So Many Details: PYL In-Flight (May 27, 2021)
Welcome Back My Directionally Challenged Passengers:
In 48 hours Finn (my 16 year old) and I will be starting our Nicaraguan adventure which I wrote about last week. Traveling during a pandemic is not easy as I’ve discovered (not to mention traveling with a minor which I also compained about last week).
I’ve been relatively calm about the trip and I feel like we have our last major task this afternoon with our Covid tests.
A negative test is required to get into Nicaragua but not into Costa Rica (where we fly into and stay the night) and needs to be within the previous 72 hours or 3 calendar days. It’s not clear what the requirement is so we are getting the tests at 2:30 this afternoon because we expect to cross the border on Sunday around 10 AM.
I woke up at 1:30 this morning anxious about whether the test would be acceptable. After investigating this today, it appears that the PCR test should be acceptable. I wonder what is going to wake me up tonight.
Yesterday I had to take care of the Costa Rican Covid health insurance and lodging requirement which seems like a bit of a scam.
There are three companies that you can get this insurance through, and while our Blue Shield health insurance satisfies the $50K USD minimum requirement (and I got a letter to this effect), our insurance company doesn’t cover the $2K USD per person quarantine lodging requirement and there wasn’t an option for lodging only. I sent a note to their government agency asking if I could show the $4K in a bank account and they said no.
It’s only $66 for the 24 hours we will be in Costa Rica on the way in but then I will have to get the same for the less than 12 hours each of us will be in Costa Rica for the return trip on June 9th for me and June 26th-27th for Finn.
Then there’s the safety entry thing that I had to complete for each of us. The requirement is to do no more than 48 hours in advance but I did the two yesterday and they accepted and generated the QR code so hopefully we are all set. I’ve uploaded the evidence to the United app (which was accepted) and hope that we are good to go.
My friend Christy (who we are visiting) has been fantastic in providing all of the links with information and requirements so we are as prepared as possible.
While I was getting my nails done today (wax was yesterday), the guy doing my toes was very curious as to how we chose Nicaragua to visit and I had to laugh because it definitely would not have been anywhere on my travel list if it weren’t for Christy.
Back in February or March I was thinking about where to take Finn to get them out of our SV bubble and didn’t think Europe would be open to us. Christy had extended an open invitation to us and I decided to do my #onebravething for the day and accept the offer. This is putting me very much outside of my comfort zone, especially during a pandemic, but this is a good thing which I am going to talk about in my next YouTube video.
Traveling, especially solo, makes me grow as a person as I’ve learned from my solo adventures in Necker Island, France, Spain, Estonia, Finland, and Germany the last few years.
I gain confidence as I do new things in new places and attempt to speak other languages (I’ve been cramming Spanish on Duolingo and Babbel).
I learn about myself as I explore unfamiliar places. Usually good stuff.
This time I get to travel with Finn which will be good for both of us. Finn is beyond excited while I am working hard to stay calm and enjoy the journey regardless of what happens.
And take care all of the details.
I trust Christy 100% and know she wouldn’t put us in harms way so I am not worrying about our safety. I am concerned about the gauntlet we will be running with all of the regulatory requirements and checkpoints.
And other things like what time should we get to SFO? 2 hours before our flight? 3? The United Club is not open in the international terminal and it looks like there aren’t very many amenities available. They are only serving a snack on the 6+ hour flight and I am not good when I am hungry. First world problems, I know, but they are my problems so they matter to me.
I’ll be sharing photos on Instagram so definitely follow me there. And I’ll be sharing more details and pictures in my blog on Medium. I may get Christy to chat with me on YouTube so if you have any questions for her (or me or Finn) please let me know and I’ll make sure to get them answered during our trip.
But now it’s time to consider packing (I actually got a few new bathing suits that look cute on me) and check a few more things off my list like getting cash. How much should I bring? What denominations? So many decisions. But we are almost on our way.
Oh, and now we know where Costa Rica and Nicaragua are…yes we had to look it up yesterday.
With much love and gratitude,
Terri
P.S. Take the controls and be the pilot in your own life. It’s a beautiful day to fly, and you are cleared for takeoff.
Song: Budapest by George Ezra
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