Posted by Every year I excitedly leave the shores of Lake Michigan bound for England and the Netherlands, home to precious family members. I knew the summer of 2021 would be different because of testing requirements, but in spite of being vaccinated, I wasn’t prepared for the emotional stress it would bring, leaving me to question if it really is worth it.
Before this, I had a wonderful summer! I traveled every three weeks, going to Destin to visit family, and Miami to show my stepdaughter the glorious beach. A long road trip to the Carolinas rounded out my stateside roaming. By the time I broke out my passport in its whimsical Kate Spade case, I was more than ready to go International!
Preparing for take-off from the USA
I should preface this by mentioning that as much as I love traveling, it brings out huge anxiety in me. I don’t like being at the mercy of rules and regulations when I have an agenda, and I definitely don’t do well with uncertainty.
As I stuffed my case full of gifts for family and decorations for my brother’s 50th birthday, I remembered how easy my last trip had been, before anyone had heard of lateral tests and mandated lockdowns. I took a scheduled PCR test three days before departure and was comfortable the result would be ready in 24 hours. My first international stop was a layover in England, heading straight for the Netherlands for a week, then back to England for three weeks. A month before leaving, mandatory quarantine was still in place in the UK, as was the required Covid 2 and 8 days test, and a test to release day 5, for the whopping sum of $200. This was mandated by the UK Government for all visitors and nationals entering England.
My PCR test result was not in after 24 hours. I began to panic and play the what-if game. I was facing a deadline and couldn’t get on the plane without it, so decided to visit Walgreens for a rapid test. I didn’t know if it would be accepted by the airline for entry into the UK since their government website is confusing and ever-changing. My PCR result finally came in the afternoon before I left. I downloaded my test results onto the VeriFLY phone app, which allows you to house all of your results and documents. The airline approves everything before you leave so theoretically no need to show documents at the airport. Hah!!!!!!! How optimistic was I!
Since purchasing my advance Covid tests, which I needed to enter proof of onto my British Passenger Locator form, the rules had changed. I was thrilled to hear that quarantining had been scrapped for those entering from the EU and USA, with just the requirement of a day 2 vaccine. I had lost the money on the other tests no longer needed but took it on the chin in exchange for freedom!
I completed the required Passenger Locator form the day before departure, necessary even if only transiting through an English airport. The following link provides access to the UK government website and explains the many ever-changing rules around entering and leaving the country.
https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk
Since I would first be staying in the Netherlands, I downloaded my test results onto the KLM app also, along with my declaration stating why I did not have to quarantine on arrival. The Netherlands had nicely agreed to allow US residents to enter without quarantining with a negative test result, which had enabled me to spend time with my daughter who lives there.
As far as I was concerned I had done everything I needed to do for takeoff. It was a marathon of red tape and more than a little nerve-wracking. I printed off every single document and test result and stuffed it all into a folder along with the itinerary and insurance. Check-in online was not allowed even though everything was approved on VeriFLY.
Green Bay “International” Airport
I always love leaving from here, because it’s rarely busy. The check-in staff sometimes struggle with international flights and this time was not very familiar with VeriFLY, so I dragged out my documents and we got through it. I always, always have printed copies of everything. I was checked all the way into London Heathrow and would have to recheck for KLM, but I had a five-hour layover so was not worried.
I had noticed earlier in the summer that putting toiletries into a separate bag and the tray was no longer a requirement. I was wanded down and cleared for the first flight. If you have ever done a 45-minute commuter flight, you will know how tight flying in a sardine can is, especially when one passenger is too drunk to sit in his seat and the flight attendant is obviously overwhelmed and exhausted.
Hello Chicago!
Chicago O’Hare is under construction, so expect a long taxi to your gate. Fortunately, the intoxicated one was completed passed out. I wondered who was brave enough to wake him up and tell him to deplane.
Anyone who flies frequently knows that if something can go wrong, it often will. After a short layover, I cheerfully boarded a 787 Dreamliner with visions of free wine insight and settled into a whole row to myself. After all, England had just opened up to the US and bookings were still slow. Then came the unapologetic announcement that the plane was not fit to fly due to mechanical issues and we had to get off. Three hours and several beers later we boarded a different plane, same seats, and waited. And waited. By now I had a two-hour layover and was very nervous, of course!!!!
My Dilemma
Upon landing in London Heathrow, I had less than two hours to go through the whole process of arrival, Immigration, grab my case, find my new terminal and gate in one of the busiest airports in the world, and check-in again. If my continuing flight had been with the same airline it would not have been a problem, but the real problem was this: I travel under an English passport and was leaving England to enter the Netherlands. Because of high cases of Covid in the UK, there are restrictions on British Citizens entering the Netherlands. Even though I have US residency, I felt I was at the mercy of airport personnel. As I was finally checking in for my KLM flight I was an exhausted, sweaty wreck. My baby girl was waiting for me at the other end and I needed to get there! The check-in agent told me I was going to have problems on the other end on an English passport coming from England. I needed to show my boarding passes from the US, the address of my daughter, possible phone number, etc., etc., and hope it was accepted. Great! I got on another sardine can and an hour later I was at Amsterdam Schiphol. By this point, I had been up for over 24 hours. The immigration point was painful. The agent asked for proof of everything, but declined to see the photo of my daughter with her cat! They know a desperate mother when they see one! He finally let me in, quarantine free, and two trains later I saw her waiting on the platform for me. I was hobbling and exhausted but exhilarated to see her beautiful face after 15 months.
The “drunken” houses in Amsterdam
Leaving the Netherlands
After six blissful days with my daughter, it was time to track down a rapid testing site in order to get into the UK. We found a government-funded clinic in her small town and I got my test. I was very surprised that the Netherlands required swabbing of nostrils and tonsils. Not my best Dutch experience. We had been roaming Amsterdam but kept masks on inside for caution, sanitizing hands frequently. I was as confident as you can be that we had taken precautions to avoid the plague but what if was nagging at me. Should I test positive, I would need to delay my flight and my visit to England, my subsequent flight home, and potentially expose my child to this virus. She is actually 29 but in my mind still 5!
Thankfully, my negative test result arrived rapidly. Checking in at Schiphol was a completely different experience than the many times before. After getting my boarding pass, I was directed through security and then to an area in the lower level that I didn’t even know existed. It was an area designated for British flights only. We were screened again. I pulled out a new Passenger Locator form, my Covid test, and reason for traveling to Britain. We were sent to a gate and instructed to wait for a bus to take us to our plane. There were six flights departing from the designated area. It felt very uncomfortable and discriminatory. I wanted to be upstairs at a gate with everyone else where I could buy a cup of coffee and a snack. We were in a holding area with nothing but a small restroom and seats. Since England is no longer part of the EU, I should have expected this. Had I been traveling to Germany or Belgium it would have been entirely different. But this is a time of new rules and conditions. Britain is way more than an Island now. It is its own governor, entirely alone in its policies. And this Island is very particular about who it lets in and how. After three busloads of passengers, we departed for Manchester, and my experience through customs was amazingly uneventful. My elderly parents were waiting and we fell into a group hug, so thrilled to be reunited in such challenging times.
Day 2 Test
Day 2 Test Kit
The UK testing system has always reeked of a money-making venture to me. If the United States-the biggest healthcare moneymaker of all- offers free tests, and the tiny country of Holland can offer government-funded tests, why can’t England? The list of testing companies is long and expensive. The ridiculous requirement of two mandatory tests, 10 days of isolation, and the option of a day five test-to-release has excluded many families from taking their hard-earned foreign vacation. The price of the test package for a family of four was prohibitive. Once the terms were changed, a day two test with no quarantine felt like a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. I did my tonsil and nose swabbing and gagged all the way to a designated post box guaranteed to pick up mail around the clock. Two days later, I received my negative test result via email. Should I have been dependent upon the previous system, an extra two days waiting for the results would have significantly increased the isolation time! It was pure luck that my visit coincided with these changes. The testing companies gather detailed information to report back to the government in proof that the testing is done. My jaded opinion is that absolutely nothing is done with the results and the government laughs all the way to the bank with their kickback.
England and Covid.
Feeling Crumpled
The poor residents of Britain have had it bad. They endured an extremely long lockdown and then the arrival of the Delta Variant. This highly transmissible virus continues to ravage the country. Everyone knows someone who, despite getting vaccinated, has managed to contract Covid. I got vaccinated six months ago and never seriously considered that I would get Covid after that. It was only after I got there and started hearing the personal stories that I realized I had taken a significant risk of picking up the virus and spreading it to my elderly parents and other vulnerable family members. The United States is now seeing numbers increase significantly with vaccinated folk becoming infected.
I Want to go Home!
The Fields of Illinois
As I came close to the end of my month-long trip, the anxiety about getting back to the US kicked into gear, and the what-if fear reared its ugly head again. This time it was real, as there was no way I was staying with family should I test positive. This was heightened by plans to visit family for a special birthday party. What felt like an amazing time when I was in the States now filled me with panic. We were headed down to a family get-together just outside of London. I knew it wasn’t a good idea for any of us, but we packed up into my parent’s tiny car anyway and hopped on to the congested M1. Five hours later we arrived at my Aunts house, then walked to my cousin’s house for dinner. We hadn’t seen each other for many years and it was great to be reunited at last. As the day drew nearer to my Aunt’s birthday party, which was going to be a large get-together at a nearby pub, I decided I would sit outside and keep my distance. The typical British summertime turned very cold and sitting outside in the dark wearing just a flimsy sweatshirt wasn’t appealing at all. So my miserable self stayed away and packed, ready to leave the next day. We all said our sad farewells that day, and I took the hour-long bus ride to Heathrow, trying to ignore the unmasked guy behind me coughing and spluttering. I had plenty of time to panic! Just what had I been thinking? What would I do and where would I stay if, in spite of my cautions, I picked up this damn virus that was ruining everything? I had been around a lot of people, in a lot of places, and I was feeling pretty ridiculous at this point. My parents had insisted that I would stay with them, but the last thing I was going to do was risk their health. Being alone in my former homeland was a scary thought for me! More panic ensued!
London Heathrow
Finding convenient testing sites for travel can be a challenge, but Heathrow has got some good options. Terminal 2 offers rapid testing at Arrivals and Departures. Even though I wasn’t flying that day, I scheduled myself for testing in departures at 3 p.m. It was a quick process. I walked across the indoor parking area to my very convenient hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn at Terminal 2, and got settled in, preparing for a very long stay. It took about an hour to get my result. During that time, I felt extremely alone and vulnerable. I took myself to the restaurant and ordered a late lunch and a glass of red. I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by Americans! Were they all feeling like I did? It didn’t appear so. Was I being too neurotic and hard on myself? As my result popped into my email, I took a breath and a gulp of wine. It was negative! I was going home!!! Back to my husband and son, and my puppies! I was filled with gratitude and relief. I emailed the good news to parents and hubby and thanked God and my lucky stars!
The next day, I printed out my result and headed to Terminal 3. I had the routine down by now and had the paperwork ready. Everything went well and I was thrilled to be on my way. I had my last cooked English breakfast and launched out into the ample and glamorous duty-free shopping in T3.
Note on airport security check: In London Heathrow, it was business as usual with toiletries in a small bag and out in the tray. Shoes stayed on and were tested!
Note on airport hotels: It is completely worth staying at a “terminal” hotel, where you can walk undercover to the airport within minutes. My favorite is the Radisson Blu at Manchester Airport, which directly links into a walkway from Terminal 2 and 3. The Hilton Garden Inn is also a 4-star hotel with good food and drinking options, spacious clean rooms, and efficient check-in. While you pay for the convenience, I love the relaxation that comes with your flight being just a walk away, after a very comfortable night.
Note on Credit Cards: Using an airline card that rewards you with miles makes great sense to me. Make sure your credit card is contactless. You should see the wavy contactless symbol on your card, if in doubt call your card company. Many public transport systems no longer take cash and only accept contactless cards.
The return journey was a dream. The plane was practically empty, and the service was very attentive! Since my flight had been moved up by four hours, I had a very long layover in Chicago. Luck was on my side and I managed to get an earlier flight. My suitcase even caught the right plane. When the wheels touched down in Green Bay, I felt overwhelming relief and gratitude to be back home.
Was it worth it?
I made two mistakes: I underestimated how easily I could have become infected, especially after getting vaccinated 6 months ago. I didn’t have a backup plan. I had family who I wanted to protect, not infect!
Finding testing sites and worrying what I would do if I couldn’t leave that country was very stressful for me. In my eagerness to see my family, I had overlooked the reality. There is no doubt that Covid cases are once again climbing high and we are all still at risk. Seeing my daughter, parents, brothers, nieces, and friends was incredible. Yes, it was worth it. Because now I’m at home and look back at the wonderful moments. I don’t plan on leaving the country again until next summer and would say to travelers venturing out abroad, have a backup plan in case you do test positive. Travel is not carefree anymore because of the virus we all have to live with. Go prepared for the unexpected and don’t forget to invest in travel insurance that covers Covid. Take credit cards with a generous limit and make sure it’s a contactless card. Then relax and have fun!
