Trystan
Well-known member
Brazil
Thanks for this thread, seems a great idea for those of us addicted to travel who've been tearing our hair out this year.
There are so many logistical and practical problems to overcome right now.
From the OP
My perspective is that for my age and health, and the kind of activities I participate in, COVID is of little concern. During the whole year, I have carried on working, and with the best precautions in place, I still feel I have more chance picking this virus up at work than on any trip or holiday. I have finite time to travel due to work commitments and this year (barring a week in Rome) looked like a total write off.
I have concerns about a (false) positive test from countries which require one prior to travel and my annual insurance policy for travel wont cover covid, nor any travel to countries with 'essential travel only' restrictions.
I made contact with a company about birding from a lodge in the Atlantic rain forest to find out if dates were available, and if I could book very short notice as I needed to make sure that our enforced imprisonment in the UK was actually going to end on the 2nd December and that I would be able to get some form of health cover for the trip even if COVID wasn't covered. The dates had to be specific as the 14 day quarantine on return needed to co-incide with Christmas shutdown as I could not take additional days from work, nor work from home.
Insurance was found through a company called battleface - covered for all the usual, health, theft and cancellation including COVID, but not due to Government imposed lockdown at either end; the total cover for the trip was also not enough for the price paid, however, flights are transferrable so I decided that as we had just come out of lockdown and Brazil seemed to be carrying on as normal, I would go for it.
Flights Manchester to Rio via Amsterdam - no issues with transit through the Netherlands.
I am currently in Rio, doing a few tourist bits before the birding proper commences and I guess its a good time to be here in terms of reduced tourist numbers. Beaches are not crowded, and it didn't seem overly busy at Christ the Redeemer. I've had my temperature taken twice, once at Parque Lage and once at Christ the Redeemer, I'd say about 80% of people are wearing masks, even outdoors and there are lots of advisory signs up.
That's about it. Hopefully will get a decent haul of endemics in the next 10 days. I hope the vaccine turns things round soon as I don't see many countries available in this way and the quarantine on return will stop many of us who work from being able to keep doing these kinds of trip.
Thanks for this thread, seems a great idea for those of us addicted to travel who've been tearing our hair out this year.
There are so many logistical and practical problems to overcome right now.
From the OP
- What are the COVID policies in the country and how are they enforced?
- Is there a quarantine when you arrive? What other requirements on arrival?
- What restrictions are there in local travel?
- Are natural areas open and is the whole country open to travel?
Are there any curfews?
- What are the tendencies in how COVID is spreading?
My perspective is that for my age and health, and the kind of activities I participate in, COVID is of little concern. During the whole year, I have carried on working, and with the best precautions in place, I still feel I have more chance picking this virus up at work than on any trip or holiday. I have finite time to travel due to work commitments and this year (barring a week in Rome) looked like a total write off.
I have concerns about a (false) positive test from countries which require one prior to travel and my annual insurance policy for travel wont cover covid, nor any travel to countries with 'essential travel only' restrictions.
I made contact with a company about birding from a lodge in the Atlantic rain forest to find out if dates were available, and if I could book very short notice as I needed to make sure that our enforced imprisonment in the UK was actually going to end on the 2nd December and that I would be able to get some form of health cover for the trip even if COVID wasn't covered. The dates had to be specific as the 14 day quarantine on return needed to co-incide with Christmas shutdown as I could not take additional days from work, nor work from home.
Insurance was found through a company called battleface - covered for all the usual, health, theft and cancellation including COVID, but not due to Government imposed lockdown at either end; the total cover for the trip was also not enough for the price paid, however, flights are transferrable so I decided that as we had just come out of lockdown and Brazil seemed to be carrying on as normal, I would go for it.
Flights Manchester to Rio via Amsterdam - no issues with transit through the Netherlands.
I am currently in Rio, doing a few tourist bits before the birding proper commences and I guess its a good time to be here in terms of reduced tourist numbers. Beaches are not crowded, and it didn't seem overly busy at Christ the Redeemer. I've had my temperature taken twice, once at Parque Lage and once at Christ the Redeemer, I'd say about 80% of people are wearing masks, even outdoors and there are lots of advisory signs up.
That's about it. Hopefully will get a decent haul of endemics in the next 10 days. I hope the vaccine turns things round soon as I don't see many countries available in this way and the quarantine on return will stop many of us who work from being able to keep doing these kinds of trip.
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