Post by lapourtaider on Jan 1, 2022 10:57:54 GMT 1
Following on from my OP, we did indeed make it to the UK. I haven't seen my parents or any of our families for 3 years, and already lost an elderly uncle during the year that we couldn't get to their funeral. There are a couple of others that might not make another year, so decided as long as it was legally possible to visit this year, we would do so, whatever the hoops.
The rules first changed in November, meaning that we had to isolate on arrival in the UK until the results of a PCR test within the first two days. We changed our ferry booking to allow time for our tests and results before a family "party ". That was sorted with a test arranged at the expresstest drive through at EastleighFC.
An antigen test was also added pre departure but quickly sorted out with the antigen test arranged at a local pharmacy for the morning we were due to leave our home.
Then the very day we were leaving, it was declared by France that we would have to have a pre departure antigen test in the UK and quarantine of 10 days after arrival (which could be reduced to a minimum of 48h if we had a negative antigen test). Again quickly booked up a drive through test at Eastleigh.
With these new rules our earlier bringing forward of our outbound crossing was fortunate as we left France before we were required to justify our trip (the definitive list wasn't immediately available at the moment we were still debating whether to go or not).
So we arrived in the UK at Portsmouth (where we were staying) Friday night and drove to Eastleigh Saturday morning for our PCR tests at 0920. There was a queue and they were eventually done about 0955. Back to where we were staying until the results came in, which were hoping would be about midday on the Sunday.
We were notified of our results at 1625 on the sunday, which just gave enough time to get collected and taken to the family party for the last 30 mins. I was actually quite relieved at this as I personally felt the party should have been cancelled (even though everyone who went to that party did LFTs beforehand). A few days later one person who was at the party tested positive for covid but they were the only one.
After that every day we were there we all did LFTs as did everyone who came there or whom we visited.
We decided to bring forward our return crossing. Because of the requirement of a minimum of 48h before testing to release, I couldn't be legally clear for the start of my duty for New Year.
I had to cancel our pre departure tests and rebook for the day before so booked for the tuesday afternoon. The ferry was rebooked for tuesday evening.
Monday afternoon we received texts reminding us of our test appointments then 1½ hours later missed a call and received an email saying our tests were cancelled due to exceptional circumstances! Managed to rebook at the Madjeski Stadium at Reading for Tuesday morning.
Drove to Reading and had the results of the pre departure antigen test before we got back to Portsmouth (negative thankfully).
Got to the ferry port 2½hrs before sailing and lots of cars queuing to check in which was a long slow process, but that was just a precursor of what was to come in France.
Possibly 150 cars coming off the ferry and we were approximately in the middle. It took 1¼hrs to exit the ferry port after disembarkation. The Douanes were thoroughly checking everyone's paperwork. The woman in front of us was pulled to one-side and presumably told to wait until everyone else went though. We had all our paperwork in a clear sheet binder and praised by the douanier for being so organised and the wish that everybody else had been. Only took 3 minutes for us as opposed to the 5-10 for everyone else.
48hrs later and our antigen tests at the local pharmacy were negative and we are free to circulate. Not interested at all in the QR code generated by our arrêt. Will have to wait and see if the gendarmes check up on us in a few days.
If you get to the end of this, thanks for reading. All the cost, tests and stress were worth it for the few precious hours I spent with my parents and sister.
The rules first changed in November, meaning that we had to isolate on arrival in the UK until the results of a PCR test within the first two days. We changed our ferry booking to allow time for our tests and results before a family "party ". That was sorted with a test arranged at the expresstest drive through at EastleighFC.
An antigen test was also added pre departure but quickly sorted out with the antigen test arranged at a local pharmacy for the morning we were due to leave our home.
Then the very day we were leaving, it was declared by France that we would have to have a pre departure antigen test in the UK and quarantine of 10 days after arrival (which could be reduced to a minimum of 48h if we had a negative antigen test). Again quickly booked up a drive through test at Eastleigh.
With these new rules our earlier bringing forward of our outbound crossing was fortunate as we left France before we were required to justify our trip (the definitive list wasn't immediately available at the moment we were still debating whether to go or not).
So we arrived in the UK at Portsmouth (where we were staying) Friday night and drove to Eastleigh Saturday morning for our PCR tests at 0920. There was a queue and they were eventually done about 0955. Back to where we were staying until the results came in, which were hoping would be about midday on the Sunday.
We were notified of our results at 1625 on the sunday, which just gave enough time to get collected and taken to the family party for the last 30 mins. I was actually quite relieved at this as I personally felt the party should have been cancelled (even though everyone who went to that party did LFTs beforehand). A few days later one person who was at the party tested positive for covid but they were the only one.
After that every day we were there we all did LFTs as did everyone who came there or whom we visited.
We decided to bring forward our return crossing. Because of the requirement of a minimum of 48h before testing to release, I couldn't be legally clear for the start of my duty for New Year.
I had to cancel our pre departure tests and rebook for the day before so booked for the tuesday afternoon. The ferry was rebooked for tuesday evening.
Monday afternoon we received texts reminding us of our test appointments then 1½ hours later missed a call and received an email saying our tests were cancelled due to exceptional circumstances! Managed to rebook at the Madjeski Stadium at Reading for Tuesday morning.
Drove to Reading and had the results of the pre departure antigen test before we got back to Portsmouth (negative thankfully).
Got to the ferry port 2½hrs before sailing and lots of cars queuing to check in which was a long slow process, but that was just a precursor of what was to come in France.
Possibly 150 cars coming off the ferry and we were approximately in the middle. It took 1¼hrs to exit the ferry port after disembarkation. The Douanes were thoroughly checking everyone's paperwork. The woman in front of us was pulled to one-side and presumably told to wait until everyone else went though. We had all our paperwork in a clear sheet binder and praised by the douanier for being so organised and the wish that everybody else had been. Only took 3 minutes for us as opposed to the 5-10 for everyone else.
48hrs later and our antigen tests at the local pharmacy were negative and we are free to circulate. Not interested at all in the QR code generated by our arrêt. Will have to wait and see if the gendarmes check up on us in a few days.
If you get to the end of this, thanks for reading. All the cost, tests and stress were worth it for the few precious hours I spent with my parents and sister.