Anyone else travelled or considering travelling home during all this?

[chikondichamayi 8]

I don't intend to take any chances with Covid. I am a hypochondriac who goes to the extreme to make sure i don't get it. I just had a sudden chance to visit home since i don't have to take summer classes this semester. I have never had so much time off, mind you am not a student but a permanent resident. It would be nice to go home for a couple months to help my mother care for my troubled brother who is actively trying to kill himself with alcohol. Besides, i will never get a chance like this where i can get so much time off and still have a job.

 

But reading through all the restrictions, am getting really discouraged. I will gladly take the tests but for some reason am just really feeling down that maybe i shouldn't go if i have to go through so much. I guess i can say am getting overwhelmed with all the information and restrictions out there. Has anyone actually been able to go home and back during this? what was your experience? words of encouragement? or a scolding?

[Lil bear 4,219]

7 minutes ago, chikondichamayi said:

I don't intend to take any chances with Covid. I am a hypochondriac who goes to the extreme to make sure i don't get it. I just had a sudden chance to visit home since i don't have to take summer classes this semester. I have never had so much time off, mind you am not a student but a permanent resident. It would be nice to go home for a couple months to help my mother care for my troubled brother who is actively trying to kill himself with alcohol. Besides, i will never get a chance like this where i can get so much time off and still have a job.

 

But reading through all the restrictions, am getting really discouraged. I will gladly take the tests but for some reason am just really feeling down that maybe i shouldn't go if i have to go through so much. I guess i can say am getting overwhelmed with all the information and restrictions out there. Has anyone actually been able to go home and back during this? what was your experience? words of encouragement? or a scolding?

I chose to fly to Australia in late November as my parents are in their 90s and were finding the lockdowns very challenging and discouraging. I was .. and am .. concerned for their mental health and well-being    I took 3 flights and was required to quarantine for 14 days in a secured location in arrival. This was just before the Thanksgiving Christmas COVID surges. I arrived without becoming infected .. but despite my very cautious and even extreme precautions .. I would not have been surprised if I had been infected in the transit and flights within the US. Passenger numbers are way higher now than they were then. But my  decision was loaded by not knowing when or if I would see my parents again ..and feeling that I wanted to say I tried and took that opportunity rather than not. I certainly wouldn’t have travelled for any other reason But that’s me ..  you need to determine how the consequences will play out if they do happen .. and what you can live with .. or need to avoid. For example .. one of the risks for me was being unable to return to the US when I wanted to due to the closure of the Australian borders to people leaving. For that reason I went ahead an got a reentry permit which will cover my LPR status if I got stuck by border closures or if my parents health required me to remain  with them. 
Gone for now are the days when I can plan to get a flight when I want to and for a reasonable price 

[chikondichamayi 8]

12 minutes ago, Lil bear said:

I chose to fly to Australia in late November as my parents are in their 90s and were finding the lockdowns very challenging and discouraging. I was .. and am .. concerned for their mental health and well-being    I took 3 flights and was required to quarantine for 14 days in a secured location in arrival. This was just before the Thanksgiving Christmas COVID surges. I arrived without becoming infected .. but despite my very cautious and even extreme precautions .. I would not have been surprised if I had been infected in the transit and flights within the US. Passenger numbers are way higher now than they were then. But my  decision was loaded by not knowing when or if I would see my parents again ..and feeling that I wanted to say I tried and took that opportunity rather than not. I certainly wouldn’t have travelled for any other reason But that’s me ..  you need to determine how the consequences will play out if they do happen .. and what you can live with .. or need to avoid. For example .. one of the risks for me was being unable to return to the US when I wanted to due to the closure of the Australian borders to people leaving. For that reason I went ahead an got a reentry permit which will cover my LPR status if I got stuck by border closures or if my parents health required me to remain  with them. 
Gone for now are the days when I can plan to get a flight when I want to and for a reasonable price 

This was very insightful. I have tried to be extra careful and have actually gotten vaccinated for covid which i needed to for my job anyways. I actually also want to do this for my own mental health as i have gotten pretty bad over the last month. SO bad i can barely function. As far as risks vs benefits, i believe the benefits outweigh the risks for me. I always wear 2 masks and stay away from everyone so i plan to keep that going even there. I know for the restrictions, i don't need to self quarantine in my country if i show  a negative test within last 3 days which is required now.  I want to convince myself things will only get better from here with the current status of vaccinations and such. But deep down, i feel i wont be able to go due to cancellations or something like that. 

[Lil bear 4,219]

2 minutes ago, chikondichamayi said:

This was very insightful. I have tried to be extra careful and have actually gotten vaccinated for covid which i needed to for my job anyways. I actually also want to do this for my own mental health as i have gotten pretty bad over the last month. SO bad i can barely function. As far as risks vs benefits, i believe the benefits outweigh the risks for me. I always wear 2 masks and stay away from everyone so i plan to keep that going even there. I know for the restrictions, i don't need to self quarantine in my country if i show  a negative test within last 3 days which is required now.  I want to convince myself things will only get better from here with the current status of vaccinations and such. But deep down, i feel i wont be able to go due to cancellations or something like that. 

I am planning to do the trip again in August hopefully. I’m vaccinated now which is good for me but I still need to be careful as I can carry it to my parents. I will be required to quarantine again on entry to Australia. But that’s what’s kept them safe.  
In airports and in the flights I used KN95 masks, a full face shield and wore a plastic poncho. I paid extra for front of cabin seating .. window .. and didn’t move about the cabin or eat or drink at all during domestic  flights. I boarded last. 
Mental health and well-being had taken a huge hit these last 15 months. I understand.