Traveling in the time of Corona #August2020

Traveling during a pandemic is a challenge with lots of rules of thumb. And what's more challenging? - These rules keep changing. 

Here's an account of my recent travel from Germany to India. This is mainly for travellers who may be stressed about traveling during pandemic. Disclaimer: This is a narration of my experience, and not the latest instructions for your travel. 

But before that, some tips (according to me):

1. Travel only if really necessary. 

2. Once you decide to travel, stay updated with latest travel conditions. 

3. Keep required documents and contact details handy. E.g. passport, air ticket, forms.

4. Travel light with minimum luggage. 

5. Keep 6-7 surgical masks and at least two pens of your own handy. 

6. Those accompanying with senior citizens, specially abled or babies could get in touch with given contact numbers or airlines to confirm  process or ask for required help in advance. 

7. Try to keep an alternative plan, just in case of cancelation of travel. 

On booking the air ticket, I checked the latest test requirements, possible quarantine places and rules, and updated my insurance. This was an everyday task till I boarded the flight. I came last week by Berlin-Paris-Mumbai Air-France, which was not a Vande Bharat but an air-bubble flight. 

Pre-travel: We followed these steps instructed by Airlines and the Government of India norms (at that time):

1. Book air-ticket

2. Register for Embassy of India, and Embassy in France, with the link they provided by email

3. Fill an undertaking form they attach in email that needs details of your passport, contact, emergency contact

4. Download Aarogya Setu app on phone

5. Fill up, sign, and print these documents (keep two copies each). 

    I thought prints would be avoided to maintain less contact, but I had to follow norms anyway. 

6. Take Covid-19 test within 72 hours of travel and print the report. Check number of hours for this.

This check-list may change with time, but it is important to note that one must basically be ready to fill information, and print some emails or forms till the day before travel. This will reduce lot of last-minute running around. Find in advance, where and when an authentic Covid-19 test can be taken in your area to get the result in the required time. In case of negative result, you are free to travel. In case of positive result(hopefully not), keeping an alternative plan as mentioned earlier can be helpful. Yes it can be stressful to wait for the test result. But be assured that you will feel relieved to travel with a negative result. And if it's unfortunately positive, even then, it's safer for you and others not to travel. Agreed, this is better said than done. Nevertheless, once you have your documents in place, half job is done. Keep these documents handy in a folder, easy to handle during travel. I had already booked the quarantine hotel in my city. 

During-travel: At the airport, in my experience, the staff was calm and helpful, and the queues were peaceful. Still, do not hesitate to ask and confirm process if you get confused. After check-in, and securtiy check, everyone was waiting to board with their masks on. In-flight distancing for seating was followed in my first flight to Paris, but not during Paris to Mumbai. Food and beverages were served. It is recommendable to change mask after eating. Self-reporting form needed after landing was provided in-flight from Paris to Mumbai to save time. 

At the Paris airport, I observed that many co-passenegrs were fumbling with form-filling. That made distancing tougher. So my earnest suggestion, as also suggested in other blogs, is to please keep the necessary forms filled, and ready. 

We must not freak out, but we must remember that this virus can also settle on bags and other objects. Hence, another important suggestion is to follow distancing as a responsible co-passeneger instead of jumping over hurriedly through ailes in-flight, or re-arranging bags in cabin multiple times and ignorantly encroaching on other passengers' seats. I had a hard time convincing this to some co-passengers around me. 

People stood up hurriedly after landing eager to get out of the aircraft as if the pilot is going to take-off again without letting them go. It is unfair to sensible people who take Covid-19 test before travel to be safer for self and others, and who wait patiently for the cabin crew's instructions to exit aircraft one by one. We cannot give and take health risks because of some stupid haste. Everyone will get to leave the aircraft after landing, don't worry.

Post-travel: We followed a queue to immigration. On the way there was document, and body temperature check. A stamp was given  on the 'self-reporting' filled form and also gave a photo-copy (xerox) of the same form. It did not take much time but you should be ready to walk in queue by maintaining distance, and visit washroom before getting in queues. Once documents check, and immigration was done, Aarogya setu app was checked on phone and then we could go for baggage claim, which was not much of hassle. 

But after exiting this line, I came to a longer queue where they checked the boarding pass and self-reporting form's photo copy  and provided us a pass to commute in-city or outside city to travel either by private vehicle or by shared cab. I preferred shared cab from Mumbai to Pune affiliated to Vande Bharat Mission. I admire the timely communication between the airport, nodal officer in Pune, the cab- driver, and the quarantine-institute. Depending on our test report, body temperature, and symptoms, the nodal officer stamps and approves quarantine; Either home-quarantine (14 days), or institute and home, 7 days each, or clinical facility if symptoms are severe. It took three hours after landing to get to the shared cab. 

At the quarantine hotel in Pune, Hotel Shreyas, it was a homely experience as I got the delectable traditional food which used to be kept outside the door to follow distancing. Since it is a familiar hotel to me since childhood, I was very comfortable. The team there and the staff made us feel at home. But I can imagine the stress of solo-travellers about being alone in the quarantine place, specially the senior citizens. My recommendation here would be to keep necessary points of contact handy, e.g. emergency contacts, and family contact details, and then just focus on relaxing, recovering from jet lag. Try and follow hygiene extremely meticulously, specially hand-washing, and observing your symptoms timely. Do not get scared, but just get cautious. Also, make sure you get enough sleep, eat well, and connect to your family, or friends if you like. But try to spend time in some leisure activities, e.g. reading, light workout or music so that you are not unnecesarily stressed. Since I had online work to complete, I did not get much bored. 

For travellers from India to Germany, here's a super useful and comprehensive blog by a dear friend:

https://www.destinationgermany-travel.com/post/flight-during-pandemic-2020

I would like to thank the travel systems across globe, my family, and friends who helped me through this without realizing that I was alone while flying back home. 

Times are uncertain, and so are its solutions. These trial and error experiences will only help us increase certainty to the solutions. While you travel, take things easy, but not for granted. 

Poorva Kulkarni
Pune