Departure Day (Ben)
We woke up early (around 6:00), and got on top of getting ready for the trip to the airport. After grabbing a quick breakfast and loading up the van with the remaining items, our hotel room looked strangely clean. It was a melancholy feeling, seeing that empty room and knowing that Sam’s and my journey was done. We pulled out of the lot around 7:30 or so.
When we got to the airport, I was a tad nervous. I had never really flown on my own before, and the fear of missing my flight or some important information plagued my mind for a while. Sam, being a frequent flyer, was a good guide to have. Security was a breeze, and finding the terminal was simple. Eventually, I had to board, and bid farewell to Sam.
On the plane, I was expecting the number of travelers to be reduced to accommodate Covid conditions. However, I was wrong; they were just as inhumane as usual, with other travelers crammed in less than a foot away from me. I had heard that my flight would be busy, but jeez. At that point, I wondered, why even make people wear masks and avoid serving any on-flight refreshments? With this many people packed in like sardines, if one person had the virus, others would no doubt receive it. It was nice to talk to others on the plane, however.
The man next to me had seen his daughter for the first time in 25 years, and got to celebrate Father’s Day with her. It was nice conversations like this one that made me forget momentarily about the frustrating counterproductivity of the flight’s safety measures. However, when they decided to empty the plane very slowly at the flight’s conclusion because they wanted to curb “close contact” among travelers, this frustration was renewed.
My connection flight went much smoother; the plane was much less full, and there was an empty seat between each person. After a quick 49-minute flight, I collected my bag and made my way to the passenger pickup area. My parents struggled with not being able to hug me; they insisted that I shower first. After getting home and having a nice hot shower, I ate two dinners (hey, I hadn’t eaten since breakfast) and showed off my favorite pictures to my family. It felt amazing to just sit in my own room again, but I knew that I would miss being on the road and playing one of the Covid road trip songs. Nevertheless, this trip was an amazing growing experience and an absolute blast that really salvaged my summer in these trying times. Covid Wagon, Godspeed.
