Vacation travel in these times takes more planning and is more stressful than in the period prior to the COVID era. Our most recent vacation to the small village of Ojen, Spain was planned months ago and travel remained in question until the day we stepped onto our flight.
Most low cost airlines rely on the gloomy winter weather in Northern Europe to shuttle sun seekers to the Spanish coastal regions. This yearly migration of Northern Europeans to the warmer winter weather zones with possible sunny conditions has kept the Hubby employed for 35+ years. We booked a flight on Transavia Airlines to fly into Malaga, Spain in August not knowing if we would ever get off the ground.
I had a difficult trip to the US in September so I was not excited about this trip. Travel inside the EU is easier as we don’t have to pass through customs or passport control, COVID testing prior to flying is not required inside the EU. Travel between countries has gotten tricky with a raging virus and the constantly changing rules, regulations, vaccinations, and additional paperwork and possible testing adding to any lingering travel stress or anxiety. Notice, I didn’t mention excitement? I used to feel excited going on vacation.
We filled in our paperwork for the Spanish authorities online. Which is similar to a health visa. Answered all the questions on our symptoms (lack there of). Received a QR code, printed it off (old school paper copy as we don’t trust a computer to be actually working 24/7/365 as advertised).
Then the announcement of a new variant of COVID had hit our Dutch shores. Was our vacation at risk?
Would we now be required to get a PCR test prior to flying?
What would happen if things changed while we were on vacation and needed to quarantine in place?
Eye roll and a large sigh, please.
We determined that if a PCR test was needed we would cancel our trip. We discussed the plans for getting out of Spain if the countries decided to place restrictions on air travel. I proposed hiking back to The Netherlands, which instantly was countered with “We can take the train or rent a car…” by the Hubby. I had to laugh as I didn’t even consider those options.
Once we got through security, flight into Malaga, a line of COVID paperwork checks, and finally rental car secured, we headed down the coast to Marbella, Spain. We would head a short ways inland to the small village of Ojen where we would meet the manager of the rental house on the edge of town.
The sun was shining on this bright whitewashed village that has been built on and in the hills of this valley outside of Marbella.
It looked warm and inviting.
As the rental house manager wound through the small streets on his moped and I grabbed the “ah crap bar” above my head on my side of the car as we came within inches of parked cars and fronts of buildings. I wondered how anyone could drive or build a village on the side of a mountain.
What were they thinking?
We suddenly took a sharp right turn and went down towards the center of the city then another sharp turn to the left (nearly missing oncoming traffic and several parked cars), then the street keep going down into the valley away from the village.
The moped turned off the street into what looked to be an unmaintained driveway, only big enough for one car and very steep hurdling us towards the valley.
Suddenly we were at a gate and the house was revealed. Stark white against a clear blue sky. Our home away from home for the next two weeks.
Vacation is all about relaxing for us. We spent our days looking out at the wonderful views from the rental house. Walking up the steep road into the village each day to the bakery or grocery. Each time thinking the next trip would be easier for us, each time realizing it wasn’t. Taking joy in how fast the downhill walk to the rental was with our full shopping bags.
We only ate out twice during our vacation. Both times opting for outside seating. Practicing our horrible Spanish mixed with English we managed fine even through our masks.
The sky in the evening would turn beautiful colors and those colors reflected off the Mediterranean in the distance. The hues of reds and oranges reflecting off the whitewash houses was spectacular.
For the first time in a very long time I felt relaxed, not on alert, not in fear of a virus I could not see, but know is everywhere. I felt safe with the sunny sky and vitamin D hitting my skin from our rooftop terrace. Ahhh… vacation.
When I didn’t think our vacation could get any better, it did! I received a text message from my daughter-in-law that my oldest son had made it home to St Louis from his long deployment in the Middle East. Finally, I could really relax knowing he was safe at home with his wife. They could now enjoy this Christmas together.
We returned to The Netherlands just before the total lockdown. Happy that we enjoyed our time in Southern Spain. Now we hopefully have new energy to tackle the coming months.
We wish each of our readers a safe and healthy holiday season. The Netherlands is in total lockdown until 14 January. Only essential shops for groceries and pharmacies are open. Travel in the EU has changed since I wrote this blog several days ago, if you are planning travel please check on restrictions prior to traveling and please follow the recommendations suggested for your travel location.
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