We have a much deferred bike ticket to Santander in mid September returning beginning of October. Camping for the majority of the trip. Has anyone recently been to Spain and can advise, re Covid, as to whether there should be any difficulties and whether good to go or defer till spring next year. Keen to go but just need to make sensible decisions.
Pretty sure @Sam1199 is off to Spain this weekend. Only relatively easy if you are double vaccinated. PCR tests to go and more PCR tests to come back plus self isolating if you are not. Plenty of information about and interactive maps showing the worst hit areas to look at on the internet. Latest statistic I saw, was 2.9% of UK residents returning from Spain developed COVID symptoms. Andy
Topical for me. I'm planning to go 5 September and am holding off booking anything until the week I'm due to go. Bozo has a script to read on the 25th and hopefully this will relax some of the restrictions. All I know so far is test to go out and one to come back. I'm going by Eurotunnel and it seems straight forward enough. Time will tell.
Just go. My views pretty simple, if not now when? I'm sick of knee jerk nonsense decisions being made last minute by politicians, if the opportunity is there you go, because waiting or towing the line doesn't result in freedom to travel at a later date either, as proven for the last 8 month or more. Goalposts move, mainly for political posturing, they come out of the blue If the window to travel is open, and easily doable, I'd just go. Exactly as I am today heading to Rhodes, I'm going, I'm going to wind down, and frankly I can't wait when I get back I've a load of business meetings I need to cram in throughout Germany and France which have built up over the last 18 months, they just need to happen and we need to get on with it.
The nail in the coffin for my Corsica trip happening this year (already postponed from 2020, was booked late 2019) was me discovering that my first AZ jab had a batch number indicating that it was one of the three manufactured in India. At that time France were one of the few European counties towing the absolute line of the EMA which didn't recognise it as a qualifying vaccine but, as it was exactly the same as all other AZ vaccine batches, left it up to individual EU states to make up their own minds... Not sure what the current state of that stance is now as had to make the decision on hotels and ferries before deadlines or forfeit my option to postpone yet again and risk loosing money. 2022 it is then.
Off to a France this Thursday unless things suddenly change for the worse. As I’m double jabbed no need for any tests prior to going but just need to fill in the French self declaration form basically saying you don’t have COVID. Will have to have a test no more than 72 hours prior to returning but there is no problem walking into a pharmacy over their and getting it done. Results should be back within 24hrs. At the ferry port you have to fill in a passenger location form which includes the ref number for the day 2 test you need to do when you get back. Off to Spain on an ok road trip in Sept and it looks the same process except as we’re crossing via France there doesn’t seem to be a declaration form to do as there only set up for air or boat travel.
Android is absolutely correct, I have just arrived in Spain and I am now right down on the Mediterranean as I write this. Each person must make up their own mind but if you’ve been double vaxed…. the risk is no worse in the UK or Spain. There’s all risk every day but really, it isn’t much. My view is, get on with it but don’t do stupid things like going into crowded bars etc. Be sensible. Wear masks when it’s obvious you should. Gel, wash hands a lot! You have to bear in mind I’ve had Covid, I’ve been double vaxed. My view now is, I’m done with this, there is a risk but it’s overblown and I’m going to go out and enjoy life rather than just existing. There’s this thought and there’s that thought. You’re along time dead. It’s your call.
I’m off to Portugal soon. it’s easy to find it overly complicated and indeed confusing. But it actually isn’t (surprise, surprise). As above. Can’t put your life on hold forever. Nobody knows what’s around the corner. We’ve already lost out on so much.
Off to the Picos this Thursday. At present, average number of cases in UK is three times higher than Spain. Cases are mainly concentrated around the urban areas of Madrid and Barcelona. @Sam1199 is correct in advising common sense. With that in mind, Spain is probably safer than certain parts of the UK ATM.
Go. What you hear on TV and what's happening in real life are two orthogonal things. I was riding Andalusia in the mid of lockdowns/pandemic and the track was opened. I met a dad with his boy coming from Denmark!
Semi related. Just been to UK from France, so had a good look at current situation. Double vaccinated you can travel. You need a clear test to return. You need a clear result, but also the result needs to arrive (emailed usually) in good time for return trip. This is much more of an issue if you have fixed travel times, such as Santander ferry. As per an earlier post, this could change with the next announcement. ATM https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-56997931 Spain, Portugal and I think Belgium have now vaccinated a greater percentage of the population than the UK. Cases in Spain, France and UK look fairly high, but deaths are very significantly lower. I will be touring in September, though might stick to France, simply because I have great roads from my front door. So will save Spain for when I have some company to tour with.
Off to Cosica next weekend for a two week thrash around, just two bikes, me and the GF. Need to visit the UK at the end of September and that is one trip that I'd prefer to put off because of covid.
Arrived at Heathrow T5 just after 8am and ushered to a check in desk as soon as we walked up. Passports checked, yes we have been double vaccinated, do you want to see the QR code ? No, that's fine. Got the test reference for when we come back, do you want to check them ? No that's fine. We've got the Spanish QR code, do you want to see that? No, that's fine, wish all our customers were so well prepared. Now got 2 + hours to kill and am really hoping Spanish immigration are going to be as accomodating. Andy
Arrived in Barcelona, immigration wanted to know if it was holiday or business, where and how long you were staying. Passport stamped and have a nice day. Just before luggage reclaim, lady with a QR code reader, read the Spanish health form QR code and said that's fine, thankyou. Collected luggage, eventually found our way out of the airport and on to the Aerobus to Placa Catalunya. Easy as that. Lunch from this and the view from the bar in the hotel now. To say I'm relieved and already having the time of the last 18 months, is an understatement Andy
Looks amazing. Wish I was there, Suppose one of the wild cards dealt is about our planned 2 weeks of camping and by necessity eating out. And the 24 hour ‘cruise’ courtesy of Brittany Ferries. Overall think the risk is slight and similar to if we were on holiday in the UK but obviously more than stooging around at home as we have been doing for the least 18 months. Perhaps a nice hotel in Andalusia could be something to aim for. Good to hear others experiences and thoughts.
Le Mans in July & Mugello in August, two weeks in Jerez, Aragon & Valencia in September, lots of tests and PLFs that no one cares about including five days of no quarantine in Italy ..... Just follow the rules, pay the money and respect the locals and you will have an amazing time, mainly because you are unlikely to meet many others.
@Android853sp, reading that menu is making my mouth water! That’s one of the things I miss most about Spain, Popping out for evening tapas and beers.
