Traveling in Times of Pandemic

Travelling Traveling in Times of Pandemic

There are many beautiful places around the globe. This year our daily lives have changed and so did the mobility within the countries and cross boarder. Because of different circumstances I had to visit those places, so I wanted to share with you this set of short stories of my experience, and some noteworthy places for the times when one can travel safely.

PREPARATION, INFORMATION AND SECURITY

It is impossible to travel without doing one’s «homework» about the most recent restrictions and regulations in departure and destination countries while planning the journey and right before departure. Including the quarantines, testing, planning of safe transportation and «safe stay» at the hotels became a routine practice for anyone who had to travel this year – not only for personal safety, but for safety of anyone who is around. Our checklists before leaving expanded by new items: masks, gloves, face shield, and sanitizer.

HIKES AND TRAILS OF SWITZERLAND

Around July, after the number of new positive tests in Switzerland dropped to 5–10 per day, together with a fellow Old Boy we explored the beauty of Switzerland from a new perspective – after working remotely or having online classes, it was great to get out for the 7-Peaks tour at Flumserberg, 5-lakes hike at Pitzol and explore numerous beautiful and challenging biking trails in Engadin.

JOURNEY THROUGH NAXOS

In the end of August, Greece met me with a unique combination of beautiful landscapes, culinary heritage and variety of recreational and sports activities. Except of extremely low number of tourists Naxos appeared to be one of the covid-free destinations in Greece. So let me take you for a journey through the lands of Ancient Gods,

ever sunny and windy island of Naxos. The Meltemi – a northerly wind hits the Parthena Beach from a side-onshore direction – was an ideal for learning kitesurfing! The island has everything to satisfy the culinary cravings: for a freshly caught fish visit the Axiotissa Tavern; for a wide selection of grilled meat – Giannis Tavern, for a great selection of traditional mezzes and interesting company – worth stopping by at Faros. The inner part of the island is ideal for hikes, it is as well filled with old churches that occasionally appear on the top of the hills. Every day we met a sunset either in Rotonda over a good meal or from the modern ruins of Alyko, famous for its extraordinary street art and hidden beaches.

WORKING FROM ISTANBUL

Ever since my times in Zuoz (L’10–’13) Turkish people never stopped impressing me – starting with my roommate aka best friend aka partner-in-crime aka sister by choice (kind of all-in-one) to anyone else with whom I either studied or worked. From arrival to the very end of my trip – I was surprized by the fact that the personal safety was one of the top priorities for anyone we met on our way be it in a transfer from the airport, at the hotel with a «safe stay» option, during meetings in the offices with colleagues all in masks at all times. Even in the open space restaurants we always had an extra space between each other, which was strange at first, but people got the hang of it. This time we mainly explored the city through a distance either through a view at the conference room or during the Bosporus boat trip, and it was beautiful, and endless – I would love to come there again to catch up on the rest.

MONOPOLY WALKS IN MOSCOW

When I was a kid, me and my brother used to play Monopoly based on Moscow streets, though it never ended well and the game has ruined some friendships, I always thought it would be interesting to visit them and see for myself what actually made up the pricing of those streets. Being there in October, right at the time when the number of known cases was rocketing again all over the world – I would not lie – was not comfortable, as people around seemed so careless about officially imposed measures, but for a city of over 12Mio reported numbers seemed like nothing. I met a fellow Young Girl there and we explored the city by foot. The Boulevar ring, the Red Square, Moscow City; Arbat, Cathedrals and Prudy – without stopping much for any breaks in cafes – as they were pretty much too full. But there is one worth visiting again in future – with outside terrace and a Kremlin view – a Grand Café eponymous Boris Pasternak’s novel Doctor Zhivago – their blueberry dessert is hard to forget.

BEYOND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

My last stop on the journey was in Murmansk – great Russian city beyond the Arctic Circle. It is best known for its ports, tragic war history and the variety of fish, and the life there evolves around white nights during the summer and complete darkness during the winter. The port works day and night to load various commodities for shipping and serves as home for nuclear-powered icebreaker ships, for instance «Lenin» and one of the largest traditional sailing ships «Sedov» (formerly called Magdalene Vinnen II or Kommodore Johnsen). For get togethers people rent out mini houses with a grill outside to make shashluki during the winter time – it’s a great concept for spending the day either with family or friends!