels!
travels.of.tara 