Support thread for those with family abroad

[Schulte]

Anyone interested in a support thread for those of us who have family abroad, and don't know if we can see them this year? I had started to feel all positive and optimistic about going back to my home country this summer to see my parents, but it's now looking far from certain and I'm feeling increasingly depressed.

I thought maybe we can cheer each other up and share the latest on border openings, how and where to get tests for travel, etc.

Anyone?

In case anyone wants to request a proof in paper of the vaccines (Malta is requesting it)
www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-pass/get-your-covid-pass-letter/

No, no decisions, just Shapps defending his traffic light list etc

Booking our pre departure tests today. Will take a while to get my head round the various providers and how to make sure the timings work! Wish me luck.

Is it for returning back or for traveling abroad ?
Im not doing any before flying as Spain doesn’t request it. For coming back to the uk I think I’ll use a local one rather than brining one with me. Tho have not decided it yet

YoutubeZoom I haven't and now it's gone anyway. No direct or any other flights are available this month to BUD with British Airways. Shocking!
Now I'm looking at ryanair Was thinking about Austrian air but you need tests in Frankfurt if you fly in from the UK.

ursuslemonade Ahhh. Ryanair is good though, so you should be fine.
My Hungarian immunity passport has arrived, and I will try to download the European covid green card based on that. Desperate or what?!

Do people use Boots for testing? Or the ones the airports offer? E.g. www.nph-group.co.uk/newcastle-airport-pricing-and-turnaround-times/

EasterIssland My predictive texting does not think I am very religious.

No @EasterIssland it’s for leaving the UK and getting into France and then Germany. Possibly driving through Belgium and Netherlands too. We may get away with LFTs but thought I’d book PCRs to be on the safe side!

@Schulte

No *@EasterIssland* it’s for leaving the UK and getting into France and then Germany. Possibly driving through Belgium and Netherlands too. We may get away with LFTs but thought I’d book PCRs to be on the safe side!

Good luck! if I had to take any I'd use this people www.expresstest.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwz_WGBhA1EiwAUAxIcVOt46tTI2ZJWtR_NrLM7rnX-jVTRqBJTBKtkwshxnWBDc7bGtU67xoCsbEQAvD_BwE

Thanks for the tip

@EasterIssland I think Sanchez announced that they do request a test on entry from arrivals from Britain now. Not sure from what date or which type of test, but it’s worth checking x

[quote QuentininQuarantino]@EasterIssland I think Sanchez announced that they do request a test on entry from arrivals from Britain now. Not sure from what date or which type of test, but it’s worth checking x[/quote]
Thanks @QuentininQuarantino! It’s for those not fully vaccinated. Husband and I are fully and my son is below 12 so no pcr needed (as of today , god knows in 3 weeks).

Thanks tho. Hope you and your family are ok

Ps there are rumours / questions to bojo whether those fully vaccinated will be allowed back without quarantine.

I read that @Schulte and two things jumped out. Firstly, it was all about holidays and aviation and nothing about family links. And secondly, that grant schapps seemed to suggest that a country’s ability to do genome sequencing was a factor for it going on the green list, so a country could have very few cases (like France atm) but if it can’t give an accurate picture of what variants they are then they stay amber.

Ok thanks @EasterIssland I must admit I didn’t pay much attention because we’ve more or less decided not to come home to the uk this summer. I’m not willing to be harassed by the quarantine police (although I’m willing to quarantine!) nor pay Boris’ mates for three tests per family member.

I’ve given up on my dc having a relationship with one set of grandparents. They don’t kno each other anymore. It was ds birthday recently and they forgot. Luckily, my family came over, and we have all of Europe to play in and have booked a lot of mini holidays instead

'grant schapps seemed to suggest that a country’s ability to do genome sequencing was a factor for it going on the green list, so a country could have very few cases (like France atm) but if it can’t give an accurate picture of what variants they are then they stay amber.'

I noticed that too, on that basis no country will ever be added to the green list because the UK is oh so ahead with sequencing, right?

@QuentininQuarantino oh no , sorry to hear about the lack of connection with the grandparents. It is hard enough even without the pandemic. Your mini holidays sound good though!

@QuentininQuarantino Oh that's so sad about your son

The sequencing caveat is so obviously just a get out of jail free card, isn't it Schulte. It's infuriating and won't endear the UK to any EU countries when we suggest they're backwards.

So baleares which belong to Spain is green … but Valencia with better numbers than baleares and same sequencing as baleares is amber

I noticed that too, on that basis no country will ever be added to the green list because the UK is oh so ahead with sequencing, right?

Which is a special kind of bullshit, because the UK does have genome sequencing but just sat and watched it grow out of control when we identified we had it. If you do that, you don't get to sit and judge countries with rates of

I thought British ambassadors were sent on a charm offensive. Sorry for daily mail link: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9744557/Double-jabbed-Brits-able-travel-quarantine-free-July-26.html

[quote YoutubeZoom]I thought British ambassadors were sent on a charm offensive. Sorry for daily mail link: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9744557/Double-jabbed-Brits-able-travel-quarantine-free-July-26.html[/quote]
that's the date I saw today mentioned in bbc when asking bojo.

I'm back on the 5th of august so just on time,

So MIL told us today that Italy is considering banning all travelers from UK due to our increase case numbers. I can't find anything online to back this up, and I wonder if it may be something to do with the prevention of England fans ahead of the euro semis in Rome.
Anyone on the ground in Italy that could confirm or otherwise?

@Thunderpunt

wow, that'd be a bit of a dick move - only double vaccinated people can travel & enter stadiums so why would they do that?
also don't they want income from football tourism?
I really hope they don't do that for both general travellers and footie fans.

when would you be going?

Flying to Mexico City today. Hopefully I will be reunited with my family in the States later on in the month.

@Einszwei

oh I hope it's all gonna go smoothly for all your fam.
have a safe flight!

I love Mexico, we went there for our honeymoon.

All the best @Einszwei!

[quote ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba]@Thunderpunt

wow, that'd be a bit of a dick move - only double vaccinated people can travel & enter stadiums so why would they do that?
also don't they want income from football tourism?
I really hope they don't do that for both general travellers and footie fans.

when would you be going?[/quote]
Yeah I'm hoping she's just misunderstood something and they were just talking about football fans being not allowed as they won't have done the compulsory 5 day quarantine.
We should go in august but it's still up in the air