yeah a day2 might cost you nearly £50, but shouldnt be as difficult as you are finding
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/how-to-find-the-cheapest-private-coronavirus-tests-for-travel/#rapid
not a bad place to start

Randox allow you to book multiple day 2 tests in a single transaction, I went for swab at home and put in one of their drop boxes, thankfully I have one nearby. Anyway you just need the codes to get back. £43 wit FLYRYANAIR code

After following all this discussion on which provider to use for day 2 testing I was a bit taken aback yesterday to discover that being a Welsh resident it is all irrelevant and we have a choice of precisely 1 option. At £68. At least it takes the hassle and uncertainty out of it I guess!

Another Welsh resident here. I saw the response to the MP’s comment that Wales should have the same choice, which was “we’re clear we advise against foreign travel, and we want the results straight into the NHS, so why would we make it easier?” Fair enough, tbh.

That said, we’re due to go to Belgium next week. Anyone done that this summer, travelling via Eurotunnel? Fully-vaccinated group, albeit including three pensioners, plus a dog, so plenty to deal with 🙈

Not Belgium, but I have just got back from Switzerland, eurotunnel into France easy, just have a print out of your vaccine status. Euro tunnel into the U.K.!!!! Border farce is a farce, slow and queues. It should be noted I travelled on an Irish passport and I seemed to get through passport control quicker than those around me?

@mrmo, was your proof of negative COVID tests checked on your return journey?

@gozarch, as per Eurotunnel I attached a copy of the cert and the travel declaration for the return, nothing is requested on the way out. I assume that border farce have access to Eurotunnels paperwork?

But no one asked to see anything on the way back. The only request was from French customs at Folkstone on the way out.

Just realised England allow me to put my under 17 year olds on my passenger locator form, this seems to exempt him from day 2 testing. Still needs the pre arrival antigen test though but they are cheap enough.

Just realised England allow me to put my under 17 year olds on my passenger locator form, this seems to exempt him from day 2 testing. Still needs the pre arrival antigen test though but they are cheap enough.

It doesn’t exempt him from testing, but when you put him on your form you are not asked to supply a day 2 test booking ref for him.

I can see how you could conclude that if no booking test ref is needed for him then no test is needed either, but I don’t think that’s correct.

They’re not sequencing the test (by and large) looking for new strains

I’ve seen this a lot on here in the last few weeks, has put sequencing taken a huge nosedive? As I recall UK were at around 9% (of lab tests, not LFTs obviously) March with an accepted minimum of 5% of positives.

A lot of other countries weren’t publishing sequencing (but were maybe doing it) which whilst very much our problem isn’t really in our control.

Just back from Ibiza and can confirm all was relatively straight forward.
We booked testing through Chronomics who were very efficient, didn’t need a video of the LFT and their website was super easy to use.
Checking of tests and certification on the Spanish side was very thorough, less so on the British side.
It was slightly strange being asked at the hotel which vaccine we’d had, and most wore masks inside, but bar that it was pretty normal out there.

Home, unpacked, curry, beer, YAY!

Three weeks, 2491 miles & 58hrs of driving, 7 countries, 8 border crossings, 3 ferries, 4 tests, 5 apps, two vignettes, three theme parks and somehow 60Gb of data!

Simultaneously the best and most stressful holiday we’ve done. France, Austria and the Netherlands were outstanding. Morzine has taken on another identity for me as a truly superb young family destination. Austria just pips it to the win as their mountain-top play parks are fabulous. Disney was annoyingly good, but Efteling is still truly amazeballs.

The logistics were difficult, but it was so worth it given the crap we’ve had to endure in the last 18 months.

Dutch border officers were pretty bemused by us last night and had all sorts of queries – we’d definitely not have been let in back on the 4th if it wasn’t for my Irish Passport. Thanks Mum!

Van now needs a service before I head off to Spain with it in ten day’s time. That trip, in comparison, will be child’s play.

I see the Gov COVID test provider list is still full of bullshit. £20 but only if you live in Peterborough /  are a paramedic /  Tory MP with unknown number of children…

It doesn’t exempt him from testing, but when you put him on your form you are not asked to supply a day 2 test booking ref for him.

I can see how you could conclude that if no booking test ref is needed for him then no test is needed either, but I don’t think that’s correct.

Happy to test him and his sister as we have already booked and paid for them. Just interested to properly understand the regs.

They didn’t bother checking out vaccine paperwork coming back to the UK at the tunnel. He claimed it was electronic.

Bull.

Was checked by the French on the way out.

We had that at Hull on Friday morning. No PLF check, just regular passport scan.

Randox have failed to send our test kits out for tomorrow, so while I was brushing my teeth just now, I marked the transaction as in dispute with Barclaycard. Not paying for something I’m not receiving.

@hot_fiat

Glad you loved Austria.
If you ever want to go back, I have a place there near Leogang/Saalbach/Hinterglemm.
Big car park for the van and STW rates!

https://apartmentamade.com/

Did the kids enjoy Speyer hot_fiat? Either of the technik museums is a great place for breaking journeys. Everything open? Seem to remember the submarine and Antonov got a little “cosy” so wondered if they would be shut.

Deeply jealous as you’ve been doing all the stuff we used to do – kids are now 17 and 19 so maybe getting a bit old for the mtn top playparks :-). Might manage third attempt at bounced Alps trip with them next year….

Another question for travelers returned from Greece – any tips on where to get the LG test needed to return to Blighty?

Efcharisto poli

hi @mick_r yeah they did. We’ve been breaking our journeys there for about 8 years or so & stay at the brewery because: BEER! SCHNITZEL!

Most things were open in the technik museum, with the exception of the smaller aircraft and loco cabs. The 747/slides had a traffic light system for the stairs. The sub, antinov and lifeboat were 1in-1out. Understandable really. Didn’t go to sinsheim this time, though we did wave at the tupolev and concorde as we drove past.

That looks great @colp . The zillertal is beautiful, but it lacks the serious biking infrastructure of other areas. We’ll keep it in mind.

We’ve booked up for skiing next year, but are little concerned about Austria’s current vaccine rules: they won’t accept boosters and see vaccine certs as having no validity beyond 9 months.

How have we never been to Speyer brewery before! Where do you park? (presumably you’ve got a vehicle full of bikes).

Now kids are old we’ve managed some single hit journeys from / to the ferry – Rotterdam to Austria (Damuls) where we knew the accommodation so they just left us a key. And last time Meiringen to Rotterdam was stress free apart from the 4am start 🙂

Where do you go for Austria mtb?

The Domhof (the brewery’s pub & hotel) has its own car park. Having suffered leaving bikes on a rack outside German hotels before, I remove them and store them in the hotel’s bike store.

We ride around Mayrhofen. The high trails are great for kids, but getting annoying for me now. The 2m rule is pants, frankly.

We ride around Mayrhofen. The high trails are great for kids, but getting annoying for me now. The 2m rule is pants, frankly.

Austria is pretty crap for mtb…. Great terrain, crappy rules.

Austria does pee me off where places advertise as mtb areas but the reality is somewhat different. Kitzbuhel and Bregenzerwald seemed OK but that was with local guides.

Anyone got Otztal experience?

Another question for travelers returned from Greece – any tips on where to get the LG test needed to return to Blighty?

Efcharisto poli

not sure what you mean by LG test? i assume you mean the LFT needed to be conducted at a pharmacy/medical centre within 3 days of return?

in which case depends which resort youre staying in, most pharmacies/medical centres do them now for about 20E each.

παραχαλω

https://www.cooppharmacy.coop/products/pharmacy/covid-19-test-kits-for-travel/c19-testing-covid-19-return-to-the-uk-pre-departure-test-kit/?variationCode=C19-Testing-COVID-19-Return-to-the-UK-Pre-Departure-test-kit_2

I used this to return from Switzerland

We’ve booked up for skiing next year, but are little concerned about Austria’s current vaccine rules: they won’t accept boosters and see vaccine certs as having no validity beyond 9 months.

Yeah. Ok for the coming season but god knows after that.

Regarding the 2m rule for MTB, it’s absolutely ridiculous. We mainly ride the official stuff in Leogang/Saalbach/Hinterglemm but in our area next door they kind of turn a blind eye to the 2m rule. The Austrian tourism minister came out with a catchphrase “you like it – bike it” but in reality I’ve heard of people in Austria getting massive fines for riding in forests

Does anyone know….   travelling to France end of September.

We need to upload our Covid vaccination certificates onto the French app – Tous AntiCovid. Our current UK certificate of vaccination expires 3 September so will need updating tomorrow. We can use that one to upload to the French app but it will expire again whilst we are away. Is it easy to to update the French app?   Don’t know if that makes sense

It’s easy to update the French app, you just scan the QR code of your vaccine cert or indeed test result and it’s added to your wallet.

Really, it’s pisses all over anything we have in the UK, but I guess their leader wasn’t elected by a load of whiners who get pissy if you try to ask them to do, well anything.

It’s easy to update the French app, you just scan the QR code of your vaccine cert or indeed test result and it’s added to your wallet.

Thanks P-Jay. So it will be worth me putting my current QR Code now and then updating once the valid date changes. It’s good to know there is no problem doing that.

I did this yesterday., Just downloaded new certificates from the NHS app and reloaded them into the French App. I did have to restart my phone to get the TousCovid app to activate successfully though. Certs now valid until 1st Oct, so a week after our return.

Thanks @welshfarmer    That’s good to know.

Les Gets done. Everything cool and everything smooth to paraphrase Huey.

Except UK Border Force on the way back in who were slow. They took forever and asked stupid questions. Turn up with 4 MTBs on the back and 4 road bikes on on the top. The French immigration guy starts admiring the bikes. The Brit asks “so what have you been doing in France?”

So tempting to say surfing.

Thankfully my younger son saved me by telling him about downhilling and alpine climbs.

not sure what you mean by LG test? i assume you mean the LFT needed to be conducted at a pharmacy/medical centre within 3 days of return?

Yes, sorry – no idea why I typed LG!!

As you say, pharmacies will do them for a reasonable fee. Thanks.

After a few days at home and work I’m now preparing for our motorbike trip to Spain. We leave on Thursday night: drive with the trailer and three bikes to Bristol, load another bike, short sleep then off to Portsmouth to catch the 8:15 ferry to Caen. Head to Bordeaux for a night, then a full day down to Pitres.

On Friday I opened up Ride! magazine to be greeted with an item in their legal letters page claiming that if we take the bikes on a trailer then we would definitely need carnets or face having them seized by french customs. Cue much running around and deliberations within the group. I’ve now been in touch with three carnet agents and two chambers of commerce, all of whom agree that the article is total cobblers. One company, who specialise in CPD carnets for vehicles outright declared it as “bo11ox”. This is stress I could well have done without.

I wouldn’t worry too much; if you’re overnighting in Bristol the locals will sort out your bike problems. 😀

In other news, has anyone been to Cyprus yet?

Flight prices for next summer…… 😮

The Brit asks “so what have you been doing in France?”

So tempting to say surfing.

For the last week and a half no one on the Atlantic coast of France has been surfing. Set to continue until the end of the week when we leave 😬 (biked la Rhune three times now).

Not seen any British cars here in the SW, otherwise all’s pretty normal bar high levels of mask use, a lot of knuckle bumping and the TAC app.

Last day before returning to Uk tomorrow morning. Weather in far south west of Ireland has been stupendous for the last fortnight just back from a day at the beach. Had to show nhs covid pass briefly at passport control and then at a few restaurants but other than that no issues

As I asked lots of questions before I went so I guess I owe this thread some feedback!

So the trip was to France (Ile de Re) via Eurotunnel.

Going out (Eurotunnel);
– Quick and easy.
– French border control wanted to see proof of vaccination. Showed hard copies of NHS cert. No mention of French “Statement of Honour” thing at this point or any other.

In France;
– You’re not getting one toe in any restaurant etc. without the French app, but we all know that and the app worked perfectly every time.
– Masks inside without exception. It did make me wonder why we have such a high proportion of fat-chav “I’m exempt” people in England, didn’t notice a single one in France. France did seem to have the same issue with people over a certain age feeling that noses didn’t need to be covered though.
– Masks outside in town centres etc. High levels of rule observance when it was crowded, less so when it wasn’t, which seemed entirely sensible.
– Usually on Ile de Re there are loads of UK cars. Probably saw 4 in two weeks this time. I guess once quarantine was dropped a few weeks ago there wasn’t any accommodation available (unsurprisingly).
– My son was desperate to try surf school – as above can confirm the total lack of waves in the last two weeks!

Coming back;
– Pre-return lateral flow was done in the town pharmacy. Had booked an appt via the doctolib app but when we got there it would have been more hassle to try and explain we had an appt than to just get on with it. Process was a bit complex – scan a totally unlabeled QR code on outside wall to bring up a form – fill in slightly complex form on phone (ie. wouldn’t take UK postcode) – queue up inside to pay (25 euros each) – then outside to a hut for the actual test – first time I’d not self-administered the swab – ouch, though she used the double nostril technique rather than going near my tonsils – email came through with results 35 min later. Document was a 10 Mb pdf – no idea how they managed to make it so large, had to re-save it using Abcrobat (120 Kb!) to get it under the Eurotunnel 4 Mb document size limit.
– PLF and Eurotunnel documents easy to fill out, Eurotunnel has to be done on a computer not a phone as noted above.
– Oncee uploaded to Eurotunnel someone has to manually review your test cert. You only need to get your docs approved in the terminal if they are not showing up as checked on the system by the time you arrive. Ours were done in under 24 hr.
– Queues to get through UK border control were very slow moving. Some queues were not moving for ages so presumable some idiots were pulling up without having all their documentation sorted. When we actually got to the booth it was pretty quick and they only asked to see passports. I assume they matched our names to all the documents we had uploaded, but wasn’t about to be a nob and start questioning them.
– Once through border control we had a much longer wait to board than I’ve ever encountered before. Probably about an hour an a half. I guess they were just waiting for enough people to get through border control to fill the train, but it wasn’t clear. Boarding was initiated by some larger vehicles being allowed to breeze through as soon as they pulled up – including a Pivot team truck, being driven by Bernard Kerr I think.
– Day 2 return PCR’s from Randox arrived very quickly before we left the UK. Will have the fun of doing them tonight.

Written out that all sounds like a bit of a whinge fest, but I’m only obviously writing about the niggly bits. Overall it was a tiny bit of inconvenience* for a flipping brilliant two weeks away.

*My wife having to fly to Belfast two days before we left to get her passport renewed as it was the only passport office in the UK with appointments available, possibly falls under more than a “tiny bit of inconvenience”, but that was our/her/Brexshits fault rather than Covid.