“We knew he had Covid. But nobody said anything because we would have all been quarantined and we would have missed the rest of the trip.” I try not to react as the middle-aged American woman spoke with her friends about her bus tour in Ireland. I was eavesdropping, after all— accidentally at first, but … Continue reading Travel in the Time of Covid— Arctic Reprise
“Saint Lucia dropped their entry test and quarantine requirement for vaccinated travellers!” “Let’s book it!” So this weekend we are heading to a different Caribbean island. We had originally planned to travel there in December of 2020. After three months based in Barbados, we were looking forward to exploring nearby islands. Covid numbers were low: … Continue reading Flying Back to “Normal”
We had a hard time finding coffee. In March 2020 it was because nothing was open. So novel that I took a picture. March 2020 We’d arrived two days before and all seemed normal. Restaurants were open but there was hand sanitizer on the counter, and only every second table was being used. Yes, there … Continue reading Two Trips to Tofino: Pandemic Progress
“So what are your stories going to be, from Barbados?” Richard and I were swapping accidental travel stories: my participation in a parade and horse race in Italy, his in a small French village’s wine festival; my travels on a local water taxi on Aberdeen harbour in Hong Kong, his line dancing at a small-town … Continue reading Not a Tourist any Longer
“What about these books?“ “Do you want us to pack up the Iitala glasses?” “One of the bookcases has to go, or the cabinet in the bedroom. Are there any extra duvets anywhere?” Someone else packing up my stuff My head is spinning as my sisters video chat through the apartment I haven’t seen for … Continue reading Letting Go, Yet Again
For the second time since I was 11 years old, I did not stay awake to see the old year out. My only other missing of the countdown was 7 years ago, when my flu turned to bronchitis turned to pneumonia. I canceled the party and went back to bed. I still remember my first … Continue reading Ringing in a New Year
When I was 19 and at university, 3000 kilometres from where my family lived, I planned to not go home for Christmas. I was living on student loans and money was tight. My mother quietly listened to my logic, then sent me a plane ticket. Of course, I had a wonderful time. But I remember … Continue reading Christmas (not) at Home
“This is a really good place to stop for lunch, if it was open.” “You’ll have to come back when St. Nicholas Abbey is open— It’s worth seeing.” “When it’s open, you’ll go down these steps and be able to swim inside the caves.” Animal Flower Caves The situation has changed dramatically since our first … Continue reading Barbados, (Mostly) Open for Business
“We killed the flu!” A friend who loves data posted a graph of the year over year numbers for influenza. There was a precipitous decline this year. Apparently masks, social distancing and hand washing don’t just inhibit transmission of Covid-19. He analysed data from the States but the same trend is apparent in Canada— seasonal … Continue reading Slacking Off, Tightening Up: It’s Not Safe Yet
“I envy your brilliant pandemic plan.” Wait, what? The comment from a friend whom I was messaging with, for the first time since I’d moved to Barbados, took me by surprise. I hadn’t thought of it that way. I did it for love. The closed Canada-US border meant that Scott and I were separated. After … Continue reading Caribbean Covid Plan
Brave Travels 