I loved my other digital camera but it hasn’t traveled with me for a long time. My iPhone 7 is my go to and it takes beautiful photos and video. I do still take my Fuji underwater camera though, I’d rather it be destroyed by water when snorkeling, etc than my phone.
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I have a small digital CAnon that I take when planning lots of pictures, because it has a bit more focus and zoom capability. But otherwise my iPhone 12 mini works fine.
Just returned from my trip to London. There was pretty much no masking on the plane coming home today, but it was only 1/2 full. The flight going out a week ago probably had 10% masking and was full. The flights were through Virgin Atlantic. I will say that I was overall very happy with them in general.
In London there is some masking on the Tube, but it seems like London is back to Business as usual. Its very crowded. I was shocked how crowded I was in an office on Monday and it seemed pre covid. Same with trade show yesterday, and west end show I attended (also mostly unmasked).
For the Covid test to return to the states, the hotel provided an at home test , which you self adminstered and then sent a picture of the results next to you passport, and after you paid this 3rd party company you got your certificate. The certificate was checked at check in and that was it.
I had mild Omicron in January on top of being triple vaxxed, and fingers crossed even though I am beyond the 90 days since infection, the antibodies held up. I made a decision that I am no longer masking unless mandatory (it will be at my S graduation next week). to hybrid mask makes no sense, so one has to mask whenever in public with a good KN95 at all times, or its a risk anyway when traveling
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If we travel by car, I bring my DSLR with me. When flying and taking a tour I bring my Canon point-and-shoot. Its 40x optical zoom is amazing, and its portability and 20 megapixel cannot be beat. True HD video as well. It fits easily in a jacket pocket or hanging from my belt in a small case.
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What does this mean?
Does the airflow system work while the airplane is idling and during boarding and exiting?**
Boeing recommends the use of the airplane’s airflow system while idling and prior to boarding and exiting. Our airline customers have several options to maintain total ventilation while at the gate.
There is a relatively easy way to minimize any Covid risk from a possibly unfiltered air flow during boarding. And that is to board last. You will also avoid long lines and unfiltered air on the jetway. If worried about overhead bin space, just make sure you travel with your one or two small items that you can place under the seat in front of you. Check anything else - you can better control where you stand as you wait around at bag drop-off or baggage claim.
As a last-to-board, you will also be able to survey the cabin to see how many are wearing masks.
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To me, the worst time on a plane and when I feel most anxiety is upon landing and arriving at the gate when everyone stands up in position to exit - but can’t because it takes a few minutes and exiting is one row at a time and people have to get their luggage overhead etc. This is the time I think will be hard for me to be masked and patient and NOT full of anxiety when I take my first masked flight in late May. I tend to feel claustrophobic and that’s why I hate this time with people hovering over each other AND I’ll have the closeness of the mask on my face.
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Boarding and disembarking take much longer in the US than almost anywhere else, especially in Asia. Because of slow baggage handling, higher fees for checked bags, and fewer weight/size constraints for carry-on’s in the US, we don’t like to check in our bags. As a result, our boarding and disembarking processes take much longer, which subject passengers to greater exposure to the virus.
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I’ve flown several times the past month (both before and after the mask requirement was dropped) and have found that boarding has been relatively quick each time. It might depend on airline: I’ve been flying Delta and SW. Deplaning has been less consistently quick, but that had more to do with people from the back pushing their way up the aisle when it wasn’t their turn. Unfortunately, masking can’t fix rude people.
Planes are quite claustrophobic - unfortunately, there is no easy solution to that.
If one is able to get a window seat and stands up only when it’s their turn that might help keep distance. My rowmates are usually quick to pop up and stand in the aisle so by remaining seated I’m actually farther away from them. If you sit in the back and perhaps stand near or even in the restrooms, that might help too. The back deplanes last but you won’t have anyone behind you and can hang out in that back area a bit apart from others. It also delays time to get your luggage from baggage claim which will help reduce crowding in that area.
I typically sit in the back and just find deplaning to be less crowded. Fortunately, my local airport is also really good about getting that luggage off so my bag is always waiting for me - usually one of the last ones left on the carousel with minimal numbers of other passengers hanging around.
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We flew from Boston and our D flew from Orlando to NC on Tuesday. About 30% mask use on both flights. D had a window and the 2 people next to her also wore masks. She just flew back. Got moved up to first class, so that was nice. The plane was full of families with small kids going to Disney. She said about 45% on the masks, but not many in first class wore them. She had a friend who she was with on Sunday test positive on Tuesday. D has no symptoms and tested negative and wore her mask. As she works at Disney, she will wear her mask today in guest areas, but she always does that anyways.
I used to get all fretted about deplaning, especially since people seem to move sooooo sllllowww…. I rarely have anything in the overhead. I check my luggage and have a backpack under my seat. And standing is terrible when you’re tall. Crouching is more like it.
Now I don’t even bother to stand up until the people in 1-2 rows ahead of me are getting their things. I just continue to read or play on my phone.
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@deb922 : I carried my camera when on “special” extended trips, but for short trips only an older I-Phone. Haven’t been on any special extended trips since 2019 though. Camera is a very small Canon with much better zoom, and some nicer options than my older IPhone, and fit well in a small purse.
That said, I will likely only take my IPhone on future trips. I’ve taken so many memory photos over the years, which are really no longer needed. It was primarily my job, as the family photographer to document our trips. But, most vacation photos were of cities, architecture, scenery, and a few events. Except for a few that are framed and on our walls, I rarely look at them. Plus, you can find nearly anything on the web now, and usually much better photos 
.
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I feel the same way. When I travel alone or just with my kids I wait to deplane until most of the other passengers are off. I never put bags in the overhead compartment. Unfortunately, my spouse is the opposite and likes to “win” the deplaning by being in the aisle and just standing there.
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It’s not just waiting to deplane. It’s all the people in the aisles, waiting impatiently. Makes me feel a bit closed in.
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I’ve always been anxious to get off the plane because I have whatever phobia you get when you feel trapped and can’t get out of a crowd (hits me in stalled traffic too). But I am very happy to have decided on first class for my trip next week.
From my research, it sounds like the air inside the airplane during boarding will likely be circulating better than the air in the terminal, especially with hoards of people gathering near the gate. Of course that would depend on the configuration of the concourses. So I think I will board as soon as offered, leave on my mask at my window seat 1A, and turn the overhead vent on full blast. If I had to crowd with everyone on the gangway and in the aisles, I would wait. And I will be one of the first off. Is first class a splurge? Just lucky it’s in the not-too-outrageous price range on these flights.
Son has got me to agree to all outdoor dining while visiting. But I keep forgetting that Seattle weather 
is not San Diego weather 
.
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I am wrestling with a decision about air routes.
We are doing a river cruise in November. 
I live 100 miles 1:45 hours from Grand Rapids Michigan. I live 3.5 hours from Detroit.
You cannot fly to anywhere nonstop, especially internationally from GR. Would you think about driving to Detroit for less connections?
We would be flying home from Amsterdam and you can fly nonstop to DTW. I could try and get back to the states early afternoon so the drive home wouldn’t be so horrible.
The last time we flew internationally, we waited for 8 hours going and 5 hours back because American changed our flights and our connections were a nightmare. We didn’t get back into GR until midnight after traveling more than 24 hours and still had almost 2 hours to get home.
We have heaters!
I like your plan. Plus, if you are flying in first class, you can use the premium TSA line if one is open… Most of the time, at Seatac, it is faster than precheck. If we arrive early, we typically find a quiet spot to wait for the boarding and then go to the crowded gate area to board. If you arrive at the N gates at a Seatac, you will have to take the train to the baggage claim. I recommend entering the train at the furthest on the left hand door; this way, you will be the first ones to exit to the escalators to the baggage claim.
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If you arrived very late on the way back to Detroit would you consider booking a hotel for that night so you could arrive, sleep and then drive home in the morning? I just always feel like more connections = more chance for delays and in a smaller airport, less options for alternatives if a flight gets messed up.
Neither is ideal of course! I would have suggested fly out of Detroit, return via Grand Rapids - but then that creates a car problem!!! 
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I would certainly do! Non-stops are the way to go, especially in November when the weather is iffy. I would even spend a night at a hotel in Detroit to be able to fly non-stop.
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We have stayed at hotels near the Detroit airport just to get the cheap parking. You only have to stay one night at the start or end of your trip. Check out Park Sleep Fly rates.
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