Traveling Friends Archives - EbonyTravelers | Tips From The Experienced Traveler

Covid Restrictions and Holiday Travel

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Oct 10, 2021 | 0 comments

Recently a friend traveled from Washington DC to Egypt. She discussed with me the harrowing experience of trying to get a required Covid test for travel. With recent federal guidelines, the need for Covid testing has increased, and availability has decreased. As the holidays are a busy travel season, it stands to reason travelers needing testing during the holidays will also surge. Here are a few things to think about regarding Covid testing and the holidays.

A surge in Covid testing

Many of the issues involved with the current availability of Covid testing affect the recent executive order requiring Covid vaccination for federal employees. Companies with over 100 employees will be required to comply with the order or face significant fines. As expected, there are many questions regarding the order and implementation that need an answer. However, the demand for Covid testing has risen, and so travelers need to prepare.

Thanksgiving travel

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it’s usually one of the busiest times for people to travel. In 2020, many suggested curtailing travel during the Thanksgiving holiday, and many ignored that suggestion. In preparation for the upcoming busy Thanksgiving travel season, the U.S. Air Travel Public Safety Act may require all passengers on domestic airlines to either be fully vaccinated, tested negative, or fully recovered from Covid.

Preparing for holiday travel

In essence, travelers should be aware of travel restrictions and Covid guidelines. They should know where their Covid testing sites are. Find out if they need to have Covid symptoms or can test as a precaution. Research the timing of their test before seeing friends and family as exposure varies. It’s also good to know the different Covid test options, PCR or antigen.

As with any travel experience, preparation is critical. Stay safe this holiday season and if you choose to travel, do it safely.

Is a group tour right for you?

by Donna Hunter, PhD | Sep 5, 2021 | 0 comments

Group tour or not?

Depending on your travel personality, tour travel can be a pleasure or a pain. Enjoyable travel takes a lot of money, planning, and for things to fall in place. Planning a trip with different sightseeing on the agenda takes a bit of experience. An organized tour will provide all the organization and prep work for you. Considering the advantages and disadvantages, is a group tour right for you? Here are a few thoughts to consider.

Tour companies take care of all the organization and prep work for visiting landmarks. They usually include the most popular destinations so that your itinerary will offer the best of your destination goals. Tour operators and guides also provide a bit of insider knowledge since they are from the area. They often share historical information not widely known that can enhance the experience.

Organized tours have designated times and schedules. This scheduling can allow you to relax and enjoy your travel without having to create your plans. However, it prevents you from vacationing on your terms and timing. To many, this can be a significant disadvantage. The specific tour guidelines and lack of control can be a turnoff for many travelers. Being stuck on a tour bus with dozens of people or a tour with a standard of service not expected can be a turnoff.

Knowing the maximum group size, age specifics, or style of tour is also essential. Smaller group tours give the advantage of a more personalized and unique experience. Age specifics allow you to be more aware of the group capacity. A young adult going on a tour for retirees is a prime example of a mismatch. Alternatively, going on an adventurous tour when you find relaxing trips more enjoyable can be a disaster.

One advantage of an organized tour is the fact that tours give an aspect of safety. Tour companies are usually risk-averse. They often choose destinations and activities that cater to the age and preferences of the tour group. If travelers are not conscious of the age and demographics of the tour group, they can find themselves in undesirable circumstances.

Finally, pricing can be an advantage or a disadvantage. Tour packages can include meals, transportation, hotels, flights, entry fees, or sightseeing. Often travelers assume that their tour packages include items that are not included or available for an additional cost. Although tour pricing can be attractive, individual research and planning could also be more advantageous. If considering a tour, do your research to determine if a tour is right for you. Consider the advantages and disadvantages before deciding. Do you prefer tours or trip planning on your own? I’d like to know.

5 Covid friendly hotel stay tips.

by Donna Hunter PhD | Dec 16, 2020 | 0 comments

Having flown as a career for over 20 years I have stayed in many hotel rooms and so the experience has taught me a lot about what to look out for in terms of cleanliness.

1. Check the hotel sheets. No one wants to sleep on possible dirty covid sheets. I can’t tell you how many different times I have gone into a hotel room just dying to shower and get into bed and found that the sheets have not been changed. If you do this when you first get into the hotel room, there is plenty of opportunity for the hotel to fix the issue before you are ready to go to bed.

2. Make sure the sheets are visibly dirty before you check out of the hotel and prevent any possible Covid spread. I think it’s just a matter of kindness to the next guest and just plain hygienic. Don’t feel bad as the hotel should automatically be doing this anyhow. I always wiped the bottom of my shoe across the sheets before I checked out.

3.Place a face towel or hand towel on the bathroom counter to place all your items on. Especially in this time of covid you do not want to transfer any germs to your face or hands. It’s also a visual reminder of anything placed on the counter and it helps in not forgetting items like jewelry in the bathroom.

4. Take an extra washcloth and wipe the toilet seats down. I think we all assume that the hotel room has been cleaned thoroughly but my experience has shown that the toilet seat is often overlooked.

5. Treat hotel room floors like airplane bathrooms and never assume it’s just water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed through hotel corridors and seen the remains of a hotel room party gone wild. Let’s face it, the hotel does not have the manpower or capability to thoroughly clean hotel room floors, nor do they often have time between checkouts. Covid can be easily spread through bodily fluids.

I hope my tips have been helpful, check back in for more of my lived travel experience.

Choosing the right travel partner brings treasured memories.

by Donna Hunter PhD | Dec 4, 2020 | 0 comments

As I end this most recent trip without my travel partner of the past thirteen years, I reflect on my feelings about this travel experience. One of the most important aspects of having a wonderful travel experience is the consideration of your travel partners.

There are many different types of travelers. This includes budget travelers who want to make the most from their trip with the least expense. Another type is carefree travelers who often give no care or consideration to the footprint they leave behind, whether it be a trashed hotel room or negative impressions.

Needless to say, I fit none of those categories. After years of professional and personal travel, I try to leave behind a very minute footprint and I have no problem budgeting and paying for the type of accommodations and experiences I expect. That being said a hotel room with no bathrobe or slippers is subpar for me as my feet touching the floor gives an instant gag reflex (more on another blog post).

When considering travel companions, choose wisely! An incompatible travel partner can leave less than treasured memories. Those minute frustrations that arise can play havoc with the inner travel experience you will have. Often you will hold back on voicing your opinions to not create friction while traveling. Subconsciously, however, this takes away from the enjoyment of the travel experience. I would suggest you think long and hard about choosing the right travel partner.

Have you ever planned a wonderful trip then regretted it before it ended? Share your thoughts, I’d love to hear about them.