It’s great to be back on the Z95.1 Morning Show after having the last week off! I went home to Maine to visit my family and friends. My last trip home was for a long weekend in February, just weeks before COVID-19 really hit.

I was originally supposed to go to Maine in July, but I ended up postponing my trip by a month, which I think was smart! I definitely needed to be in the right mindset about traveling during COVID. My hometown is about 12ish hours from Charlottesville, which is just a bit too far for me to want to drive by myself, so I always fly home. After talking to my parents, I decided to stick with flying for this trip as well.

I ended up driving to Washington DC to fly out of Dulles, so that I could get a direct flight and spend less time in the airport. Dulles has currently discounted their parking lots- normally when I fly from there I do economy parking and take the shuttle to save money, but this time I was able to park in the lot right next to the terminal since its discounted. I was pleased that most people I saw were abiding by the face mask rule! (Some people who were eating/drinking in the airport didn’t have them on but most did for sure.) I ate a large meal before my flight so that I could avoid needing to eat in the airport or plane.

I wore a face mask with a face shield on top, and plastic gloves. I was happy I had the face shield because the TSA does ask you to remove your mask when they check your ID, but they let me keep the shield on. I also wore long clothing so I didn’t have my bare arms or legs touching anything in the airport or plane.

Both my flights to and from Maine were on the full side… definitely not ideal. But it was what it was! I appreciated the TSA and airline staff who are continuing to work during this time, and for all the precautions they’re taking.

Is this the year just to fly for the sake of flying? No, I don’t think so. I’ve had a lot of travel plans cancelled this year for good reason. But for me, taking this trip to see my family was worth it, especially since this fall and winter seem uncertain. If you are also traveling to see family or close friends or for a more essential reason, as long as you take safety precautions, I think you’ll be fine!

-Anna Lise