Travelling During a Pandemic

by Christina Donaldson--

March 2020

The night before flying home to New York, I lay in bed wondering what the next day would bring. My anxiety has been rising over the past day or so. I was certain that leaving Ireland would be a quiet enough process, but I was nervous about what the arrival in J.F.K. airport would be like.

I had heard that people were having to wait up to seven hours, packed shoulder to shoulder to go through screening. Against my better judgement I had watched a news clip showing chaotic masses of people in the Chicago O’Hare airport. This of course did not help with the mounting anxiety.

My thoughts spiralled and went something like this: What if I also get stuck having to stand for seven hours, packed in a crowd of strangers? That is not going to go well for me. I’ll probably overheat. I’ll be hungry, my blood sugar will start to drop and then I’ll have a panic attack.

Maybe I could sit down. That’s what I’ll do, I’ll sit down on my luggage. And maybe I can get other people to sit down too and oh, we can all do a meditation! Will I lead the meditation? Or will it just be in silence?

Or what if someone starts to get the group to sing songs. Wait, no I don’t like singing. I hope that doesn’t happen. Okay, so I’m definitely packing loads of snacks and water. Maybe I’ll make a connection with someone, or make a friend, or fall in love. Okay, this is getting ridiculous.

I admit I got creatively off track, but I assure you the anxiety I was feeling was real and upsetting.

The morning of my flight went amazingly well. I woke up with the sun rising, packed up the last of my things and had a short visit with the neighbourhood cat who rubbed against my leg for a pet. She hadn’t a clue. Bless her soft, furry soul.

Then a friend of mine arrived to collect me and my heavy suitcases and off we went to Shannon airport. My friend took me on a scenic drive through Buttevant. When we got closer to Shannon airport, she asked if I had seen Bunratty Castle. Learning that I hadn’t, she insisted that we do a brief drive by so that I could at least say I had seen the stunning structure.

Afterwards, we arrived at a very quiet airport, free of lines. A traveller’s dream. My friend and I, not being able to show our love and care through hugging, had to instead express it through words. This was touching and surreal as we then parted, knowing we’d be a country apart from now on and living among very uncertain times.

At that time, only a few people on the plane were wearing masks and the flight staff did not. We were spaced in the seating with all middle seats empty, which was good. There was also no line or check-in when I arrived at J.F.K! Nothing! I was shocked, but relieved. And I was lucky that my Dad drove to pick me up so it was all around a smooth experience.

May 2020

Today, I notice that there is a sense of relief I feel. It’s a relief to know that the whole world is taking a break. It is quiet and still in the room I’m in. I am already feeling more flow, peace and creativity within myself starting to emerge.

This is what happens when the whole world slows down. I wonder months from now, what stories will be spun, what poems pulled from hearts, what books and songs written, what art created?