Chueca, Madrid, Spain, September 2020

I have managed to make it to Spain. Travelling through the airports of Panama City and Madrid was way easier than I had feared, though somehow a bit spooky, as they are still empty and clearly some people are scared to be there (I guess, they needed to travel, but still fearful for their health).

The centre of Madrid also looks better than I thought. You see people and some restaurants and businesses operate, however with some heavy biosecurity rules imposed. On the streets, essentially everyone wears masks, and somehow, I have a feeling that these have become a part of people's clothing.

I am going to see some Spanish friends today and tomorrow, and spend some time with them and their families (yes, they take a risk to see me).

If all goes to plan, on Monday, I am going to be travelling to Krakow via Amsterdam. There, I will be staying for five days, monitoring my health status, before I proceed to Nowy Sacz next Saturday. The plan is that I will keep on teleworking until 9th October, and after that, I will start my holiday. I should then be on my way to Panama at the end of the month.

So far so good! Hopefully the rest of the trip and the return to Panama City will go as painless!

Centre of Krakow, Poland, July 2019

Travelling in the era of COVID in Americas is a challenge, but finally, after receiving a negative COVID tests, working out numerous charter flight options to fly to Europe (no commercial flights are allowed in Panama just yet), booking internal flights within Europe (restrictions also made this task difficult), arranging for my quarantine place in Krakow (before proceeding to Nowy Sacz), I am set to go to Poland. Before getting home in Nowy Sacz, I will pass through Madrid, Amsterdam and then Krakow. Madrid and Amsterdam are merely to change flights, but I will stay in Krakow for 5 days before I actually travel to Nowy Sacz to see my mother. As I already went through COVID myself, as you may remember, I am less likely to catch it again, but less likely does not seem that it is impossible. Therefore, even if not required by law, I will be isolating myself from older people, and live on my own in a rented apartment in Krakow for sometime, before joining the rest of the family and living with them for 3 weeks under the same roof…

It all sounds complicated and wired, but better safe than sorry! In any case, even if it still takes a while, before I see my loved ones, I am excited to be travelling again!

When in Europe, I will still be working for two weeks. With my employer, I have a deal that I will be allowed to work from my hotel/home, until the quarantine passes, and will only start the actual holidays, when I can enjoy more freedom, out of the major risk of being affected by the virus.

Wired times, wired measures I guess! I will try to have fun despite all of the tiredness! Watch this space for the updates!