Carnival Rides

These past couple of days we've been on a roller coaster, or maybe a scrambler...at the very least the teacups. With COVID ruling the roost, every possible entity - from airlines to hotels, bars, restaurants and museums, to whole cities and countries - seems to be working against us. It's enough to raise a fever blister.

Husband Joe has been monitoring COVID protocols for everyplace we're planning to visit; those protocols change almost daily. In the back of my gut, I could feel the tick...tick...tick of the roller coaster climbing up that first incline. Wednesday, while he was searching for answers for our layover in Amsterdam, gravity took over and suddenly we were hurdling down the opposite side: Delta sent an email saying we had to be tested within 48 hours of arrival and present a negative test at customs. Even if we are only transiting through the airport!? Oh shit, our flight is early early Monday morning to Boston, and departing Tuesday for AMS. Can't get a test in Denver Sunday night, nothing's open. Can't get a test Monday morning at Denver International, it's too early, nothing's open. Can't get a test at Logan Airport in Boston, no appointments available at either location on site. Oh, and what if we tested positive? Scramble, scramble, scramble.

I spent most of the afternoon searching for test availability in Boston proper. I called our hotel there to see if they could provide some insight...not much. Local CVSs were all booked, Walgreens provided no help. Urgent Clinics are charging upwards of $500 (prepaid). Spinning, spinning, spinning.

I finally found a place in downtown Boston we could book for a rapid test Monday afternoon. Ahhhhh. Things were looking up. But we cancelled Joe's birthday dinner out - we're not leaving this house and contracting COVID!

Thursday, airlines started cancelling flights. Are you fucking kidding me!?!?!?! 

And then, Delta sent another email. We were afraid to read it. 

Turns out, someone had made a mistake. (You had ONE JOB, Steve!) Deep breath. If you're transiting through AMS airport, you do not have to show a negative test. Whew.

I called and cancelled our appointments in Boston and girded myself for whatever's next.

Here's the thing about traveling - especially the way we do it - you have to be flexible. You have to be aware of what's going on where you're going and what you have to do to get there. We still have forms to fill out for both Germany and Spain, but so far, our vaccination cards will serve as our envoy. And while all the scrambling, spinning, and up and downess is a huge pain in the ass, I look forward to this trip. I know we'll have a blast - we happen to like carnival rides.