It is silly to keep the testing at this point. It forces you to be more careful and much more worried when abroad than you would be when back in the US (or simply not travel).
Personal example, I was in Europe for work two weeks ago, constantly worrying about catching Covid and not being able to return for D18’s graduation. Get back here, go to graduation and I caught it there (fortunately very mild).
That’s terrible to catch it here. My husband and I didn’t worry in England, we went everywhere, we saw a show everyday, we wore mask at the theater, but felt liberated actually. We were careful the few days before we had to take the test.
I’m waiting for Japan to open up. I hope my free tickets are still valid.
Just finished watching the documentary “Downfall” (The case against Boeing). Yeicks. Disturbing look at how profits trump safety. That may not be a new phenomenon, but it does make flying a bit more concerning, even if not on the 737Max.
I saw that too recently.
We are getting a little worried about our planned 2 week trip toGrand Cayman next winter. I HOPE COVID doesn’t mess with our plans. We just booked a place at Virginia Beach next May. Low risk/fairly close to home. So far the trips we have planned this year are all drivable. Keep the boosters coming…
We’re doing the Cape and Vermont this summer. Family cabins, we can eat outside at almost all our favorite restaurants or cook for ourselves. Still hoping to go to Japan - the fall leaves are supposed to be at their peak in November, so there’s time! By then we’ll probably be worrying about monkeypox.
My first flight since November 2019. Detroit to LaGuardia. Masking signs EVERYWHERE in Detroit - but I’d say 25-30% actually masking in the airport.
A pleasant surprise was that it seemed ON the flight, well over half of the people masked. And plenty of people masked in LaGuardia.
Just returned from a long trip to Asia and Europe. Little to no masking everywhere. We felt like it was almost like the pre-pandemic days, but there was definitely concern as we got ready to fly back. We flew home from different destinations, different airlines and dealt with unnecessary worry about the covid tests. Luckily, none of us had any problems. No masks on the flight back from Paris to the US - why test then??
At the Atlanta airport. About 15 percent mask wearing.
Just finishing up a great trip to the Adriatic.None of the 22 travelers on our tour tested positive, to my knowledge, thank God. But apparently on one tour six out of 24 tested positive, and about 3% overall in this tour group agency are testing positive.
My thoughts, this wouldn’t keep me from travel, at all. However, I would definitely get trip insurance that covers quarantine (the website squaremouth has great comparison options). I would also be careful about what country I test in, given a choice, as that’s where you’d be stuck. Some countries will lock you in your room and bring you food. Others will allow you to go outside your room if you stay away from crowds and wear a mask. Where would you be comfortable being stuck, if God forbid, it happens. China?
Government quarantine facilities? Nope!
Bali.
This thread reminded me to ask DD’19 about her Covid test to return to US tomorrow from Ireland. Negative, yay! At one point she said it wouldn’t be that bad to stay longer, but in reality she’s ready to be home!
The trip is really cool. During it, you not only relax from everyday life, but also develop, learn about the world, take an interest in the culture of other nations, develop your thinking and world hunger. It is a pity that in recent years travel has become sharper for the majority of the population. The global pandemic has made adjustments in life, and now the global oil crisis, which will usually have a negative impact on the ability to travel.
We canceled our rescheduled Japan trip for late June since they still aren’t letting in tourists. Going on an American SW tour. Flying there but could drive home if needed. I just didn’t want to deal with any chaos of getting Covid abroad. And this is a trip we’ve been wanting to take. It will be relaxing and fun.
Son is headed to Europe with friends for a month post college graduation. Leaves in about two weeks. A previous poster mentioned getting stuck. He’s flying out of Paris so I’m wondering what the protocol is there if positive.
For those concerned about being placed in govt quarantine, perhaps a personal home test before the official one might help with decision making. If positive, you figure out your own quarantine rather than triggering govt protocols. Change flight for after quarantine. I suppose one problem here is that there then is no official record of your first positive test, which would provide timeline for the quarantine. But it occurs to me that that probably happens to a lot of people. Wonder how that’s dealt with.
During the winter before the shutdown I spent about two months researching and carefully booking a trip to Italy with my daughter. I was so proud of myself for completing all of the plans early….just about every other trip I’ve made has been done in a last-minute flurry. We’ve thought about that trip-that-never-happened time and time again. Well, at this very moment, D (having finished her freshman year of college) is in the air en route to Milan! She will make her way tomorrow to Florence where she’ll stay with a host family and study Italian and art history for five weeks. It’s a little bittersweet, but I’m oh, so happy that she’s finally going. She asked me to join her to travel after that….I have a complicated summer and it didn’t seem the time. Right now I’d give anything to throw caution to the wind and just buy a ticket! Probably a little late for that. Maybe next year!
Europe seems like a bargain compared to domestic travel:
No wealthy Russian or Chinese tourists to drive the prices up in some European destinations this summer, apparently.
My D20 is halfway through her Birthright trip to Israel and tested positive yesterday. She’s now been sequestered in a hotel for the next 5-7 days 
. so disappointing and frustrating. I only hope that she tests negative at that point so she can fly home.
Are they testing the kids regularily, or only if you get sick? were there others in her group that are also positive? With the prevelance relatively low in Israel, one would assume that someone unknowly had it before the trip started (asymptomatic). When my D had her trip before Covid, she ended up or Noravirus and missed quite a few activities, but that really sucks. Wonder if Birthright will let her do another trip.
Only testing symptomatic. As of right now, she’s the only one out of the group of 40 who is known to be positive.
The group will test in Wednesday in advance of their flight home the next day, so I wouldn’t be surprised if more positives show up then.
I can’t imagine birthright giving her a second trip- I’m just thankful they will house and feed her until she can return to the U.S…
Can she get the anti-viral nasal spray that is made in Israel? It may speed her recovery by killing the virus in her nasal passages.