Well I did it, the unthinkable! I traveled on a plane to Miami during the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn’t my plan, but thanks to Bank of America and their f*ckery, I was forced to leave my isolation cave and put myself and my entire family at risk. (Seriously, F* Bank of America.)
And you know what? It was absolutely fine.
On Thursday of last week, it dawned on me that this was really happening. What followed next was anger, panic and fear! How could I get on a plane right now?? I needed a plan.
Some weeks before, my pandemic-buddy Amazon suggested I might want to purchase a hazmat suit. You know, just in case. I figured, why not? It’s $12 and it doesn’t hurt to have it.
When said hazmat suit arrived on Friday, after air travel was imminent, I called it destiny. Aha! This was my ticket to safe COVID-free travel! I knew in my heart that it was a sign. That was until I put the suit on and my husband took this terribly unflattering photo.
Never in my life have I felt more like a used condom.
I needed a new plan! What did I know about COVID-19 that could help me travel safely by air? With these many months of changing data, it has finally been decided that COVID-19 is spread through moisture droplets coming from the nose and mouth. At the same time, if I covered my nose, mouth and eyes, I could protect myself from any ‘droplets’ infecting me. That could be accomplished with a stock-pile of disposable masks (you know the cloth ones always droop!) and a pair of oversized sunglasses. Check and check!
I also know that it is difficult for COVID-19 to live on clothes and surfaces, but I decided to take precautions anyway. I walked with my Clorox wipes to give the seat and all surfaces of the airplane that I might come into contact with, a thorough wiping down. I also walked with my brand-name Purell–(the knocks-offs might be cool for puttering around my house but for air travel, I needed to real thing!)–so I could sanitize my hands.
When Monday came, I was as ready as could be to travel during a pandemic.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t bad at all!
At the airport in Jamaica I discovered that everyone–security personal, airport staff and passengers, were obediently wearing masks. All security bins were being sanitized diligently. When I got to the lounge, the buffet had been replaced with a paper menu that was discarded after I touched it. Social distance markers were placed on the ground 6 feet apart. For the most part, everyone obeyed the rules.
Once we boarded, I did not remove my mask. I declined the offer for coffee. I did not use the bathroom while flying (something I love to do because I’m a weirdo that loves airplane bathrooms).
When we landed and exited the plane, something strange happened. There didn’t seem to be another living soul in Miami airport. Apart from the boarder patrol officers that greeted me upon landing, the entire airport was empty. It was like ‘Life After People’. Seriously eerie feeling.
I was out of the airport in 15 minutes. It was the smoothest, cleanest and quickest experience I’ve ever had in miami airport! I continued my stay as I began. I Clorox wiped the rent-a-car and made a point of wearing my mask, sanitizing hands and staying far from people.
Finally, it was time for my reward! I went to Target after a long day of travel and blissfully roamed the aisles. I touched everything (then sanitized) then touched everything again! It was a wondrous, dangerous feeling, but after so many months of being cooped up and imprisoned by fear, that piece of normalcy was practically orgasmic.
People around me kept their distance, wore their masks and went about their lives. Seeing this action almost brought me to tears. For so many months I wondered “will life ever be normal again”? That night in Target was the reassurance I needed. Yes, it will. Life will be normal! Masks will be normal. Sanitizing will be normal. All of it (though no longer new) is normal now. And it’s no longer an inconvenience or an afterthought or something to complain about. It is simply life going on.
Now I’m back home in quarantine, as per the Jamaican governments stipulations. I honestly don’t think I had any opportunity to contract COVID-19. The banks had plastic partitions and we all wore masks and used hand sanitizer. Still, I’m a rule-follower, so here I am, following the rules again.
I just want all of you to know: It’s a new world out there people! Don’t be afraid to go about life as usual, just take precautions. Masks, sunglasses (or face shields) and sanitizer can allow for normalcy. I’m here to tell you, don’t hide behind your hazmat suits. Take precautions and live your life because you know what? Living in fear is not really living at all.
Amanda Hanna is a 4x Best-Selling Amazon Novelist and Professional Ghostwriter. She’s been blogging since the early aughts and now she’s back in the saddle. Watch out world! She’s blogging for you. www.creative-copy.com
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La Dolce Vita 