Travel to the UK

Looking for information on a place in Andalucia or simply asking for advice on somewhere to visit? Post here and someone out there may know the answer.
Lavanda
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 6191
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: Cáceres Province, Extremadura

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby Lavanda » Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:51 am

I can see I am going to be more confused than usual!

I'll keep you posted as to what I see and experience, first-hand — but only if it's interesting.

User avatar
costakid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5754
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:55 am
Location: malaga este

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby costakid » Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:59 am

No quarantine from Spain to the UK now. Masks compulsory in shops from 24th of July.
Border force issued only 2 fines for non compliance of form filling. In the Uk they dont attend burglaries so no chance of being fined for not wearing a mask. You would in and out of the shop before the police arrive.

olive
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 4500
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:13 pm
Location: Poniente, Granada

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby olive » Sun Jul 19, 2020 12:13 pm

peteroldracer wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:07 am “ Go in to the local empty shop for your pint of milk and you'll have to wear it or you'll be £100 lighter.”
Not yet anyway - masks are here and there, maybe 10% wearing them, none of the shop staff in M&S Knaresborough, only the one on the till at TKMaxx...coming from controlling Spain to dithering UK is as we expected so far.
Is there much difference in "actual" deaths and infections between the two countries? I suspect not.

Having been stuck in the UK for the last five months, I am grateful to have not been in Spain with its controlling and fining regime. far better to have a "dithering" as you call it - UK. Most people that I have seen have been using common sense. If the rate of infected people is as high as 4 in 10,000 (a rate considered high), ask yourself how big a risk is it for you to go into Mand S or TKmax ? If it is too big then don't go at all , buy online or ask is it really necessary to buy the stuff to add to the other stuff one already has. As someone said earlier, what is so magical about the date of the 24th? If it is so important to wear masks then it should be now. There are plenty available in UK. It is just more government control- being seen to be doing something.

It will be interesting to see how the "voluntary stay at home please" in Catalunia works.

User avatar
costakid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5754
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:55 am
Location: malaga este

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby costakid » Sun Jul 19, 2020 12:34 pm

In March the UK government said masks didn’t help, over the next 4 months we are now at the compulsory in shops stage. Was it they didn’t know or that if they said in March they save lives the the demand would have put a strain on the supply to the NHS. If its the latter it is disgraceful as they have put many lives at risk.

katy
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 13752
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:45 pm

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby katy » Sun Jul 19, 2020 1:32 pm

peteroldracer wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:07 am “ Go in to the local empty shop for your pint of milk and you'll have to wear it or you'll be £100 lighter.”
Not yet anyway - masks are here and there, maybe 10% wearing them, none of the shop staff in M&S Knaresborough, only the one on the till at TKMaxx...coming from controlling Spain to dithering UK is as we expected so far.
I would say 1% wearing in all the places I have been. Villages and Cities. Won't be long before they do as the propaganda machine is on. Also the Twitter mob trying to shame those not complying. 119 days ago it was protect our NHS now it's protect your Granny\neighbour etc.

User avatar
spanish_lad
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 6218
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 10:13 pm
Location: Alhaurin el Grande since 99, cartama campo since 2022

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby spanish_lad » Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:21 pm

Can you all start flying please, we need some cars to park :lol:
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.

anyroads
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2252
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:53 pm
Location: Hampshire, UK, Lebrija

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby anyroads » Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:25 pm

Hope to travel to Spain in September ( if we are not all in lockdown again ).

Can I complete the form as soon as I book flights, or has it to be just before I leave ?

anyroads

User avatar
peteroldracer
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 7774
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:56 pm
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby peteroldracer » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:02 pm

It must be completed online, and cannot be done until 48 hours before your arrival in the UK. You can print the form to show to border control, or download to your smartphone. There must be one form per person but under 18s travelling with you do not need one.
Although awkward because of the time element the information is stored on the computer and linked to your passport and travel details, so Border Control can quickly check you as you enter the UK.
I used to cough to disguise a [email protected] I f@rt to disguise a cough.

anyroads
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2252
Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2006 8:53 pm
Location: Hampshire, UK, Lebrija

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby anyroads » Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:10 pm

Other way around as it were...

I will be travelling to Spain. Again I take it, it should only be completed 48 hours before travel from UK to Spain ?

anyroads

User avatar
peteroldracer
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 7774
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:56 pm
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby peteroldracer » Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:12 pm

Different system - not saved to computer so you can download and print out the form, then fill it in with a black pen. Roughly same details required - where you can be found while you are there.
I used to cough to disguise a [email protected] I f@rt to disguise a cough.

User avatar
costakid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5754
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:55 am
Location: malaga este

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby costakid » Wed Jul 22, 2020 10:13 am

anyroads wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 6:10 pm Other way around as it were...

I will be travelling to Spain. Again I take it, it should only be completed 48 hours before travel from UK to Spain ?

anyroads
The form cant be completed until under 48 hours to travel. You can log on and start the process and go back to complete nearer your departure date.

User avatar
peteroldracer
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 7774
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:56 pm
Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby peteroldracer » Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:25 am

I used to cough to disguise a [email protected] I f@rt to disguise a cough.

Lavanda
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 6191
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: Cáceres Province, Extremadura

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby Lavanda » Wed Jul 22, 2020 3:16 pm

Bus up to Madrid had 10 people, well-spaced, on it (well-spaced geographically and not the other way). I remembered to walk up the bus steps without holding on to the hand rail and touched nothing that was not my book and bag. Long line of bored taxi drivers in Madrid who are fed-up and worried that people do not seem to be going anywhere. Had to show my boarding card to get into the terminal building. Consequentially, no large family groups seeing people off or meeting arrivals milling about aimlessly. Only 16 flights showing on the departures board scheduled from 14.00 to 23.00. Most of them EasyJet. The place was deserted. Checked-in easily. Bag search and x-ray place was equally deserted. They let me through with 200ml of hand gel which I had put in a tray separately but they waved it through. Obviously have more things to worry about than liquid explosives blowing planes up.

One Duty Free shop open and one café but once beyond the police check there was NOTHING other than vending machines. Should have packed sandwiches. Very few people. My flight was 25% full. Remembered to walk up steps not holding handrail, etc. People sat one to a row, alternating with window and aisle seats so we did actually do the distance thing. In flight choccy bars and water. NO TEA!!! Once at Bristol the immigration police didn't look at my Entry Forms but did want to know I had done it on-line in case they need to get hold of me. They were bored and talkative. The area was empty and usually there is quite a queue. The airport hotel was deserted. Three guests. Breakfast was rubbish stuff in a take-away bag; all cake and yuck — no wonder people are getting podgy. Airport bus to the train station was just me and one other person. We sat at opposite ends of the bus and had a shouty conversation. The train was on time and there were only four people in my train carriage. Social distancing is simple when there are no people around.

olive
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 4500
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:13 pm
Location: Poniente, Granada

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby olive » Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:47 pm

interesting account. No motorhome then? They have cafes on board with tea and proper breakfasts. No shouty conversations. No queue for the toilets (but you do have to empty them yourselves ultimately).

I am all packed ready to finally drive home after nearly five months. Just waiting (along with 140,000 others) for my passport to arrive.

User avatar
firsttango
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2665
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 5:34 pm
Location: Velez-Malaga

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby firsttango » Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:54 pm

olive wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:47 pm I am all packed ready to finally drive home after nearly five months. Just waiting (along with 140,000 others) for my passport to arrive.
I think you'll find its 400,000

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53494998

biribiri
Andalucia.com Amigo
Posts: 236
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:47 am
Location: Sevilla

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby biribiri » Thu Jul 23, 2020 12:35 am

Arrived in the uk last Sunday 19th July. Forms were filled in and submitted on line 48 hrs before, arrived at Dover and were waved straight through without any checks.

Lavanda
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 6191
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:42 pm
Location: Cáceres Province, Extremadura

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby Lavanda » Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:46 am

Olive, the motor home is still the target eventually. In the end I decided to fly. My own belief is that this virus is not that easy to catch. Washing hands and distancing, for me, are key and I did both. I keep a positive mind, although it would be easy to succumb to paralysingly fear but I’m not going there.

User avatar
Devils Advocate
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5597
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:38 pm
Location: Sierra Tejeda and England

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby Devils Advocate » Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:26 am

Good account of your trip Lavanda. Plus a good account of your stance and beliefs about all of this. In a way the way you described your trip it sounded brilliant and far less streesful than normal.
Property owner in Andalucia since 2002. How time flies.

markwilding
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 7776
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:02 am
Location: Bilbao Spain

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby markwilding » Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:43 am

Lanander, Good to hear about your experience. It's interesting to note that everything was quite quiet which supports my view that people are staycationing this year. I agree with your point about getting on with things. but this depends on everybody and being sensible is key. It is clear we both have different opinions on many points but on this one we are on the same page. We need to live life as normal as possible.

On the one hand you have those who are over fearful, on the other and just as important there are those who think they are indestructible, don't follow social distancing and come up really close when they are talking to you.

Maybe if more people took the middle ground and followed the simple stuff, we could get through this with fewer restrictions.

Pamela1
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 2542
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:30 am
Location: Co Durham/ Granada Province

Re: Travel to the UK

Postby Pamela1 » Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:35 am

Good account of your trip Lavanda but as i read through each step of your journey i couldn't help but notice that all parts of your journey can not possibly be sustained for a long period of time...the buses you took, the airport, the plane and the hotel, all badly effected and in all honesty they must all be running at a loss...I couldn't help but think, and how long can that go on for, how many people can keep continuing to give an account of a loss running journey such as yours Lavanda...The economy has been well trashed and while people keep to a negative mind set it will not recover and there lies the problem. I have lost count of the number of people who won't get on a bus, train,plane or go to hotels etc and they actually mock those who are willing to do so. They are the very same people who will be the shouters and moaners if these services disappear when they eventually wish to come out of hiding and use them..Sad to say but they are also the very same people who are putting many people out of work and helping to trash their livelihoods. A positive attitude and sensible approach is the only way forward.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests