Back in July, my cousin Jake mentioned he was thinking of going to Hawaii to take his online classes for a couple of months. He was trying to figure out who could go with him or if he would go alone. I started wondering if I could go, daydreaming of the lush and relaxing Hawaiian atmosphere. My jobs can pretty much be done remotely, and with the blessings of my bosses, I told him I would love to join him for a month if he still needed a travel buddy. Within a week or so, we had our flights booked and a beautiful apartment to stay.
Gearing up for the trip, we kept up with the news around Hawaii’s Covid-19 protocols. When we booked everything, starting September 1st, travelers could present a negative test and not have to quarantine. We realistically expected this to get pushed back, which it did. That program now tentatively starts October 1st, and instead, travelers go straight to quarantine for 14 days. Though slightly disappointing, the excitement prevailed and I was pumped for a refreshing two weeks where I could get work done and recharge. We also of course want to do our part to keep the beautiful island of Oahu and its residents safe.
This is the incredible view we cherish now:
Here’s what it was like preparing for our travels and quarantine.
Packing:
I really wanted to only pack essentials. For clothes, I packed mostly athletic wear, beach clothes/bathing suits, and a few dresses and nicer outfits. I also packed things to do in quarantine, mostly a few books, my journal, and a speaker. For a carry-on, I just packed my backpack with my laptop, a couple more books, and snacks.
Planning how we would get food:
The apartment owner has been so hospitable and responsive, telling us about our grocery delivery options and the nearby grocery stores, even sharing which stores have the best deals. The day before the trip, Jake and I ordered everything we thought we may need from Safeway, Sam’s Club and Target on Instacart. We scheduled it for the time we estimated we would be settled in our apartment after our travels. That worked out perfectly. Day 2 here, we did a smaller order of food/household necessities we forgot. Deliveries can be left right outside our door, including anything from Ubereats if we want takeout.
Quarantine check-ins:
We had to create a “Safe Travels” account on Hawaii’s tourism website, where we entered our trip details and personal info. The day before the trip, we checked in with our account and filled out a health questionnaire. All super user-friendly and easy stuff. Now in quarantine, we check in daily to update if we have any symptoms and confirm we’re still in our apartment. That takes not even a minute. I’m honestly super impressed with how organized the system is. I feel super safe.
Flying during the pandemic:
Easy and safe. Airports were way less crowded. Everyone wore masks during the entire travel process, both in the airport and on the flight. The only time anyone took them off was to eat or drink. Our two planes made clear their extra cleaning procedures and handed out Purell wipes to everyone boarding to wipe our hands and seat area.
Landing in Hawaii:
After filling out the online form, a QR code was sent to our email. Upon landing in Honolulu, very kind officials greeted us and scanned our code to pull up our info. After that, we signed a digital form confirming we are aware of the required quarantine. We picked up our baggage and off we went! We were able to order an Uber to our apartment, which was only a 20-minute ride.
Settling in:
We have pretty much everything we need in our apartment now. We still go to bed and wake up very early, but we’re getting adjusted to the 6-hour time difference. Our days are filled with work, home workouts, reading, cooking, chatting, looking at the view, and walking around the apartment to get some steps in. LOL.
Let me know if you’re curious about any other specifics, I can go in depth about anything. I am truly so so grateful to be here; it feels so refreshing. I cannot wait to explore and go in the water when we’re done quarantining.
Lots of love,
Brenna