- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances, (2013)
Camino Frances, (2014)
Camino Frances, (2015)
I just completed a twenty-nine day trip from Seattle, Washington, to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and back. My route was Seattle to Frankfurt, Germany, to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then onto Victoria Falls. I found obtaining PCR tests in Seattle and Victoria to be a little annoying and time consuming, but not insurmountable in the least.
On my way to Victoria Falls, the German immigration agents did not bat an eye lash when I flashed my vaccination card. They literally did not care about my negative PCR test. The Ethiopian immigration did not ask to see either my vaccination card or my PCR test because I was "in transit." The folks with Zimbabwean Immigration did not care about my vaccination card but completely focused on the negative PCR test.
At the conclusion of my stay in Zimbabwe, my hotel arranged for someone to come to my hotel room to swab my nose just before breakfast on the day of my departure. I had the results within 90 minutes at a cost of $65. Back at Addis Ababa, the immigration agents once again only asked for my actual passport. Upon arrival in Germany, the immigration agents focused on both my vaccination card and my negative PCR test because I had been in a high risk nation. When I arrived back at Seattle, United States immigration was not interested in either the vaccination card or the PCR test.
While in flight, masks were required unless you were eating or drinking. I pushed the limits of the policy by nursing a bottle of water for 30 and 40 minutes at a time. When I slept (in business class) I took the mask off the ear that was laying on the pillow. The loosely draped mask over my nose and mouth allowed me to breath well enough to fall asleep.
Obviously, the situation is fluid around the world so my experiences may not be valid for your trip. But, I found it possible to cope. However, I am not sure if I could have survived as well if I had flown in economy.
On my way to Victoria Falls, the German immigration agents did not bat an eye lash when I flashed my vaccination card. They literally did not care about my negative PCR test. The Ethiopian immigration did not ask to see either my vaccination card or my PCR test because I was "in transit." The folks with Zimbabwean Immigration did not care about my vaccination card but completely focused on the negative PCR test.
At the conclusion of my stay in Zimbabwe, my hotel arranged for someone to come to my hotel room to swab my nose just before breakfast on the day of my departure. I had the results within 90 minutes at a cost of $65. Back at Addis Ababa, the immigration agents once again only asked for my actual passport. Upon arrival in Germany, the immigration agents focused on both my vaccination card and my negative PCR test because I had been in a high risk nation. When I arrived back at Seattle, United States immigration was not interested in either the vaccination card or the PCR test.
While in flight, masks were required unless you were eating or drinking. I pushed the limits of the policy by nursing a bottle of water for 30 and 40 minutes at a time. When I slept (in business class) I took the mask off the ear that was laying on the pillow. The loosely draped mask over my nose and mouth allowed me to breath well enough to fall asleep.
Obviously, the situation is fluid around the world so my experiences may not be valid for your trip. But, I found it possible to cope. However, I am not sure if I could have survived as well if I had flown in economy.