20220404 Some Thoughts: In 1962, Marian and I went on a ten-week adventure to Europe. In those days, 60 years ago, besides a valid passport, you had to have the international vaccine certificate showing you had been vaccinated for smallpox. Now, all these years later, Jeff and I have to bring our originals of our Covid vaccine cards with us. In 1962, it was a universal international document. In 2022, it’s all local as are the particular requirements in different countries. Then it was to show the certificate at border entry points. Now we have to bring the originals to restaurants, museums, etc. as well.

Just got word from Regent Seven Seas that the EU is tightening their vaccine requirements so that if you had only the original two shots, they had to be less than 27 months old from when you disembark from the cruise. Having a more recent booster no matter when the original shots works, too. And, as soon as the second booster was available, both Jeff and I got it the beginning of April. So, all good.

Regent informed us earlier we would need a PCR Covid test within 72 hours of embarkation. We will get the tests in Barcelona. Note that no test is required to fly to Spain. But there still is PCR test required within 24 hours before leaving Europe back to the US.

While visas are not required for the trip, we had to fill out a Spanish health form that we update online within 48 hours of our flight to Barcelona. There was the Italian locator form which, I guess, is to do contact tracing if they need to. For both of these forms, there are QR codes to be shown to the appropriate officials.

For the sights in Barcelona and Rome, we both have guides and, for our individual forays, we have time/date tickets gotten online and stored in our Apple Wallets. Everything digital. Some places you can get tickets for about any date; some, like the Vatican, earliest is 60 days in advance, Coliseum in Rome, 30 days in advance. Going online tomorrow for Colosseum tix for May 5…30 days in advance.

Today was the first day we could check in for the cruise. Needed to upload “security image” for both of us. Hard to find one of me without my red hat or one of Jeff without a cap. Looked at the one-minute “where-to-go” and “how to put on a life jacket” video. Put in a cc for onboard purchases. And, viola, they sent digital boarding passes.

April 5 Update: The Colosseum tickets are available 30 days TO THE HOUR in advance. Found this out by trial and error. So, went online at 7:30am STL which is 2:30pm in Rome and got our tix for 2:05 on May 5. Sigh.

20220419 Travails of Travel – A Lesson in Forms Before Function: Well, a flurry of forms including one new one tonight.

• Delta has my passport number and info, but needed an upload of my vaccination card which was reviewed and verified, and attestation I had done the Spain form below.
• Spain requires a health form showing name, flight number, seat number, passport info, country of residency, details about your Covid vaccine dates since there are new EU protocols on when you’ve had your last shot, etc. I had filled this out a month or so ago, but, when I had to put in the final information (which you can only put in 72 hours before departure), I realized I had put in the wrong date for arriving. So, did the whole form over this morning and got a new QR code.
• Italy requires an EU locator form. This form requires a full list of all the ports of call for the cruise. Vaccination info, passport info, etc. Did that a few weeks ago. Another QR code.
• Got notice several days ago that Malta also needed the same EU locator form. BUT got new email today that one has to get an app, VeriFLY, and fill in several things, snap pix of yourself to upload, upload a copy of your vaccination card, scan the QR code from the EU locator form. The app was a bit clunky about certain things. While it wanted you to upload a copy of your vaccination form, the “browse” function on the app was so limited that I had to revert to taking a picture of the CDC card and using that. Note, all this had to be done on the iPhone app rather than through a website.

20220412 Things to Pack on 2022 Trip: In the Time of Covid, there are new items I am packing for the trip. They include:

• Many N95 and KN95 masks
• Several packets of disinfectant wipes
• Some Covid at-home test kits
• Pfizer Paxlovid Covid medicine in case I contract Covid abroad
• Original proof of vaccinations

I think this will be the new norm for some years to come.

20220421 STL to ATL to BCN: Been a long and eventful day so far and, as I am writing this, we are about 6 hours from Barcelona. It started off this morning with calling the vet about Sabrina. She had been in there a couple of days ago since she was just not herself. Liver enzymes elevated. But she was worse today and we arranged for Barb to take her in.

Left the house about (:30 and met Jeff at the airport at 10:00. Spent some time getting fully registered into Clear. Added jeff to my plan. Then sat around given our flight was not to depart until about 1:00. Had lunch at a Bud Brewhouse and then got on plane and went to Atlanta. While we were sitting and waiting, there was a man walking briskly in circles all around the seating area talking loudly and gesticulating while he talked on his mobile phone. Many of us had a good time laughing at him.

In Atlanta we had a long walk from our gate and terminal to the underground train to our departure terminal. Got a telephone update from the vet. Sabrina spent the day there getting fluids forced to try to clear her liver. Will go back tomorrow, too. There we went into the Delta Sky Club for a couple of hours. Nice expresso machine. While there, I got a message from our neighbor that he had to shut off our sprinkler system since one of the heads (luckily right by his house) was leaking lots of water. So, I contacted the sprinkler company who had just opened the system for the summer (and checked it out?) yesterday. Hopefully they will come out tomorrow and I warned them about steering clear of our fiber optic cable which is right by the affected head.

Our flight was supposed to depart at 6:10, but the plane had come in late and, with current cleaning and disinfecting protocols, it took lots of time to get it fully ready for us. Was after 7:30 that we finally did get airborne. Huge and very nice supper. And they have it that we can message from the plane for no cost.

Masks. Us, yes. Others not quite so much. Even on this international flight, masks are optional. So, I am keeping mine on except when drinking or eating…even between courses at supper. The crew that serves us have masks and gloves. The ones not on meal service do not.

Also, before we took off, heard lots of people talking about the Spain health QR code we all need. Some folks had not done it until too late to get the code (needed to do it at least 48 hours before arrival). So, lots of chatter about this.