NAVIGATING IN THE NEW
NORMAL
Travel during this time
of COVID is much more difficult, especially international travel. Added to the
normal preparations for a trip, like packing beachwear, suntan lotion,
passports and plane tickets we now have to make sure we get tested for the virus
beforehand and carry proof we are COVID-free. Currently vaccinations are not required
to travel, but we’re hedging our bet and have been treated with the Pfizer
vaccine.
Our destination this
time is Jamaica, a trip originally planned for last December, but delayed because
of the uncertainty of the pandemic. Recently restrictions have eased for us in
the United States and we have rescheduled for early May. Although currently
Jamaica is not allowing people into their country who have been in the UK or
certain South American countries, we are able to travel there, with or without
a vaccination.
Here’s what is
required:
Effective March 4, 2021 Americans are able to travel to Jamaica, as long as they
have a negative COVID test within 72 hours of departure and a Jamaican Travel
Authorization Form completed no earlier than a week before the flight. These
items as well as proof of travel/health insurance will be required to board the
plane to Jamaica.
For more details and to
fill out the Travel Authorization Form go to the Jamaica Cares website. The
website of the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica also has some good information.
Helping us wade through
the details of this “relaxing” trip is our destination on Jamaica, the Sandals South
Coast resort. Set on a two-mile stretch of one of the best beaches in Jamaica,
Sandals South Coast abuts a 500-acre nature preserve which only adds to the seclusion
and serenity. Sandals has been very accommodating with the delay in this travel
and we have been assured that if we are unable to travel there in early May we can
reschedule again. A representative of Sandals even approached us to make sure that we were aware of all the Jamaican requirements necessary for travel to the country, which speaks to the level of attention given to the resort and her guests.
The travel insurance
required by Jamaica is a part of our stay with Sandals. The generous policy
provided by Sandals covers trip delay, accident & sickness medical expenses
for up to $100,000 as well as medical evacuation and repatriation up to $100,000.
Team VFH always purchases travel insurance through Allianz Global Assist and we
have purchased our own coverage as well for this trip. Your favorite traveling
tandem highly recommends travel insurance. Case in point, several years ago I
endured a dental emergency while in England and it was fully covered by the
policy.
For our return Sandals
provides the required COVID test and if we test positive, we stay at the resort
free of charge (but sequestered in our room) until we are cleared to travel.
Also, for a small additional fee Sandals covers our customs for the return and
bypassing the long lines at the airport.
WTF?
Right about now you’re
probably muttering under your breath WTF, is this worth the effort.
Yes.
The Sandals family of
resorts is a luxurious, all-inclusive, adults-only, couples-only resort
catering to the whims of their patrons who will never hear the word “no”.
This will be our third
time traveling to a Sandals. We had already been to Sandals Grande Antigua (for
our honeymoon) and Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort (and private island) in The
Bahamas (where the diving was absolutely spectacular!) They even gave us a small discount for this trip as a thank you for our repeat business.
Traveling to a Sandals
is certainly not adventurous travel, but certainly indulgent. Pools abound and
swim-up bars are everywhere. At Sandals South Coast there’s even a bar over the
water with hammocks to laze on while celebrating the effort it took to get here.
The food is great with everything from Caribbean to Calypso, Italian to Sushi
on the beach! Never regulated to the menu, one can alter the surf and turf and
just get a couple of lobster tails instead. Or, you can teach the bartender how
to make a Zombie or at least something close! ZOMBIE RECIPE
Sandals is
headquartered in Jamaica with 7 resorts on the island and a total of 16 resorts
scattered around the Caribbean.
Thank you for reading...and wish us luck!
©2021
by Greg Dunaj
No comments:
Post a Comment