Travelling in times of covid-19
Long time no see! I’ve had a hectic few weeks. And, well, also an international move. Kind of. We’re in Spain! We weren’t planning on travelling this year, but an unexpected (and quite bizarre) turn of events forced us to leave China for the time being. Life is strange!
We also had a one week stopover in Abu Dhabi of which I will write in another post. Today I wanted to describe my experience travelling in the middle of a pandemic, as especially taking planes is quite different these days.
The first thing is that, if you want to take a plane, you need to get a PCR done. I had to go to the only hospital in Suzhou which gives the results document in English, although I don’t really know why as the only ones requiring that are the check-in staff at Pudong airport, who are all Chinese. Luckily in China PCR are done swabbing the throat, not inside the nose, so this PCR was painless and comfortable. You need to do this within 72 hours of your departure time. At least with the airline I was taking (Etihad), children under 12 were not required to do a PCR.
When I arrived to Shanghai Pudong International Airport I was surprised at how empty it was. China resumed normal domestic travel basically one year ago, but international flights are still very few. There were only three international flights for the whole evening and night! Most of the check-in counters were closed. But even though there were very few passengers and the queue was short, the staff took a long time checking each person’s documents. We were at the counter for maybe 20 minutes and the staff checked and rechecked our documents several times. I was freaking out a little bit inside because we were supposed to have the onward tickets from Abu Dhabi to Spain but we had not bought them yet and had a fake booking for a flight that didn’t exist, and I thought the lady at the counter was actually searching for that flight. In the end it turned out she was doing something else and we got the boarding passes. Phew!
After getting the boarding passes I had to fill a form for myself and another one for my son and get a QR code to enter the boarding area. There was again a short line with a security guard checking the QR codes and a machine where you had to scan them a few meters ahead. Then we had to line up again for the passport control, which was also way slower than usual for some reason. And then another queue to pass the security control. I was alone with my son (my husband was already waiting for us in Abu Dhabi) but fortunately he behaved very well. I saw a fellow mum travelling with two small children and one of them which must have been around Baby A.’s age was howling the whole time… Poor woman.
We got to the gate when it had just started boarding and entered the plane. Inside the plane you need to wear your mask at all times, except when you are eating, and you are asked to move around as little as possible. Luckily we had an empty seat beside us and Baby A. could lie down and sleep. As it was a nighttime flight, he slept most of the time.
This flight had quite a lot of passengers. Most of them were Chinese men and, based of what I heard from their conversations, they were workers in those infrastructure projects that China builds in African countries. Many of them were wearing those protective suits, googles and latex gloves. I thought they were taking it too far, considering that all of us were coming from China and the possibiliy of someone being infected was quite low…
We arrived in Abu Dhabi at 5 am local time and after passing the passport control and getting my luggage I had to get another PCR, this time on the nose. It was the first time I had one and I have to say it was better than I expected, considering that they get reeeeeally deep. Again, children did not need to do it. We were registered on some database and given the green light: As China is in UAE’s green countries list, we did not need to quarantine at all. But it is required to conduct another PCR test on day 6 and day 12 of your stay there (they even make a phone call to remind you).
A week later, when coming to Spain, we also had to take another PCR to be allowed on the plane. In theory this PCR should also be checked when arriving to Spain, but no one asked for it. I have to say, Madrid Barajas airport was quite a mess and I can totally see why there are so many covid cases in Spain… Things are not being done right at all. The only thing we had to show when exiting the airport was a QR code generated after filling a form.
By the way, the plane from Abu Dhabi to Madrid was basically empty… I think there were maybe 30 passengers, including the three of us. I’d never seen such an empty plane in my life! I don’t even want to think about my carbon print for this flight…
Flying is quite a pain in the ass during covid times, but on the bright side I can say that we were practically alone in the tourist spots in Abu Dhabi and got great pics. Well, except when we visited the Presidential Palace and there was a very annoying YouTuber/influencer or whatever that was hogging the picture spots while she repeated her takes once and over again. INFLUENCERS GO HOME. But I’ll share my Abu Dhabi pics and impressions on my next post!
Wow – glad you could go visit your family. You’ve had enough COVID tests for a year!
I’m sure I’ll have more “chances” to get tests done before the year ends! xD
I have never seen such an empty plane. That is extraordinary.
Flights in the US are packed again (or so I hear from friends and family traveling). Let’s see how this works out with only 50% of adults vaccinated.
Looking forward to hearing the rest of your adventures!
For the whole flight I was wondering why the flight had not been cancelled! I asked a cabin attendant if it was normal that flights were so empty. She said in the last couple of months it had been like this, but that they carried a lot of cargo…
A spur of the moment adventure! Looking forward to hear about your travels and time in Spain. Stay safe and enjoy yourself.
Well, more like a “we don’t have any other choice” adventure xD But it’s nice to see family and friends again.
I flew by myself from NZ to Australia to join by partner (now my husband😁) just before the borders opened both ways between the countries. I was expecting the plane to be quite empty but it was packed, there wasn’t a spare seat available! It was the most stressful flight I have ever made, trying to juggle everything by myself, I had 5 large bags to collect from the baggage collection at the other end. A kind security guy helped me load them all on the trolley even though it wasn’t his job, but there were no airline staff around at all. All my partner could see when I came out was a moving wall of bags! Now we had booked to go back to NZ to see my family but the borders have closed again between Melbourne & NZ, we were half prepared for it as they have always said that they can close without much notice, at least we are not stranded on the wrong side of the border but changing flights etc will be a hassle and we will miss a family gathering that was going to happen 😕 Such is life and travelling (or trying to travel) in Covid times! Hope you have a good time in Spain with your family :)
Congratulations!! Glad you finally managed to be together. And sorry to hear about (another) border closure…
Damn. I was hoping someone would have already asked why you’re back in Spain (for the time being)? so I could read it in the comments. :P
What.an.ordeal. I’ve heard similar stories from friends expatriating back to Thailand. And I keep seeing these articles on what you need to know to travel internationally. Sounds like a nightmare. I hope everything’s okay. It must be because you have such a good easy-going attitude throughout this post which would have driven most folks to the brink of insanity…
I’ve only traveled within Thailand and it was surprisingly packed. But now that we’re experiencing our 3rd wave, I’m nervous about what travel will look like next time. xo
Haha, I will tell the story some day, when it’s all over. It totally feels like something out of a movie… But I’ve made my peace with it and I’m looking at the bright side.
Going back to China is even a bigger ordeal. So many procedures needed for them to approve your trip and then 28 days quarantine (14 in a hotel and 14 at home). I won’t be going back until this crazy quarantine is cancelled…
That is excessive!
We’ve had 14 days, which is plenty as far as I’m concerned. Not to mention you have 2 tests when during quarantine and can’t leave your hotel room.
On top of that are the fit to fly certs, insurance, and CV test even before entering Thailand. It’s too much…
Glad you all are safe and sound, take care of each other! xo
I also travelled internationally last month (Hong Kong to Turkey) and was so shocked at how empty the airport and my flight was!
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It’s strange because I’d assume as there are only a handful of flights now, they would be full haha. My flight to Abu Dhabi was quite packed.
I’m very impressed with how China has managed to and still is keeping the Covid spread in check. Here in Malaysia, we were one of the few countries that did kinda well during the first wave last year, but I guess the government grew lax, and more importantly, the people grew lax. We’re in the shits at the moment, with this third or fourth or fifth wave, with all those new variants making their homes here. The only reason we don’t seem as bad as India is because we are better managed in healthcare resources.
They’re being very strict in China (there were 14 new cases in Guangzhou a couple of days ago and they tested over one million people in one day I think). Also, Chinese people are absolutely terrified of covid. Here in Spain people don’t even worry about it anymore. Strangely, being here I’m not very worried either… Although I of course wear a mask every time I go outside (everybody does), I wash my hands many times a day and I always carry disinfectant wipes…
Sorry to hear about Malaysia. Hope you can get out of the tunnel.
Hope you don’t have to be gone from China for too long and your reason for leaving isn’t too bizarre. At least you have your vaccination (and can get another!). Hope your time in Spain isn’t too locked down. Must be strange to actually have to worry about COVID again. Enjoy your time back in the motherland! (not jealous, not jealous, not jealous)
It is so bizarre that we might even write a book or a movie script when this is over hahaha. It will have resemblaces to Kafka’s novels and super evil villains.
No lockdown in Spain anymore! People are acting like normal, except that everybody wears a mask (finally they accepted it, haha) and no kissing as a greeting like before. Weirdly, I’m not worried either…
Yeah, your opening paragraphs set off all of my alarm bells.
Hope it all comes out roses in the end. Nothing can help you understand the works of Kafka better than living in China. If you ask me about my daughter’s adventures in Hukou, my eye will start twitching, I get worried about having a rage induced heart attack, and start babbling about the rights of man, and the entire point of having a government like a crazy person (I suffered a complete defeat).
Hukou? I never applied for it, but the first thing I’ll do when returning to China will be renouncing my son’s Chinese nationality :)
I’m in the middle of the renunciation process now. It takes at least six months. Did you know that, currently, foreign kids can’t attend public school in Suzhou (from primary school on)? So it’s private school tuition or move to Beijing forever in three years for me – if I don’t move home first.
I thought foreign children could attend some public schools in Suzhou. I know they can attend public schools in other cities. I “love” how regulations are different in each city, to the point of looking like different countries…
Anyway, I had already decided not to send him to one and was thinking about OCAC. But maybe we will be living in Spain by the time he starts primary school haha.
As far as I know all kids with a foreign passport in Suzhou are in SSIS, Dulwhich or Eton. I only know of one kid at XJTLU who is in public school and there was some sort of special arrangement there. I have been told that this is the Suzhou official policy, but I not sure if this is correct. Tuition at these 3 is RMB 200,000 per year and more in the later years of school.
I know there are also bilingual private schools where Chinese children that will not do the gaokao exam go. I guess foreigners can go to those too. But I find it incredible that a foreign child that speaks Chinese and whose parents are paying taxes in China cannot go to public school. And then some people think China favours foreigners, hehehe.
Wow!! I’m excited to hear about this move (?). Going to Spain…!!! That’s exciting!! And wow, excited to read about your time in the Middle East. What an exciting life you lead!
Spain sounds like the US, even during the peak of covid. How are vaccinations going in Spain??
Can’t wait ot hear more of your stories!
Vaccinations here are going ahead! It is expected that herd immunity will be reached by the beginning of September.
I don’t think I would consider my life exciting, haha! I don’t do much else apart from working and taking care of my son xD
Wow this seemed totally unexpected moving to Spain for the time being. Like the others I’m hoping you are okay and maybe one day you will share with us what happened :P That really did look like am empty plain taking off from Abu Dhabi..I do wish planes were that quiet all the time lol. Here in Australia we got things under control compared to the rest of the world. My state is in lockdown again but well, things happen. Enjoy your time in Spain :)
Hi Mabel! Yes, we are fine, thank you. This was quite the drama but the important thing is that we are together and have a place to stay. I read something about a new variant in Australia, this seems the neverneding story! Please take care!
Good you are all together and got a place to stay… Having a place to stay is so important. There’s a couple of contagious variants here in Australia. We’re still in lockdown and hopefully things don’t get worse here. You take care too.