Touring Abroad

[Pie man]

Just wondering, 'what do you think the chances are this year of travelling abroad on the bike'.

 

I've booked the first week in September off and the first week in October off, in the hope there might be a glimmer of hope that we can travel abroad on the bike. 

[KiwiBob]

Would you prefer a tarot reading, crystal ball or tea leaves?

 

Your guess will be as good as anyones.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I have my doubts it's worth it. Too many variables to bugger things up.

[skyrider]

i think you would be better leaving it till next year

[raesewell]

September might be possible as both the English and French governments are making the right noises as long as you have both doses of the vaccine, but it's still fingers crossed. I have a trip planned for October to France and this is looking more likely.

[Marino]

I am in Croatia right now, thousands of motorcycles here from all around the europe.

Only thing I had to do was negative covid test to cross to France, after that no one asked anything .

Before arrival to Croatia submitted electronic locator form, that’s it.

only tricky part is 10 days  quarantine and two tests on return to England.

Edited June 20, 2021 by Marino

[Gerontious]

I’ve still got my tunnel crossing booked for the first week in September and am waiting for August (or July, depending) to make a final decision on where we are going if we are allowed to go at all. Obviously. Being allowed to go is one thing, being allowed to enter and “stay” is another. Currently it’s a no in both cases.

[Pie man]

42 minutes ago, raesewell said:

September might be possible as both the English and French governments are making the right noises as long as you have both doses of the vaccine, but it's still fingers crossed. I have a trip planned for October to France and this is looking more 

Have you booked your crossing and accommodation yet. 

[Pie man]

2 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

I’ve still got my tunnel crossing booked for the first week in September and am waiting for August (or July, depending) to make a final decision on where we are going if we are allowed to go at all. Obviously. Being allowed to go is one thing, being allowed to enter and “stay” is another. Currently it’s a no in both cases.

Can you change your crossing booking - just wondering whether to book anything yet!! And if I do could the dates be changed later ...

[Gerontious]

Yes. But my crossing via the tunnel was booked back in January. So, might be best to call them and see what the current rules on that score is.

 

as it stands I can move my bookings to any date in the next 12 months

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Gerontious

[manxie49]

We were supposed to be heading across the water in September and have decided to cancel and re plan for next year,  just seems to be to much uncertainty at the moment

 

[raesewell]

1 hour ago, Pie man said:

Have you booked your crossing and accommodation yet. 

I have booked the tunnel for the return trip in October, our outward journey is going to be Portsmouth to St. Malo, hopefully. I am holding on for the September trip.

[husoi]

I've cancelled planning for my trip to Italy/Croatia this year.

Anything happening will be next one.  

[Pie man]

Just reading on the requirements on travel, Eurotunnel - Are they saying the NHS test's are sh1te or are they just trying to make money out of us...

 

 

All passengers aged 11 and older (even if fully vaccinated) travelling on our passenger service require a negative result from a non-NHS PCR test taken in the previous 72 hours or a non-NHS Antigen (lateral flow) test taken in the previous 48 hours. At French border controls you will need to present digital or paper evidence of the negative result provided by the test provider.

• Purchase a discounted testing kit from just £57 from Prenetics*
• Find a private test provider
• There is no COVID-19 testing facility at the Eurotunnel site

[bonio]

It's not that the NHS tests are shite. It's just that if you need a test in order to travel abroad, then you have to buy one yourself, and not get it off the NHS. It's the same as if you need a typhoid vaccination to travel, you have fork out.   

 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Id put money on you being able to travel without quarantining by then, I’m guessing from the leaks it will be shortly. The vaccine currently works and does cut transmission, theres no variant far enough away from the original strain to cause elevated transmission in vaccinated people so I’m guessing we’re heading to no quarantine travel or at least a window of opportunity for travel around the times you’ve booked off. You have nothing to lose booking that time off, if it all goes to ratshit again the UK coast, particularly the Scottish west coast is an amazing ride.

[Pie man]

4 minutes ago, bonio said:

It's not that the NHS tests are shite. It's just that if you need a test in order to travel abroad, then you have to buy one yourself, and not get it off the NHS. It's the same as if you need a typhoid vaccination to travel, you have fork out.   

 

Ah, I see, the UK Gov are saying the NHS track & Trace cant provide the documents I need to travel however, you can buy them off Doris's friend for £75, Damn -  Anyone want to by 25 Rapid Lateral Flow Test's  

[Pie man]

12 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

Id put money on you being able to travel without quarantining by then, I’m guessing from the leaks it will be shortly. The vaccine currently works and does cut transmission, theres no variant far enough away from the original strain to cause elevated transmission in vaccinated people so I’m guessing we’re heading to no quarantine travel or at least a window of opportunity for travel around the times you’ve booked off. You have nothing to lose booking that time off, if it all goes to ratshit again the UK coast, particularly the Scottish west coast is an amazing ride.

Yep time already booked off regardless....love the west coast of Scotland, if wee Jimmy Crankie with let the Salfordians travel we might end up there -  well at least the dreaded midge might have disappeared by then. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

The NHS has traditionally never provided any healthcare treatments for leisure activities apart from vaccines against communicable diseases. That is the diseases you could bring back here and spread, the ones that would harm or kill just you its always been up to you to cough up ££ for. So mention the word holiday and a GP letter you need for the airline will suddenly cost between £25-£100! Thats just the way its always been, the taxpayer doesnt fund holiday and leisure activities. I dont have a problem with that. 

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

2 minutes ago, Pie man said:

Yep time already booked off regardless....love the west coast of Scotland, if wee Jimmy Crankie with let the Salfordians travel we might end up there -  well at least the dreaded midge might have disappeared by then. 

 

Saw the ‘Scotland’ sign post, crossed the border and my visor was immediately splattered with the swines!

[tempmoto8]

13 hours ago, Marino said:

I am in Croatia right now, thousands of motorcycles here from all around the europe.

Only thing I had to do was negative covid test to cross to France, after that no one asked anything .

Before arrival to Croatia submitted electronic locator form, that’s it.

only tricky part is 10 days  quarantine and two tests on return to England.

I'm planning my motorbike trip across Europe as well in the next few weeks. My plan is to transit by France for 3 or 4 days.

When you arrived in France, did they ask you your reason for travel and if you were staying or transiting? According to the website, the transit time is just 24h, but I guess if you have the negative test + vaccine you can stay there without quarantine.

[Gerontious]

45 minutes ago, tempmoto8 said:

But I guess if you have the negative test + vaccine you can stay there without quarantine.

No you can't.  its a 7 day self isolation. "on trust" that you will not abuse/ignore that requirement.

 

I and a lot of others are hoping that will change. just waiting and seeing for the present. that... and a relaxation of the self isolation on return to the UK. which is rather more worrying as I cannot add a further 10 days to a holiday.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Gerontious

[S-Westerly]

11 hours ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

The NHS has traditionally never provided any healthcare treatments for leisure activities apart from vaccines against communicable diseases. That is the diseases you could bring back here and spread, the ones that would harm or kill just you its always been up to you to cough up ££ for. So mention the word holiday and a GP letter you need for the airline will suddenly cost between £25-£100! Thats just the way its always been, the taxpayer doesnt fund holiday and leisure activities. I dont have a problem with that. 

I needed a PCR test within 72 hours of my travel date to go to the USA in April.  As I was flying over the weekend I had to get it on the Thursday to ensure I had the result by the Saturday. It cost £215. (Company paid). At check in they took it seriously.  A guy ahead of me had one 74 hours old. No flying for him!

[tempmoto8]

9 minutes ago, Gerontious said:

No you can't.  its a 7 day self isolation. "on trust" that you will not abuse/ignore that requirement.

 

I and a lot of others are hoping that will change. just waiting and seeing for the present. that... and a relaxation of the self isolation on return to the UK. which is rather more worrying as I cannot add a further 10 days to a holiday.

Quoting the UK Gov website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

 

Travellers who are fully vaccinated do not need an essential reason to travel to France and do not need to self-isolate on arrival. Fully vaccinated travellers will need to present the following documents:

• ... evidence of a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departure, or a negative antigen test result taken within 48 hours of departure

• a completed ‘sworn statement’ .... This can be found on the French government’s website

• proof of vaccination status

Vaccination status

...“Fully vaccinated” is defined by the completion of a vaccination schedule, specifically:

• 2 weeks after the second dose of Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca
• 4 weeks after the single and only dose of Johnson & Johnson
• 2 weeks after the single dose of any of the above vaccines if you have previously tested positive for COVID-19

[husoi]

Considering that travelling conditions are more volatile than stock markets I'm definitely postponing any trip abroad to 2022.

 

Rather shorter trips within UK and save the dosh for next year.

Imagine what I can do with all the money to be spent in tests and all that crap.

 

I just wonder if you spend 1 week alone on your bike if that counts as self-isolation...