Travelling during Corona

02.09.2021

Travelling during Corona seems to me to be characterised by two conflicting aspirations:
A. researching and planning ahead of time and taking action so as not to be unpleasantly surprised.
B. be flexible, because rules can always change quickly.
And C. there is also different information from different sources.

 

For example, the Foreign Office for Georgia states that all travellers, including those who have been vaccinated, need a PCR test. When registering the official form in Georgia, however, you get the information that these travellers do not need a test. I’d better take one just in case.

 

Some time ago, it said that the border between Georgia and Armenia was sealed. That is no longer the case. However, Georgia has a very high incidence rate, whereas Armenia does not. That makes you wonder a bit and stay flexible with your travel plans.

 

So Georgia has a high incidence number of over 600. Right now that seems to be falling again. The measures in the country are a bit different from ours. These have recently been renewed again. These are:

  • Mandatory masks indoors
  • Masks are compulsory outdoors if there are more than 5 people in the vicinity.
  • Urban transport no longer works (buses, metro, minibuses, cable cars)
  • Festivals, concerts, sporting events and mass entertainment events are prohibited
  • The operation of children’s entertainment centres is prohibited
  • The opening hours of catering establishments are set until 11.00 p.m.
  • Weddings, celebrations, anniversaries, commemorations are prohibited
  • Schools will be taught remotely from 15 September to 4 October
  • Public and private kindergartens are banned until 4 October

The last points don’t concern me so much, but the one about urban transport is interesting. The last points don’t really concern me, but the urban transport thing is interesting – and the thing about the mask requirement outside and the 5 people, I can’t really imagine what that would look like. It also mentions that you should avoid close contact with street dogs and cats. I am happy to do the former.

 

A dog on a georgian footpath
A dog on a georgian hobble paving street

 

Armenia looks quite different – low incidence and few restrictions. My plan is: 3 days in Tbilisi to look around and get informed and then hopefully by night train to Yerevan. And then we’ll see. In any case, more country than city and more hiking than culture.

 

But it’s not just Corona that’s a travel bug, the Deutsche Bahn is too. There is a strike. So it’s still a bit unclear how I’ll get to the airport on Saturday. But that also means being flexible and a plan B is already in the bag or in my head.

 

Also in the bag are masks. But that’s all. My vaccination certificate seems to be almost more important than my passport.