Gray Shade & Family Travels

We are planning a family trip for our crew of six. We haven’t been on vacation altogether since 2018. For 2022, I want to design a #graydoncrew vacay. We are trying to decide on a destination, and I pulled out my notes from our Cancun and Jamaica trips. I admit that I was highly stressed with all the risks (crime and pandemic related). Because no matter how much you prepare, there is always a risk.

When we decided to take the girls to Cancun last April, I did a lot of research months before travel day. I put it together here to help anyone anxious about travel.

First, check the passports for expiration dates and that all the information matches your booking information. If any updates need to be made, you will need about 2-3 months to fix it.

Next, visit the travel site for the country you are traveling to frequently for ‘travel memos.’ Cancun https://www.mexicancaribbean.travel/covid-19/ and Jamaica https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/ 

Each country has COVID protocols and required forms - you can do most paperwork online. Also, if you’re using a travel company, make sure to conference with your agent about the resort where you will be staying. Go to the website for your resort to check for onsite COVID testing and guest information for navigating the property.

Pay attention to the notifications from your airline. Also, I made a point of checking out the airports in Cancun and Jamaica so we could navigate straight to the concierge. This is important because you will be swamped by VERY helpful people who know you are a tourist. In 2021, Cancun did not require a travel test, but we had to test negative for our return flight. For our Jamaica trip in the same year, we tested negative two days before we traveled. The results were checked before we boarded the plane in Atlanta and tested negative in Jamaica 2 days before returning. 

Forms you will need:

https://www.cancunairport.com/immigration.html 

https://travelauth.visitjamaica.com 

****Make sure travel docs and results are on your phone as a backup. That being said, also note any forms that need to be filled out and completed (screenshot that confirmation) before you get to the airport. You don’t want to be struggling to fill out the online attestation form at the airport. We saw many frustrated people in Cancun and Jamaica struggling to get a signal strong enough to complete the online form the morning of their return flight because there is a checkpoint they won’t let you past if you do not have this form completed.

Finally, you will need cash before you leave stateside! Small bills for tipping and bartering. I learned this from a friend, and it was the best intel!!! Currency exchange is possible but expensive. The resort front desk can also be accommodating if you need access to cash. Make sure to notify your bank that you will be traveling overseas.

We found that there were sanitization stations and sanitization procedures in both countries that we don’t see here. I will be honest that I couldn’t fully relax in Cancun until we all got that negative COVID test to return, but when we did - I did a mommy turn up! The memories made are priceless. As I like to say - Don’t stop living. Find safe ways to live.