Bae-less in Barbados

My dear Nickels, it’s been a while! I have so much to share but first let’s start with my trip with Barbados! Where do I begin? After 17 months of travel restrictions I finally decided I was comfortable enough to book a flight Internationally. The pandemic really grounded me and if you’ve learned anything about me through this blog you’ve learned I am a jet setter. I am pretty sure I was on a plane at least 25 times or more in 2019. However, the pandemic really invoked some serious fear. Needless to say, when I finally felt up to traveling again I decided to visit Barbados. One of the vlogger families I follow on YouTube had vlogged about their vacation there a few weeks prior and thought, hmm, why not? That was my first mistake, I picked a destination that was not very complimentary for solo travelers. I will get into in a second but first let’s tackle some of the household items.

Departing Flight: I embarked on trip with JetBlue; it was my first time flying with them. The flight was quite comfortable and I would definitely use their services again. I left from the JFK airport in New York because there were no direct flights to Barbados from where I reside. I decided to drive to the airport and park in long term parking. I got a pretty good deal for long term parking too; a much better deal than what you find in my city! My drive to NY was pretty uneventful. I arrived at the airport exactly 3 hours before departure time which is recommended for international flights. 
Airport Shenanigans: I’ve only flown out of JFK once before in 2008 when I studied abroad in college. I was not sure what to expect in a post pandemic world but I was quickly acclimated. The airport was crowded, like really crowded! People were shoulder to shoulder and the security lines were obnoxiously long. My bag was flagged at security by an overzealous TSA worker. He pulled out my silk head scarf, my jewelry bag which only had necklaces and 1 bracelet, and my underwear. I am not sure how those items posed a security threat but I had to wait over 30 minutes at TSA for my stuff to be scanned…again. I made it to my gate just in time for boarding. 
Barbados Covid requirements: Before booking a trip I was sure to scrutinize the covid rules. I was required to complete an online customs form and provide a negative PCR covid test no more than 3 days prior to my arrival. Additionally, if vaccinated I had to provide proof with a vaccination card. Lastly, all visitors are encouraged to take an approved method of transportation to and from the airport as well as stay at the country’s approved hotels. 
Upon arriving at that airport I presented my records. I was asked if my test was self administered or administered by a healthcare professional. I explained it was self administered in front of a healthcare professional at CVS pharmacy. Little did I know that information would deem my test results invalid. I was immediately sent to another line where an orange wrist band was placed on my wrist. Next, I had to complete a covid information form and another covid PCR test. After which I was sent to customs to complete the rest of the process. The entire airport check-in process took about 1.5 hours which was ridiculous!
Hotel: I stayed at the Hilton Barbados Resort. I had read mixed reviews online about the staff and the cleanliness of the hotel but I had a good experience. Immediately upon checking in I was informed my orange wristband meant I would need to quarantine until my second covid test results came back negative. I was restricted to my room and limited to room service. The room service was great but the food was subpar. The room was clean and certified with a lysol sticker as confirmation. I still sanitized all surfaces with my own alcohol wipes. I even brought my own sheets, blanket, shower shoes, and house shoes. I was not taking in chances with covid.
Tour: Finally, the next morning my covid results came back negative. I decided to scour the internet for tours. I managed to find one but by the time I entered my credit card information the tour was sold out. My grandma helped me find an alternative tour but the tour guide called moments later to say that tour was sold out too. That tour guide was gracious enough to suggest another tour company on the island with a similar route, Williamson tours. The tour included a stop at the animal flower cave, a local restaurant, a church, and many different vantage views of the ocean around the island. The tour was pretty anticlimactic but there weren’t many tour options available. Due to covid, most of the more popular attractions had limited capacity or were closed all together. This meant there was not much do while in Barbados. I was unable to schedule a second tour or even book a spa day.
Returning: The taxi ride to the airport was pleasant. It was a much cleaner vehicle than the taxi that picked me up. Once at the airport I made it to my gate with no issues. I flew back with Caribbean airline and let me tell you, that plane was nothing like JetBlue’s plane. The Caribbean airline plane had purple cloth seats and the staff wore medical gowns like we were in a hospital, it was all very weird. The snack or beverage service was suspended though we all were given a bottle of water upon boarding. Needless to say, the 4.5 hour flight was uncomfortable and I would never fly with them again. I eventually made it back to JFK where it took me 4 hours to return to home vs the 2 it took me to arrive at JFK days before. The traffic returning home was horrible!

Overall, I would rank my trip to Barbados a 4 out of 10. It was a beautiful destination but a boring place to travel during the pandemic. There are few direct flights from most northeast cities which means expect a long layover or be willing to drive to another airport location. I would not recommend traveling there until covid is under control and they have better airplane routes. Also, I noticed at the time of my visit the island was flooded with couples. I surmise Barbados is a prime bae-cation destination and here it is I thought the state of Virginia was for lovers lol. I was the only single traveler in sight which is unusual. I was glad I decided to experiment with a fake wedding band during this trip. It certainly kept the creeps away. I was only approached by one creep and I was sure to flash my fake ring.

So tell me, where have you traveled during or since the pandemic? Also, let me know in the comments if you are solo traveler and how you feel about traveling with a fake wedding band.