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Trip review – Lake Constance

Lake Constance, nestled between Germany, Austria and Switzerland, encapsulates the contrast between the rugged landscape of the Alps and the gentle serenity of the lake waters. It is truly area of stunning natural beauty and I consider myself privileged to have lived there for nine years.

However, over the last two years, the region has been subject to some of the most brutal covid restrictions in Europe, leading me to spend much of that time away from home. Those restrictions ended in Switzerland several weeks ago and on June 1, Austria finally let go of one of the last hangovers of the covid panic, the mask mandate for public transport and everyday shopping.

I decided to fly down from my temporary base in Stockholm to see how fully this new found freedom was being embraced. I was pleasantly surprised.

My trip started with a flight to Zürich on Swiss, which no longer forces passengers to wear a mask. The airport in Zürich was also mask free, as was the 80-minute train journey to my home in Bregenz, Austria.

During my visit, I checked out the situation in all three countries bordering the lake, beginning with a walk along the Austrian shoreline, from Bregenz to Lochau.

This section is one of the more picturesque walks in the region and hugs the shoreline for several kilometres.

Lake Constance at Bregenz

The rigours of the last two years seemed a lifetime away.

My next stop was the Swiss lakeside town of Rorschach, an easy 35 minute train journey away. The journey was entirely mask free and there were no formalities required to enter Switzerland.

Rorschach was exactly as I remembered it from the pre-covid days.

I then headed off to visit my former workplace in Lindau, Germany. This is a relaxing one-hour cruise on one of the famous Lake Constance ships, which ply many routes around the lake to ports in all three countries.

Lindau was as charming as ever, with the rigours of the last two years seemingly forgotten.

Technically, the Bavarian mask mandate still applies to the first five minutes or so of the train journey back to Austria, but I observed only around 50% compliance and zero enforcement by the Austrian train crew.

On my last day of the trip, with one of the infamous Lake Constance thunderstorms rolling in, I headed off on the excellent new Swiss InterCity train to spend the day in Zürich before my flight back to Stockholm.

Overall, this was a successful and enjoyable trip. Switzerland has been restriction free for several weeks now and has returned entirely to pre-covid normality. Austria has now returned to every day normality and Germany seems not to be far behind.

However, it remains to be seen how long the new found freedom in this region will last.

Switzerland has generally been the least restricted of the three countries throughout the pandemic, and I am now reasonably confident that they, at least, have finally emerged from the panic and will not slip back into the restrictions.

Austria and Germany, however, have been somewhat stricter throughout and witnessing first hand how fully the restrictions were accepted and even embraced on a societal level was unsettling, to say the least. With that said, there seems, at least currently, little appetite in the general populations for a return to those restrictions. I remain optimistic, at least for the summer months.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend a visit to this stunning region, to which no written account can do full justice. Unfortunately, I did not have time on this short trip to enjoy the many other delightful areas of the lakeside, such as the pretty sailing town of Langenargen, the castle and wine region around Meersburg and the eponymous historical town of Konstanz. Hopefully I can cover those areas later in the summer.

Your guide to mask free destinations

After two years, it appears that more and more countries are finally coming to their senses and ditching their mask mandates.

Here is a list of all countries, where you can enjoy fully mask free travel.

 

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Following several months of indecision, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 has been mask free for some months. In recent weeks, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and Northern Ireland󠁧󠁢󠁮󠁩󠁲󠁧󠁢󠁮󠁩󠁲 have finally fallen into line.

 

Ireland 🇮🇪

Ireland kept its mask mandate for public transport until quite recently, but is now fully mask free in all public spaces.

 

Switzerland 🇨🇭

Switzerland is now fully mask free, having dropped the requirement on public transport from April 1.

 

Sweden 🇸🇪

The poster child of freedom throughout the covid panic, Sweden has never had a mask mandate for any public place, indoors or out. Many Swedes do not even own a mask and you will very rarely see someone wearing one.

 

Denmark 🇩🇰

Denmark has been mask free since February, when the country dropped all covid related restrictions. Since then, very few people wear masks in any public setting.

 

Norway 🇳🇴

Norway dropped the requirement to wear face masks in public in February and is now fully unrestricted.

 

Iceland 🇮🇸

Iceland is another country which has been mask free for some time and has adopted a pragmatic approach to living with covid.

 

Finland 🇫🇮

Finland has now ended its general mask recommendation for public places, the last of the Nordic nations to do so. The country is now fully mask free.

 

Estonia 🇪🇪

Estonia has been mask free for several weeks in all public places.

 

Netherlands 🇳🇱

The Dutch scrapped their mask rules on public transport in March, the last area where masks were required.

 

Poland 🇵🇱

By all accounts, enforcement of Polands mask mandate was always patchy, but it has now been officially dropped.

 

Czech Republic 🇨🇿

Czech Republic ended its mask mandate for public transport on April 14.

 

Slovenia 🇸🇮

Wearing a face mask in Slovenia is no longer mandatory.

 

Romania 🇷🇴

The requirement to wear a mask in public buildings and transport expired in March.

 

Bulgaria 🇧🇬

Face masks are recommended, but not mandatory, when using public transport.

 

USA 🇺🇸

The USA no longer has a federal mask mandate, since a recent court decision overturning the CDC’s mandate for air, rail and bus travel. However, travellers are strongly advised to check any local mandates.

 

If you have any questions or know of any other mask free countries, please feel free to join our forums, where further updates will be posted.

What does 2022 hold for travellers?

Nobody can dispute that 2021, just like 2020, has been a tumultuous year for travellers, particularly those based in Europe. After a summer of partial freedom in many countries, the shutters are now coming down again and restrictions are springing up across the continent like wild mushrooms.

If you are vaccinated, you do at least have travel options, although most of Europe is a rather unwelcoming place at the moment, with covid passports being demanded to access the most basic of goods and services. If you are unvaccinated, the majority of Europe is quite simply a no-go zone. You will either be denied entry altogether or subject to draconian restrictions throughout your stay.

My personal feeling is that this situation will continue at least throughout the remainder of the Winter and probably into the Spring and Summer. Having spent time in several European countries during 2021, I can clearly see that most of the continent is simply not ready to move on. I would not be looking to commit to any bookings in this region for at least the first half of 2022 and would advise travellers to delay making any plans for the second half of the year.

Notable exceptions to this are England and Sweden, which have – at least so far – not been drawn into the “papers please” mentality so prevalent in other European nations. It remains to be seen whether this freedom will continue to exist in these countries, although I have recently noticed more positive signs in England.

Looking further afield, it is still very clear that the Asia Pacific region generally is not the place to looking for a relaxing break. Many countries in the region still have very onerous entry requirements, including quarantines and multiple tests. In my view the number of hoops which need to be jumped through is simply not worth it.

Africa is a possibility, with many countries now keeping their borders open, notably South Africa which requires only a negative PCR test for entry. Strict indoor and outdoor mask mandates, however, are still in place once there.

Certain Latin America destinations, specifically Mexico and Costa Rica, remain the easiest countries to enter, requiring no proof of vaccination or negative tests, although Costa Rica requires unvaccinated travellers to purchase a health insurance policy. These two countries are, without a doubt, the best options for unvaccinated travellers seeking some Winter Sun. An important caveat, of course, is to check the conditions that your home country will impose on your return. Certain countries have restrictive or even effectively preventative measures in place in regard to unvaccinated travellers seeking to leave or return.

Last – but by no means least – is the USA. With borders now open for vaccinated tourists, my advice is that the USA is the place to be if you meet this requirement. In many parts of the country, such as Florida and Texas, the covid panic is a distant memory. Of course some states and counties still mandate masks in indoor environments, but many do not. The beauty of the USA is that these things are decided on a county or city level. If a particular municipality bring in a policy that you find unacceptable, you can simply move on to another county.

Overall, my assessment of prospects for freedom seeking travellers in 2022 is cautiously optimistic, as long as you are willing to be flexible. Whilst much of the world is still obsessively restricting people’s lives and seems unable or unwilling to move on, there are still options and that will continue to be the case.

Please share your thoughts, tips and questions on the Covid and Travel forum.

 

 

 

UK tightens restrictions again

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has today announced that anyone entering the UK will be forced to take a PCR test within 2 days of arrival in the country and self isolate until a negative result is received.

Furthermore, the “red list” requiring 11 nights forcibly confined to a hotel room at a cost to the traveller of £2,285 has now been extended to arrivals from 10 Southern African countries. More countries will undoubtedly follow.

Additionally, face coverings will once again be mandatory in shops and on public transport throughout the country, unless a medical exemption is claimed.

Clearly, the UK is following continental Europe into the vortex of panic and is once again pulling up the drawbridge.

These measures will not be the last to be announced in the UK this Winter.

Feel free to discuss these measures on the UK forum.

Protests across Europe

Announcements of tightened covid restrictions in various European countries have been met with large scale protests across the continent.

I personally attended demonstrations and marches in Vienna and Bregenz, Austria, both of which were very well attended and focused heavily on Austria’s recently announced lockdown and the country’s unprecedented announcement that covid-19 vaccinations are to be made compulsory in the country from 1 February 2022. Heavy fines will be levied against those who do not comply and jail sentences are threatened against those who do not or cannot pay. Germany looks likely to follow suit, with Health Minister Jens Spahn quoted as saying that the majority of Germans would be “vaccinated, cured or dead” by the Spring.

Both of the demonstrations I attended in Austria were well organised and peaceful. The large crowds were extremely well behaved and I did not witness any violence, threatening behaviour or heavy handed police action at either venue.

I will post pictures and videos in the Austria forum shortly.

Protests also raged across Italy, Croatia, Belgium and The Netherlands, with one in Rotterdam sadly turning violent.

As I wrote earlier, the Winter lockdown season is well and truly under way in Europe. Additionally, governments across the continent are ramping up the pressure on citizens to accept a vaccination, with more and more basic rights and freedoms being removed from dissenters. As the continent moves deeper into the Winter, this situation can only deteriorate as panic spreads over rising case numbers. Restrictions will become tighter, lockdowns will be extended and protests will inevitably continue to erupt.

Europe can be a wonderful continent to visit during the winter months, with ski resorts, traditional Christmas markets and New Year concerts.

Sadly, this Winter is not the time even to think about enjoying any of those things.

Join the discussion on our covid forum.

 

 

 

USA travel ban ends

The long awaited reopening of the USA to tourists travelling from Europe finally happened on November 8. Whereas previously, tourists wishing travel from the UK, Ireland and the Schengen zone had to spend 14 days in a third country prior to entering the USA, it is now possible to fly directly from the area to the USA.

However, the reopening comes with a caveat. Anyone entering the USA as a tourist must prove that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, as well as providing a negative test taken in the 3 days before travel. This means that if you are not willing to take a covid vaccination, you are quite simply not welcome in the USA. For many people this will be an instant deal breaker and we hope that this restriction will be a temporary one.

As for what to expect when you do arrive in the USA, it very much depends which part of the country you are visiting. It is no secret (and indeed no surprise) that American attitudes to the coronavirus pandemic have been somewhat polarised during the last 20 months. While some parts of the country have seen draconian restrictions equivalent to European style lockdowns, other parts of the country have suffered much less disruption. This holds true today, where certain states and counties are persisting with far reaching mask mandates, while in others, Covid is more or less forgotten. Last Winter, I spent 3 very pleasant months touring Florida and enjoying almost complete normality, while people further north were still being prevented from visiting their neighbours for coffee.

The contrast is not quite so stark now and most parts of the USA seem to be more or less ready to move on. However, the divisions are still there, most notably in respect to the thorny issue of mask mandates. The controversial face garments continue to pervade many parts of the country and remain as hotly contested a debate as they always were. The specific rules governing the wearing of masks, as well as other important considerations, are determined at state, county and city level. This means there may be one set of rules in one town, whereas things might look completely different 5 miles down the road.

My advice is to do diligent research and find a state and city where you can reasonably live with the specific rules. Florida and Texas seem to be the states where life has moved on the most and where restrictions are likely to be the least intrusive. They are the states which are on my radar this Winter.

Please share any questions or advice on our USA forum.

 

 

Lockdown season begins in Europe

Once again, restrictions in several European countries are tightening up, suggesting that the continent has a long and hard Winter ahead.

In the Netherlands, businesses are once again operating with restricted opening hours, with bars, restaurants and supermarkets permitted to open until 8pm, while “non-essential” businesses are forced to close their doors at 6pm. Customers of these businesses are once again forced to wear a face covering and the scope of the country’s Covid Pass – proving that the holder has been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from a previous infection has been expanded. Since the masks and passes have been introduced, case numbers have continued to rise, suggesting that tighter restrictions will almost certainly be on the way.

Meanwhile, Austria is leading the way on vaccine compulsion, introducing legislation effectively confining unvaccinated people to their homes, except for the very restrictive reasons permitted under previous lockdowns, unless and until they “voluntarily” accept the “offer” of a vaccine. Some German states are also tightening restrictions, permitting only vaccinated and recovered persons to engage in certain leisure activities and Denmark has reintroduced their Corona Pass, broadly in line with restrictions in other parts of the continent.

I cannot claim to know exactly how the dice will fall in Europe this Winter, but it is clear that those advocating tighter controls are beginning once again to prevail and those looking to enforce those controls are gearing up in earnest. Sorry to be pessimistic, but it is looking very much as if Europe is only heading in one direction this Winter. I, for one, have a feeling it is going to be quite some time before I see my home in Austria again and would urge any potential travellers to consider their options carefully.

How are the potential restrictions going to affect your plans this winter? Join in the Impact of Covid thread on our forum.

 

Is Business Class worth it?

This is a debate which has been raging for years and will undoubtedly continue.

Those nice big, comfortable seats at the front of the plane always look terribly inviting, but how much are you really willing to pay out in order to travel in style?

A typical long haul business class fare can set you back literally thousands. For some people this is not an issue, particularly when someone else is paying. However, for the typical leisure traveller the cost can be literally prohibitive, especially if you are travelling in a family group. For the cost of a round trip upgrade for a family of four, you can check into a nice hotel for a couple of weeks and still have money left over for a rental car and outings. When opportunity cost comes into play, the other things you can do with that money clearly heavily outweigh 8 hours of relative comfort.

However, there are times when the pointy end of the plane definitely makes sense. I came across an obvious example of this last year, when I found myself in Tanzania and decided at the last minute to relocate to Florida for the winter. Due to the ongoing covid situation, I had no idea of what my next move would be or when I would eventually return to Europe. Clearly a one-way ticket was the only sensible option. However, a last minute one-way was pricing up at around $1,600 in economy.

This is where frequent flyer miles come in. I was able to book a one-way ticket for 75,000 American Airlines miles (about a third of my remaining stack) and minimal taxes. $1,600 of savings for the use of 75,000 miles is quite a good deal even at face value. Except that the mileage ticket was in Qatar Airways’ world beating private QSuites. This was an absolute no brainer and I spent the next 27 hours lounging in almost the almost empty business class cabins, eating my way through multiple courses and sampling some of the nicest wines and champagnes I have had for quite a while.

In conclusion, although economy class has been my traditional default option for air travel, there are often bargains to be had up front and if this is the case, there is often no reason not to go for it.

Do you think premium class travel is worth the price tag? Check out our Air travel discussion forum and share your opinion.

Normal life resumes in England

I have spent the last 4 weeks in England and can confirm that life here is now almost completely normal.

All businesses (well, the ones which have survived the lockdowns) are now fully functional again and almost all have dispensed with capacity controls and social distancing. There is no legal requirement in England to wear a face mask, except for London Transport and enforcement of this seems to be almost completely non-existent. I do still see people wearing masks in shops and on public transport, but this is no more that around 10-15% of people on average and nobody is attempting to force anyone to wear one if they don’t choose to.

The entry requirements to the UK are still rather irksome. No pre-departure test is required, but all arriving passengers are still forced to fill out a Passenger Locator Form, as well as book and pay for a covid test which must be taken on day 2 after arrival. I was not asked to prove my vaccination status or provide my PLF on arrival at Harwich Port and regarded the process as a minor irritation rather than a deal breaker.

If you are unvaccinated, however, the entry requirements remain quite prohibitive. Unvaccinated arrivals are forced to book and pay for two post-arrival tests, as well as self-isolating for 10 days. However, this is where the two-tier society ends, at least for the moment. As far as I can tell, nobody anywhere is being asked to prove their vaccination status, apart from when they enter the country. This makes a refreshing change from other European countries where I have spent time in the last few months.

Overall, if you can put up with the pretty easily surmountable obstacles on entry (and of course the notorious British weather), England is actually not a bad place to be at the moment.

If you are in the UK or thinking of visiting, please visit the UK Forum to share you thoughts, questions and experiences.

England’s return to normal

I have spent the last 4 weeks in England and can confirm that normal life has almost fully resumed here.

I am still seeing some people wearing masks around shops and on public transport and even a few in the open air, but I would guess it is an average of about 10% and nobody is trying to force anyone to wear them.

All businesses (well, the ones that have survived the lockdowns) are fully open and most have no capacity restrictions or social distancing guidelines in place.

Of course, there are still the entry restrictions, such as quarantine if unvaccinated and day 2 testing for all. My own experience with this was reasonably seamless in comparison with many other countries. I arrived on the ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich and was not asked for my proof of vaccination or my Passenger Locator Form. It was more of a minor irritation than any real obstacle.

Of course, if you are unvaccinated, it is an entirely different story

If anyone is looking for a destination with a high level of day-to-day freedom, the UK is a reasonable option, at least at the moment.

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