[Na]Who is traveling internationally these days?

Michael Cutler said:
That's funny how personalities can be different. I do tons of homework for every trip. I have already done my flight plan, fuel planning/fuel shopping, and accommodation planning for Oshkosh next year, have my next vacation halfway planned (and we don't even know when we are going to get to go) with activities, hotels, transportation, etc. I LOVE doing tons of homework for my vacations to make it as awesome as possible for my wife and I.
Click to expand...

My wife spends months on different apps/websites researching places she wants to go/places to eat/etc.

I'm apt to land somewhere, look up and down the road and choose the first thing that looks good.... or land somewhere other than the planned destination due to weather and do the same. I enjoy the random exploration.
 
cowman said:
I'm apt to land somewhere, look up and down the road and choose the first thing that looks good.... or land somewhere other than the planned destination due to weather and do the same. I enjoy the random exploration.
Click to expand...

We do this sometimes...once we are in another country. I try to leave 1-2 days at each destination for things that we find out about after we get there. For instance, in Iquitos, Peru, we were on a guided "Amazon" tour and my wife was speaking to our guide in Spanish. She told him that we wanted to see the heart of the Amazon. He said, come back tomorrow and I will take you into the heart of the Amazon. Boy did he ever. We hiked in virgin jungle about 2 hours up the river from the closest city, saw some crazy wildlife, and made memories forever. In Bonito, Mato Grasso do Sul, Brasil, we found out about some rivers to swim in that were like swimming in an aquarium. Might not have had the chance if I booked it up too full.

Bottom line for me, lots of homework, but leave some margin too.
 
Michael Cutler said:
That's funny how personalities can be different. I do tons of homework for every trip. I have already done my flight plan, fuel planning/fuel shopping, and accommodation planning for Oshkosh next year, have my next vacation halfway planned (and we don't even know when we are going to get to go) with activities, hotels, transportation, etc. I LOVE doing tons of homework for my vacations to make it as awesome as possible for my wife and I.
Click to expand...
My wife is like this also; she plans everything far in advance. It gets her in trouble occasionally when she makes reservations too far in advance.
 
FORANE said:
My wife is like this also; she plans everything far in advance. It gets her in trouble occasionally when she makes reservations too far in advance.
Click to expand...

That's actually been one of the nice things about COVID: Many companies have established extensive cancellation/rescheduling policies. Change your mind? No problem. Try again later!
 
Went to Ukraine in May/June for our son's wedding. All things considered the trip came off well, and we had no unusual problems. Getting tested before flights was a drag - but we found it easier to do (and cheaper)
over there for the return flight. Another downer was the requirement to buy special COVID Health Insurance (which, of course, never came into play). We also scotched any ideas about visiting neighboring countries
(too much uncertainty about requirements). In spite of that we still had a good time and lots of good food. Had fun getting around with Uber: don't speak the language (nor most people English), and find it hard to
decipher place names, what with the Cyrillic Alphabet. But Uber came through with flying colors, making going places really simple. All things considered, I'm glad we went (our Daughter backed out). I wouldn't
hesitate to make another trip to a similar single-country destination.

Dave
 
Just back from Alberta for our annual (well, not last year) duck and goose hunting trip. What a pain in the ass. Testing before, CanPass documentations and confusion about soft vs hard copy (from the airlines), testing again up there to come home (and random tests on arrival for some) and toss in hour upon hour of wearing a mask in overcrowded aluminum sky tubes. Frankly, the stress level was elevated for everyone. The hunting was fun, the travel sucked.
 
Flew commercially to Mexico last weekend. Just common sense precautions. Mask up and don't travel if you're sick or have been exposed is the rule. I'm seriously considering just staying here until the pandemic declines. Since the US and Canada are currently doing the heavy lifting in terms of keeping the virus viable, but have turned the corner again, maybe I can head north again in the spring?

upload_2021-9-29_14-35-12.png
 
Me. Tomorrow.

I'm not living like a hermit due to Covid. You get one shot at life - go make the most of it.
 
About to return from a long-ish term trip overseas (EU). Pre-jabbed, getting tested and getting results (negative) within 72 hours was not difficult for the departure (in the US) and the return (in the EU). Entry requirements for our arrival country seemingly changed while we were in flight so there was a little paperwork shuffle at the airport of entry but that was quickly dealt with during our layover for a connection. Traveling about our area was easy with a shot record. I suppose it could all fall apart tomorrow, but so far it's been easy and well worth what little extra effort was required.

Nauga,
and the "Bad Roads and Weird Commodes 2021" tour
 
nauga said:
and the "Bad Roads and Weird Commodes 2021" tour
Click to expand...
hoping you didn't end up with Turkish Squatters!!!

I've been following the EU closely as we may be headed over (or not) soon. Looks like we can get in pretty easily with being vaxxed, I think the bigger hassle will be getting the EU and local QR certificates that are neede for local stuff. I think we can, just a bit of extra hassle.
 
Going to Mexico in a few weeks just like we do every other year. I travel for work (13 states), and have taken the family to Disney 2 times since this all began. Just be smart about what you do. Understand the risk, apply mitigation techniques, and live life.
 
wsuffa said:
I've been following the EU closely as we may be headed over (or not) soon. Looks like we can get in pretty easily with being vaxxed, I think the bigger hassle will be getting the EU and local QR certificates that are neede for local stuff. I think we can, just a bit of extra hassle.
Click to expand...
For almost three weeks we were able to do anything that required "COVID cert" by at most showing our vax cards. Since the US requires a negative test w/in 72 hours of travel we were tested in a small town pharmacy three days ago and used the QR code that came with the results (rapid test, results w/in less than 20 mins) instead of our vax cards for the last 3 days of the trip. The QR code makes it painless (NPI). FWIW, it was easier and faster to get a test in the EU than in the US. That might be location or test-type specific, but it was our experience.

Nauga,
and the dreaded 1.5 lane roads
 
nauga said:
For almost three weeks we were able to do anything that required "COVID cert" by at most showing our vax cards. Since the US requires a negative test w/in 72 hours of travel we were tested in a small town pharmacy three days ago and used the QR code that came with the results (rapid test, results w/in less than 20 mins) instead of our vax cards for the last 3 days of the trip. The QR code makes it painless (NPI). FWIW, it was easier and faster to get a test in the EU than in the US. That might be location or test-type specific, but it was our experience.

Nauga,
and the dreaded 1.5 lane roads
Click to expand...
Thanks. Good to know.

One of the things that is intended to be on the itin is the Glacier Express, which has a statement that one must have a CDC card validated and Swiss certificate issued (the EU certificates are also accepted). So I think I'm going to have to to deal with at least one agency to get a certificate. In return, no masking is required on-board.

I *think* subject to verification, that I can get an EU certificate issued based on the CDC card (or a copy of my state vaccine record that has a Smart QR code, which is not EU compliant in and of itself) in Germany, France, Italy, Spain or Switzerland and it should work everywhere. I hope. The question is whether I can do that at the airport upon arrival.... Which would significantly improve things.

I think I can get over the angst of risking a false positive on the return test. Not likely, but possible.
 
wsuffa said:
I *think* subject to verification, that I can get an EU certificate issued based on the CDC card (or a copy of my state vaccine record that has a Smart QR code, which is not EU compliant in and of itself) in Germany, France, Italy, Spain or Switzerland and it should work everywhere. I hope. The question is whether I can do that at the airport upon arrival.... Which would significantly improve things.
Click to expand...
I saw indications of onsite rapid testing in a couple of terminals but did not investigate to see if they were actually testing onsite.

The closest thing we had to a hiccup was checking in for a connecting flight for our return. We had gotten the return tests done just inside the 72-hour window, but when checking in for the connection they told us there was a 48-hour window for domestic flights. After some confusion we asked why this requirement was so stringent, considering we had a string of negative tests, valid vax cards, etc. The rep said "You've been vaccinated? Oh, just go on then." o_O

Nauga,
time zoned
 
David Megginson said:
Yes, Canada requires the PCR test (both for Americans visiting Canada and for Canadians returning). You can arrange it through many pharmacies, but be careful, because even if you get tested first thing in the morning, they'll often wait until the end of the day to send the tests off to a lab (a family friend was delayed a night in Watertown NY before crossing the border back into Canada because of that).
Click to expand...
Thought I would report back. I decided to go through with the PCR test and the trip. I got the test at a local urgent care, with very little waiting. The results were back in a little less than 24 hours. I used the ArriveCan app to schedule the crossing at Campobello. One question they asked was about my quarantine plans if I happened to catch COVID while there. They wanted a Canadian address, so I used a hotel in Campobello. Realistically, I wasn’t going to become positive during the day I was there, but I guess they ask everyone. While driving, I suddenly wondered if I had done the time correctly, since New Brunswick is on Atlantic time; one hour ahead of Maine. Turned out that there was no issue, since I was the only car crossing. The guy was friendly. Campobello was great! No crowds! I guess the PITA border crossing keeps many American tourists away. Crossing back into the US, I only needed to show my passport; no proof of vaccination or test. They did ask to see the rental car agreement, though…
 
I just got back from a week long trip to the UK - Belfast and London. Airports and airlines universally require masks from the moment you step into the building until you leave. It sucks wearing a mask nonstop for 18 hours.

Going to the UK: Requires COVID vaccination complete (both shots or Janssen) at least 14 days prior to departure, AND a negative PCR test not more than 72 hours before departure, AND a passenger locator form filled out, which requires that you reserve and pay for a COVID test on or before Day 2 of your visit (the day you arrive in Day 0). I just made an appointment for the "Day 2" test on arrival at Heathrow, since I had a 5 hour layover and a flight to Belfast.

Return to the US requires any type of negative COVID test (PCR or laminar flow) not more than 48 hours prior to departure. I did a BinaxNOW - of course you can't use the $25 home test, you have to use the $70 proctored test. Fortunately my daughter-in-law had a couple of extras and I used one of those.

I did have to show the PLF at the Chicago airport before boarding the London flight. No one in the UK ever asked to see my passport, and the border control point and Customs were completely unstaffed when we arrived at 0740 on Sunday morning. Scan the passport in the facial recognition machine and off you go. On the return trip, the US wanted to see my passport and a Customs form... which we were told NOT to fill out, no one ever asked if I had anything to declare, and there was a Customs agent collecting the un-filled-out, rubber-stamped forms on our way out. Wouldn't have mattered if I'd had a suitcase full of booze, gold, and Cuban cigars.

Total cost for COVID testing for the trip was about $250-ish, if you don't count the fact that I got the return trip test for free. If you manage to arrive in the4 UK without all that stuff, you get to go into quarantine for up to 10 days with a bunch of other rules around that.

There were maybe 1% of the people in the UK that were wearing masks outside of the airport, Uber, and some taxis. I never did make it onto the Underground, but didn't notice anyone masking on their way in or taking them off on the way out.

Side note: We switched our phones over to T-Mobile a few weeks back, since Visible has gotten pretty bad. T-Mobile has free data and text in a lot of countries, and between that and Wifi calling from the hotel I had full use of my phone for the week with no extra charges and no need for a UK prepaid SIM card. Pretty sweet deal.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I want to go to Norway.
Click to expand...

Unless you have registered your vaccine in the national covid database to get a digital C19 certificate, available to permanent residents and citizens only, you will be shipped off to a quarantine hotel at your cost for a minimum of 72 hrs. The rules constantly change, however. I did travel to Norway and had my C19 certificate. It was checked by the military before immigration at the Oslo Airport. The rules are enforced.

Edit: For non EU/UK citizens you cannot even enter Norway now unless you meet one of many exceptions (family/work/etc).

Other than that United Airlines makes you upload PCR testing results to their website or app before you can get your boarding pass to or from the US.

Connecting or flying to the UK requires a separate passenger locator form where you have to detail things such as your seat assignment and when you leave he country. Plus, you have to book 2 covid tests in the days after your arrival if you are going through immigration in the UK, I believe. Post Brexit the UK makes their own rules now.

In Amsterdam, to a connecting flight to LHR I spent almost 2 hrs at a separate covid gate getting my covid papers checked before I got a stamp on my boarding pass required to board to LHR.
 
Last edited:
Just returned after eight days in Switzerland, connecting aircraft through Amsterdam.

had to have a negative Covid test to leave Switzerland. I couldn’t believe how few people were there. Showed my negative Covid test in Geneva to fly home and no issues beyond that.

flew on an A330 both ways Atlanta to Amsterdam, and on both flights they were no more than 2/3 full.
 
GLMS_NC said:
Just returned after eight days in Switzerland, connecting aircraft through Amsterdam.

had to have a negative Covid test to leave Switzerland. I couldn’t believe how few people were there. Showed my negative Covid test in Geneva to fly home and no issues beyond that.

flew on an A330 both ways Atlanta to Amsterdam, and on both flights they were no more than 2/3 full.
Click to expand...

Glad your experience was good - apparently the Swiss rules have changed in the last few days.

So Switerland, like France and parts of Germany, is now requiring a Covid certificate with an EU code for indoor dining, museums, etc. Apparently transport is exempt, but masks are required. Some hotels are outright requiring the certificate/QR code, too.

The US CDC card is no long good enough - you have to get your US certification converted to a EU/Schengen certificate. In CH, no EU/Swiss QR code, then the document is not accepted.

France has been offering (for a while) a means to do so prior to arrival by submitting documents. The Swiss are issuing it on the Canton level - but they have now created a national website for submission that directs your application to the right place. From what I'm hearing from friends, the French system is slow: one friend got theirs 4 days before leaving the States, another ended up applying 3 times before getting any response - and the certificate showed up in their email 2 days after they arrived (meaning they had to get tested there to get a certificate so they could go to restaurants), and one got rejected. On the Swiss side, apparently things move more quickly: their national website says "5 days" for normal processing and suggests applying 2 weeks before arrival - a friend got theirs issued within one day (and reports that the website was a bit flaky and the payment section caused fraud alerts on their credit card).

And the Germans are, apparently, hit-miss: you have to find a pharmacy that will issue a certificate after inspecting your US certificate... and some won't do it unless you're a citizen or have residency in Germany.

With the US changing rules (again) on Nov 8, someone traveling into the US (including US citizens) will require both proof of vaccination AND a negative test within 3 days (or just a negative test within 1 day).

Apparently the Swiss requirements changed over this past weekend.

My conclusion is that it's still a real mess and the requirements are tightening and/or changing by the day. One can spend as much time planning & obtaining the Covid certification as planning one's hotel stays. The only good thing is that if one is able to run the gauntlet that the EU certificate should be good for at least a year after last vaccination.
 
wsuffa said:
Glad your experience was good - apparently the Swiss rules have changed in the last few days.

So Switerland, like France and parts of Germany, is now requiring a Covid certificate with an EU code for indoor dining, museums, etc. Apparently transport is exempt, but masks are required. Some hotels are outright requiring the certificate/QR code, too.

The US CDC card is no long good enough - you have to get your US certification converted to a EU/Schengen certificate. In CH, no EU/Swiss QR code, then the document is not accepted.

France has been offering (for a while) a means to do so prior to arrival by submitting documents. The Swiss are issuing it on the Canton level - but they have now created a national website for submission that directs your application to the right place. From what I'm hearing from friends, the French system is slow: one friend got theirs 4 days before leaving the States, another ended up applying 3 times before getting any response - and the certificate showed up in their email 2 days after they arrived (meaning they had to get tested there to get a certificate so they could go to restaurants), and one got rejected. On the Swiss side, apparently things move more quickly: their national website says "5 days" for normal processing and suggests applying 2 weeks before arrival - a friend got theirs issued within one day (and reports that the website was a bit flaky and the payment section caused fraud alerts on their credit card).

And the Germans are, apparently, hit-miss: you have to find a pharmacy that will issue a certificate after inspecting your US certificate... and some won't do it unless you're a citizen or have residency in Germany.

With the US changing rules (again) on Nov 8, someone traveling into the US (including US citizens) will require both proof of vaccination AND a negative test within 3 days (or just a negative test within 1 day).

Apparently the Swiss requirements changed over this past weekend.

My conclusion is that it's still a real mess and the requirements are tightening and/or changing by the day. One can spend as much time planning & obtaining the Covid certification as planning one's hotel stays. The only good thing is that if one is able to run the gauntlet that the EU certificate should be good for at least a year after last vaccination.
Click to expand...
Here in Nice right now. The French health pass system sucks. Waited over a month to get a QR code back and only 1 restaurant checked it. The rest didn’t even check my vax card or ask to see the QR code. Went to Monte Carlo today and only the casino required the health pass. We’re flying to Paris tomorrow and I hear pretty much everywhere accepts the CDC vax card and/or doesn’t check to see if you have the QR code. Masks are required but seem pretty relaxed.
 
Someone is pushing the Greek islands on me; what is the weather like in early Dec?
Anything to see? (I like landscapes/scenery, not culture/history/crowds)
 
Uganda. In Nov. PCR 72hrs before departure. Test when you get there if not vaccinated. Maybe even if you are vaccinated. Coming back to US PCR 72 hrs before.
 
jordane93 said:
Here in Nice right now. The French health pass system sucks. Waited over a month to get a QR code back and only 1 restaurant checked it. The rest didn’t even check my vax card or ask to see the QR code. Went to Monte Carlo today and only the casino required the health pass. We’re flying to Paris tomorrow and I hear pretty much everywhere accepts the CDC vax card and/or doesn’t check to see if you have the QR code. Masks are required but seem pretty relaxed.
Click to expand...
I'm in Paris now. I'd say we have been asked at more than half of the restaurants for the Pass Sanitarie. Even when we were dining outdoors I have been asked. It seems all the attractions are requiring the pass as well for entry.
 
jordane93 said:
Here in Nice right now. The French health pass system sucks. Waited over a month to get a QR code back and only 1 restaurant checked it. The rest didn’t even check my vax card or ask to see the QR code. Went to Monte Carlo today and only the casino required the health pass. We’re flying to Paris tomorrow and I hear pretty much everywhere accepts the CDC vax card and/or doesn’t check to see if you have the QR code. Masks are required but seem pretty relaxed.
Click to expand...
Apparently the Swiss and some of Germany are real sticklers. But the Swiss are very efficient about issuing the passes if you are planning to go there. It took less than 24 hours to issue a Swiss pass based on US vaccinations. France is 2 weeks and counting.
 
My husband and had a trip to the Cook Islands planned for January, 2020. Had to cancel. Tried to rebook for this year, still couldn't. The Cooks still aren't open. They are in a bubble with New Zealand. Apparently New Zealand thought it could keep Covid out, but it couldn't. Now I understand they're working like mad to vaccinate everyone. We couldn't get our money back, but both the resort and Air New Zealand have agreed to honor our payments for at least another year. Hoping against hope we can go. We went there in 2018 and loved it.
 
Papieren, bitte!
 
More than three years ago we booked a Viking river cruise in Europe for July 2019. We had to cancel at the last minute because of a medical issue that required surgery. Our genius travel agent was able to keep us from losing our prepayment, and it was rescheduled to June 2020. That was of course canceled due to Covid and rescheduled to June 2021, and canceled again due to Covid. Now we're scheduled for July 2022. Fourth time is the charm? o_O
 
NJP_MAN said:
I'm in Paris now. I'd say we have been asked at more than half of the restaurants for the Pass Sanitarie. Even when we were dining outdoors I have been asked. It seems all the attractions are requiring the pass as well for entry.
Click to expand...
We had 1 restaurant ask us for the health pass. Breakfast and lunch spot did not. Let’s see what happens today. Are you here for work?
 
wsuffa said:
Glad your experience was good - apparently the Swiss rules have changed in the last few days.

So Switerland, like France and parts of Germany, is now requiring a Covid certificate with an EU code for indoor dining, museums, etc. Apparently transport is exempt, but masks are required. Some hotels are outright requiring the certificate/QR code, too.

The US CDC card is no long good enough - you have to get your US certification converted to a EU/Schengen certificate. In CH, no EU/Swiss QR code, then the document is not accepted.

France has been offering (for a while) a means to do so prior to arrival by submitting documents. The Swiss are issuing it on the Canton level - but they have now created a national website for submission that directs your application to the right place. From what I'm hearing from friends, the French system is slow: one friend got theirs 4 days before leaving the States, another ended up applying 3 times before getting any response - and the certificate showed up in their email 2 days after they arrived (meaning they had to get tested there to get a certificate so they could go to restaurants), and one got rejected. On the Swiss side, apparently things move more quickly: their national website says "5 days" for normal processing and suggests applying 2 weeks before arrival - a friend got theirs issued within one day (and reports that the website was a bit flaky and the payment section caused fraud alerts on their credit card).

And the Germans are, apparently, hit-miss: you have to find a pharmacy that will issue a certificate after inspecting your US certificate... and some won't do it unless you're a citizen or have residency in Germany.

With the US changing rules (again) on Nov 8, someone traveling into the US (including US citizens) will require both proof of vaccination AND a negative test within 3 days (or just a negative test within 1 day).

Apparently the Swiss requirements changed over this past weekend.

My conclusion is that it's still a real mess and the requirements are tightening and/or changing by the day. One can spend as much time planning & obtaining the Covid certification as planning one's hotel stays. The only good thing is that if one is able to run the gauntlet that the EU certificate should be good for at least a year after last vaccination.
Click to expand...
So glad I didn’t read this before going to Germany and Switzerland last week. Ate at restaurants twice a day and never had a problem with showing my paper US COVID vaccine card in both countries. Just got home two days ago.
 
Kent Wien said:
So glad I didn’t read this before going to Germany and Switzerland last week. Ate at restaurants twice a day and never had a problem with showing my paper US COVID vaccine card in both countries. Just got home two days ago.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's a real mess.

This is from the booking page for a hotel in Germany that I looked at:

Screenshot 2021-10-28 at 08-17-44 Hotel NH Bingen Hotel in Bingen, Germany nh-hotels com.png
ANd the new rules from the Swiss

Screenshot 2021-10-28 at 08-24-02 Covid-19 Travel Conditions Switzerland Tourism.png
 
Got a quote for a Greek Island tour.
$18000.00 for two, 10 days.
Does not include airfare or any meals.
I declined.
Am I out of touch on prices?
 
jordane93 said:
We had 1 restaurant ask us for the health pass. Breakfast and lunch spot did not. Let’s see what happens today. Are you here for work?
Click to expand...
Negative. Been here for a week doing the honeymoon thing. Wife works with you so we travel whenever I get the days off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top