Dear Amanda,
The very day that I received my second vaccine dose I booked a trip to visit my sister in Washington DC. I hadn’t seen her, or her baby son, since their road trip down here in December. As close as I am to my sister, it’s just been slaying me that I haven’t been able to be a part of her new journey into motherhood and spend oodles of time with my very first nephew. So, the last weekend in June, I took my first post-COVID flight.
Amanda, it was like a balm to my soul. Oh airports, how I’ve missed you. Against my better judgement, I did not take a direct flight. We all know how layovers can overcomplicate travel, but the direct flights were at crappy times. We sold off our extra car, so it also meant either an Uber ride or Jon to take me, and the layover allowed for using the much closer, Sarasota airport. Back in February of 2020 I finally sprang for TSA Precheck and this was also my first trip without having to remove my shoes and laptop. The lines weren’t long, but it was so nice to just sail through the security checkpoint.
I’ll leave the details of the trip itself for a longer post, but I discovered something new and interesting at the Atlanta airport bathrooms. The doors now have smart locks and an indicator light above the stall! No more do we need to tentatively push on a door or bend over to peer at feet. A quick glance up tells you exactly which stalls are available! And, with all the COVID cleaning, their was a constant bathroom attendant keeping all the stalls sparkling fresh!
My longer layover on the way home was precisely the sorts of shenanigans you and I get into while traveling together. It involved a lady named Tweety, a bartender named JD, many free drinks and an R&B singer! Sitting around JD’s bar, you could feel this sense of tentative joy and relief to be traveling again. My compatriots were all on their very first post-COVID trip and all on their journey home. My extroverted self was having a complete ball, drinking in the energy of the group.
It’s a good thing I took the opportunity to travel during the summer COVID dip. Florida’s numbers are once again rising and we are going back to a more isolated life-style. But it sure was fun while it lasted. Amanda, if the borders do open, we can’t wait to host you. Hazel’s already offered up her pink bombshell bedroom for your use.
I hope you’re feeling better and I can’t wait for us to start wandering again. At the moment, we’re both just in captivity.
-Stephanie
