Don’t let COVID push your wanderlust down any longer. You are now able to travel around when we haven’t been able to do so freely for over a year. Why should you wait any longer? As long as you are adhering to the travel guidelines, there is no reason that you can’t jet off somewhere and explore once again. We understand feeling as though you need to be somewhere else, need to be experiencing somewhere else, doing something else and so on. You have had to hold that inside you for almost two years, but no longer. Now, you can let it free, as long as you are being safe while you do so. In this article, we’re going to be looking at why traveling is still possible, even though COVID isn’t entirely gone yet. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

 

Plan Your Flights

First, you are going to need to plan your flights normally like you would have done before. The only difference that you will find is that the planes are not operating the same way they used to, meaning that less people can fit on a flight at the moment. An example of this would be the fact that if you are traveling in a party then you can sit together, but if not you are going ot have to leave at least one seat between you and another passenger. Not that this is an issue, everyone likes having their personal space after all. It just means that the flights are carrying less people, so you have got ot be quick and book your space.

While it was best before to plan your flights ahead of time, it’s not crucial that you do so. In fact, you’re no longer able to just turn up and hop on a flight to go somewhere in the world, sitting next to a stranger and having a nice chat. Instead, you need to book online for days at least in advance, and you will be on your own until the rules change again.

 

Book Your Accommodation

 

When booking your accommodation, check what guidelines they have for COVID. If you want to stay safe, you want to make sure that you are staying somewhere that is adhering to as many of them as they possibly can. We’re not saying that they have to go overboard, wearing PPC and whatnot, but you still want them to be cleaning more regularly than before, especially things that a lot of people touch like door handles. 

 

You may find that this is a little more expensive at the moment as well due to the owners needing to make back some of the money that they lost when COVID happened and people were in lockdown. It’s not their fault, and they need to do whatever they can to ensure that they stay in business. 

 

Take Plenty Of Hygeine Precautions

If you are going to be traveling at this time, it’s essential that you are taking plenty of hygiene precautions. Not everyone is going to be, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. It’s important that you are taking all possible precautions such as washing your hands, wearing a face covering if you can, taking hand sanitizer out with you and so much more. You know what you need to do anyway, it’s not like it’s rocket science or particularly hard to work out. Basic hygiene is important anyway, but for some people this has been a kick up the back to step up and do more in terms of hygiene. 

If you are going to be traveling abroad, you never know what germs you are picking up at any given time. You cannot afford to be lacking when it comes to keeping your hands and yourself in general clean. You don’t want COVID, and you don’t want to be someone who is spreading it either simply because you didn’t want to wash your hands after you touched something that a lot of people touch.

 

Wear A Face Covering

We briefly mentioned this above, but wearing a face covering if you are able to is a good thing to do. You want to go on your travels, but you also want to protect yourself, the ones you care about and the wider population, right? Well, experts have all agreed that wearing a face covering does slow the spread of COVID. So, while it may not be the most comfortable thing all the time, and while it is no longer mandatory to do so, it is still something that you should consider doing just to ensure that you are safe. 

If you don’t want to wear a face covering all the time, you don’t have to. In fact, you can always only wear it when you are in a crowded area as this is when you are most at risk. For example, if you are on public transportation, and there are a lot of people on it, then a mask is the best thing for it. But, if you are walking down the streets somewhere that isn’t crowded, then you can leave it off. It’s just to keep you safe. 

 

Take A COVID Test

You must take a COVID test before you go abroad, and just before you come back, as well as when you get back. The reason for this is that if you test positive at any point, you A) can’t go on your trip until you are better, and B) you have to self isolate for 14 days. We all know the drill, 14 days is the recommended amount of time for self isolation if you test positive for COVID, and while it might be boring, it’s helping to save people so it’s going to be worth it. 

You can do a home test, and as long as it is negative your travel plans can commence. Don’t let this minor inconvenience stop you from even attempting to go on your travel adventures. Some people might because the COVID test can be uncomfortable for some people, but it’s over within seconds and not worth a second thought. 

 

Check The Allowed Countries

Before you start planning your travel adventure, just make sure that you are checking all of the allowed countries to travel to. Some are completely limited to essential travel only due to the number of COVID cases there, others you can go to for non-essential travel but you have to isolate when you come back, and some are just completely fine. Make sure that you are double checking which category you fall under, and then decide on the best course of action. Ideally, you want to go somewhere that you can go to, and not have to self isolate when you come back, so try to choose one of these destinations if you can. We understand that this isn’t always going to be possible, especially if you are traveling for a wedding or event that you can’t choose the location of. 

However, it’s still important to check before you go, even if you don’t control the location. At least you know what to expect when you get back, and you can decide whether it is worth it.

 

Travel On Your Own

If you want to travel but your friends and family are still a little funny about COVID, you can always travel on your own. At the very least, if you are traveling on your own then you don’t have to worry about someone with you not washing their hands, or not following the proper guidance to avoid getting COVID as much as you can. Traveling on your own can also be a really fun experience, helping you to find yourself, and learn more about the world at the same time. It’s a good idea to do this, and like we said, you’re only having to look after yourself.

Traveling on your own doesn’t have to be a scary thing to do. Of course you might be a little nervous in the beginning, but the more you do it, the more you are going to enjoy it. If nobody wants to go with you, just let it roll straight off of you and set up your entire adventure on your own. 

Take a look at some of the latest travel trends, and think about incorporating them into your trip if you would like to. It’s just something fun to do while you’re away!

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the ways that traveling is still possible, it just means taking some extra precautions. If your wanderlust is getting stronger over the last few months knowing change has been coming, don’t push it down any longer. Do what you need to do to sate that craving inside of you. We wish you the very best of luck, hope that you have a fantastic time and encourage you to travel safely as much as you can. 

Published on Holr Magazine