Travelling to India during the pandemic Covid-19

So, the Boy and I managed to travel to India from Bahrain in the dreaded year that is 2020. I was so nervous before the first flight that I forgot to take my house keys (thankfully I had locked the door with my spare key which I gave to a neighbour), missed switching off the air conditioner and packed haphazardly – all very unlike the pain-in-the-ass organised me.

Before getting on the plane to India, we called up a taxi driver who would take us from Delhi to the Boy’s home in Panchkula. A friend in India had advised me to get the transparent shield between the driver's seat and the passenger’s seat at the back. On requesting the service for the same, the driver informed us that there is no Corona in India now and so they have removed the sheet from the cars.

That was our sneak peek into what lay ahead. From a complete lockdown to Diwali card parties, India had transformed in the last few days. As the numbers started going down in October, the masks started slipping too.

Tough ride for tough people!!!

There were four types of people we encountered:

 Covidiots – Corona is a hoax; we don’t have to wear a mask. It is a sham by pharmaceutical companies across the world to make money. (How I wish our world leaders were so cordial with each other to even collaborate on a thing like Covid-19!)

Over-smart – We wear the mask below the nose because we can’t breathe in it. Doesn’t matter if we get corona, mortality rate is low in India. (Ask my friend who lost her mother, another who lost her uncle, an acquaintance who lost her father, the list is endless.)

Afraid of the fine – We wear mask under the chin only to pull it up when we see the police because we eat turmeric and drink magical concoction by Swami Diecorona and can never get Covid. (slow clap for the 'brightest minds' in the world who are making vaccines in the form of Ayurvedic solutions and sweet homeopathic pills, Pfizer and Moderna need coaching! Doesn't mean I am a non-believer, I just feel if it was that simple, we wouldn't have been here in the first place.)

The paranoid/ outcasts/ anti-social/ ‘darpok’ – These people wear their mask, follow all the rules, step out only when necessary and feel extremely uncomfortable when the people around them don’t. I bow down to them and salute their resilience. No kidding.

5- Attention seekers with masks like these

We went home because we were missing family. We did an RT-PCR test before leaving Bahrain and took a rapid antigen test five days after reaching homeland. We have been tested after coming back too and by God’s grace and smart precautions, we have been spared.

When we were in India we did the following to protect ourselves and our families:

   - Wore a disposable surgical mask every time we stepped out (which was mainly for long drives, take-away coffee, airports, and a couple of outdoor restaurants) and threw it the moment we were home.

 - We finished almost three 100 ml bottles of hand sanitizers! I used hand cream to hydrate the palms at night otherwise I was on the verge of developing bruises on my skin.

 - We did natural things that our parents were doing like taking steam, drinking hot water, having turmeric milk at night, etc.

 - We went to eat out but did not step indoors at any restaurant (except two because there was no other option due to some reasons). All places were outdoors with a lot of ventilation. We wore our masks while interacting with the staff. 

- While travelling from one city to another, we wore masks, used hand sanitizers intensively, used face shields, and made use of alcoholic wipes to disinfect spaces.

 - While booking our flight tickets, we paid extra to get the front row so that we are in less contact with people. Indigo is selling ‘double seat’ in flights so that no one sits next to you - we booked those for the three domestic routes we took. They made us feel super safe.

 - We even did a 3-night staycation in Goa at a five-star resort. Although that wasn’t part of the plan and it wasn’t the most important thing to do, we took our chances. We did all the above things and tried to be as safe as possible.

First covid test is always special and poseworthy!

We were not 100% safe, but we tried our best. Maybe we were lucky, or maybe our efforts worked – we shall never know. However, we wanted to do our bit for the tourism industry, and we are so glad we took that step. Now, now, don't roll your eyes!

 I came back with a content heart and a smile on my face. For anyone who is missing family, haven’t seen their parents in over a year, I’d say take the plunge. Be careful, mindful and smart. It was a very hard journey for us which took almost 14 hours from one door to the other. Being in a mask and constantly being cautious of your surroundings makes it torturous. But I would do it again in a second to meet my loved ones, and take that awesome vacation in Goa. You know, just to help the tourism industry!

Practice Social Distancing :)