Armytwowheels
LIFE MEMBER
- Aug 10, 2012
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I was reluctant to post on here about our journey back to the UK from Spain, as these threads get hyjacked by vindictive and non constructive, snips and comments. However, two Funsters said I should, so please folks only constructive and helpful comments on here.
We, as in two couples in two motorhomes with a dog a piece have just returned to the UK (yesterday 1st March) after spending nearly 6 months down in Southern Spain in an apartment. We did our research and carefully planned when and where to get tests done, dogs checked etc. And thought we had all our ducks in order! Due to various problems such as a double tyre blow out and electrical issues with our van, our journey took a bit longer than we thought but hey ho, that's motorhome travel for you.
Our first sticking point to our planned timetable however, was getting the first covid test in Spain before crossing into France. The advertised 24 hour test result turned into 48 hours, bearing in mind you only get 72 hours FROM WHEN THE TEST IS TAKEN, not from receiving the results. Luckily our chosen test lab was only 70k (ish) from where we were crossing into France , through the Somport. All in all we had more than enough time to get over but it was stressfull and frustrating trying to get our results. If we hadn't planned the test in Northern Spain there would have been some really hard driving to do to get out. As one of our travelling companion, the driver of the other motorhome had recently suffered heart problems, we did not want to do super long hard drives.
Anyway, we are now in France where tyre and electrical problems cause further delays. We continue on our way to Normandy and our fluent French speaking companion booked further tests and vet appointments. We have by now changed our Euro tunnel booking to the Caen/Portsmouth route. Getting the tests in France was fairly easy (with a French speaker in our party) but the guy doing the test, a pharmacist had not had to do any test for people leaving the country, did not know what he was doing or what our certificates needed to have on them, we had to tell him.
After that, things went a bit smoother apart from our friends dog having a go at the vet and the vet refusing to look at him, meaning another vet had to be found the next day!!!! In the end with made our crossing and are very relieved to be back.
My reason for posting this sorry tale is to pre warn anyone following to not expect all the offical staff they have to deal with to know what they are doing. Even the port staff didn't seem to know. Our friends were asked for different information to us and told to do different things, even though we were in the same queue.
Do not think for one moment that you will get away without having negative test certificates, we were asked for these at the Somport and Caen border controls, as well as back in the UK at Portsmouth. At the UK ports you will also be asked to show proof that you have booked your test kits and passenger locator forms. We are on day one of Isolation and have already had 2 phone call each to make sure we understand we have to isolate etc. The company supplying the test - are truly shocking, impossible to get hold of and for the price we have to pay £420 per couple have absolutely zero customer service. Our friends test kits have failed to turn up and there is no way to get in contact with them.
I guess I am also trying to say is plan your journey back carefully, but it doesn't mean it will go to plan, but you must have those tests certificates and you must have your passenger locator forms complete.
Was all the above worth it for 6 months in our favourite place in Spain, swimming and cycling whenever we wanted to? Well, yes it was. For us as fulltimers the thought of being on a UK campsite for the whole winter was too horrid to contemplate. Would we do it again NO! Not until all these tests are no longer needed, or the various governments have a better system in place.
We, as in two couples in two motorhomes with a dog a piece have just returned to the UK (yesterday 1st March) after spending nearly 6 months down in Southern Spain in an apartment. We did our research and carefully planned when and where to get tests done, dogs checked etc. And thought we had all our ducks in order! Due to various problems such as a double tyre blow out and electrical issues with our van, our journey took a bit longer than we thought but hey ho, that's motorhome travel for you.
Our first sticking point to our planned timetable however, was getting the first covid test in Spain before crossing into France. The advertised 24 hour test result turned into 48 hours, bearing in mind you only get 72 hours FROM WHEN THE TEST IS TAKEN, not from receiving the results. Luckily our chosen test lab was only 70k (ish) from where we were crossing into France , through the Somport. All in all we had more than enough time to get over but it was stressfull and frustrating trying to get our results. If we hadn't planned the test in Northern Spain there would have been some really hard driving to do to get out. As one of our travelling companion, the driver of the other motorhome had recently suffered heart problems, we did not want to do super long hard drives.
Anyway, we are now in France where tyre and electrical problems cause further delays. We continue on our way to Normandy and our fluent French speaking companion booked further tests and vet appointments. We have by now changed our Euro tunnel booking to the Caen/Portsmouth route. Getting the tests in France was fairly easy (with a French speaker in our party) but the guy doing the test, a pharmacist had not had to do any test for people leaving the country, did not know what he was doing or what our certificates needed to have on them, we had to tell him.
After that, things went a bit smoother apart from our friends dog having a go at the vet and the vet refusing to look at him, meaning another vet had to be found the next day!!!! In the end with made our crossing and are very relieved to be back.
My reason for posting this sorry tale is to pre warn anyone following to not expect all the offical staff they have to deal with to know what they are doing. Even the port staff didn't seem to know. Our friends were asked for different information to us and told to do different things, even though we were in the same queue.
Do not think for one moment that you will get away without having negative test certificates, we were asked for these at the Somport and Caen border controls, as well as back in the UK at Portsmouth. At the UK ports you will also be asked to show proof that you have booked your test kits and passenger locator forms. We are on day one of Isolation and have already had 2 phone call each to make sure we understand we have to isolate etc. The company supplying the test - are truly shocking, impossible to get hold of and for the price we have to pay £420 per couple have absolutely zero customer service. Our friends test kits have failed to turn up and there is no way to get in contact with them.
I guess I am also trying to say is plan your journey back carefully, but it doesn't mean it will go to plan, but you must have those tests certificates and you must have your passenger locator forms complete.
Was all the above worth it for 6 months in our favourite place in Spain, swimming and cycling whenever we wanted to? Well, yes it was. For us as fulltimers the thought of being on a UK campsite for the whole winter was too horrid to contemplate. Would we do it again NO! Not until all these tests are no longer needed, or the various governments have a better system in place.
