In exactly one week I’ve flown from New York City, to the Philippines, to San Francisco, California, and finally back to my home in Maryland all during the biggest Pandemic in history, COVID-19 otherwise known as Coronavirus.

My body and mind have no clue what timezone I’m in. I am mentally and physically drained. To say the least, it’s been one of the most intense and stressful weeks of my life. I’m grateful to be back home safe and healthy, and I plan to stay that way until this Pandemic is over.

This past week I’ve seen first-hand what’s going on all over the world. The reality of COVID-19 did not hit me until I landed in the Philippines and saw how intensely this country was taking the situation. Up until this point I was under the impression that COVID-19 was a few weeks, or even months, away from heavily impacting my life. However, that was not the case.

Part 1: New York City

I arrived in New York City on Thursday, March 12, 2020 to prepare for my flight out of JFK airport. When I arrived little to no restrictions had been officially set in place. Gyms, public transportation, bars, and restaurants were still open. The city seemed to be going on as usual for the most part besides a decrease in traffic on the streets and in public transportation. I even attended a few workout classes and besides one yoga studio making a stand to cut their class sizes in half and not issue rental mats, all other studios I attended were functioning as usual. 

Up until this point most of the U.S. had been unaffected by the virus and life was going on as normal. Little did I know how fast COVID-19 would escalate and how I now believe we should have taken this more seriously as a nation in its earlier stages.

Now, let me address the elephant in the room. You may be asking why I was traveling internationally during a time like this…

So, let me explain.

I run a fitness and adventure retreat company and my next retreat was in Bali from March 28-April 4, 2020. My plan was to travel in the Philippines for one week and then head to Bali to host my retreat. I made these plans months before COVID-19 was on our radar, and I was adamant that everything would be ok and this would not affect my retreat. Based on current statistics as of Saturday, March 14, 2020, I made a conscious choice to board my plane to the Philippines that evening from JFK with the intention of safely running my retreat in Bali on March 28, 2020.

I want to make clear that at this point I did understand that COVID-19 would eventually have a major impact all over the world, so much so that I canceled my later retreat in Crete, Greece in June 2020. What I did not expect was that the spread of COVID-19 would escalate so quickly.

Part 2: The Philippines

I landed in the Manila airport in the Philippines on Monday, March 16, 2020 at 9:30am. Prior to landing I thought the Philippines was not heavily affected by this virus and that I would be able to stick with my original plan to travel around the Philippines and to host my retreat in Bali.

After landing I was hit with a giant reality check. As I exited the plane I heard that the Philippine government just announced that they were restricting any and all transport to and from Manila, including flights into Manila and all domestic flights within the Philippines. This was a huge issue since I was not planning on staying in Manila during my trip. I was also hit with more bad news. My checked bag was lost and there was no information as to where it was currently. Since I was planning on heading three hours outside of Manila, if and when my bag was found, the airport could not guarantee that they would be able to deliver my bag. This was not the end of the world, but it was a huge inconvenience.

By now I was extremely tired, hot, irritated, confused, and hungry. All I wanted to do was meet-up with my friend Rachel and her family who I would be staying with in the Philippines and get to our first (turned out to be only) location. Turns out, that wasn’t a walk in the park either.

I met Rachel and her family outside of the airport and immediately got into their car to head to her dad's secluded beach house about three hours from Manila. The issue was that as of that day the Philippine government released a travel restriction in and out of Manila. This meant that we may have some issues getting to their beach property and would need to pass through checkpoints along the way. Luckily we made it through all of the checkpoints by wearing masks and passing our temperature checks. To clarify what a temperature check is, officials scanned our heads with a thermometer to make sure we did not have a fever.

Since we were heading to a private property on the beach without any neighbors I was essentially self-quarantining. I also went straight from the airport to the car without any interaction with anyone except baggage claim and my friends family. At this point I still felt very safe and healthy and was not that worried about the situation. Once we left the airport and started to drive through the checkpoints, my level of concern started to increase.

As mentioned it was a requirement to wear masks and have your temperature taken at checkpoints, and even at fast-food restaurants, before allowing entry. This was nothing like what I experienced in the U.S. prior to leaving. Even though the Philippines did not have many COVID-19 cases at this time, they were still taking this situation very seriously.

To add to the situation we later heard that the government may start to restrict all flights, not just domestic flights, to and from the country within the week. Their restriction to restrict domestic flights had just been initiated. I was completely shocked to hear that they were already starting to discuss shutting down their borders. Now, panic started to set in.

It’s incredible how much the situation escalated in less than 24 hours of landing in the Philippines, and I knew it would continue to quickly get worse. At this point I realized I would not be able to host my Bali retreat, yet alone probably stay in the Philippines for the rest of the week. I made the choice that day to cancel my Bali retreat and to figure out a plan for what to do next. 

Part 3: Getting Out of the Philippines

Once we arrived at the beach property there was no longer access to the internet, making it impossible to access information. This only made the situation even more stressful. In a time like this the last thing I wanted to be was disconnected.

In order to access the internet we had to hike up a mountain and walk 1/2 mile to maybe get a signal where we could use our phones while standing in the middle of the street. It sounds pretty ridiculous but that’s what we needed to do to access information. To add to the difficulties the locals were not happy to see us and made that known by threatening to call the cops if we didn’t go back to our home. The harassment was non-stop and made Rachel and I extremely uncomfortable. All we wanted was to access information about the situation so we could figure out what to do next. The last thing we wanted was to upset anyone.

On day three in this remote location, March 18, 2020, we learned that the Philippines was going to shut its borders starting on March 20, 2020 until April 15, 2020, giving us only one day to leave the country. The issue was going to the airport could be a risk since no one was allowed to leave their province and we did not have a plane ticket leaving the next day to prove we were telling the truth. Rachel and I had plane tickets from the Philippines to Bali on Monday, March 23, 2020 that we found out that morning had been cancelled. Since we were struggling to access the internet and did not want to upset the locals any more by trying to get access closer to town, we decided to “wing it” and try to buy tickets at the airport in the morning.

At the time that was our only option. If we were stopped at one of the checkpoints on the way to the airport and asked to show our tickets, we ran the risk of getting sent back. On top of this, Rachel’s family was risking getting stuck in Manila by taking us to the airport since regulations were to not let anyone in or out of Manila. Rachel and I were not willing to spend the next month on lockdown in the Philippines without access to the outside world and surrounded by upset locals, so we decided as a group it was worth the risk.

The next morning we left at 6am to avoid upsetting locals and seeing police. We were not allowed to leave our house so traveling out of town was a big risk. Once we got cell phone service more information started coming through. We found out that all flights to Bali via the airline we booked were now cancelled until April 15, 2020. Since I am able to work from anywhere in the world and felt the urge to not waste all the money and time I had just spent, I was still open to getting stuck in Bali and being in isolation on the beach with wifi. Once I saw that all flights were cancelled, I finally threw in the towel. I have a tendency of being very optimistic and stubborn at times, which is what drove me to get on my first flight to the Philippines. Luckily I was able to realize that enough was enough and it was time to head back to the U.S. To avoid further stress we decided to wait until we arrived at the airport to purchase our tickets. I always prefer talking to a human and our cell service was still not the best.

On our way there we went through four checkpoints. The first three checkpoints went smoothly. The last checkpoint however was a little different. This was the checkpoint before entering Manila, where there were restrictions to not enter or leave, so we were a little nervous when there was a long line of traffic to get through.

After sitting in traffic for about an hour we were told to get out of our car and wait in line to get our temperature taken before we were able to pass. Luckily we all were ok and were able to continue driving to the airport.

Once we arrived at the airport the first thing I needed to do was find my bag. As a recap my checked bag had been lost upon arriving in the Philippines and I had not received any information regarding its location. This just added another level of stress to an already stressful situation. I had been surviving on borrowed clothes for the last few days and I was not going back to the U.S. in what I was wearing. I looked like a complete mess, so much so that someone thought I had been backpacking through Asia for weeks.

After having a difficult time figuring out where to check for my bag, I finally was able to enter the airport. Luckily my bag had arrived at the airport the day before so I was able to snag it! This was the first good news of the trip. The next step was to get a flight. As we tried to enter the airport to buy one at the counter, we were denied access. Only passengers with a boarding pass could enter the airport, so we went back to the car to figure this out. This would normally not be that bad, however it was over 90 degrees outside which made the hour-long flight search process miserable. To add to my irritation I had been up since 5am and not eaten. By this time it was 11am. Then when I tried to book a flight I was having issues with the airlines website, followed by having issues with my credit card. Just buying the ticket was a seriously stressful situation. Not to mention that I was fighting against time. There were only a few flights out that day and time was ticking. 

After much debate and a few calls to get my credit card working, I booked a flight leaving that evening into San Francisco. My brother lives there so I knew I would be able to stay at his house to figure out the last leg of my trip into Baltimore. The alternative was flying into Baltimore with a 35 hour flight that had a 15 hour layover in Tokyo. With everything escalating I did not want to risk flying into Tokyo and getting sick or stuck there.

After we booked our flights we rushed to the entrance of the airport to get out of the heat ready to enter with our masks. When we arrived we were shocked to find a huge line to enter. The policy changed from not being able to enter the airport if you didn't have a boarding pass, to not being able to enter the airport if your flight was more than four hours until departure. Luckily our flight was boarding in a little over four hours so we were able to enter the airport. This long line to get into the airport was followed by another line to get our bags scanned before we could actually enter the airport. From here we then had to get into another line to check-in for our flight. We waited here for over an hour. Now it was around 1pm and we still had not eaten. I was hungry, smelly, and now cold from the AC blasting inside the airport, but at least we finally got our boarding passes, were through security, and were heading to the lounge.

When Rachel and I arrived at the airport lounge we were elated to find a delicious spread of food and drinks (a few glasses of wine were consumed after this crazy day) so we were in heaven. This lounge also had a shower which I took advantage of so I would no longer look like a homeless backpacker.

Part 4: Flying Back to the United States

My first flight was from Manila, Philippines to Taipei, Taiwan. This flight was less than two hours and it didn’t have many people on board so we were able to spread out and socially distance ourselves. Almost everyone on the flight was wearing masks and most people were also wearing gloves. I was wearing a mask but personally I was mainly concerned with disinfecting my seat which I did immediately upon entering the plane. Most others did this as well.

When we landed we headed to the closest lounge to eat and relax before our 14 hour flight into San Francisco. At this point it was around 7:30pm. On the way there we passed so many interesting things that were set-up around the airport like a free workout room and different displays showcasing Taiwan’s culture. There is even a Starbucks in this airport with different unique drinks that are found nowhere else in the world! If I were to get stuck in this airport, at least I would have been entertained for a few days. 

Another thing to note about the Taipei airport besides it being super unique and interesting, is that it’s extremely clean and it has amazing lounges. The lounge in my terminal was by far the nicest lounge I’ve encountered yet. It had a menu of freshly made food to order, a nice selection of drinks, plenty of space to sit and relax, shower service, and even rooms you could sleep-in during long layovers. As I said, if I was going to get stuck at an airport, the Taipei airport wouldn’t be a bad choice.

Our next flight to San Francisco was surprisingly a little more crowded. Since we were flying into the United States this flight was mainly filled with Americans. How did I know? Not because everyone was speaking english (which was not the case) but because a lot of people were not wearing masks or gloves. I’m not really sure why American’s (including myself at times) seem to think we are invincible and that the rules don’t apply to us, but the reality is that a lot of us do.

Since I am who I am, and I wanted to be as comfortable as possible on this 14-hour long flight, I was determined to get a free upgrade. I tried my best to charm the flight attendants but they were not having it. A rule of thumb when traveling is to always ask for an upgrade. It never hurts and sometimes you may get lucky! 

This was not my lucky day in that regard. However I still had a front row seat with extra leg room. Once the plane took off I immediately fell asleep for about eight hours. Since I fly in planes so often I have learned how to sleep even in the most uncomfortable positions. It’s truly a gift. Otherwise I have no clue what I would have done for 14 hours. 

We landed in San Francisco around 7:30pm and needed to go through customs. I was surprised at how lenient they were being. For instance they did not take anyone's temperature, which had been done in the Philippines before we were even able to enter the airport. If you were a U.S. citizen it only took a few seconds to pass through customs, which I also thought was surprising. All I was asked was “What country did you come from?”, and then I was let through to collect my bag. As happy as I was to get that process over with, I was also concerned about the lack of precautions this huge international airport appeared to be taking.

This was the point where I would go off on my own and my friend Rachel would leave to continue flying into Baltimore. Since my brother lives in San Francisco and I had not seen him in months, I decided this was the perfect opportunity to see him before heading to Baltimore for an indefinite amount of time. Plus I had no desire to travel for another 8-10 hours to get home. I needed a break and to properly sleep. 

Part 5: San Francisco

When I was in San Francisco I stayed about 25 minutes outside the heart of the city at my brothers apartment. I stayed there for three nights (Thursday-Sunday) before heading back into Baltimore. During my stay my main desire was to engulf myself in the beautiful nature California is known for staying far away from the city, so we planned a few hikes. The first hike we went to on Friday was only 10 minutes from my brothers house in the Pacifica area, which is gorgeous! Surprisingly we were not the only ones who had this idea. There were a handful of others hiking and running to escape isolation. Personally I see no problem with this if there is ample space and a small enough group so people are not close to each other. No one is touching anyone or anything and are going about their business without disturbing anyone. I also think it's healthy to get fresh air and find a way to be active to de-stress during a time like this. I fully understand not going to a gym, a restaurant, or a small confined space. However I do not see a problem with going outside in nature by yourself with no one around.

On Friday we hiked in Pacifica near the water and then went back home to make shrimp tacos and relax. On Saturday we drove about an hour south of San Francisco to hike near the iconic Red Wood trees. I really wanted to go to Muir Woods National Monument just north of San Francisco to see the Redwoods. However their website stated they were closed due to the Coronavirus. Since this park attracts such a large amount of people, this is most likely why they decided it was best to close it down even though it consists of a large open space. 

When we arrived at the park we couldn't believe how many cars were already there. It looked like everyone else had the same idea. Once we got to the trail there were people hiking with their families similar to what you would see on a normal Saturday afternoon. Everyone was respectful of space and stayed very far away from each other when on the trail. On the way back into the city we noticed there were a lot of cars out as well and even got stuck in some traffic. I was expecting the roads to be wide open but I think people wanted to get outside since the weather was so nice. 

Our last stop that day was to the Golden Gate Bridge. I wanted to take a few pictures there before flying back to Baltimore early the next day. We drove through San Francisco (the closest we ever got to the city) and that was an eerie site. There were some people out walking by the water. Besides that it was a ghost town.

After seeing the bridge we went home and I prepared for my flight the next morning which was at 6:50am to Baltimore. I was debating staying in San Francisco until Monday, however I noticed a huge cut in flights starting Monday and I didn't want to take the risk of getting stuck in San Francisco crashing on my brother's couch. Plus during this week so much had changed day-to-day that it wasn't worth the risk to wait another day to head back to Baltimore. I was even worried the flight I booked would be cancelled. 

Luckily it was not and I was able to fly back to Baltimore on Sunday. I did notice that a lot of flights were cancelled that morning and some people were having difficulties getting home.

Part 6: The Journey Continues

Now that I’m home I’m planning on being smart and socially distancing myself. I do not feel sick or have any symptoms of Coronavirus and I plan on keeping it that way. The reality is that I did travel all around the world in a week which makes it important for me to quarantine myself for the recommended 14 days, and I plan on doing this to ensure no one around me gets sick in the very small case that I am carrying the virus.

As mentioned earlier in the article, I feel that it is healthy and even necessary to continue to exercise and access fresh air during this stressful time. Until a restriction is put in place to not leave your house in any capacity such as in Italy and Spain, I plan on taking walks and being active in nature while staying more than six feet away from anyone I encounter.

To clarify, I will continue to protect myself and others by wearing gloves and constantly sanitizing my hands, and also by obliging all regulations even though some may be extremely difficult. After this experience I feel like I got a big-picture view of how COVID-19 is truly affecting people all over the world. This situation is not to be taken lightly and I fully encourage everyone to do their part in protecting themselves and others by obliging regulations that are issued by their governments to protect this virus from spreading.

Use this time inside to work on yourself by learning a new language or skill that you normally would not have time for. This is also a great opportunity to get closer with your family and friends who you may be quanetnining with, or by giving them a call. It’s also a great time to focus on getting healthy by cooking nutritious meals and working out on a daily basis. We can look at this situation in one of two ways: As a great tragedy, or as a great opportunity. I prefer to look at the positives such as the tremendous positive impact cutting down our emissions has had on our environment, and how socially distancing (as much as I cannot stand that term) can help save your life or someone else’s.  

I know some people reading this will not agree with what I have done or how I plan to handle this situation, and that's ok. I am handling this based on what I think is best from the knowledge and first-hand experience that I have from seeing how this is truly affecting everyone all over the world. I encourage you to do what's best for you as well while considering all others your actions may affect. I am sending love to everyone who has suffered or is suffering from this virus, and I am optimistic that we will survive this in all regards (physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually).

Part 7: How I Plan to Help

One way I plan on helping is by hosting a 5 day at-home virtual retreat, Retreat Yo'Self!, from Monday, April 6-Friday April 10. 💻📱This retreat was designed to help you genuinely connect with others while energizing and nourishing your mind, body, and spirit during this difficult time. In this program there will be daily virtual:

💪🏽🤸🏽‍♀️Fitness and yoga classes

🧘🏽‍♀️Meditations

👩🏽‍🍳Cooking class

🍷🍺Happy hour discussions

📓Gratitude journaling

And other activities to leave you feeling refreshed, nourished, and connected by the end of the week. PLUS a special full moon yoga session with intention setting and a special guided meditation 🌑

Activities are between 7:30am-8:45am and 6pm-7pm, with the exception of our full moon session on April 7th from 7:30pm-8:30pm, all avoiding work time hours. Daily participation is 2-3 hours

All sessions will be filmed LIVE via ZOOM🎥📺. Recorded sessions are posted in our private Facebook group.

I fully understand how this situation may also be affecting others financially, which is why I’ve heavily discounted this program to only $50 to help as many people as possible gain access.

If this retreat sounds like something that can help you, I invite you to join me next Monday to begin this journey of connection together.❤️

👉🏼Access more info about this retreat & reserve your spot here.

Community is so important in a time like this, and we can only get better together. Stay safe <3