Before starting out on this COVID road trip, I read that the safest part of any journey involving air travel is the flight, that the big risks are travel to and from the airport, as they tend to involve others in close quarters. Today I can testify to that!
The Vancouver Airport was virutally empty, everyone wearing masks, the workers hanging about chatting as there was nothing else to do. A TSA person took my temperature before I was allowed to go through to Customs and Immigration so I knew, at least, that no one passing through had a fever.
Nexus did me no favours today. There was only one line through security so had to take my shoes off. Sigh, thought I had that solved ages ago. Nevertheless the process was very fast.
On the flight from Vancouver to Seattle, scheduled for an hour but only 24 minutes in the air, I wore my sun glasses, my mask and my raincioat hood full up as I turned away toward the window from the person next to me. Air Canada provided passengers with care parcels containing a water bottle, non-alcohol wipes (not effective against coronavirus), a mask and a pair of gloves for the lengthy flight.
Pre-pandemic brains sadly reemerged when we landed. People rose, reached for their bags in the overhead compartments and definitely did not maintain distance as they crowded the aisle, all trying to be the first to disembark. I waited til everyone was off the aircraft and then exited all on my lonely own.
My flight arrived at the S Terminal at SEA-TAC which meant I had to take a shuttle train to the baggage area. (I am travelling very heavy this time – full camera gear, a box of books I have been reading virtually to my grandsons for months, more than my usual complement of clothes so no convenient carry on and walk right out.) I just missed a train but needn’t have worried about others crowding around. When the next train took off I was the only person in my car.
Renting a car was easy with everyone covered to the extreme and the drive to Seaside, OR (once I corrected the several wrong turns I made reaching I-5 south were overcome) was peaceful.
The day was overcast and occasionally spitting rain, so no sunset photos today. I have high hopes for tomorrow! See you then!
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