2020 10 to 11 Back to Grenada and away from lockdown

Back again in Grenada, escaped the lockdown in Germany !

Actually it should have continued to Carriacou at the beginning of September, but….

Unfortunately we got the famous dengue fever a few days before the start to Carriacou. One mosquito bite and it was already done. So we were cold for about 14 days. I would not have thought that it would affect us so much. This is a disease that affects about 50 million people worldwide, 500,000 of whom are very seriously ill and 20,000 children die every year. These are the WHO figures There are no drugs to treat it. The disease is called bone crushing disease. And rightly so!

We were glad that we survived the disease.

One week after the cure/recovery I, Sven, wanted to take the flight to Germany with the many unknowns via Toronto/Canada to Frankfurt. Everything went well, except for the 20 hours between the stop in Canada and the fact that I needed an ETA-Visa for the first time travellers in Canada, whereby I did not enter the country, but was only 20 hours in the transit area. Luckily it was very fast to get the visa. The flight attendants in Grenada helped me a lot.

Flight to the home country

 

Arrival at Frankfurt/Main airport at about 5:30 am 8 October empty everywhere ,no police/customs, no references to the Corona Test Station, the location of the Corona Station, my car rental company told me.

I found the Corona Test Station, I decided to take the 12 hour test for 59,-Euro, according to the test according to the law on the direct way to my home town, actually not possible, because I do not have a residence in Germany. Well, so it went to my home town, Erfurt.

At the health office there was a big notice that no one could enter the office, no e-mail address or telephone number. So I searched the Internet and found what I was looking for. A few telephone calls, then I was in the right place, the lady took my name, first name, date of birth and e-mail address, I explained to her that I already had a test done in Grenada 6 days ago. I should send the nice lady the result of the Frankfurt Corona Test / details of my journey / Corona Test Grenada by e-mail. Then a quick decision would be made.

Now I should first go to my Corona accommodation at home until I receive information from the health authorities.

After just 5 hours I received an email from Frankfurt, I tested negative. After only 5 minutes I received an email from the health department, I don’t need to follow the quarantine regulations anymore, I can move freely. Was I happy!

This is how I do my work, meet friends. I had only 9 days time, then my plane went back. On 18.10 the return flight should start in Frankfurt.

In the evening of 15.10. I received the information from the Canadian airline that all flights were cancelled.

How does it go on, I searched the internet. It is not possible to fly via USA, Germans are not allowed to enter Germany. At 15.10. there was only the way via Canada.

On 16.10. further message from the airline, they have automatically booked new flights for me 30.10. new starting date from Frankfurt via Toronto to Grenada.

There were no other flights. So the way back was open and I had some more days in Germany.

It was approaching the end of October, the Corona numbers in Germany were increasing dramatically and I was very concerned about my flights taking place, new regulations in the Caribbean, everything was going crazy.

On 29.10.it was time, it was clear on 1.11. the lock down in Germany begins, now quickly get out of here.

Will the flights work ?

Preparation for the return flight

 

So I started a day earlier than planned and it was right. I couldn’t book my flight to Grenada, because in the meantime German citizens are not allowed to enter Canada. On site in Frankfurt I clarified that I would not be allowed to enter the country, but would only be in the transit area of the airport for 20 hours. After some phone calls I received all flight tickets to Grenada.

Now I still need the Coronatest, max 3 days old, with 1 1/2 days flying time not so easy.

I chose the 12 hour test at the test station at 14:00 o’clock on 29.10. (6 hours is possible for 149,-Euro), I already had experience with the check-in times, at least I thought so.

The flight could start on 30.10. !

But the test results waited for themselves, quite restlessly I looked the night 30.10. at 2:00 o’clock in my e-mail box, no result. Big Sch…..

So I got up early, flight left 10:00 o’clock, once again to the test station.
There I was explained to me that the test from 14:00 o’clock will be sent out at 10-12:00 o’clock the next day. The staff member should have explained this to me, I had asked specifically whether the 12 hours would be observed. I was really angry !!!!

So I had to fly to Canada with uncertain test results.

Flight back home

 

Start, extremely much bureaucracy, to the gate 2 passport controls, temperature, at the aeroplane directly at the counter, 3 passport controls and temperature. Crazy…

I was on the plane ..but without test, but I needed it in Grenada, but if it is positive, I can’t fly to Grenada, because Grenada sends me back to Canada and I would be trapped in the transit area. I don’t want to imagine and imagine that.

A great flight to Toronto compensated me for the strains, sun over Greenland, unique pictures, glaciers, huge and endless ice (picture below). The picture hardly but hardly give again, how beautiful it looked. I flew in 35.000 feet (approx. 11 km) height over Greenland.

Extremely good visibility.

Arrival in Grenada

Landing in Toronto, again various passport controls until a small group of sailors had filtered out. Now together with the immigration authorities we found the right way. The e-mail from Corona Frankfurt was there, fortunately negative !

The journey continues. A very cold night in Toronto with snowfall, in the hall about 15 degrees, icy. I froze and wandered through the halls in the night, so that I got warm again.

The flight continued with a delay of 3 hours, the plane was broken.

So I arrived in the night, 18:00 o’clock floor dark, in Grenada. There a real huge state apparatus with various spies was waiting for me / all passengers, documents were checked, health certificate, temperature, corona test max. 3 days old, entry form, immigration form, approval of the corona test, proof of quarantine accommodation for at least 6 days, customs form, immigration. All in all it took 90 minutes, well organised, without chaos. At the end the officer put me into a Corona Taxi, direct way to the Corona Apartment.

I was / am in Grenada !!!!! Happyyyyy….

Here I am trapped since 20:00 o’clock 31.10. for at least 6 days. After 4 days the health authority comes and makes a PCR test, with the negative result I can go on my yacht and have to stay there until 14.11. without contact with other people.

A trip around half the world is possible, but everybody should know and comply with the current entry regulations, the rest is bureaucracy. It is no fun for the officials, that’s what the officials have told me over and over again. But you have to do it.

 

Sven