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People A Traveller Recounts Her Solo Trip To Toronto During The Lockdown
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A Traveller Recounts Her Solo Trip To Toronto During The Lockdown

Travelling during a pandemic is a tale worth sharing. This traveller does just that by recalling her trip to Toronto during the lockdown.

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By: Mahafreen H. Mistry Published: Mar 04, 2021 07:00 AM IST

A Traveller Recounts Her Solo Trip To Toronto During The Lockdown
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock

After planning her trip for 45 days, getting rejected by 12 Airbnbs, and packing a massive food haul for 21 days, our contributor finally lands in Toronto during the ongoing pandemic. From a searing 35-degrees Celsius to a freezing 10-degrees Celsius, her journey has just begun. By Mahafreen H. Mistry

It was not the first time I was planning a solo international trip, but it was definitely my first time travelling during a pandemic-induced lockdown. Many Airbnb hosts were sceptical about allowing international tourists, as they should be. After being rejected by 12 hosts, I finally find one to spend three weeks in Toronto, Canada—of which two are in quarantine!

My travel experience itself is unique in many ways: reaching the airport four hours before my flight time, compulsorily wearing a PPE kit throughout the 19 hours plane journey (from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, to Delhi, and finally to Toronto), getting only one meal in the flight, and maintaining a strict two-feet distance from everyone at all points of time.

I finally reach my accommodation located in Midtown Toronto. Empty roads, cold breeze and cloudy weather welcome me. However, despite reaching such a beautiful destination, my mind and body are too tired to appreciate its beauty. A vacant city and a gloomy sky only add to the feeling. Luckily, the Uber driver was an extremely sweet Punjabi fellow who took me through a scenic route, pointing to different areas as we passed. My stay has a ‘help yourself’ system, which means I can self-check-in using a key and a code.

As per the rules of the Canadian government, every person arriving in the country has to call a helpline number every day, answer a few COVID-19 related questions, and stay quarantined for 15 days. Luckily, I have an awesome friend in the city who has already ordered essential groceries like bread, milk and ice-cream at my Airbnb. There are plenty of other online grocery shops to order essentials from. And there’s always Uber Eats!

After my quarantine, I have about 10 days to explore Toronto. The city is beautiful during fall. While Toronto is well connected by buses, subways and streetcars, the best way to explore the city’s nooks and crannies is by foot. While the city itself looks empty, the parks are full of people enjoying the amazing weather. Seeing autumn leaves in multiple shades of orange is a dream come true!

Good To Know

Carry dry foods with you for the flight, and travel light because the escalator at the airport may be shut. Keep your COVID-19 test report and ID cards handy as you’ll be asked to furnish them at different checkpoints at the airport.

Download ArriveCAN app on your phone, and fill in details like your name, location of your stay, purpose of visit, etc. before landing. While a physical form is available too, having it punched in on the app reduces time at the airport as the lines are shorter for such passengers.

Get a forex card and fill it with sufficient money beforehand. All important transactions, except shopping, require card payments. It is advisable to download Uber on your phone and link it to the forex card for smooth transactions. Chances are that the stalls to book taxis at the airport will be closed, too.

While you can opt for a roaming pack from your existing mobile service provider, it is advisable and more economical to pick up a local number from the airport.

Visit Chinatown to buy fresh and pocket-friendly ingredients. If you’re looking to buy in bulk at a good rate, then head to Costco.

Related: The Toronto Nightlife: Things To Do In Toronto After Sundown

Written By

Mahafreen H. Mistry

Mahafreen H. Mistry

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