Looking for travel options during this pandemic has turned out to be a challenge. You always have to check the restrictions of your country of choice, your home country and your travel insurance. I booked my flight to Portugal only 3 weeks before departure, but two days before I flew out some areas were declared risk area by the German government. So I took out a second travel insurance that does cover medical bills in these “risk” areas and decided to go anyway. And it was the best decision I could have made.
At the moment the situation is Europe is a bit tricky for travelling, with lots of restrictions and lockdowns. It’s not impossible to travel, but you need to make sure you know all the consequences. When things loosen up again, I will gladly pack my bags and continue to explore Europe.
Why is this so great?
- You get to enjoy places without the crowds!
- At times you can completely forget there is even a pandemic happening.
- You support an industry that is increasingly suffering.
- You go to places that may not have been on your radar before.
- You can explore new travel styles, like hiking or a surf camp.
- You don’t have to plan far ahead because there is plenty of availability in hostels and activities, giving you a lot of freedom.
Backpacking: is it safe?
I worried about not being insured, but that had been taken care of. I worried a little bit about what I would still be able to do in Portugal and if a lot of things would be closed. I worried about the situation getting worse and what I would do then. I worried about what people would think if they found out I was traveling during this time. But my worries soon disappeared when I started to explore the country.
Portugal has a big tourism industry and has realised that the country needs the income. You can’t travel in a 100% risk free way, just like you can’t visit the supermarket without taking the risk of picking up a virus. On my way home the couple next to me on the plane started to complain and loudly wondered “why I wanted to sit next to them”. Uhmmm, because this seat number is on my ticket? They were outraged that the airline had let this plane fill up. But these people had no right to be upset. If you are afraid of the risks, then don’t travel or travel in an alternative way, like using your own car. Anyway, as far as safety goes, I’ve felt perfectly fine traveling through Portugal. I didn’t feel more at risk than I did at home and I’m sure I didn’t create more of a risk either.
What stood out to me the most was the number of people wearing masks in the busier streets of Lisbon. When I arrived this wasn’t obligated yet, but a lot of people did this out of choice. Upon arrival at the hostel, the receptionist held the keys out in front of me and sprayed them with disinfectant, making sure I saw how careful they were. It made me laugh, but these kind of rules are in place for a reason. So are all the disinfection points throughout hostels, museums, shops and restaurants.
I chose to travel staying in hostels like I always do. It’s a bit strange that this is allowed, but it works for me! In Portugal the rooms cannot be filled entirely, so you know that when you book a 10-bed dorm, there will be some empty beds, which makes travelling a lot more comfortable. In popular areas the hostels were still pretty full, but if you go slightly off the beaten path, you can find dorm rooms to yourself or with very few people. Some places had closed facilities like the kitchen, but this depended very much on the hostel. In general, most hostels still offered all the same services as before, but had improved their hygiene standards and left rooms on a lower occupancy. Win-win for the traveler.
To be fair, for most of my holiday I was hiking and therefore I didn’t have to worry about masks, disinfection gel or meeting too many people. I was surprised though by how easy and enjoyable traveling was at this time. There were only a few things that were closed due to covid. For example; at the university in Coimbra you couldn’t visit the tower or the prisons because the rooms are too narrow. In other museums less people were allowed in at the same time, but with the number of visitors to the country being so low I still didn’t have to wait anywhere.
So what about the locals?
I think that if you travel during the pandemic, you need to be responsible and follow the local rules. So if I saw that most people in an area were wearing a mask, then so would I. In general I didn’t feel unwanted. I’m sure some people think I shouldn’t have travelled, but I met a lot of local people who were very happy to see me walking through their towns. I got greeted with big smiles and “bom dia’s”. Talking to the staff in the hostels I found out that a lot of people were struggling because of the pandemic. They had lost a lot of income and would continue to lose money for the foreseeable future, not being able to sell all their beds.
If you want to travel or not and how much risk you want to take is something that you need to decide for yourself, much like you have to decide how much risk you are willing to take in your daily life. The tourism and hospitality industry has taken huge steps to make travelers feel safe. You may consider options where you have less contact with people, like hiking, staying in one place or travelling to less popular areas. Whichever way you travel, do it responsibly and you will have an incredible experience!
