Last night I attended a television taping for a show to be aired soon on Amazon Prime. Several of my friends were featured, and many more were in attendance.

John Bullard

Filmed in Michigan City, Indiana, this was about 100 miles from my home, making it my longest trip since the quarantine. It was also the first time I have been in a crowd since then. Both experiences were very refreshing.

The 90-minute drive was very relaxing as I looked forward to seeing my friends and being out. Finally seeing so many friends at once was so positive.

Although Indiana has loosened the restrictions, masks were mandatory at the event, except for the performers. Social distancing was also in effect for the audience.

Roxi Heart and Joey Roth

The only disappointment came after I posted some pictures on social media. I received a few messages questioning why I wore a mask and a few messages scolding me for being out.

These are both personal choices and ones I made responsibly. Life can start returning to normal (or a new normal) if proper precautions are taken. I had heard of the new trend of travel shaming, but this was my first time experiencing it since it was my first time really out in a crowd.

I will not let a few negative remarks ruin my day. I will take the advice I see on many Global Traveler posts, and I am happy to write #WelcomeBacktoTravel.

— John Wroblewski, online writer