Like many, COVID-19 has caused Glenn and I to cancel numerous international trips over the past two years.

One such trip was to walk nearly 200 miles across parts of Ireland and Scotland (I wrote about our decision not to go here). At that time, the Delta variant was beginning to surge across much of the UK, quarantine requirements were remaining in place and the U.S. State Department was elevating several countries, including Ireland and Scotland, to their “do not travel” category. Although we could have legally gone on our trip, we decided it wasn’t the responsible thing to do.

We’ve been able to travel internationally since then (Canada, Antarctica, and Argentina). There were a lot of similarities and difference between these travel experiences, but one clear constant was that COVID-19 has complicated everything.

The purpose of this blog post is to share some advice and observations about traveling internationally during a global pandemic. I’ll look back at this to remind myself of these things before my next trip abroad and in the meantime it might help others contemplating international travel soon.

Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert, I’m just sharing my own personal experiences and mistakes. You should do your own research and make your own decisions about how best to proceed. Every traveler, destination and situation is unique. No doubt the COIVD travel landscape will continue to be a moving target and some of what I’ve captured below may soon be obsolete.

Know your COVID tests…

Many countries require COVID testing before, and sometimes after, you cross their border. However, these requirements vary widely in terms of timing and type, and the universe of COVID testing is quite confusing.

You’ve got molecular, antigen, and antibody tests which translate into an alphabet soup of acronyms like PCR, RT-PCR, RNA, NAAT, or LFT. Some countries accept rapid test and at-home tests, some don’t. Making the decision about what type of test you get (and when you get it) can be complicated. If you get it wrong, you may find yourself unable to board your flight or cross the border.

After nearly two years, Argentina opened their borders to tourists just a couple of weeks before our scheduled trip. Information about requirements for entering the country was sparse, and what limited information was online at that time was in Spanish and there’s only so much “Google translate” can help with.

The testing labs aren’t inclined to give you advice on what tests will be accepted, and what the lab calls a certain test and what a foreign government might call a certain test can vary (i.e., there are multiple types of “PCR” tests that go by various names/acronyms).

Moreover, you must consider the timing of your test in terms of how long it takes to get the test results and how far in advance the country you are visiting will accept testing (e.g., 24-hours, 72-hours). Depending on the situation, that can leave you a very narrow window within which to get your test performed.

Do it too soon, and you run the risk of being outside of the testing window set by the country…do it too late, and you run the risk of not having your test results back in time to catch your flight.

I made some big mistakes by assuming things when it came to testing. For example, when I made our appointments for our pre-Argentina COVID tests, I selected the “RT-PCR” test option in the online scheduling system. We needed a PCR test and I assumed “RT” stood for “rapid test” – meaning a test with quick results.

You can imagine my surprise when we showed up at the testing clinic the evening before our flight to learn that “RT” actually stood for “reverse transcription.” RT-PCR and PCR are similar, but not actually the same test. They’re more like cousins. The testing lab informed me that my RT-PCR test results would be available by 2:00 PM the following day…but my flight was scheduled to leave at 10:30 AM!

I was a panicked mess. This trip had been four years in the making and I was about to screw it up by not getting my COVID test results in time! The nice young woman at the testing clinic tried to assuage my fears by saying, “you’ll probably have your results when you get up in the morning, but we just can’t guarantee it.”

Glenn’s results came in around 1:00 AM…but mine did not. I found myself at the airport the next morning, baggage in hand…but no COVID test results. It was a nightmare. Luckily, at the last moment, my results came through and I was able to board my flight.

Advice:

• Do your research about exactly what types of tests are accepted by the country you are visiting and the required timing of those tests.
• If you are planning to do a “rapid test” or an at-home/over the counter test – double and triple check that results from such a test are acceptable.
• Be crystal clear about what types of tests are offered by the testing facility you’ll be using and the guaranteed turn-around time for the results. Ensure that matches up with what you’ll be needing.
• Don’t wait until the last moment to schedule your appointment at the testing facility. Those slots can fill up well in advance and you need to ensure you’ll be able to take your test at the right time.
• If an at-home test is acceptable and you decide to go that route, get your hands on the testing kit(s) well in advance so you don’t risk supply issues.
• Check back often as your departure date gets closer to make sure the type and timing of the required tests haven’t changed.

Have a “Plan B” …

You never know what might happen when you’re traveling internationally and with COVID at the helm it’s even more important to think through various contingencies. Some countries are even requiring that you demonstrate you’ve done this before they’ll let you in.

For example, to cross the border into Canada we had to outline what our quarantine plan was should one of us contract the virus while visiting. We would be touring around in our campervan Laverne but staying at a campground was not an acceptable quarantine option according to the Canadian government. Instead, we had to provide them with the name and address of the residence or hotel we’d quarantine at and make assurances that we had the financial means to cover those expenses.

For Argentina, they required trip insurance that explicitly covered COVID medical and quarantine costs. We almost always buy trip insurance when we travel, and although our policy covered medical expenses if we became ill, it did not explicitly state what the COVID coverage was. We had to obtain a separate letter from our trip insurance provider specifically outlining their COVID medical and quarantine coverage and ensuring it met with the minimum dollar amount requirements Argentina had in place.

Beyond jumping through the various paperwork and documentation hoops a country might require, it’s important to authentically spend some time thinking these things through.

You don’t have to look far to find stories of people stranded in a foreign land due to COVID. It could happen to anyone. For example, had even a single person of the ~400 people aboard our Antarctica cruise tested positive for COVID as we returned to port, we would not have been allowed to dock and we would have been stuck on the ship for several more days. That would have had a devastating impact on all our subsequent travel plans in Argentina (tours, lodging, domestic flights, etc.).

Similarly, toward the end of our Argentina trip Glenn and I had to start thinking through what we’d do if we tested positive for COVID when we did our tests for our flight home. We felt fine and hadn’t knowingly been exposed, but the Omicron variant was in play by then and we knew that asymptomatic breakthrough cases for fully vaccinated folks could happen.

In addition, we’d be getting our test results back on Christmas Day, which meant we wouldn’t have many resources available to help us figure things out as everything would be closed. As such, days in advance, we made sure we had a clear plan of action for what we’d do if we got unexpected positive test results and needed to isolate and quarantine for an extended period (where we’d stay, how we’d get food, how we’d change our plane tickets, who’d take care of our dog at home, how we’d pay for these unexpected expenses, etc.).

Advice:

• Consider buying reputable trip insurance with explicit COVID coverage for medical and quarantine costs, even if it’s not required by the country you’ll be visiting. Travel protections offered by many credit cards might not cover these unexpected, and potentially significant, expenses.
• Don’t just go through the motions when it comes to having a plan for what you’re going to do if COVID strikes or other COVID-related trip disruptions outside of your control happen. Have a real plan for how you’ll manage additional costs, extended time away from work or other at-home responsibilities, access to appropriate medical care if needed, etc.

Read the fine print…

Somewhat new on the scene are various applications, permits, affidavits and other required documents to gain entry (and exit) from many countries, as well as some provinces or states. Canada required approval through their online system prior to arriving at their border. Argentina had multi-step pre-entry paperwork requirements, as well as additional paperwork needed to exit the country. The U.S. required we complete an attestation when at the airport checking in for our flight on our way home.

It’s important not to assume that you’re done once you are inside of a country. For example, in Canada, each of the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland/Labrador) had separate pre-entry documents and applications that had to be completed online prior to arriving that their borders.

In general, these requirements and online interface systems are designed to: a) enable you to upload various pieces of documentation such as proof of vaccination and COVID test results, and b) have you attest that you understand and will comply with their COVID-related rules, protocols, and directives.

Which leads me to my last point which is to read the fine print. You might be tempted to scroll through and just click/sign that you agree to their terms and conditions – but it’s important to understand what exactly you are agreeing to and that you are ready to comply.

For example, before visiting the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island we had submitted our pre-entry paperwork stating that we’d submit to a COVID test at any point if directed to do so by their health authorities. Sure enough, as soon as we stepped foot on the island, we were funneled into a holding area where we had to submit to a test…and if that test came back positive, we had legally agreed (by signing those documents) to comply with their isolation and quarantine requirements at our expense.

Advice:

• Research what, if any, applications, permits, approvals might be needed to enter/exit the country or state/provinces you’ll be visiting.
• Pay attention to the timing requirements of these submittals, as many have before/within windows of time when the paperwork must be done to: a) make sure the information is up to date, and b) give them time to get the paperwork processed/uploaded into their systems for border control agents.
• Have both paper (if possible) and digital copies of your approved paperwork/permits, including any unique confirmation or approval codes or numbers they may have provided to make it easier for authorities to look you up in their systems.
• Have low file size (but good resolution) digital files of your passport, vaccination card, COVID test results, etc., in a place where you can easily upload and/or attach them in the online systems you’ll be using to complete the paperwork.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get through the paperwork because the forms may not be in a language familiar to you and you’ll have to do some translating, or the process might be multi-stepped where you submit something and must wait for an email response from their processors before you can move on to the next step.
• Remember some countries may require exit paperwork (often to enable contact tracing).
• Read the fine print and remember you are signing legal documents. Saying you “didn’t know” won’t fly.
• If you’re from the U.S., remember that the rest of the world enters dates in a different order (day, month, year v.s. month, day, year)! Entering traveling, passport, birthday, testing or vaccination dates incorrectly is an easy, and potentially very consequential, mistake.  

No vacation without vaccination…

Many countries now require tourists to provide proof of full vaccination from their list of acceptable vaccines and vaccine combinations to cross their borders (although some provide other avenues of entry for the recently recovered or with quarantine requirements).

Required vaccinations for international travel isn’t a new thing. For example, being vaccinated against Yellow Fever to enter several countries in Africa and South America has been required for some time. These vaccination requirements are often two-fold…one to protect the country from visitors introducing or further spreading the disease, and two to protect visitors from getting sick from the disease while there.

Even if a country doesn’t require it, I believe that being fully vaccinated (and boosted) is the only ethical way to travel for pleasure. If you are going to be a guest in someone else’s country you need to be a good guest and that includes doing everything you can to keep the communities you’ll be visiting as safe as possible.

Be prepared to show proof of vaccination at other points along your journey including to gain entrance to certain shops, restaurants, museums, theaters, etc. While visiting Canada we were required to show our proof of vaccination to enter an outdoor provincial park. Some folks were being turned away because they didn’t have a copy of their vaccination cards with them. In Argentina, we were stopped on the airplane gangway while exiting a domestic flight and required to show our proof of vaccination before being allowed to proceed to baggage claim.  

Advice:

• Make sure all your vaccinations are up to date, including COVID-19 and boosters, before traveling (even if not required).
• Ensure the timing of your COVID-19 vaccinations meet the entry requirements (typically the second dose must have been at least 14 days in the past).
• As you should be doing with your passport and other important documents, bring both paper and digital copies of your vaccination card with you so you are always ready to show it when asked.

This is no time to check out…

For many, traveling provides a great opportunity to unplug from daily life. We hang the proverbial “out of office” sign on the door and turn our attention to rest, relaxation and/or adventure.

But, if COVID has taught us anything it is that things don’t stay the same for long. What’s happening this week might not be what’s happening two weeks from now.

Unfortunately, this means you can’t afford to disconnect to the point where you aren’t aware of what is happening or changing. Doing so could mean you miss important bits of information you need that could modify your behavior and/or travel plans.

For example, when we were driving across Canada, the various provinces were beginning to implement new restrictions related to masking and proof of vaccination requirements in the face of the Delta variant. The rules were rapidly changing while we were there, so it was important to stay plugged in and understand what a specific province required.

While in Argentina, the U.S. changed the timing for entry/re-entry COVID testing, dropping the timeframe from 72 hours to 24 hours before your flight. This change required us to re-assess our plans for when and where we’d be obtaining our pre-flight COVID tests. Had we not been paying attention we could have easily gotten our COVID tests too early and been denied boarding our flight home.

I’m not saying that one must constantly scour the internet or get caught in a vicious cycle of doom-scrolling, but it is important to regularly check various reputable websites to make sure you have the most up-to-date information.  

Advice:

• Bookmark and regularly check key information sources relevant to your travels (e.g., embassy and other official government COVID-19 websites) to stay up to date with any shifting requirements, protocols, and guidance.
• Check multiple sources to confirm key requirements as some websites don’t get updated as quickly as others when things change (i.e., government websites are likely more up to date than travel websites/blogs that come up when you Google something).
• If available, monitor information related to COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths so that you are familiar with what is happening on the ground locally and can adjust your travels as needed to help keep yourself and others safe.

Are you helping or hurting…

These are turbulent times and when it comes to COVID, things are in a state of continuous flux. As such, it’s important to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of traveling, not just for yourself but also for the folks in the communities you’d be visiting.

Things like local vaccination (and booster) rates, test positivity and death rates, and available capacity of the health care system are all factors that constantly change and must be continually assessed when deciding whether to travel and/or come home early from your travels.

For example, the identification of the Omicron variant was just emerging in South Africa when we departed for Argentina. Omicron certainly took off like wildfire while we were gone and multiple times over our trip we sat down to evaluate if we should continue our travels or cut them short and head home.

In the end we decided to continue traveling because: a) almost all planned activities were exclusively outside and away from other people, b) our travels were in less urbanized areas with low positivity and hospitalization rates, c) the U.S. CDC had Argentina rated as “Level 2: COVID-19 Moderate” (by contrast, the U.S. was “Level 4: COVID-19 Very High”) so by many measures it was safer for us to remain abroad.

There is a tension between wanting to help local communities by infusing tourism dollars and not wanting to exacerbate the stress and strain COVID may be having on those same communities.

Many in the tourism industry are beyond hemorrhaging from having gone so long with no work. Like here in the U.S., domestic travel offset some of this as people began visiting tourist destinations in their own country because they couldn’t travel elsewhere. While this has helped some in the tourism industry stay afloat (e.g., restaurants, hotels), others haven’t necessarily benefitted.

We had several of our Argentinian tour guides tell us, sometimes with tears in their eyes, how excited they were to meet us. For almost all of them, we were the first clients they’d had in two years because domestic travelers (i.e., fellow Argentinians) don’t tend to hire local guides or drivers.

While I was under no illusions that my tourism dollars were going to make a dent in repairing the industry, it was heartening to know that we were making a small difference in the lives of a handful of local folks, if only by offering some hope that things were on the way to getting better.

While there we did what we could to help by booking more local tours and day trips than we might otherwise do, being flexible and understanding as logistical issues arose from a tourism industry on life-support (e.g., key venues closed), and being generous with our tips.          

Advice:

• Be willing to cancel/postpone a trip if key factors (e.g., positivity rates, vaccination/booster rates, hospital capacity) indicate you may be putting yourself and/or those communities you’ll be visiting at greater risk.
• If you do decide to travel, continually assess what is happening around you so that you can make informed decisions about if you need to modify your behaviors or plans (including coming home early) to keep everyone safer.
• Be a good guest by being vigilant in following best practices and protocols to help mitigate risks including masking, physical distancing, dining outside, etc., even when such steps are not required by mandate.
• If you’re able, build money into your trip budget to provide generous tips (if doing so is not considered culturally inappropriate), hire local guides or drivers, or invest in other things that might directly help those in the tourism industry that are struggling.

Welcome to the 21^st Century…

COVID has accelerated the prolific use of paperless, digital, and hands-free interactions. Gone are the days of paper restaurant menus and in-room notebooks outlining the hotel amenities (at least that has been the case in many places we’ve visited).

For both of our recent trips – Argentina and Canada, as well as several Canadian provinces – all the various entry and exit forms had to be completed ahead of time, online. There were no other options (although Argentina did have a provision for people over 70 to be able to fill out paper forms). In most cases these online paperwork portals required the upload of various documents including vaccination cards, COVID test results, etc.

QR codes are becoming the primary tool used to direct you to online menus, forms to fill out, documents to download, and securing your place in line for services. This means that having access to reliable internet service is more important than ever, and although WiFi access is becoming more prevalent, you can’t assume it’s going to work.

For example, Glenn and I were stopped by staff in the Buenos Aires airport prior to checking in for our flight home. They directed us to a sign with a QR code, which when scanned took us to an online form we needed to complete to be allowed to exit Argentina. We stood in a sea of other international passengers all trying to fill out the necessary online paperwork through intermittent connections to the airport’s free WiFi. Ultimately, we had to turn on our cellular data to get sufficient service to complete the process.

By that same token, we learned that going fully digital isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There is still value in having paper copies of everything, especially when it comes to getting through immigration. While others were stalled out by having to search through their phones to find the documents the immigration officer was looking for (then having to pass over their phone to the officer to review), we were able to breeze through by having hard copies in hand. It was much easier and faster for everyone involved.   

Advice:

• Evaluate your options for having access to somewhat reliable internet service. This might mean having roaming data through your phone provider, purchasing a country-specific SIM card (which can be done online before your trip), or booking lodging at places that provide high quality WiFi.
• Have low file size, but clearly readable, digital files of important documents like your vaccine card, COVID test results and passports. Have these files directly on your devices, as well as backed up on the cloud, and make sure you know how to attach/upload them from that location.
• Ensure your phone or other devices are/can be charged so they are usable if you encounter a need to get online. For example, we keep our phones in airplane mode when not actively in use and always have a charging cable – with a country-specific power adaptor – with us.
• Consider bringing paper copies of various forms, paperwork, and documents (including affidavits, travel insurance policies and entry permits) to facilitate an easier transition through immigration and to have as a back-up in case you can’t access your digital copies.  

Roll with the punches…

Attractions being unexpectedly closed, longer wait times in restaurants due to staffing shortages, new forms or requirements to be met, cancelled flights…COVID is causing problems on multiple fronts.

As important as it is to have plans and contingency plans for navigating the complexities of traveling in the era of COVID, it’s equally important to be prepared to let go of what you can’t control. Without a doubt, things probably aren’t going to go according to plan, and you’ll need to improvise and problem solve along the way.

In addition to everything taking longer than it has in the past (e.g., obtaining pre-departure clearances, checking in for flights, processing through immigration), it can also be hard to find up-to-date and reliable information about changing circumstances. What you read to be true on a website may not, in fact, be true anymore.

For example, Glenn and I needed to do a COVID test to board our flight back home to the U.S. from Argentina. The testing company’s website (in addition to the semi-automated WhatsApp texts they sent us in response to our inquiries) said the RT-PCR test results would be available within 3 hours.

However, when we arrived at the testing site, they informed us the results would take 12 hours due to it being a holiday (Christmas Eve), staff shortages due to COVID and a big influx of tests hitting their lab. Luckily, we had decided to do the test the day prior to our departure so we were able accommodate this unexpected change. But, if that hadn’t been the case, we would have rolled with it by keeping our cool and working with the lab staff to identify other options to get our needs met.

Advice:

• Have plans and contingency plans in place for critical aspects of your trip, but be ready remain flexible and creative when challenges emerge.
• Don’t wait until the last minute on things, especially things related to the airport or immigration. You’ll be glad you’ve got some wiggle room if you run into problems or delays.
• Be extra kind to service and frontline staff. They are under a tremendous amount of stress, are often being asked to enforce policies not of their making, and typically whatever is amiss isn’t their fault and/or isn’t something they have direct control over.

Is traveling during a global pandemic more complicated than it used to be? You bet. Is it worth it? You bet…as long as you are thoughtful, prepared and willing to go with the flow when complications arise. We’re looking forward to our next trip abroad. No doubt we’ll learn a few more lessons about how to do it successfully along the way.