Will you travel? [Mod Note in Post #1 - Travel Discussion Only! Megathread]

faceman

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

I was looking at Valencia city purely for the ease of the journey - could fly into the airport and get the metro to any of the Airbnbs I've been looking at. I don't drive so heading to Javea or any of the resort towns would require taxi or more public transport

The way the flights line up I'd either have to do a long weekend (Friday night to Monday night) which doesn't quite seem like enough to decompress, or Friday to Friday (which seems a bit *too* long, maybe, to be somewhere on my own).

I'm definitely leaning towards going now, but then every time I go to book, I read reports about people with 'long covid' or other awful things and think 'is it worth risking that for a few days in Spain?' on top of the annoying 14 day quarantine (which seems ludicrous given that the UK is in a worse position). As miserable as I am now, at least I mostly have my health. I hate what this awful situation is doing to us.

Valencia is beautiful but as expected being the capital of the region it has the most cases. But your chance of catching it is reduced assuming you keep your hygiene up to scratch. Masks are mandatory indoors and outdoors, and shops insist on you using santiser on entry so all is good there.

Alicante is one of my favourite cities in Spain and so often overlooked. The castle overlooks the city and the Med with amazing views. I visit it every time I visit the city. In August I was on the roof on my own which was mad! Head north of Alicante and Guadalest is a gem of a town to visit particularly in the absense of tourists.

Either way you won’t regret it. Avoid house parties or any venues that appear to be breaching health guidlelines. Keep hand sanitiser on you and follow the rules. The risk will be minimal.

3xh

Griffinx wrote: »

Is there any way to avoid the 2 week self isolation after returning from Spain, like getting a test?

Get away outta that! Saturday is no trolling day!

Shovel70

I just arrived back at midnight from solo week to Crete. Fabulous weather. I also had a place with a pool, bar, restaurant and on the beach which was perfect. It was an airbnb and had my own little place to myself a few steps from the sea.There were many other tavernas and bars on the beach to wonder to, although some have closed and some never opened. Places there close at midnight like here.
Some of the employees in shops and restaurants wore masks but tourists did not. I felt very safe and it was such a proper break from everything, not to have covid constantly on the news etc.
And so I start my 2 weeks of restricted movements...I do not work from home but I had extra leave booked as this was supposed to be a bigger holiday, but I am.so glad I went and would encourage others to go for it also.
(I have just spent an hour trying to order a delivery online from Tescos and it keeps crashing so I guess there are others also trying!)

lainey_d_123

faceman wrote: »

Valencia is beautiful but as expected being the capital of the region it has the most cases. But your chance of catching it is reduced assuming you keep your hygiene up to scratch. Masks are mandatory indoors and outdoors, and shops insist on you using santiser on entry so all is good there.

Alicante is one of my favourite cities in Spain and so often overlooked. The castle overlooks the city and the Med with amazing views. I visit it every time I visit the city. In August I was on the roof on my own which was mad! Head north of Alicante and Guadalest is a gem of a town to visit particularly in the absense of tourists.

Either way you won’t regret it. Avoid house parties or any venues that appear to be breaching health guidlelines. Keep hand sanitiser on you and follow the rules. The risk will be minimal.

Would you know the accurate rate for Valencia? Have had trouble finding it and friends over there haven't got back to me yet.

Have been to both Alicante and Valencia several times and love both...was just thinking Valencia might be slightly better as I have a couple of friends there but not even sure if they're there at the moment...waiting to hear back. Would be fantastic to get to meet up with someone for a beer, plus I absolutely love the old town. Picturing myself sitting by that fountain having a coffee and reading a book and just relaxing. Alicante has daily flights, which is handier, and I heard cases have been really low there? So it's definitely still a consideration as well.

faceman

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

Would you know the accurate rate for Valencia? Have had trouble finding it and friends over there haven't got back to me yet.

Have been to both Alicante and Valencia several times and love both...was just thinking Valencia might be slightly better as I have a couple of friends there but not even sure if they're there at the moment...waiting to hear back. Would be fantastic to get to meet up with someone for a beer, plus I absolutely love the old town. Picturing myself sitting by that fountain having a coffee and reading a book and just relaxing. Alicante has daily flights, which is handier, and I heard cases have been really low there? So it's definitely still a consideration as well.

This is the source I use the stats for the region. Unfortunately it’s in Spanish but you can work it the 14 day rates per zone on the map tab. Be great to see something like this for Ireland

http://coronavirus.san.gva.es/estadisticas

samvimes

Does anyone know when these new testing requirements will come into effect for EU travel, due to travel to Tenerife next Saturday 17th, don't know where to get a PCR test done on short notice

faceman

samvimes wrote: »

Does anyone know when these new testing requirements will come into effect for EU travel, due to travel to Tenerife next Saturday 17th, don't know where to get a PCR test done on short notice

It won’t be that quick. EU leaders sign it off Tuesday but it’s a voluntary scheme so no mandatory implementation dates. I expect most countries will need time to prepare.

RobitTV

It's now more likely then ever that Level 5 will be coming our way sooner than expected after this evening's coronavirus figures.

Honestly this will all now descend in to national hysteria over the coming days. The level of panic is going to surge.

This weekend is the best time to try and figure out what to do and book something if you feel safe and you are able to go. Level 5 is going to mean many weeks of total societal and economic shutdown.

faceman

RobitTV wrote: »

It's now more likely then ever that Level 5 will be coming our way sooner than expected after this evening's coronavirus figures.

Honestly this will all now descend in to national hysteria over the coming days. The level of panic is going to surge.

This weekend is the best time to try and figure out what to do and book something if you feel safe and you are able to go. Level 5 is going to mean many weeks of total societal and economic shutdown.

Included in today figures that didn’t get mentioned in the media was that there were more covid related discharges from hospitals than admissions.

Case numbers as a whole can’t be taken in isolation

smurfjed

A lot of people replying to Lainey are giving her the present guidance for Ireland, is the UK the same, is isolation requested or mandatory for the UK?

arccosh

smurfjed wrote: »

A lot of people replying to Lainey are giving her the present guidance for Ireland, is the UK the same, is isolation requested or mandatory for the UK?

in general, it is for countries on their version of the green list, which Ireland isn't on...


But now with local lockdowns, I think if you fly into an airport in said area, you will be asked to quarantine regardless...



I flew back from Ireland to Gatwick last month and nothing was said....however, I had a friend fly Dublin to Manchester when they were on local lockdown and they were checked and advised to isolate

Gael23

Will the EU traffic light regime mean that our green list becomes redundant?

faceman

Gael23 wrote: »

Will the EU traffic light regime mean that our green list becomes redundant?

Our green list was always redundant!

But yes, the new system will replace it however knowing the Irish government we wont see it introduced for quite some time

Tazz T

...and don't be surprised to see the rules adjusted according according to cabinet whim

A number of countries have placed the requirement for a Covid-19 Travel Clearance Certificate to be obtained within three days of the flight takeoff. Has anyone had any experience of doing the test, obtaining the certificate, and making their flights?

I'm a wee bit nervous about the whole thing since each of the websites (like https://www.tmb.ie/) say they'll try to get the certificate out within 36-72 hours, but...

So, I'm wondering has anyone jumped through these hoops yet?

Cheers.

Beasty

Threads merged

faceman

My catchment area in Spain has dropped to 61 cases per 100,000 over the past 14 days. Most of that is in the nearest big town. The next town more inland from me has a 14 day rate of 1 per 100k!

I wonder how long it will be before the EU realises that a colour code per country is rather daft when some countries are 3 or 4 times the size of Ireland. We will inevitably have to code regions rather than countries and use airports as the point of reference

Golfman64

faceman wrote: »

My catchment area in Spain has dropped to 61 cases per 100,000 over the past 14 days. Most of that is in the nearest big town. The next town more inland from me has a 14 day rate of 1 per 100k!

I wonder how long it will be before the EU realises that a colour code per country is rather daft when some countries are 3 or 4 times the size of Ireland. We will inevitably have to code regions rather than countries and use airports as the point of reference

Very fair point. I understand there is significant work ongoing to apply this type of solution to the Canaries for the coming Winter. If they can make this work then hopefully they can extend to other regions.

Space Dog

Quick question: I filled in the Irish Passenger Locator Form online and got an e-mail, but I can't find a QR code or something like that. Should I have gotten one in that mail or is it just my name and details they'll be checking at Dublin Airport?

FlubberJones

Travelling to the UK this weekend on the Ferry, will take the required precautions but seems the "covid Armageddon" that I feel some people want is around the corner, so I may as well go and forget cancelling. In the short term it will make no difference

Hector Savage

faceman wrote: »

My catchment area in Spain has dropped to 61 cases per 100,000 over the past 14 days. Most of that is in the nearest big town. The next town more inland from me has a 14 day rate of 1 per 100k!

I wonder how long it will be before the EU realises that a colour code per country is rather daft when some countries are 3 or 4 times the size of Ireland. We will inevitably have to code regions rather than countries and use airports as the point of reference

Where abouts are you ?
I am in Barcelona and use El Pais as my source of info, do you know any good site that breaks Spain down per region ?

Hector Savage

What about next summer 2021 ? Is it realistic that we should cancel travel plans for then too ... I am thinking it could be another lost summer...

bikeman1

Hector Savage wrote: »

What about next summer 2021 ? Is it realistic that we should cancel travel plans for then too ... I am thinking it could be another lost summer...

Summer 2020 shouldn’t have been a lost summer for anyone. There were flights operating and green lists in place for the public sector / not WFH.

I enjoyed a few trips abroad and they were magic!

The WHO says travel between similar areas of infection must be allowed.

I can be sure that if there are flights going next summer I’ll be on them.

Tenzor07

Space Dog wrote: »

Quick question: I filled in the Irish Passenger Locator Form online and got an e-mail, but I can't find a QR code or something like that. Should I have gotten one in that mail or is it just my name and details they'll be checking at Dublin Airport?

Just show the email at the passport check and you'll be grand...

Space Dog

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Just show the email at the passport check and you'll be grand...

Thanks!

lukas8888

i am reading references to the canary islands requiring covid test for tourist arrivals.The test has to be taken 48 hours before arrival.No mention of it on the
Spain travel health app,or when it's starting.Has anyone any knowledge of this.

coffeelover

Hoping to go to germany next month and wondering does anyone know what are restrictions on getting in there?

faceman

Hector Savage wrote: »

Where abouts are you ?
I am in Barcelona and use El Pais as my source of info, do you know any good site that breaks Spain down per region ?

Valencia region is my area. I use this site for stats. It’s very detailed.

http://coronavirus.san.gva.es/estadisticas

faceman

EU statement on travel from today’s meeting

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_20_1871

bikeman1

faceman wrote: »

EU statement on travel from today’s meeting

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_20_1871

I can’t see any mention here of when it will be implemented.

As things stand, Ireland will go straight to red, like most of Europe. However is it possible that some countries will still not require any quarantine or testing on arrival from another EU red country?

Like Ireland to France for example or The Netherlands?