invisible

Hey, welcome back, nice to see you again.

I think you should cross out HK this and next several years as well due to ‘zero Covid or bust’ policy. Which also applies to probably whole APAC as well.

Considering how close HK and Singapore policies are, combined with the fact that HK soon have start throwing vaccines because there are no takers, it doesn’t leave any realistic hope that things will change any time soon.

P.S. I started to make plans to pack and go back and start my life from zero again in States. Here they can continue locking people up for three weeks in hotel jail and force them to pay $3000 for it and see where they will end up in couple of years.

Donsyb

It's irrelevant which vaccine you have - there won't be any dispensation for vaccinated people in the UK. It's purely for your own piece of mind/ health.

Visconti

Thanks! Likewise, glad to see you're still actively posting.

I suspect you're right here, especially on Singapore. Regarding HK, I will try to be the "eternal optimist," and hope the city will open up, albeit with some restrictions and mitigation measures, sooner than later. While both HK & Sing should be commended on their handling of the pandemic especially during the early days, they're going to need some strategy to eventually open up, and rejoin the world. I mean, it's either 1) infect enough of the local populace, 2) vaccinations en masse, or 3) stay closed forever. Forever is a long time...

Must be a difficult decision to start from zero again, especially after what I'd imagine considerable investment and lofty qualifications to even have the option of working and living as an expat in Singapore. However, I can't imagine living with some of the restrictions being implemented there, especially the entry process and 14 (HK was 21!) day quarantines.

Gringa

That’s what I said. I optimistically thought they might open up to vaccinated people especially since the EU did and as the EU specified the acceptable vaccines I THOUGHT the UK would follow suit IF they opened up. This was before the latest variant from India. I booked the J&J for that reason because you can’t get vaccinated and fly out 5 days later. I’m WELL aware of what’s going on in the UK as I have been following it since last September. Due to a serious breathing issue this is the last year I will be able to go there so this is a real heartbreaker for me personally.

invisible

I envision that only the reality that Covid is here to stay for a long time would motivate governments to change stance, at least some ground probing is already going on:

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/singapore-planning-for-possibility-that-covid-19-becomes-endemic-here

Question is how to sell this idea to the local population which is scared to Covid to oblivion (at my wife’s company one of her subordinate was really reluctant to come to office because his wife was convinced that he would catch Covid once leaving home) and until recently believed that ‘Covid is there, not here, we are safe because of closed borders and need to stay so’.

Well, I started my life four times in past in different countries/places and have some experience As far restrictions - here is 21 days, regardless where you are coming from (except 4 countries) and your vaccination status.

I would really want to see how it will work in a year from now when in majority of places people resume their life ‘as in 2019’ while here you will need to get government permission to go on beach and even if you get it, need to be there fully masked and also carry Bluetooth tracking device with you all the time to be able to enter at any building/place.

As for travel - I am really glad that in last >10 years I had chance to visit all countries in the region, (with exception of Burma, where I don’t see myself going next decade) and collected plenty of experiences and memories. Won’t even take freedom of moment as granted.

skipaway

I've been to Mexico twice since fully vaccinated in January. Mask compliance in both San Miguel de Allende and Oaxaca is very high. If that's something that would ruin your vacation, I'd skip Mexico for now. Otherwise, I agree, easy peasy.

the810

It seems Iceland has reopened to a very large extent, including removing mask mandates in most situations (I think the only exception are buses). That could be a great option this summer. They are open to third country nationals as well (plus, once you're in Iceland you also become eligible to travel to Sweden, subject to a test).

PxC

I’m writing this from Mexico where I’ve just got back from a night out in various packed bars and I haven’t seen a single person wearing a mask in any of them them, so in the case or Cancun or PDC, it’s pretty much completely “normal”.

PxC

Yet. This could (should) always change as soon as everyone has had the chance to get a vaccine.

GloballyServiced

I also did not have to wear anything on my face in Mexico. It was great. I can’t imagine wearing a mask on a tropical vacation unless I was also wearing a complete clown costume.

Highly recommend Mexico.

invisible

Well, I am writing this from a place where everyone, when stepping outside of doorstep must wear ‘complete clown costume’.

Don’t plan to come to Asia any time soon.

GloballyServiced

Thats unfortunate, unless you also enjoy the safety and emotional security that a face covering brings.

I’m already in asia typing this but I haven’t worn a face mask outside of an airplane/airport in quite a while. Masks are very unpleasant and non hygienic to me. I’m just an oddball trying to find temporary reprieve in a strange world.

gudugan

See my post here for some more details on Mexico: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33276407-post158.html

Re: Oaxaca, there is very good mask compliance in the streets but there are no requirements for masks while inside restaurants or bars. So it's pretty normal in most aspects.

In the coastal areas, most people have given up on the mask indoors and outdoors except when they go in a store (not restaurant/bar) that specifically requires it. For example, a convenience store like Oxxo. In the non coastal areas would wear a mask outside just so you don't get looked at weirdly... but it's more that you would be in the minority without one than it being effective.

gudugan

Not sure why the double post.

The main attraction for Oaxaca for me is eating and drinking and you can do both of those in indoor restaurants normally, including in mercados. I don’t think there were any capacity restrictions or maybe I’m just used to less crowds now.

Wearing a mask outside in Oaxaca (as is currently the custom) in no way “ruins” Oaxaca or any other place for me.

the810

Sweden now accepts arrivals from other Nordic countries (including Iceland, which is open to non-Europeans to some extent) without a test and without any further restrictions (other than normal entry rules). Website of the police confirms this applies to citizens of other countries as well.

https://polisen.se/en/the-swedish-po...d-from-sweden/