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South Africa removes all restrictions

It was announced last week that South Africa has repealed all covid related restrictions, including its mask mandate and all vaccination and testing requirements for entry.

This is very good news indeed for libertarian travellers seeking to escape the northern hemisphere Winter, as South Africa is a beautiful, varied and very economical country to visit.

On the flip side, however, it must be remembered that South Africa’s lockdowns were among the most brutal in the world. All social contact was forbidden for months and there was even a long lasting ban on any sales of alcohol or tobacco. Citizens were forced to wear masks indoors and out for nearly two years.

With this in mind, I have to greet this news with caution. With that said, all of the signs are positive. The government seems to be making all of the right noises about falling hospitalisation numbers and learning to live with the virus. This step has also been taken close to the middle of the South African Winter and outside of the main tourist season. I believe this bodes well for the upcoming Summer season from November to March.

I will be monitoring the situation closely in the coming weeks and months before I make any firm bookings, but I very much hope to be publishing a few articles on Johannesburg, Cape Town and the Garden Route this Winter.

Hotel review – Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora, Tromsø

My home for the 3 nights in Tromsø was the Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora, booked as part of my Nordic Choice Unlimited Nights package.

The hotel is perfectly situated, right on the picturesque harbour front.

The rooms are comfortable and functional in Scandinavian style.

The stay included breakfast and like all Clarion Collection Hotels, an evening meal. As this was my first stay at this particular brand, I was a little unsure of what to expect from the evening meal. I was however, pleasantly surprised.

Each meal consisted of a soup of the day and a main course. There was only one choice of main course, but I can honestly say they were all decent. Examples included pork neck and chicken cacciatore. I have pretty universal tastes in food, so I was very happy with it.

There was also a nice salad bar.

Water, orange juice and coffee were included and other drinks were available for purchase.

Breakfast, however, was somewhat of a let down. Most of the cooked dishes – bacon, sausages and meatballs – were stone cold on all three mornings of my stay and the milk ran out within about 20 minutes.

Breakfast aside, I was generally satisfied with my stay and it was superb value as part of my two month Nordic Choice pass, at a cost of €3,000 for 58 nights, which works out at a little under €52 per night.

Flight review – Widerøe Tromsø – Bergen

Following Tromsø, my next destination was Bergen, necessitating another flight.

The only direct flight between Tromsø and Bergen is operated by Widerøe, an airline I had never flown before.

Other options are Norwegian and SAS, but bot require at least one change if flight in Oslo.

With this in mind, I decided to give Widerøe a go.

The ground experience is very basic, with self service bag drop and no security fast track or lounge.

The on board experience is also basic, but no more so than economy class on just about any other carrier operating within Europe.

At an even six feet, I found the 29-inch seat pitch rather tight.

A buy-on-board menu is offered, although this short 10:35am flight was a little too soon after breakfast and not quite beer o’clock, so I settled for the complimentary coffee.

Overall, this experience was comparable to the better low cost airlines in Europe, such as easyJet. Given the convenience of the direct flight I was satisfied with the experience, although at around £225 or $270 it was rather pricey for what it was.

Hotel review – Comfort Hotel Runway, Oslo Airport

Prior to my flight to Tromsø, I parked up at Oslo Airport and stayed overnight at the Comfort Hotel Runway, a 10 minute bus ride from the terminal.

This is an airport hotel, designed for one night stays before or after flights and that is reflected in the facilities provided.

With that said, I was perfectly happy with the comfort of my room, which had a double bed, functioning air conditioning and a hot shower, which is all I really cared about for a one-night airport stay.

As a bonus, there was a nice view of the airport taxi ways.

I have to say the food was a bit of a let down. Guests have to option of dining at the restaurant belonging to a neighbouring hotel, but there is very little choice of food on site. I ended up dropping the better part of $20 on a microwaved taco and a soft drink.

Breakfast was limited with the usual bacon and eggs and the addition of a few cold cuts. However, the juice and milk had run out so I was stuck with water and black coffee.

Honestly, this hotel is a perfectly acceptable option for a one-night layover, but the catering is poor. I would recommend eating before arrival or choosing one of the similarly priced options on the other side of the airport, with more options nearby.

Destination guide – Tromsø, Norway

After four very enjoyable months in Stockholm, I decided to see a little more of Scandinavia and headed off to Tromsø, a little more than 200 miles North of the Arctic Circle.

Considering the distances involved, I decided to park my car at Oslo Airport and take an SAS flight to Tromsø, where I spent three nights.

Tromsø is a unique and truly breathtaking city, combining snow capped mountains, crystal clear fjords and the somewhat surreal phenomenon of the midnight sun.

My first experience of Tromsø was a stroll around the pretty harbour and across the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral.

The real highlight of the day was a ride up to the Storsteinen mountain ledge of the Fjellheisen cable car.

The cable car makes the 421m ascent in just four minutes and the breathtaking views are simply not to be missed.

The following day, I decided to take things a little easier and stroll along some if the beautiful fjordside paths out to Tromsø Folkeparken and the Southern Beach.

As it was amazingly 27°C on the day of my visit, the beach was too crowded for me to get any photographs, but suffice to say it is a unique experience, with views across the fjord to the snow capped mountains beyond.

The only regret I have about my visit to Tromsø was not managing to take the midnight RIB (rigid inflatable boat) cruise. These run for three hours from 10pm to 1am when the midnight sun shines on Tromsø. After two very full days and with an early start on the third day, my heart was willing but my body was not.

Flight review – SAS Oslo – Tromsø

As my tour of Scandinavia continued to the Arctic North, I decided to leave my car at Oslo Airport and fly to Tromsø, rather than take a three day drive each way.

There were several options for this route, including Norwegian and Widerøe. However it turned out that the best deal was on the direct afternoon flight with SAS.

The flight was quite expensive for a domestic one-way at €226 for the most basic hand luggage only ticket.

I, however, chose to upgrade to the SAS Plus fare at €270, including checked luggage and access to the SAS Domestic Lounge at Oslo Airport.

This proved to be a good choice, as the American Express lounge to which I would normally have access was located after customs controls and therefore not accessible to domestic passengers. It also allowed me to check in my small rollaboard rather than fighting for overhead bin space.

The lounge was pretty basic in terms of its food offerings, but offered wine and both draught and canned beer and provided a comfortable place to sit while waiting for boarding, so it suited me fine.

The on board experience was not up to the standards of even intra-European Business Class, in that middle seats were not kept free and refreshments were limited to a snack and drink. However, given the short length of this flight and the small premium that I paid, I was perfectly happy with it.

Overall, this was a nice, easy little flight and “upgrading” was worth it in my very specific case.

Destination guide – Stockholm, Sweden

Sweden has been the poster child of freedom throughout the covid panic, the only country in the developed world never to have had a lockdown or a mask mandate.

For this reason, I made Stockholm my temporary home for a total of 8 months out of the last two years.

Here is an introduction to the beautiful capital city of the country that kept its head while all around them were losing theirs.

SIGHTS

From a multitude of museums, many of which are very inexpensive or even free to visit, to picturesque parks and gardens, relaxing waterside walks and a lively nightlife, Stockholm truly has something for everyone.

GETTING AROUND

First of all, Stockholm is not a city for drivers. The high cost of fuel and the eye-watering parking prices (if you can even find a place to park) convinced even a dedicated petrol head like me to ditch my wheels.

Furthermore, the public transport system is one of the most efficient I have come across anywhere in the world. You will very rarely need to wait more than 5 or 10 minutes for a bus, tram or metro train. Fares are very reasonable at 39SEK (£3 or $4) for a single ticket. Passes are also available, ranging from 165SEK (£13 or $16) for 24 hours to 970 SEK (£78 or $95) for 30 days.

Personally, I feel that the best way to see Stockholm is from the water. Options include the Oceanbus amphibious vehicle and the many boat tours, both of which are fun choices. My recommendation, however, is the commuter ferries which criss-cross the city and are included in the excellent value public transport passes.

OCEANBUS

FERRIES

TOUR BOATS

New mask free destinations

Further to my previously published guide to mask free destinations , a number of countries have joined the freeface bandwagon and abandoned the face covering dogma of the covid years.

Costa Rica 🇨🇷

The tropical paradise of Costa Rica is now fully unrestricted. There is no vaccination or test required for entry and tourists are no longer forced to buy overpriced health insurance to cover quarantine expenses.

Furthermore, mask wearing is now entirely optional in all settings.

Latvia 🇱🇻

Latvia has now joined its Baltic neighbour in abolishing the mask mandate for public transport, meaning that all everyday settings are now mask free.

Austria 🇦🇹

Following months of dragging its feet, Austria has suspended the mask mandate for shops and public transport, meaning that there are now no mask requirements in everyday life.

This, however, comes with a few caveats.

FFP2 masks (bird beaks) are still required in medical settings, which barring incidents most tourists will not need to access.

The Austrian government has backtracked a number of times on promised relaxations of the mask mandate and has explicitly stated that the present relaxation is only for a period of three months. Therefore, I have to advise treating this announcement with a modicum of scepticism. However, as I stated in my Lake Constance review, the new freeface culture has been almost universally embraced. I am therefore hopeful that the mask mandate will not be politically expedient to reimpose later.

Italy 🇮🇹

I was unsure whether to include Italy in this list, as the mandate is still officially in force, but is very widely expected to lapse on June 15.

After this date, the mask mandate for public transport and all businesses will expire, meaning tourists can go about their daily lives unmuzzled.

Italy is perhaps the most surprising addition to this list, as it has been an avid bastion of mask zealotry for the last two years.

I very much hope I don’t have to publish a retraction of this section after a hurried U-turn in the next 48 hours.

EDIT: In the few days since this article was published, the Italian government has backtracked and extended the mask mandate for public transport until September 30.

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.

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.

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