Early this year when travel bans were imposed, we didn't know if we would be able to travel again anytime this year. We had plans of traveling to India and Paris in Spring and Summer, which unfortunately had to be pushed back until it was safe to travel. It was devastating as both the trips were long due and we had made all the arrangements much prior to Christmas 2019.
While traveling by plane is till something we are wary of, traveling by car is within our comfort level- but with complete caution and planning. Fast forward to July 2020- we made our very first road trip to Bethany Beach with the family to ring in my birthday. It was a day trip- totally exhausting and non-recommendable with a three months old puppy. But, last week we took a two days trip to Stanardsville, Virginia for a Glamping trip and it was nothing short of fun, fear and adventure. It did take a lot of courage-mustering, planning, and list-making, but glad we did! Cuz, it was fun....
We could have booked any location within a driving distance, but after a five month long travel hiatus and so much fearmongering, we wanted to take baby steps and stay closer to home. So, we reserved a Getaway house two hours aways from Maryland. We booked our trip back in June, keeping our plan flexible and our minds set for a last minute cancellation, all contingent on how this whole Covid-19 thing played out.
We were in two minds up until a few days before the trip as cases in our area are still on an upward trajectory. While, things might not be one hundred percent safe and no where close to normal, seeing people take precautions, social distance and abide by the CDC safety guidelines was a respite and gave us the courage to move forward with our trip. To learn more about the GETAWAY house, check out THIS post.
What we packed
Sanitizing products - we packed varieties of hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, disinfecting sprays, hand soap, dish soap, both for the getaway house and our car. Before we all entered the trailer, hubs went inside and wiped down everything, every inch, every corner, every fixture, and anything that we we would come in contact with within the trailer.
Bed sheets and linens - this advice came from my cousin who is an ER doctor in NY and I am glad we took her advice. While this place provided fresh set of bed linens and towels, we made sure we brought ours. We covered the existing ones with ours and used our towels both in the bathroom and the kitchen. This might not be practical for air travelers, but for others and air bnb's I would highly recommend bringing your own supplies.
Kitchen utensils -again, this was a personal choice. The Getaway house was equipped with every possible kitchen tool and utensil you would need, but we decided to pack our own utensils, a couple cooking pots and pans, spoons, spatulas, disposable china and grilling gear.
Food items and essentials - while, most of the grocery and convenient stores are now open, stores in smaller towns are yet to open. In anticipation of stores and restaurants still being closed we packed our own food, meat, freezer foods, ready-to-eat meals, snacks, water, juices and dog food. It is totally up to you but when you are traveling with family and little kids- you gotta be proactive and prepared.
Board Games and entertainment - plan ahead and pack your own board game boards, cards and outdoor sports stuff. A lot of outdoor activity places are still closed, even if they are open they require a reservation and which might be hard to get. So if you have kids like mine who gets bored fast, bring a variety of stuff to keep em busy.
Masks and Gloves- these two are the two important things you need for your well-being today. Bring extra in case you loose one.
On the road
Since it was a short two hours trip, we didn't pack a lot of food for the car. We did a drive through pick up though, which felt entirely safe and the best way to food take out. Take heed- not all rest areas are open and even if it was open I don't consider it safe for use, so we refrained from consuming too much fluid before we embarked on the trip. We were prepared to take pit stops for nature pee in case any one of us needed to.
Camping location
Unsurprisingly, all the getaway houses were booked for the entire week. We went midweek and it was fully booked out. Fellow campers were cautious, alert, maintained safe distance and wore masks while out on the public roads and common areas. Our trailer had it's own personal bathroom, so we did not have to come in contact with anyone. Even while hiking we wore masks and so did other hikers.
Eating out
While we brought our own food and drinks, Virginia is known for it's wineries and the family picture that you see above was shot right outside EARLY MOUNTAIN- a new winery/restaurant in the area. We had been holding back on eating out at restaurants for the past six months, but we couldn't resist the online reviews and ratings for this place and caved in. We made a reservation for patio dining for late afternoon/early evening when there were less guests. With everyone seated at a safe distance, hosts and all serves in masks and gloves- this place felt safer than a grocery store. Since it was pet-friendly it just worked out in. all respect. We ate and drank to our heart's content and thoroughly enjoyed our mini foodcation.
Post trip
On our return, we removed our shoes, sprayed them with disinfecting sprays and left them outside to quarantine. We bathed right away. I put all the linens and clothing for washing at the highest heat setting and dried them at the highest heat setting. I wiped down all that I could and safely stowed em away till our next road trip.
Post this trip I feel so much in control of my inhibitions. All that fear and wariness that was at an all time high these past few months toned down. This road trip couldn't have come at a better time- both weather wise and preparedness wise. Would I travel again- yes, I would! Not sure about air traveling but another road trip- YES for sure!!!
