Musings in international travel

[dancingirl21]

DH and I were in London over the last 5 days. It was wonderful! We wore a mask always on the tube and in very crowded places, but otherwise felt okay going without.

However. 2 of our 3 Binaxnow Covid tests (Ag card for travel) were defective. They were both missing the sticky strip to keep it closed so the proctor deemed them defective and we weren’t able to use them. So we figured out a place to go to get tested in London. Then, we woke up the morning of our flight and our flight was canceled. The plane was taken out of rotation for technical issues. We booked a flight for a day later (today). But because of that, we both had to get completely new Covid tests again. Thankfully we knew where to go from the day before.

Hopefully this testing goes away soon. If not, at a minimum I would research where you can get tested in the city you are in, if something unfortunate happens like it did to us.

[mrsGreeko]

Yep. On our way back from Portugal last month we got stuck in London overnight which meant we had to get new covid tests. $330 later we had additional negative covid tests. Plus the $220 for the original tests. It was infuriating. Biden has said he has no intention of stopping the covid testing any time in the near future.

We are going to Belize in August. It is against the law to bring the home tests into the country ($5000 fine if caught). So you are stuck with their testing options and whatever price they want to charge ($75/person from what I have read). Insane.

[wise_rita]

Apr 25, 2022 14:12:26 GMT -5 mrsGreeko said:

Yep. On our way back from Portugal last month we got stuck in London overnight which meant we had to get new covid tests. $330 later we had additional negative covid tests. Plus the $220 for the original tests. It was infuriating. Biden has said he has no intention of stopping the covid testing any time in the near future.

We are going to Belize in August. It is against the law to bring the home tests into the country ($5000 fine if caught). So you are stuck with their testing options and whatever price they want to charge ($75/person from what I have read). Insane.

I have been wondering what the grift is on the testing requirement, and I think you have gotten one step closer to exposing it.  But how is the USA profiting off that idiocy?  It makes literally no sense and is infuriating!

Much like taxation of Americans overseas, travelers returning to the USA isn't a large enough group for any politician to give a shit about them.  We need foreign tourists to forego visiting the USA explicitly because of that reason, as that's the only way the USA will take notice.

[mrsGreeko]

Apr 25, 2022 14:44:32 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Apr 25, 2022 14:12:26 GMT -5 mrsGreeko said:

Yep. On our way back from Portugal last month we got stuck in London overnight which meant we had to get new covid tests. $330 later we had additional negative covid tests. Plus the $220 for the original tests. It was infuriating. Biden has said he has no intention of stopping the covid testing any time in the near future.

We are going to Belize in August. It is against the law to bring the home tests into the country ($5000 fine if caught). So you are stuck with their testing options and whatever price they want to charge ($75/person from what I have read). Insane.

I have been wondering what the grift is on the testing requirement, and I think you have gotten one step closer to exposing it.  But how is the USA profiting off that idiocy?  It makes literally no sense and is infuriating!

Much like taxation of Americans overseas, travelers returning to the USA isn't a large enough group for any politician to give a shit about them.  We need foreign tourists to forego visiting the USA explicitly because of that reason, as that's the only way the USA will take notice.

I mean Abbott is an American company and they make plenty of antigen tests. But, also these “labs” are charging exorbitant fees to do the testing that doesn’t require any special skill or training for a test that costs a few bucks. Then they charge the traveler $30-$75 a pop.

We are going the the Bahamas in a few weeks because my DH won a trip through work. The resort (Baha Mar SLS) we are staying at offers complimentary 24/7 rapid testing for travel back to the US. They also offer free quarantine accommodations, in room dining credit, or private air travel to return to the US if you test positive. I wonder how many people actually test positive there? I have a guess about that. From what I’ve heard from friends who have went to various places in Mexico and the Caribbean the testing it a total sham. Not one person that I know who’s been to any of those places has felt like they were swabbed correctly to the point where an infection would have been picked up. I wonder why?

[fernweh]

When did the requirement change to the day before? We were in the Caribbean in October and the requirement I believe was 3 days prior.

But I’m response to the PP about testing being a sham - I think it depends on the tester. We were in the Bahamas last May and I don’t think they even got in my nostril. We went to Antigua in October and I think they punctured my brain.

[mrsGreeko]

Apr 25, 2022 16:09:55 GMT -5 fernweh said:

When did the requirement change to the day before? We were in the Caribbean in October and the requirement I believe was 3 days prior.

But I’m response to the PP about testing being a sham - I think it depends on the tester. We were in the Bahamas last May and I don’t think they even got in my nostril. We went to Antigua in October and I think they punctured my brain.

It changed to day before in December (December 7th I think) with omicron’s rise.

[wanderingback]

Apr 25, 2022 15:09:15 GMT -5 mrsGreeko said:

Apr 25, 2022 14:44:32 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

I have been wondering what the grift is on the testing requirement, and I think you have gotten one step closer to exposing it.  But how is the USA profiting off that idiocy?  It makes literally no sense and is infuriating!

Much like taxation of Americans overseas, travelers returning to the USA isn't a large enough group for any politician to give a shit about them.  We need foreign tourists to forego visiting the USA explicitly because of that reason, as that's the only way the USA will take notice.

I mean Abbott is an American company and they make plenty of antigen tests. But, also these “labs” are charging exorbitant fees to do the testing that doesn’t require any special skill or training for a test that costs a few bucks. Then they charge the traveler $30-$75 a pop.

We are going the the Bahamas in a few weeks because my DH won a trip through work. The resort (Baha Mar SLS) we are staying at offers complimentary 24/7 rapid testing for travel back to the US. They also offer free quarantine accommodations, in room dining credit, or private air travel to return to the US if you test positive. I wonder how many people actually test positive there? I have a guess about that. From what I’ve heard from friends who have went to various places in Mexico and the Caribbean the testing it a total sham. Not one person that I know who’s been to any of those places has felt like they were swabbed correctly to the point where an infection would have been picked up. I wonder why?

I was in a country in the Caribbean 2 months ago and I went to one of the city I was in covid testing centers and I was definitely swabbed the same as I am in the US. I think there are plenty of places in the Caribbean that have been taking covid seriously and swab people correctly, so I don’t think there can be broad generalizations about multiple countries in a certain region. In addition, specific to Mexico, I have a friend who got a positive Covid test in Mexico and had to stay behind while the rest of her family flew back to the US.

[wildrice]

Apr 25, 2022 15:09:15 GMT -5 mrsGreeko said:

Apr 25, 2022 14:44:32 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

I have been wondering what the grift is on the testing requirement, and I think you have gotten one step closer to exposing it.  But how is the USA profiting off that idiocy?  It makes literally no sense and is infuriating!

Much like taxation of Americans overseas, travelers returning to the USA isn't a large enough group for any politician to give a shit about them.  We need foreign tourists to forego visiting the USA explicitly because of that reason, as that's the only way the USA will take notice.

I mean Abbott is an American company and they make plenty of antigen tests. But, also these “labs” are charging exorbitant fees to do the testing that doesn’t require any special skill or training for a test that costs a few bucks. Then they charge the traveler $30-$75 a pop.

We are going the the Bahamas in a few weeks because my DH won a trip through work. The resort (Baha Mar SLS) we are staying at offers complimentary 24/7 rapid testing for travel back to the US. They also offer free quarantine accommodations, in room dining credit, or private air travel to return to the US if you test positive. I wonder how many people actually test positive there? I have a guess about that. From what I’ve heard from friends who have went to various places in Mexico and the Caribbean the testing it a total sham. Not one person that I know who’s been to any of those places has felt like they were swabbed correctly to the point where an infection would have been picked up. I wonder why?

This was definitely the case at the resort we went to in Cancun in November. It was free to test and maybe all that other stuff, but they barely tested. We got a q-tip up 1 nostril for a second or two and done. It was no surprise we all tested negative.

Return testing is the thing I'm the most stressed about for our trip to Croatia next month. I think we will plan to test at the airport, but it's going to be a disaster if we are positive. 

[brooke77]

Apr 25, 2022 18:20:09 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Apr 25, 2022 15:09:15 GMT -5 mrsGreeko said:

From what I’ve heard from friends who have went to various places in Mexico and the Caribbean the testing it a total sham. Not one person that I know who’s been to any of those places has felt like they were swabbed correctly to the point where an infection would have been picked up. I wonder why?

This was definitely the case at the resort we went to in Cancun in November. It was free to test and maybe all that other stuff, but they barely tested. We got a q-tip up 1 nostril for a second or two and done. It was no surprise we all tested negative.

Return testing is the thing I'm the most stressed about for our trip to Croatia next month. I think we will plan to test at the airport, but it's going to be a disaster if we are positive. 

This was our experience. We just came back from Mexico about a week ago. The testing was included at our resort. They barely swabbed one nostril. Very different from when I’ve been swabbed in the U.S.

[mildop]

The return testing was something I totally stressed about. I kept my Binax tests in the shipping box in my suitcase because I heard about the seals breaking if they got shuffled around!
Honestly, it seems like a bit of a sham. I legit did the test on us all, but it would have been easy to kind of not seriously swab.

In the end, we were in Paris, and it would have been fairly easy to get a test in a pharmacy. But I definitely would research where to do prior to leaving. The time window is short.

[wise_rita]

May 10, 2022 23:36:02 GMT -5 mildop said:

The return testing was something I totally stressed about. I kept my Binax tests in the shipping box in my suitcase because I heard about the seals breaking if they got shuffled around!
Honestly, it seems like a bit of a sham. I legit did the test on us all, but it would have been easy to kind of not seriously swab.

In the end, we were in Paris, and it would have been fairly easy to get a test in a pharmacy. But I definitely would research where to do prior to leaving. The time window is short.

I am convinced it is. 

A. Somebody powerful is making too much money off it

B. Much like airport security it's the theater of being seen, rather than any legitimate reason

[cattledogkisses]

May 12, 2022 7:15:31 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

May 10, 2022 23:36:02 GMT -5 mildop said:

The return testing was something I totally stressed about. I kept my Binax tests in the shipping box in my suitcase because I heard about the seals breaking if they got shuffled around!
Honestly, it seems like a bit of a sham. I legit did the test on us all, but it would have been easy to kind of not seriously swab.

In the end, we were in Paris, and it would have been fairly easy to get a test in a pharmacy. But I definitely would research where to do prior to leaving. The time window is short.

I am convinced it is. 

A. Somebody powerful is making too much money off it

B. Much like airport security it's the theater of being seen, rather than any legitimate reason

Same.  We're driving to Quebec for a long weekend in July and I'm looking at places to schedule our tests to return to the US, and they start at $79 apiece.  Someone somewhere is making a lot of money off of this testing requirement.  You will not convince me it's about trying to keep COVID out of the US.  That ship sailed a long time ago (that ship never docked to begin with, TBH). 

[mrsukyankee]

I'm not thrilled about having to test for our flights to the US but at least we now have a pharmacy within walking distance that we can use. London does have very good options though you do have to pay around £35-45 for an antigen test.

[cattledogkisses]

So upon further investigation it seems a COVID test is NOT required if you are arriving by land border crossing or by ferry, only if you are arriving by air. That makes our trip easier, at least.

Q: Is pre- or at-arrival COVID testing required to enter the United States via land POEs or ferry terminals?

A: No, there is no COVID testing requirement to enter the United States via land POE or ferry terminals. In this respect, the requirement for entering by a land POE or ferry terminal differs from arrival via air, where there is a requirement to have a negative test result before departure.

www.dhs.gov/news/2021/10/29/frequently-asked-questions-guidance-travelers-enter-us

[mich1]

May 12, 2022 14:59:15 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

May 12, 2022 7:15:31 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

I am convinced it is. 

A. Somebody powerful is making too much money off it

B. Much like airport security it's the theater of being seen, rather than any legitimate reason

Same.  We're driving to Quebec for a long weekend in July and I'm looking at places to schedule our tests to return to the US, and they start at $79 apiece.  Someone somewhere is making a lot of money off of this testing requirement.  You will not convince me it's about trying to keep COVID out of the US.  That ship sailed a long time ago (that ship never docked to begin with, TBH). 

You do not need a Covid test to get back into the US if you are driving.  We go into Canada regularly (since the border opened) and have not tested.  However, 3x we have gotten snagged by random testing going into Canada.

[osumelissa]

We were in Rome last week and while we were there we made sure to take note of pharmacies near our AirBNB to go the day before for our tests to come home. The closest pharmacy was having some problems that morning so we went to our back-up choice. It was 22 euro per antigen test and we were in and out in less than 30 minutes with negative results.

We are going to Jamaica in late October and I am hoping the test to come home requirement is dropped by then, but I don't have confidence in that. I do know that the resort we are staying at has testing on site.

[turkletsmom]

May 17, 2022 12:48:26 GMT -5 osumelissa said:

We were in Rome last week and while we were there we made sure to take note of pharmacies near our AirBNB to go the day before for our tests to come home. The closest pharmacy was having some problems that morning so we went to our back-up choice. It was 22 euro per antigen test and we were in and out in less than 30 minutes with negative results.

We are going to Jamaica in late October and I am hoping the test to come home requirement is dropped by then, but I don't have confidence in that. I do know that the resort we are staying at has testing on site.

How were the crowds in Rome?  We'll be there end of next week (first time to Italy).  Was a reservation needed for the covid test or could you just walk in?  I've located 2 pharmacies near our hotel and was also going to ask at the hotel which one they suggested.  I'm so nervous about this test- Ugh.

[doctoranda]

I was in the Dominican Republic in Feb/March and the tester swabbed higher up and longer than many of the tests I had done in the U.S. Wasn't expensive to get a same day test at all. No lines either. Easy, good, and cheap.

Curious to see what St. Lucia will be like at the end of June...

[mrsukyankee]

turkletsmom, it probably depends. In some European cities/countries, no you don't need to reserve a time. In London, most of them you do. But you can get a reservation quickly, so I'd just check once you arrive.

[osumelissa]

May 17, 2022 14:35:38 GMT -5 turkletsmom said:

May 17, 2022 12:48:26 GMT -5 osumelissa said:

We were in Rome last week and while we were there we made sure to take note of pharmacies near our AirBNB to go the day before for our tests to come home. The closest pharmacy was having some problems that morning so we went to our back-up choice. It was 22 euro per antigen test and we were in and out in less than 30 minutes with negative results.

We are going to Jamaica in late October and I am hoping the test to come home requirement is dropped by then, but I don't have confidence in that. I do know that the resort we are staying at has testing on site.

How were the crowds in Rome?  We'll be there end of next week (first time to Italy).  Was a reservation needed for the covid test or could you just walk in?  I've located 2 pharmacies near our hotel and was also going to ask at the hotel which one they suggested.  I'm so nervous about this test- Ugh.

No reservation needed for the test. We walked in, filled out the form, and paid. It was easy. The only people getting tests (at least when we went) were Americans who needed them to travel the next day.

Rome was the busiest and most crowded of the cities we went to during our three week trip in Italy.

[mich1]

May 17, 2022 14:35:38 GMT -5 turkletsmom said:

May 17, 2022 12:48:26 GMT -5 osumelissa said:

We were in Rome last week and while we were there we made sure to take note of pharmacies near our AirBNB to go the day before for our tests to come home. The closest pharmacy was having some problems that morning so we went to our back-up choice. It was 22 euro per antigen test and we were in and out in less than 30 minutes with negative results.

We are going to Jamaica in late October and I am hoping the test to come home requirement is dropped by then, but I don't have confidence in that. I do know that the resort we are staying at has testing on site.

How were the crowds in Rome?  We'll be there end of next week (first time to Italy).  Was a reservation needed for the covid test or could you just walk in?  I've located 2 pharmacies near our hotel and was also going to ask at the hotel which one they suggested.  I'm so nervous about this test- Ugh.

We were in Rome last November and crowds were nuts.  I remember being amazed that they were so heavy. 

Don't worry about the test, your hotel's suggestion is usually your best bet, I have found.   Most times they were walk in, but in Santiago we did need an appointment.