This is not your average travel blog. However, I do still travel. It’s one of my main priorities in life because I don’t believe we were gifted with this world to not explore it. This pandemic (that we’re still in) has made traveling MUCH more difficult. I want to travel, but the prep work for a trip has increased significantly. I know I can’t be the only one feeling like this….

There are way more hoops to jump through and I’ve never considered travel insurance as much as I do now. Also, everything can change at any moment, a country could shut down the day before your trip, your flight could be canceled at the last minute, etc.

As I’ve been planning my trips for the rest of the year, I wanted to provide some things to consider whenever you decide to hop on a flight again.

1. Research your destination and activities that are still open. Call the companies and ask for confirmation. Check social media for travel bloggers or other people who have traveled to your destination recently.

2. Research Covid protocols for entering your destination AND getting back home.

   If your trip is entering another country, research medical information for traveling using the CDC website, Covid protocols, and visa applications ahead of time. If your trip is stopping in multiple places, you’ll need to be up to date on their Covid requirements as well. Lastly, make sure you research the protocols for getting back in the U.S. I’ve seen some stories of people getting stuck in foreign countries and it doesn’t look fun or cheap.

3. Research the cost of Covid tests in your destination. This could get pricey depending on where you’re traveling.

4. Research travel insurance options and exactly what is included in the coverage. You can get coverage for your flight, stay, and even activities. Read the fine print, but I strongly recommend getting travel insurance. It begins the day you get it and covers basically any reason you don’t make your trip and have to make new arrangements.

5. Book in advance. This goes for flights, stay, activities, Covid tests, etc. This isn’t the time to be planning last minute trips.

6. Be safe. Covid is still mutating and spreading, however, I understand life must go on. Think of yourself and think of others. Other places don’t always have the access you may have when you get back home.

Nothing too heavy this week, just some tips from my own experience as I see many people dipping their toe back into travel.

We’re going on 2 years in a pandemic and it’s been hard for all of us. We’ve all been finding a way to deal with it or, for some, a way to not deal with it. Wherever you are, it’s okay. Be kind to yourself and be kind to others. Take it one day at a time and keep looking for ways to find a bit of peace in your everyday life.

Travel Tip #13: Think of yourself AND think of others.

We’re better together,

Mai