So stressful but, for us, ultimately worth it to travel.

[thenicefamily]

Hi to all of you out there who've been travelling internationally this year and, those who've been booked to travel but haven't yet experienced the new "normal". Oh, the shifting quicksands of Covid testing! Crazy-making. I get it, totally and, as evidenced by many of these posts, so do a lot of you.

Our story - In late September, we travelled to the UK a week before they removed the requirement for a pre-departure test to get in so, we did a rapid antigen at the airport 24-hours before we left, two at-home PCR tests 2 days after arrival in the UK, a repeat one since one of the Day 2 tests was inconclusive, then another set of two PCR tests - 2 of us travelling - 72-hours before returning to Canada.

Then, two weeks later, I travelled to DL and our group took the 72-hour rapid antigen before departure and, a LAMP (rapid PCR - thanks Switch Health!) a mere 48-hours after arrival on our vacation as our trip was only 4 days' duration.

So, in the past 8 weeks, for me and my travel mates for 2 trips = 6 rapid antigen pre-departure, 2 PCR tests Day 2 UK, 2 PCR tests day 16 UK (to return to Canada), 4 LAMP tests (to return from US). That also equals $1,800 in test kits.

Why am I saying all this? Because, for us, a happy ending. None of our tests were positive and, although the incredible stress of timing things properly with these 72-hour test / 24-hour flight-activity cancellation windows was draining, it was worth it. It was. We needed to leave our home bubble. It was imperative for our sanity and, if it's the same for you, take heart - you'll get through it and you'll be glad you persevered IMO and experience.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Hi to all of you out there who've been travelling internationally this year and, those who've been booked to travel but haven't yet experienced the new "normal". Oh, the shifting quicksands of Covid testing! Crazy-making. I get it, totally and, as evidenced by many of these posts, so do a lot of you.

Our story - In late September, we travelled to the UK a week before they removed the requirement for a pre-departure test to get in so, we did a rapid antigen at the airport 24-hours before we left, two at-home PCR tests 2 days after arrival in the UK, a repeat one since one of the Day 2 tests was inconclusive, then another set of two PCR tests - 2 of us travelling - 72-hours before returning to Canada.

Then, two weeks later, I travelled to DL and our group took the 72-hour rapid antigen before departure and, a LAMP (rapid PCR - thanks Switch Health!) a mere 48-hours after arrival on our vacation as our trip was only 4 days' duration.

So, in the past 8 weeks, for me and my travel mates for 2 trips = 6 rapid antigen pre-departure, 2 PCR tests Day 2 UK, 2 PCR tests day 16 UK (to return to Canada), 4 LAMP tests (to return from US). That also equals $1,800 in test kits.

Why am I saying all this? Because, for us, a happy ending. None of our tests were positive and, although the incredible stress of timing things properly with these 72-hour test / 24-hour flight-activity cancellation windows was draining, it was worth it. It was. We needed to leave our home bubble. It was imperative for our sanity and, if it's the same for you, take heart - you'll get through it and you'll be glad you persevered IMO and experience.

Totally agree with this. At some point, our mental health and well being needs to be considered as well.

 

[hdrolfe]

I am very glad we went to Disney end of October, it was short, too fast, and feels like it never happened but it was totally worth it, even the stress of it. I am now just really hoping we can still do our March break cruises. We'll figure out the testing/requirements closer to the date but as long as we can still travel! I will be getting the manulife pandemic coverage, it does cover if you have to quarantine and doesn't seem too expensive.

 

[pigletto]

Thank you for your post. I’m a mom of two and being mom to these awesome humans has been my single greatest joy. My oldest lives with her fiancé a few cities away now , and my youngest has applied to several universities for the Fall and will be moving away. I know this happens in lots of families and it’s perfectly normal .

What they don’t tell you is that there is real sense of grief that comes with no longer having your children at home and it’s a big shift. We still talk , we still see eachother , and we’re close. But it’s not the same as your small children coming down the stairs for their breakfast every morning and being in their beds at night and I will miss the noise and laughter.

So that’s my why. Life is short and the stars have aligned and everyone can and wants to travel at the same time. The testing just doesn’t seem like too big of a hoop to jump through for me. It seems like a way to be able to still go responsibly and squeeze in this last vacation with all of us to our happy place. Worth it .

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Why am I saying all this? Because, for us, a happy ending. None of our tests were positive and, although the incredible stress of timing things properly with these 72-hour test / 24-hour flight-activity cancellation windows was draining, it was worth it. It was. We needed to leave our home bubble. It was imperative for our sanity and, if it's the same for you, take heart - you'll get through it and you'll be glad you persevered IMO and experience.

You are very correct! The virus is here, and mutating. It's going to be here forever, just like the flu. We need to find ways to still live life and move forward (in safe and responsible ways ie -vaccinations, masking, testing, quarantining, staying home when sick - even if it's just a cold) living our best lives. We are never guaranteed tomorrow - ever. It could be a virus that takes you out, heart attack, stroke, and disease or cancer, MVA of some sort, or some freak accident like falling down the stairs or slipping on ice and hitting your head. The paranoia and fear that all of this had created - will take DECADES to undo.

For the mental health of myself and my family - we go about our lives and do what we can, as safely as we can. For us, the testing is a small thing to do, so that I can travel during our long prairie winters, and get some vitamin D, warm water and sand.