Portugal Aug/Sept 2021
This has to go down as one our worst holidays.
Aside from the myriad of paperwork required to
travel to an "amber list" country, the lack of
information available as to the requirements,
not to mention the numerous covid tests, before
during and after the holiday; we decided to go
to Portugal.
After much bureaucracy, we arrived at the villa
in Portugal and anticipated lazy days round the
pool, eating home cooked food and having fun.
However on day two I developed a blinding
headache to add to the runny nose I had and
couldn't seem to stay awake for more than 2
hours at a stretch.
Will started exhibiting cold- like symptoms on
day 3 and I was getting worse, spending much
time in the loo. Neither of us suspected
Covid-19 as we did not have the classic symptoms
of high temperature, coughing, shortness of
breath, loss of sense of smell and taste etc.
Day 5 we drove to the airport to have our
pre-departure test. We both tested positive. It
was at this point we started to panic, what
would we do.
The Portuguese Health Service were great, they
sent us to a hospital for a further test. Our
temperatures were taken and oxygen levels were
checked. They did not believe we had covid as
there was nothing out of the ordinary. Later
that day we were advised that the tests were
positive and we had to isolate.
The owners of the villa could not accommodate
us for the full isolation period as they had new
arrivals due. We were now passed to social
services who asked us to find somewhere to stay.
As we were positive and in isolation no-one
wanted to accept a booking.
16 hours before we were due to check out,
social services found us an apartment to stay on
the edge of town. We managed to extend our car
hire, change our flights and request the kennels
to keep Jake for an additional week. We couldn't
change the airport parking or speak to our
holiday insurance. Social services even managed
to obtain Will's prescription drugs and get them
delivered to us.
Unfortunately the apartment owners did not
accept card payments and neither did social
services. We had to make cash withdrawals on our
credit cards. One of the owners, Nelson, was so
very helpful. He paid social services and we
paid him.
We did our remaining 7 days in isolation by
eking out the food left from the first week and
finding an online supermarket that would
deliver. On the final day we were provided an
authorisation to travel by the Portuguese
Government. Sadly Ryanair would not accept this
and made us pay for yet another covid test.
We were panicking as we had been advised not to
take further tests for 90 days as Covid would
still be in our systems. Thankfully lateral flow
tests are not that accurate and gave negative
results. The followed a mad dash, pushing in
front of long lines at check in, security and
passport control. Two very hot an sweaty people
ran to the departure gate 1 minute before
planned take off to discover almost half the
plane load of people queuing.
We met our traveling companion who had tested
negative throughout, but had to isolate with us.
I cried with relief that we were actually going
home after all the stress and illness.
Thankfully during isolation Will had contacted
his brother in the UK to extend the car parking
booking. Apparently it took him several hours
and many calls together with £125.
After flight delays and eventually making it
out of the terminal the final hurdle faced us,
getting out of the car park. The barrier
remained firmly closed and requested a payment
of £420. Will tried to pay, such was his
frustration but it was refused. He managed to
speak to the attendant who could see the extent
ion and payment and we were released. Homeward
bound and free.
You would think that is the end of the saga,
but no. Day two after arrival back home a final
Covid test is required. I was negative but Will
was positive. National Track and Trace kicked in
and advised he had to isolate for a further 10
days. He was not very happy to say the least.
I tried to talk to NHS119 and advised we had
isolated in portugal and had since tested
positive but to no avail. Will had to isolate
but as I was double jabbed I was free. Will was
close to having cabin fever and decided to break
the rules and get up very early to take Jake out
for a short walk. He was masked up and didn't
see another living sole.
Being a law abiding citizen, the guilt weighed
him down and he decided he would serve the rest
of his sentence according to the rules. The luck
we were having lately he predicted getting a
huge fine and didn't want to take further risks.
Luckily local Thurrock Track and Trace got in
touch. They listened to the isolation tale and
noted that as Will was on immuno suppressants he
probably wasn't contagious. They commuted his
sentence down by several days nd sent him a
confirmation email.
The Track and Trace app did not note this
update so Will felt very guilty venturing
outside before his isolation countdown clock was
cleared. I pointed out that he had written
confirmation that he was free but he was still
wary. It was quite amusing to see him furtively
walking the dog.
We were due to go back to the Villa in October
but after our ordeal none of us are ready to
travel overseas just yet. So half term will be
at home and our December holiday will be back in
Norfolk.
I would like to take this opportunity to
personally thank Nelson, the apartment owner.
Marlene Portugal local authority social services
and Catarina at Portugal health services.
I didn't take many pictures at the villa and
only a few others en-route for covid tests or at
the apartment.
Cehck out the apartment on Vrbo
