Brenda Autry Journalism Blog

Rules, Tips and Tricks for Taking a Trip During the Covid Era. As travel resumed in 2021, we learned that doing so in the Covid-era requires a little more planning, and a lot more flexibility. Travel interruptions due to Covid can affect both domestic and international travel. In the United States alone, almost 7,000 flights were canceled between Dec. 24 and Dec. 30 -- that’s over 1,000 flights a day on average.  So, if you choose to travel right now, what can you do to make sure Covid doesn’t ruin your plans? Plan Ahead When traveling outside the U.S., you’ll need to do a little research to find out what the entry requirements are for any countries you’re visiting. You’ll also need to comply with the rules of  any countries in which you have a layover.  Things to know: Are vaccines required? If so, how recent must they be?  Are booster shots required? Are negative Covid tests or proof of recovery required? How recent? Are there testing sites available for return tes...

My heart sank as we reached the top of the path and gazed down into the valley at a pillowy white wall of clouds that threatened to ruin a moment I had awaited for years. I spent hours researching the perfect timing to avoid the calamity that lay before me. I sank to the ground among the llamas and other forlorn travelers to see if I could wait out my misfortune. As the sun began to peak over the mountains to the east, its rays cut small slits in the airy barricade allowing glimpses of deep green and earthy brown below. The crest of Huayna Picchu broke through and with each inch of dissipation my excitement rose to where it had been an hour earlier on the zig-zagging bus ride up the mountain. Suddenly, the sun broke free; flooding the valley with golden light and vanquishing the last remnants of cumulus shroud. I jumped to my feet, ran to the edge of the cliff, and finally drank in the sight I’d waited so long for -- Machu Picchu ! Machu Picchu The view was even more stunni...

I don’t know if it is the way the strangler fig trees and creeping lichens seem to devour the massive stone walls of Ta Prohm. The mystical pink blush in the carvings of Banteay Srei. Or the humbling feeling of standing in the shadow cast for centuries by the towering spires of Angkor Wat that makes me want to return more. Banteay Srei But whether it’s something I remember, or something I know I’ve yet to discover, few places in the world have left me longing to return as much as Angkor Wat. Hidden in the jungles of Cambodia for centuries before being rediscovered, Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, but was soon converted to a Buddhist temple. It served as the capital for the ancient Khmer people until the 15th century, and today is the largest religious monument on Earth, receiving millions of visitors every year. Angkor Archaeological Park , often mistakenly called the Angkor Wat Temples (Angkor Wat, translated “Templ...