Travel preparation before setting off

I have been an avid list planner using Excel spreadsheets for a few years now, as funnily enough, it is all part of the excitement of planning for the trip.  I have one master travel spreadsheet. Page 1 is a long list of items I COULD take on a trip and page 2 is a list of things I MAY need to do, with the number of days before departure that they need to be done.

The list of items to take also has the weight of each item and also whether it is to be in the carry-on luggage, or a specific checked in case. The fun then is building the list for each trip and using Excel’s ‘LOOKUP’ function, and seeing the weight for each case before packing, as items are selected.

The image below has had many lines deleted but gives a general idea of what the system looks like.

 

The beauty of the system is that with a spreadsheet for each trip, (saved in Dropbox), should a case go astray, there is a ready-made list of what was in it, for insurance purposes.

To date, I have almost never left anything behind that I should have packed and it also ensures that the luggage isn’t overweight.

When it comes to the ‘to do list’, not only is it booking hotels, car rentals and items such as turning off the water just before we leave, but in 2021, there are the Covid testing requirements to be scheduled whilst the ‘to take’ list has also had to be modified.  Only time will tell if I get that right.

As mentioned in an earlier post, travel advisories seem to be changing almost daily but as at the time of writing the draft of this, NZ has just gone into lockdown - again, which may or may not affect my own travel plans. NZ is currently a ‘Green list’ country, which means a day 2 arrival test in the UK, but a move to an ‘Amber’ list could prove problematic, requiring an additional day 8 test and some form of isolation, which will seriously damage the travel plans and may even see it cancelled.     

A pre NZ departure Covid test has been booked and the time allocated is 12pm, September 2^nd. The flight out is the afternoon of Saturday September 4^th. That will be an anxious time, awaiting that result!

Booking a pre departure test in the UK was next. The complication here was a test taken within 3 days of departure and the result through before an 8:50pm flight, meaning maybe a 5:30pm check in. The complication is that one of the main reasons for the timing of the trip, is attending the 3 day Goodwood Revival (classic/historic car) race meeting, which is all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Flying out Tuesday evening, I booked a Monday 8:30am test in Bournemouth, where I’ll catch up with my youngest brother.

My brother very kindly went to the test centre to check it out and emailed to say that their tests are picked up 12 noon, and therefore the test results are not likely to be back for 36 hours. Too late. Oh dear. However, for an EXTRA £99, they would be done in time. Very much a case of so be it.

From the Facebook group page, someone stated they’d arrived at Heathrow about 11am for an 8:50pm flight and were able to be tested at the airport. I think I prefer paying the extra in Bournemouth, for peace of mind.

The only other mandatory items to deal with are a UK day 2 arrival Covid test, that has to be booked and paid for, and a receipt shown before boarding in Auckland, plus filling in an on line declaration of where I’ve been for the previous 14 days, within 2 days of departure – and a copy printed out to be shown before boarding, along with the Covid test result.

Perhaps as well that despite the advancing years, dealing with emails and on-line forms is no big deal. However, dealing with a mobile phone is a different story, as unlike about 95% of the population over the age of 5, I don’t rely on a mobile phone. Certainly, I’ll probably need it at check ins or I may just make sure all info is on the laptop.

Meanwhile, some harrowing tales of people entering MIQ, after very long journeys and being shipped off to Christchurch, with small children in tow.

More next time on stories, hints and tips gleaned so far from the Facebook group - and an update on Auckland’s lockdown status.

 

     

 

    

More preparation and info

The aforementioned Facebook group, has several posts a day and some have even been posting pictures of their food, which is useful.

Much of the discussion is critical of the booking system itself.  That is generally justified but some have had their places cancelled because they were "signed in on multiple devices" (sometimes incorrectly) and naturally enough, many appear to be genuinely suffering from spending hours and hours each day, continually refreshing the screen in a vain hope that a vacancy will crop up.

As I write this, it is the final day of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, so the competitors and their entourages will get MIQ spaces on their return. It was also announced that the Dubai Expo staff, will also be allocated MIQ spaces and it appears that groups of more than 20 people, be they business or sports related, and even entertainers, are getting MIQ spots, when ordinary folk are denied, or just have to spend hours a day hoping to secure a place.

The irony of it is that the NZ Government sees some of these groups and sports teams as an 'economic benefit' to NZ. What irks many of the people struggling, is that they may be self-employed, and collectively, also of economic benefit to NZ.

On the Facebook page are many examples of people stranded and suffering by not being able to be with sick or dying loved ones. Families split because those working overseas just can’t get back. Others with jobs expiring, or tenancies expiring, work visas expiring. Job offers in NZ not able to be fulfilled and so on.

Logistically, it appears there are difficulties with having enough staff to run the systems and a system that is far from perfect.

At long last, the news media are picking up on this, but will things really change?

We’ll just have to wait and see.

During this period, the two pressing issues for me are the pre-departure Covid test timings, from NZ, and booking an arrival day 2 test in the UK. Then there will be a departure test from the UK.

Results have to be shown, and that in itself raises the issue of how long it actually takes to get the results, in a format that can be shown at the airport(s). That inevitably means reliance on a mobile phone – something I rarely use.  I prefer an emailed hard copy - which is fine if at home and able to use a printer, not so easy if travelling.

The challenges of keeping up with the requirements of a) NZ, b) Singapore c) UK is a bit of a pain. Requirements are constantly changing.

The next post may well be about what I’m learning about preparing for the flight. The flights. Transit through Singapore. UK Arrival and departure procedures and so on.

Feel free to comment!