Hello everyone, it may sound strange but I never thought I would miss my flight because I really hate airplanes. Every time I fly, I get a little stressed because I don’t like crowded spaces, crowded planes, and the idea of germs everywhere. Haha, I guess I’m germaphobic in some ways.
Anyway, despite the coronavirus situation, Europe has started opening its borders and welcoming tourists. But as responsible citizens, we got tested for coronavirus before we left on holiday to make sure we were healthy, even if we didn’t have any symptoms.
I also wanted to experience for myself this “horrible” test everyone is talking about and sharing on social media, and honestly, it wasn’t that bad. So, if your city offers free testing, we recommend that you get tested before you go anywhere, and even when you return from vacation. Don’t be selfish, think of others!
We chose Greece as our vacation destination because it seemed like the safest place we could go right now. Infection rates were low and prices were low because demand was low. I have always dreamed of visiting the Cyclades Islands in Greece. Of course, I also wanted to see Mykonos and Santorini, but this time I got to see two islands: Athens, Mykonos, Naxos, and Paros. Oh, and the Greek government also required you to register on their website to get a special QR code. Failure to have this QR code will result in a fine of 500 Euros. The Greek government is also conducting random COVID-19 tests at airports, but because I received the results 72 hours before my flight, I was confident the test would not need to be repeated. We weren’t lucky enough to be selected when we arrived.
After the results came back negative in Germany, we packed our bags and left for the airport. When I arrived at Frankfurt Airport, I was shocked to see that the airport was empty, but at the same time I felt very safe because fewer people meant less chance of infection. As with other closed spaces, you must wear a mask and maintain social distancing. You have to wear a mask the entire flight, but I wasn’t worried because I’ve flown with a face mask before because you never know who might be sick. We were given disinfectant wipes to wipe our seats and hands every time we boarded the plane. Employees are advised that they must continue to wear masks and that they will be fined if they do not comply. They gave infected people small snacks, which they thought was foolish because it could cause them to cough during mealtime. Anyway, I skipped eating and waited until we landed.
Our first stop was Athens. All taxi drivers were wearing masks while driving. As soon as we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by staff wearing masks. After checking into a charming hotel located in the heart of the city, we were told that due to Corona, breakfast would be served in the room. I love having breakfast in bed!
I will write another blog post about places to visit in Greece and my travel itinerary. This time I want to share how different our travel experience was. Masks were worn basically everywhere: museums, stores, hotel staff. We were also wearing masks, but we noticed that many tourists were sometimes not wearing masks. It was understandable because the temperature was so hot that I sometimes forgot about it for a while. Of course, a mask may not provide 100% protection, but I felt safer when everyone around me was wearing a mask and following the rules.
I completely forgot that when traveling between islands on a boat, you also have to wear a mask and fill out a form about where you are staying on the island. When we left for Mykonos, they were also checking travelers’ temperatures. I think it’s because of the surge in infections in Mykonos. Let me tell you why. Compared to other islands, Mykonos was decidedly less cautious overall. First, it was the most populated island. The beach was full of partygoers. It was impossible to keep our distance. People were drunk and walking around carelessly without masks. The staff also did not wear masks. But the other islands were very cautious, so there were probably no cases of COVID-19 while we were there. Overall, Greek authorities are taking COVID-19 very seriously. They understand that the entire economy depends on tourism, so they need to keep their people healthy!
