Posts from serafina in thread „Traveling abroad 2021“

My travel agent just reprogrammed me for Sept 2, 2021.

Another act in my travel during the pandemic.

I went to visit a friend and her family at the sea. I decided to take the train because it was safer than driving. The train ride is 4 hour long, and the car ride is 2:15 under normal traffic conditions, however in summer it could easily mean a 4 hour drive by car - so I gladly took the train to relax and let someone drive me there.

The first train was to Turin and it had a/c and we were seating alternating. It was not mandatory but just what everybody was trying to do. The second train to the Ligurian riviera was full of holiday makers and it was more crowded. It was no longer possible to seat alternating, but more or less it was a comfortable ride. Some youngsters (teenagers) were sitting with no mask on at all and chatting throughout the trip. The train conductor didn't bother to check tickets nor to make a remark to wear a mask. I think she was afraid of being assaulted and outnumbered. And the same scenario repeated along the cars, so she would have spent the entire trip trying to make passengers wear a mask. Not to mention adults wearing the mask under their nose.

I was expecting to see policemen on the train (as it is customary to do on some trains), but there were none in sight.

The return trip was far worse. The train from the riviera was so crowded that there were people standing for the whole ride (2:30) to Turin. The a/c was broken in my car, and I didn't mov to a different one because when I got on the train, there were barely any seats left. The guy next to me, about 17-18 years old, kept his mask down for the whole trip and wasn't even bothered to fake to wear it. It was under his chin for the whole time... which explains why the seat next to him was still empty. The lady to my left was wearing hers under her nose, the girl in front of her at a certain point took a maskless nap, the other two seats behind was taking her off to chat with someone else etc. I think the same would have happened in another car.

The second train, heading to Milan, was empty and with AC. Still, teenagers wore no mask and chatted during the whole trip. Again, the train conductor didn't say a thing except to keep it down a notch since they were screaming.

If this was a decent country, I would file a suit against the train company for not being able to ensure my health safety during both trips. Meanwhile, the other day people crowded the streets of many big cities to protest against the obligation to be vaccinated to enter some places from August 6 onward. Ignorance is never blissful... it is a plague!

And to finish the post in big style: my travel agent informed me that my flight to Argentina was cancelled. She offered two return options: 1600 euros for the next day and 800 euros for the next week. Thanks, but I'll pass.

KLM also offered to refund me for the return, but there is no way I can find a one-way ticket for the same price. I'll wait..

Quote from UK Man

Reading today Australians even doctors are having problems getting back to Oz due to the number of travellers allowed in being drastically cut.

Yeah, except that the comparison between Argentina and Australia, that has been heavily used to justify the measures, only stops there.

And Australia is doing far better than Argentina, so it hardly justifies it in Argentina, imho.

The most surprising part was that on the FB group I am checking regularly, some Argentinians are even bashing people for having travelled at all. The same angry social divide I see on Argentinian social media... It seems the old say 'you can take and Argentinian out of his country but you can't take Argentina out of an Argentinian" holds true even if replacing Argentina with Peronism/Peronia.

Just a little update. I am halfway through my vacation and I am enjoying summer, although so far I spent my time here just to run from public office to public office to renew my documents.

As you know, Argentina still has a cap to limit the number of passengers entering the country from abroad. Although it was gradually raised from 600 travellers per day to 1000, it is still considerably less than what was sold by airlines.

The Government published a list of authorised flights until August 6. Of course, I leave on August 8 so I am still in the limbo.

I have joined a local FB group of Argentinians where stranded ones are reporting their experiences.

Apparently, not only there are just a few authorised flights, but since they arrive in Argentina at different times, they might not even allowed to fly at full capacity because the cap was met before they land. Hence, there are people whose flight was NOT cancelled who are not allowed to board the plane anyway. They sleep at the airport waiting for the next authorised flight, often the next week. A guy and his family of 4 are stranded in Paris and a couple of Belgian tourists asked if they were Syrian refugees. NO COMMENT - inclasificables HDPs......

So, they did the PCR test (which costs €100+ in Europe), travelled to the airport, stood in line and were denied boarding. Airlines are giving priority to people residing in Argentina, elders, at-risk subjects, disabled people. Like it is a war. A war against civilisation.

It would be interesting to know whether the 'reason for travel' checked upon leaving Argentina plays any role in the passenger selection. I had to select Tourism since there was no Health option.

Of course, this girl (me) has a connection flight to take before boarding her international flight (in Amsterdam).

People flying the same route as me, with KLM from Amsterdam to Ezeiza, were told by the KLM call center operators that flights may resume in September. MAY... They expect these restrictions to be extended throughout August, at least. Hence, don't hold your breath!

KLM has also stopped selling tickets TO Buenos Aires.

Now, I don't pay to stay here longer and I am able to work even from Italy, plus it is summer and it is glorious, so I'd gladly move my return flight of a couple of weeks. However, I am also afraid to postpone voluntarily my flight back home since I may miss my chance to return for God knows for how long. I don't want to arrive in Amsterdam just to find out I have to go back to Milan, PCR and all.

Argentina, you really outdid yourself this time...

It is going to be a long summer. I feel Argentina is really down a very worrying path.

Unable to manage their people, their politicians, their words and their actions with the International community, yet another occasion in which they pursue a closure instead of reaching for help.

This really shows how good it is to burn bridges and try to be self-sustainable without being able to even govern your country.

Today I got my Pfizer shot! My arm is a little sore, but other than that, I am fine (for now!). I have the second dose schedule for August 5.

Apparently, some people are cancelling their 1st dose appointment because the 2nd one would fall during August, which is the holiday month for Italians. Priorities...

Well, I hope you will be able to make deliveries to my hotel, Splinter!

The govt. is considering imposing a mandatory 7-day hotel quarantine for those returning to Argentina.

Knowing how things work here, it means tomorrow morning we will read that it is a done deal - "the President last night (today) signed a new DNU which will come into force on Sunday night". They want to disincentive people from traveling abroad for tourism, which I get. When I filled in my online DDJJ to exit Argentina, it asked for the reason of traveling. There was no 'medical reason' option, which is one of the options to enter Italy and the main reason of my trip. I checked Tourism because there was no option fitting my case.

I am finally safe, sound, half-rested at my mother's. The trip went as usual and the only difference was the obligation to keep your mask on.

Ezeiza (outside): there is a line outside in the cold where you have to stand with your baggage to access the terminal. Visitors are not allowed, so my husband dropped me off outside, I went to queue and in 15' I was let in by showing my boarding pass and passport. There are screens telling you which line is yours based on your flight. There were 2-3 flights taking off that morning and you can enter the terminal only if your plane leaves within 4 hours. So, don't go there too early.

My flight was leaving at 1:30PM, check-in closed at 12:40 PM and I arrived at the airport at 11. I was able to do everything comfortably.

Note: if you want to have your bags wrapped in plastic, it costs 1000 pesos or 9.30 EUR, cash or card. You have to do that before queueing outside. The spot is quite hard to access with the cart, but doable.

Ezeiza (inside): most stores are closed. There is a farmacity and a store selling artisanal goods. You have to queue to check-in as usual. Since there are just 2-3 planes leaving in the morning, the building is less crowded than it used to be, but half the people are in your line, so it is the same waiting time as usual. I think I queued 30-40' at the check-in.

The lady at the counter asked if I wanted to check-in my hand luggage for free and I said yes. It was a good choice, because then I just have my computer backpack to carry around, which was very easy to do! She checked my documents, reservation and PCR test result. She didn't check the QR code to verify the results. I brought a printout, but several people were showing the results from their smartphones.

Security check was an actual check. I was wearing a jumpsuit with a hood and the female police officer felt also the hood, and all my arms/legs.

Passport check. Very quick and pleasant. My agent asked if I was living here and I told yes. I was exiting on my Argentinian passport, which he stamped.

After that there are a few more shops open to eat, have a coffee or buy goods. However, there is just a handful and most curtains are down. You can see they are fully stocked inside - it seems like Chernobyl: one day they closed the door and it was left as it was. I spoke with a person working there and he said they've been like this since 2020. There was a Starbuck's and a Burger King, plus 2-3 cafés. Not a wide selection, but enough to eat something if hungry. Prices were higher than usual, or at least there weren't any precio cuidado like before.

Despite it was advertised everywhere on the airline website, half the people did not wear a surgical mask or a FPP1, 2 or 3 mask. They just wore the fabric one or the Atom Protect. The airline website also said that they wouldn't supply masks and that your should bring your own. Regardless, in the waiting room a hostess was checking people's mask and handing out surgical masks for free to allow them to board. It felt really third world. People were confused and they wore the surgical mask under or above their usual mask. The seatings are alternate to allow social distancing. Some seating are marked with a red cross meaning you can't sit there.

Boarding was done as usual. To my surprise, the plane was full and there were no empty seats. The previous night I had done my online checking and the seating map displayed an empty middle seat for all rows, so I was expecting a half empty plane. It was not the case.

You are still served meals and you take your mask off while eating/drinking. Your are also given a 'health kit' consisting of a sanitizing wiper and another surgical mask (which I put on after I landed in Milan). You are encouraged to NOT move around the plane. I personally didn't notice any strict observance of this rule. I got up 5-6 times to drink and have a snack. There is free beverage/snacks as usual and you have to pour your own drink, so these bottles get touched by everybody.

In Paris, some people were asked to exit the plane before others - maybe they had a shorter connection?

We did passport control and the automated gates for EU passport holders were NOT working (perhaps because you'd have to take your mask off with the previous biometric system). It was a manned check and went very smooth.

The various declarations I had to file electronically... useless. Nobody asked. Instead, on the plane to France we were handed hardcopy declarations, for a generic 'public health authority', no logo of France or of the EU or of Air France. It seemed really anonymous. Nobody was checking you were actually filling in and returning the paper to the crew. You basically had to state your name, your flights, who you were traveling with and where you would stay in the next 14 days and your contacts and one emergency contact.

Transit in Paris consisted simply of the passport check. No temperature was taken and the declarations I filed on paper at home were never asked. The terminal was very busy and crowded. Seating were alternated to allow for social distancing but it was crowded, nonetheless.

Arrival. The shorter flight to Milan was also full, no empty seats. We were served a refreshment and that was it. In Milan, I was out in 20' and there were thermal cameras checking people coming in. No passport control (since it was from Schengen) and no health declaration control (mandatory online for Italy).

Overall, it seems that what is written on the website, based on laws and rules continuously changing, is hardly enforced. The crew is not the police and will remind you to wear a mask, but won't keep scrutinizing you are wearing it correctly. It is more: wear it well for your own health.

I was very stressed in preparation of this trip and it turned out to be one of the easiest flights I had so far.

I had my first swab this morning at CentralLab in Palermo Hollywood. My appt. was for 7 AM with a tolerance of 10'. I was there at 6:50. The security guard of the facility of CentralLab across the Avenida said that location opens at 7:30. He didn't care my reminder and reservation read 7 AM.

Other people with appointments at 7AM and 7:15AM started to arrive and queue outside in the cold. At 7:20 a clerk arrived, then shut down the window as soon as he was in. I showed him the confirmation at 7AM and he babbled it must be an error. The sticker on the door said they opened at 7:30...

At 7:30 other staff (nurses) started to arrive and 4 people were allowed to enter the waiting room. I was first come and thus first served. The price had increased by 500 ARS compared to when I booked. Final price $6500 (i.e. 40 USD).

The nurse (?) swabbed my cheek and I though 'Easy-peasy!', but then took another swab and she did one nostril and with the same swab did the second nostril. Ouch! That hurt and it make me want to puke. It also made me cry. We went for pizza at Angelito's in Villa Crespo at 8 AM. It was a glorious breakfast. We even had moscato! And a medialuna. And coffee!

I got my results by email at 9:25PM by email, in both English and Spanish, when I was writing this post.

I have my DDJJ to exit Argentina ready (https://ddjj.migraciones.gob.ar/app/home.php), the honor declaration to transit through France and the self-certification for France, and I filled in a 'passenger locator form' (https://app.euplf.eu/#/) to enter Italy. This is specific to Italy, albeit it is a European form. I guess we still require it. Italy will drop mask requirement outside starting from June 28. I will have to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival and take a test (even a rapid one) on the tenth day.

Not fun and definitely not indicated if traveling for tourism.

Note 1: unlike I read on the internet, you do NOT need to upload the PCR results to fill in the DDJJ to exit Argentina.

Note 2: you have too meet the requirement of your final destination but also of your transit country. In my case, France required a PCR test 48 hours before getting there and Italy 72 hours. Given that labs take 'up to 24 hours' to deliver the results, and the longer leg of the flight is 13 hours alone, plan carefully.

Note 3: requirements keep changing, luckily they are getting more relaxed. Initially, France gave me a 36 hours window which was impossible to meet, but since they moved to 48 hours, I am all set with a single swab.

I have spent my morning trying to figure out the traveling requirements. Not only you have to comply with the requirements to leave your departure country and to enter your destination, but also those of your transit country.

I am going through Paris on the outbound flight and through Amsterdam on my way back. Since Argentina is considered a very high risk country with 'variants of interests', I get the strictest requirements... In France, they require a PCR test done less than 36 hours before boarding or a PCR test less than 72 hours + an antigen test done within 24 hours. It is not clear if *before boarding* means before boarding in Argentina on my way to Paris, or before boarding in Paris for my last leg to Milan.

For all you newbies, the PCR is the swab up your nose whose results takes hours, whereas the antigen test is the nose swab known as 'quick test' which is ready within minutes (30') but is less accurate.

The PCR test takes 3 hour in Ezeiza, but no lab in Buenos Aires can be as quick - except Diagnostico Maipú which guarantees results on the same day if you get swabbed in the morning.

However, given that I have to

1) upload the PCR results to fill in online the DJ required to leave Argentina (to be presented in Ezeiza to leave)

2) be at the airport at least 2-3 hrs before take off to check-in

3) arrive in Paris 13+ hours later with a test done lass than 36 hours prior

It is proving quite hard to meet all of the requirements. I don't want to go to Ezeiza five hours before departure nor to run like crazy to upload the PCR results for the DJ at the airport and perhaps have it in print for when I land in Paris.

I will call Central Lab tomorrow to see if they can guarantee a quicker turnaround. So far, my swab has been booked for June 22 at 7 AM, which means that I should get the results on my departure day very early in the morning, right before leaving. I have read on the Internet that they are usually quicker, but can they guarantee it? Otherwise, I could take an antigen test at EZE before leaving, so that I get the results while I am flying, ready to show in Paris.

My flight leaves at 1:30 PM on Wed 23, so that doesn't help. I understand that people flying in the afternoon/evening may have more options.

I wasn't / am not eager to travel during a pandemic, but stuff to sort home started to pile up and my mother 'threatened' to visit later this year, so I took the plunge!

Thanks for sharing!

Definitely don't make and bring any minor children before leaving

For those going to the EU, there is also an EU form to be filled in. In the US, they accept the antigen test (cheaper) but in Argentina they want the PCR test to exit and enter.

Most countries have an online tool where you can select where you are traveling from, where are you stopping over and the reason of your travel - and it will return the instructions (forms, isolation, kind of tests(s) to be done).

Yesterday they lessened the requirements to move between European countries (no more self-isolation for 10 days).

Quote from Rice

serafina, since you hold an Italian passport, surely the health officials will allow you to receive the vaccine while you’re there, not caring if you’re there as a tourist or undocumented farm worker, but considering this another chance to stop the spread and save lives?

I believe they are not yet in the stage where they have a surplus of vaccines to hand out.

Right now, the only provision is for those who are formally resident abroad (hence, no longer enrolled in the national healthcare system and not entitled to basic healthcare coverage) but that have been stuck in Italy, unable to go back to the country where they reside or because they are spending a few months in Italy for some reason (for example, to assist a sick relative but also to simply renovate / maintain their property in there).

This new provision was introduced at the end of May because the Ministry of Health recognized that those people, who are effectively living in Italy, were excluded from the national vaccination campaign but could pose a risk to others if not vaccinated.

However, today I investigated further and this requires a stay of minimum three months in Italy - otherwise it is just a vacation. You have to sign a sworn declaration and you are facing a suit if you lie. Lovely, shitaly!

I don't mind the self-isolation period of 10 days (which was eased today for people coming from other European countries and low risk countries - Argentina is still high risk), I would appreciate a vaccine, but my country has always made very clear that you are either all in (pay taxes, get free healthcare) or are out. Once you are out, you're on your own. The only stuff they did based merely on holding a passport, was minimum pensions for the elders... something that I do not agree with since there are people who have an Italian passport but never lived (nor worked = contributed) in Italy. There are many in Argentina...

The situation is also valid for Argentinians abroad. Thanks to Cristina, every Argentinian is entitled to a basic pension. This applies merely based on nationality and age and not on residency. I have a friend in the US whose Argentinian grandma (born in Argentina, she left in the '70s) currently receives a 300 USD monthly pension in the US (paid in USD to her US bank account). The same pension will be given to her daughter (born in the US, never lived in Argentina), once she reaches the required age. So far, she is too young, but when the time comes, she plan on getting her Argentinian citizenship and pension.

Yeah, add accommodations and food for 20 days, plus health insurance, and you are in for at least $5,000.

I would love to come to the US, Rice! And not just for the vaccine.

Quote from Rice

Outrageous pricing on the PCR, serafina .

Once you’re in Italy, will you be able to stay long enough to get both doses of the vaccine?

They don't vaccinate tourists, in Europe (except in San Marino)

I could take domicile in Italy and enroll in the public healthcare temporarily, but I am not sure that it's worth it for 40 days. And of the tax implications.

I have set my mind on going home this month. For now, I have found a great fare with KLM/Air France through Google Matrix ITA. One novelty is that the basic fare (€676 Buenos Aires to Milan) only includes 1x hand luggage and an unspecified 'personal equipment' (purse) for a total of 12 kg. If you want also 1x 23 kg suitcase, you have to pay €50 more and from the 2nd piece onward, it's €80/piece.

I will have to get a PCR 72 hr before leaving and sign a DDJJ 48 hours before traveling.

Laboratorio Aclimu - $6000 - with optional English results at no added cost

Laboratorio Rossi - $8400

Aeroparque o Ezeiza - $6000

Central Lab.- $6500 or $7000 (domicilio)

VZ Lab - $6500 or $7500 (domicilio)

WiriLab- $6000 (Palermo Hollywood) or $6500 (domicilio)

DaxLab $7000

Imat - $7430

Diagnostico Maipú - $7000

Stamboulian - $ ???