For most of us, 2020 has been our first experience with a pandemic. Every day we get to learn what to do and what not to do, and we’ve accepted these as the new normal – hard and annoying I know.
For lovers of travelling our travels have had to be halted; however, if we must travel then we are required to comply with the necessary protocols.
Due to how cumbersome travelling has become, some people have chosen not to travel at all until a vaccine is approved and administered globally.
And then there are travel junkies like me ( I call us the coconut head travellers), who are ready and willing to put ourselves through all the restrictions including PCR testing, wearing of nose masks throughout the flight and other annoying 😒 procedures just so we can have our annual travel fix!
Well, your favourite travel blogger DID travel during a pandemic. Just so I could say: “I was there some “! Hehehe
So let’s start with departure to destination
Travelled from Accra to London on Brussels Airlines, another coconut head decision for me! I had heard and been repeatedly told how horrible the services of the airline was, especially their terminal for Africans.
However, being me, I don’t base my opinion on hearsay so I decided to experience it for myself in order to confirm or refute what I had heard.
KIA was fairly breezy with the check-in and safety protocols: basically, just wear your mask and you’re good to go!
We had a stopover at Abidjan and throughout the time the plane sat on the tarmac, we were required to keep our nose masks on.
I thought it would be difficult for me but surprisingly, it was bearable. I thought it was only fair, considering the fact that my host in the UK expected me to be COVID-19 free by strictly observing safety protocols as she was scheduled to travel to Ghana within the week .
The transit in Brussels was fairly easy. However, the walk from our terminal to the boarding gate was pretty long! Close to 30 minutes! Imagine if you had to run to catch a flight! Too stressful.
Heathrow was pretty breezy! No special questions or interrogations. No special protocols or anything out of the ordinary.
So what’s really changed about travelling during a pandemic?
Personally, and I guess with regards to my travel route, it was the visible nose masks. As I sat observing all the passengers at the boarding gate in Brussels, I kept thinking to myself how the wearing of masks was the new normal. This was something that didn’t exist when I travelled a year ago! The difference a year had made was huge!
Again, 48hrs before my arrival in the UK, I had to fill a public health passenger locator form online and show it to the immigration officer at the point of entry.
You are also required to fill one for Brussels Airline even if you were just transiting.
Cost
If you’re flying back to Ghana as I would, you’re now saddled with an additional cost of almost $500 just to take a PCR test before your departure and on arrival at Kotoka International Airport!
This is a lot!
These additional costs have made travelling really expensive! Imagine what $500 can add to my shopping or bank account 😭.
Should you travel during these Covid-19 times?
I’ve heard varied opinions about this question. Travelling now entails some inconvenience and added responsibility, and this can be annoying if you are travelling for leisure.
For me, it’s about individual preferences and what you wish to get from travelling. It all depends on you!
I actually thought wearing the mask was going to be my biggest problem during the flight but it wasn’t. The Chinese are noted for wearing masks every day, even before Covid 19; and I guess if they can do it so can I. At least until a vaccine is found!
I love travelling! And I see everything as an experience! So that’s how I choose to look at my travel time.
My next blog post would be about my lockdown experience in the UK! Boris Johnson put all the places I intended to go to on tier 4 lockdown and that basically means staying indoors!😭
Going to tell you how I managed that so please subscribe if you haven’t done so already to get all the juicy details.
So I ask, have you travelled during this pandemic?
How was the experience?
Are you like, no no I won’t do it again?
Or you’re like me, and already planning your next trip? Lool
Are you motivated to travel or not as you read this post?
Please let’s talk, will definitely love to hear from you.
P.S: Kindly share this blog post with your family, friends and loved ones. It will totally mean a lot to me.
P.S: Who wants a review of Brussels Airlines? Please show by hand 🤚
