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​YES, THERE'S hope

International Travel — In a Pandemic? Are We Nuts?

5/13/2020

 
Travel During Coronavirus / Are We Nuts? / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
I'm stuffing my suitcase with personal protection gear in preparation for my first international journey in the time of coronavirus.

​When I was in high school, three guys I knew took off on a cross-country hitchhiking trip in bad weather, and as they walked out the door, Sam’s dad said, “Well, if you ask me, I think you’re crazy.” That instantly became a catchphrase, and whenever anyone we knew was about to do something dubious — which, being teenagers, was fairly often — somebody would shake their head in mock solemnity and say, “Well, if you ask me…”
 
Why am I thinking of Sam’s dad’s words right now?
 
Because on Sunday afternoon, Rich and I are walking to Seville's railway station, boarding a train to Madrid, spending the night in a hotel, and flying out the next morning to Dallas then on to San Francisco. After two months in quarantine, rarely leaving my apartment, having minimal contact with fellow humans or any objects I haven’t disinfected myself, and eating nothing that I didn’t wash and cook with my own hands, I’m heading out into a very uncertain world. 

Travel During Coronavirus / Are We Nuts? / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
I'm not sure this police officer in India read the "coronavirus mask required" memo correctly.

Like many expats, I have important friendships, business interests, doctors, and family ties in the old country. Matters required our attention in California last summer, but when our Mediterranean Comfort Food Tour extended into fall, we decided to postpone everything until January. Then we discovered our closest Seville friends would be leaving for a year starting in April, so we delayed our departure until March. At which point, as you know, pestilence rose up and stalked the planet, so we hunkered down in our Seville apartment waiting for better times.
 
Are those times here? Spain is cautiously emerging from quarantine. This week Seville entered Phase One, with outdoor bars re-opening and people flocking to them, hypothetically social distancing, in reality thrilling to the familiar-yet-strange sensation of rubbing elbows with a congenial crowd. The numbers could easily spike again. After many hours of discussion and countless glasses of wine (in the safety of our apartment), Rich and I concluded this was the best window of travel opportunity we might have all year.

Travel During Coronavirus / Are We Nuts? / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com

Am I worried about our safety on the journey? Are you kidding? Of course! My packing list includes masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, spray disinfectant, extra plastic inserts for our face shields, and sufficient homemade raisin nut oatmeal cookies to sustain life for forty-eight hours. A few clothes? Possibly. Garlic and a crucifix? Still under debate.
 
I remind myself that five people we know flew home safely from Seville to the US the day before the pandemic lockdown, on crowded planes, without masks or gloves, armed with nothing but hand sanitizer.
 
I also recall the harrowing story of a couple we know who were vacationing with their two young adult kids in Asia when the pandemic hit. The police raided the house one night, accusing them of playing loud music. Our friends and their kids were thrown in jail for three days until they pled guilty to resisting arrest and violating curfew. After posting an enormous bond, they were taken to a bigger town, tried, and sentenced to nine months in jail.
 
Now I know what you’re thinking; do they have hand sanitizer and social distancing in Asian prisons? I'm guessing not.

​​Anyway, our friends' story goes on to include fines and bribes of epic proportions until they got word to a relative who knew guy who knew a guy who found them a “fixer” who sent a “shadow” who got them released. Last we heard the family was on a nine-hour ferry ride to the mainland, to be followed by six hours in a taxi to the airport and a seventeen-hour flight home.

Picture
No doubt my friends wish they had opted for this kind of exotic travel adventure instead.

I am betting our journey won’t be quite that exciting.
 
To hedge that bet, I’ve been reading everything I can find about travel safety in the time of coronavirus.

Travel During Coronavirus / Are We Nuts? / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
A train station in Madrid, Spain

Train Safety
 
Ideally, experts advise, avoid or sanitize high-touch surfaces such as handrails; when that’s not practical, stay as far from others as possible. “If you see someone cough or sneeze near you on the bus or train, and you’re more than six feet away from them, your risk is probably low,” says David Freedman, M.D., a professor of infectious diseases. Good to know!
​
Travel During Coronavirus / Are We Nuts? / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
The airline we're using has new protocols including fogging with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant in all public areas on aircraft. I used to think chemical cleaners were bad for us ... now I can't seem to get enough.

Airplane Safety
 
“The risk of the disease being spread through an aircraft’s airflow system is relatively low,” says Consumer Reports. “That’s because the air is continually filtered through a HEPA filter, which can trap viruses.” The real concern is the people nearby. A study showed that if a fellow passenger has a respiratory illness, there’s an 80% chance people in the eleven adjacent seats will catch it; if you’re not in that zone, your chance of contracting it drops to 3%. Of course, that study was done in the old, pre-pandemic days when you flew without hazmat gear. Still, if anybody near us coughs even once, I’ll be asking for them to be removed to the cargo area. (Just kidding. I’ll volunteer to go down to the cargo area myself.)

Travel During Coronavirus / Are We Nuts? / Karen McCann / EnjoyLivingAbroad.com
This Madrid hotel and the entire hospitality industry struggle to convey a warm welcome while social distancing. Photo: Room Mate Group

Hotel Safety
 
Everyone advises wiping down all hotel room surfaces with disinfectant wipes — which unfortunately haven’t been available in Seville for months. However, I did find a disinfectant spray and plan to saturate every surface in the room, possibly including my husband.
 
“Hand washing remains your best defense for infection prevention,” says environmental microbiologist Kelly Reynolds. “Remember to pack your own disinfecting wipes.” (If only!) “I often bring my own pillow too, since hotel pillows could be full of allergens and residual saliva… I recommend travelers remove the comforter to avoid potential contact with lingering bodily fluids that can harbor germs.” Yuck! We’re asking the hotel to remove all pillows, comforters, and blankets before we arrive; I'm packing inflatable pillows and small, lightweight travel blankets. 

California Safety
 
The virus curve has flattened to almost nothing in our area north of San Francisco, but of course, it may come roaring back in the fall, bringing with it a renewed need for quarantine and more protests, fueled by the anti-vaccine folks and the gun lobby, demanding the right to spread the coronavirus more widely. In other news, wildfires are predicted to be higher than normal (if the word “normal” means anything anymore). Murder hornets have arrived on the West Coast and will no doubt want to take in San Francisco while they are there. Seismologists say the Golden State is seriously overdue for a major earthquake. And don’t get me started on the ballyhoo and shenanigans surrounding the US election.

Come to think of it, Sam’s dad may be right; we’re probably crazy to be heading back there. But as I often say, America is something you have to stay in practice for, and I don’t want to lose my touch. We plan to return to Seville in the fall, world events permitting. For now, on the verge of plunging into America's chaos and uncertainty, at least I can count on one thing: it will never be boring.
​

Wish us luck as we set out on our journey this weekend!

And if you're not already on the email list, sign up here so you don't miss a single looney story.
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More Pandemic Perspectives & Humor
Coming Soon: Nostalgia for Quarantine?
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Scofflaws, Naysayers & Coronavirus Myths
In the Pandemic: Desperate Situations, Ingenious Solutions
Why We All Feel Hopelessly Unproductive in Quarantine
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Quarantined? Take Mini-Vacations. For Betty White's Sake
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Months of Quarantine? OK, If That's What It Takes
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Yes, You CAN Stay (Relatively) Sane During Lockdown
"Stranded" in Seville's Pandemic Lockdown
​
DENISE SANANTONIO ZEMAN
5/14/2020 05:28:23 pm

Best of luck to you and Rich! As you probably know, we flew from Dubai to LA and LA to CLE on March 24/25, cutting our world cruise in half. We opted for no hotels, and found places to sit quietly, in masks and gloves, in both airports for over 10 hours each. We expected health screening in LA, but NOTHING was in place! While Dubai airport was mayhem, LAX and CLE were deserted. We've been pretty much self-isolating ever since, and feeling fine. Hope your travels are as uneventful 😘

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 04:50:19 pm

Yes, I heard about your adventures, Denise, and while I was sorry you had to cut the cruise short, I was glad that you returned quickly when things got serious. Twenty hours hanging out in two airports — those must have been long hours indeed. I'm not sure what kind of screening awaits us in Texas, but we're instructed to self-quarantine for two weeks when we get back to CA, which makes good sense. Happy to hear you are both feeling fine and still taking sensible precautions. Stay safe, my friends!

bradley balles
5/14/2020 05:56:35 pm

good luck and welcome home ...fun fun fun

for my own safety...could you share the name of the asia country that put your friends in the slamer?

thanks Whitey

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 04:53:54 pm

Sorry, Whitey, I was asked to keep the details in confidence; we don't want any officials re-thinking the decision to let them go. Especially as I am still awaiting word about their safe arrival back in the US. But I do thank you for your good wishes for our upcoming journey. Hope you, too, are staying safe.

Andrea Murphy
5/14/2020 06:32:26 pm

Be safe. Looking forward to see you when you get back.
Nothing is the same here.

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 04:56:36 pm

I've heard it's a whole new world there, Andrea, and I'm sure we'll be surprised at every turn by the changes. We are looking forward to getting back to our cottage, where we'll be quarantined for two weeks, just to be on the safe side. When we're able to travel, I look forward to seeing your new construction project; the photos on Facebook are gorgeous. Give my love to Matt; can't wait to see you guys.

Jorge del Pino
5/14/2020 06:36:40 pm

Good Luck with your Trip!


Please make a full report on each travel leg!


Karen McCann
5/15/2020 04:57:32 pm

Great to hear from you, Jorge. Yes, you can be sure I will be covering our adventures on the blog, and no doubt it'll be a wild ride.

Julia Bell
5/14/2020 06:47:23 pm

Traveled four flights, 8 hours in airports, a motel night and funeral two weeks ago. Two months ago left Seville for Montana. Different and yet not. I have masks and gloves and more awareness. Still don’t control the environment and everyone else. Social distancing isn’t really possible on planes and airline staff don’t wear masks or seat from rear to front as told, etc. Good luck. It might be somewhat harrowing for you as to how lax the US is. I must be very approachable even masked. Four different people plopped down right next to me. For a chat? I moved each time. Safe travels!

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:02:29 pm

Sounds like your journey was grueling, and I can't believe the flight attendants were so lax or that people sat down expecting to chat. Yikes! I'd have dashed away too. I gather you are home safe now? It must be a big relief. I'm almost looking forward to two weeks of quarantine when we get back to CA. Sounds positively peaceful.

Ryan link
5/14/2020 07:34:06 pm

I'm glad you're finally getting off the ground! You'll be okay!!! I'm actually super-jealous. We can't do anything until we get our visa renewal, which was already 2 months late when lockdown hit. SO JEALOUS. Haha. :( Have a safe trip!!!!

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:12:09 pm

Hope your visa renewal comes through soon, Ryan. My brother and his wife were two days away from picking up their new residency cards when the lockdown came. They're sticking around and hoping government offices open in the next few weeks, and that their card is waiting for them. May you all be properly documented and footloose in the world soon!

Jean Bush
5/14/2020 09:14:45 pm

NorCal is ready for you! Most people are behaving, stores are getting the plexi and floor markers in place, we have some fairly reliable grocery delivery services and the restaurants are begging you to buy take out.
Safe travels!!

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:14:23 pm

Thanks, Jean! Yes, I hear wonderful things about how Marin is coping, staying safe, and enjoying great food from the local restaurants. It seems like years since I ate a meal prepared by someone besides myself and/or Rich. That will be a treat.

Dave Foote
5/14/2020 09:19:18 pm

Go for it guys!! The meek never won a war. Have a safe trip and hope to see you soon in sunny California!!

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:15:28 pm

Thanks for your words of encouragement. Dave. Hope to see you soon!

Kitty
5/14/2020 09:23:25 pm

Marin and SF are supposed to go to Phase 2 opening Monday the 18th so good timing. Sonoma has already started. Traffic isn't as bad but still so-so. Valley Ford Cheese opened their own restaurant for you to check out by take out. You seem well prepared as always. Gloves and masks are a good thing. You can even put hand sanitizer on them. I so feel your words. Safe trip.
Abrazos, Kitty

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:19:26 pm

Thanks, Kitty. I hear great things about how well CA is prepared and coping. The whole concept of take out is like a dream come true; take out hasn't caught on here, although a few places have started during the lockdown de-escalation. In fact, I am looking forward to the whole delivered-right-to-your-door culture. A luxury indeed. Stay safe, and thanks again for your support and good wishes.

Faye
5/14/2020 09:37:22 pm

“Well, if U ask me...,“ but I wish you both a Good trip anyway...can’t wait to hear about it.

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:20:10 pm

Thanks, Faye. Watch this blog for updates! Whatever happens, you'll be the first to hear about it.

Catherine Hutchison
5/14/2020 09:53:39 pm

Oh my! Another adventure of epic proportions! California seems to be doing a better job with lock down than most states. I heard yesterday the governor extended lockdown through July. Stay safe, Catherine

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:26:21 pm

My California friends like to refer to it as "sheltering in place" because it sounds so much more mellow than "lockdown." Whatever it's called, CA seems to have found a way to make it work; I'm happy to see the numbers in my area, Marin County, are very, very low. As for extending the timeframe, I'm happy the governor is consulting the best medical advisors and making decisions based on scientific evidence. Nobody knows for sure what will happen, and I'd rather play it safe a while longer.

Carolyn Heinz
5/14/2020 10:07:09 pm

Wishing a safe trip and what little comfort you can manage. Love you writing as usual. I hear cargo area is not heated, might want to bring a snowsuit.

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:26:55 pm

A snowsuit! Brilliant, Carolyn. Hmmm, wonder where I can buy one of those in Seville?

Tobey Hiller
5/14/2020 11:11:49 pm

Well, another adventurous trip--this time a venture into the viral jungle! Good luck!--you do sound well-prepared, and if it's any comfort, our mutual friend Bruce traveled home from Cuba just as the lockdown was going into effect, encountering jammed waiting areas, no facemasks or hygienic practices on planes, etc. etc. BUT he made it home safely (though it was a very anxiety-provoking trip) and has now been safely ensconced in his own home for a long while, practicing the ultimate safety measures. We've been quite isolated ourselves, though there're daily walks and trips (cum masks) to the local grocery store, etc. I'm a bit suspicious that our flat curve with begin to look more mountainous as the restrictions relax, but we'll see. We look forward to having you nearby and taking socially distanced walks! Bon voyage, you intrepid ones!

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:29:07 pm

I don't envy Bruce that trip! It must have been harrowing indeed. No wonder he's hunkering down and playing it safe now. No doubt we will feel much the same after our journey. Like you, I suspect the curves will be less flat soon, which is one of the reasons for the timing of our return. Stay safe, Tobey, and I look forward to those walks with you and Phil one of these days!

KIm Gonzalez
5/15/2020 12:09:53 am

I wish you safe travels and look forward to reading all about the adventure. We are in limbo in Panama with our plans to move to Valencia on hold indefinitely. My reaction to the virus is to want to go home (USA) and wait things out. My husband's is to sit tight until there's a vaccine, but that could be more than a year from now. I hope that once international flights reopen next month we'll have a plan that works for both of us. Buen viaje!

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:33:07 pm

These are tough decisions, Kim, and I know a number of expats struggling with them. Valencia's numbers still aren't looking that great, so it's probably better that you're not there just at the moment. But as we all know, the situation is very fluid, and anything can happen. I think you're right that a vaccine will take a while to develop, test, produce, and distribute. And we want them to pass through all these stages properly, to make sure the vaccine works and doesn't have some ghastly side effect. Most people I know are opting to hunker down and preparing themselves for a long wait. Good luck with whatever you and your husband decide!

Elizabeth Upper
5/15/2020 12:36:28 am

Good luck you guys!! I'm sure you will have it. It's those who are unprepared who are most vulnerable. And, I'll be dying to hear from the other end how it went! As well as your trip back in the fall...that's when I've been hoping to get back to Sevilla. Here's hoping to see you there!
Mil besitos!
Elizabeth

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:36:26 pm

I am looking forward to getting this journey in the rear view mirror and writing about it in all its craziness. I hope you do get back to Sevilla, Elizabeth, and that by then this city is its usual welcoming self again. This week, with so many shops and restaurants opening, it's beginning to regain its vibrant atmosphere. Here's hoping we can keep the numbers down and stay on track for whatever the new normal is going to look like.

Mary Claire
5/15/2020 02:16:55 am

Wish you luck! I am in the same boat , but in Paris, my only way back to Miami would be thru Atlanta, and that scares me, almost as much as the caos I am reading about, once I get back. Could you tell me what airline you are taking
since mine would be Delta and I have some doubts there. Again, stay safe!😷

Karen McCann
5/15/2020 05:45:12 pm

It's a scary world out there right now, Mary Clare, and I don't blame you for being nervous about traveling. I see from the email you sent that you are 87, and that's a genuine concern, as your age bracket is hard hit by this illness. Staying put might be the wiser choice. We are flying on American Airlines, mainly because that's the best route for us. I hope whatever you decide to do you stay safe and healthy.

Faye
5/16/2020 03:54:53 am

Mary Claire, what a lovely name.
I am thinking of you and will keep you in my prayer.

Linda Wright Reilly
5/15/2020 08:45:46 pm

Best wishes and safe travels to both of you! I'm anxious to hear about your adventure. And thanks for the tidbit on the hotel room ... we are driving out of state soon and will now take sleeping bags and pillows.

Prayers and bon voyage!

Linda R.

Karen McCann
5/16/2020 06:56:10 am

Sleeping bags and real pillows are ideal, and great for car travel. Wish we could take some with us on this journey, but hard to fit them into carry-on luggage. Good luck with your road trip, Linda.

Vera Badertscher link
5/16/2020 05:20:28 pm

I'm not so much concerned about your safety on the trip...since you are well prepared, but whether Spain will allow pariah Amerocans back in their country anytime soon. I also don't know if you are prepared to be considered a fuddy duddy by Americans who are being casual about cautions. I wish people in my town would be as careful as you
Arizona is still getting worse, and many people are flocking to the prematurely opened businesses. Glad to hear Marin is doing better than we are.

Vida Felsenfeld
5/16/2020 08:37:06 pm

Karen and Rich, welcome back to Cali. Safe travels to you and we'll be sending you guys super-sanitized California good vibes on your way back :) I love reading your blogs, they are so insightful, funny, great photos and are so well written--I admire your writing immensely! Just so you know, at least in the Bay Area, folks have been behaving themselves, staying in shelter, all us performing artists doing our thing on Zoom, Trader Joes wins for best social distancing practices and the AIR IS FRESHER, pollution down! Take care and keep us abreast of your travels. Besitos y cuidate!

Sine link
5/24/2020 05:19:16 am

Karen - I wish you guys the best of luck. By now you've probably arrived? I lost track of when exactly you were leaving. Thank you for all the info regarding surfaces and travel etc - I am also trying to read anything I can to figure out how the virus is most likely to transmit. My husband has always thought I was crazy to disinfect all the groceries, but in the absence of information I thought it was prudent. I don't do that anymore, and have stopped reminding everyone to wash their hands (although I still wash my own all the time). It's the getting close to people that is the highest risk, as I see it, especially indoor and for longer periods of time. I do hope that your flight will be fairly empty so that you can be spaced out. Have a great time in California! (I am jealous of that flat curve you've mentioned but then you have a more reasonable governor than we do here:-)


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