Poster: A snowHead
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Doesn’t affect you guys but now Portugal has requested a test to (re)enter the country. Not sure how we are going to manage that as we wanted to try the Andorra-Lisbon drive in one day this time, hoping for a 7am start. Probably needs a test the day before.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We've travel from France into Spain and back (on route to Baqueira) with no checks in either direction.
At no time in resort was our vaccination status checked. Both x2 vaxed.
We did update our lift passes online before travelling so not sure if they were checking any paper work before selling tickets.
Masks were required in lift queues and the main bubble lift up from 1500 and of course moving around anywhere inside.
We were also carrying 'Statements of honour', but again not asked for.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Excellent
Thanks
How was the snow?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Mike Pow, Brilliant snow - best start to the season in years.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@mortonia, they’re fairly relaxed about things in Spain at the moment. I got checked when landing at Barcelona airport, but nothing since and I’ve come and gone a few times.
@Orange200, there are quite a few places to get tested in Andorra. If it’s a lateral flow test you need, they’re only €15 with a certificate. Not sure how much a TMA is (possibly €40). A PCR is €90.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Great skiing for the first Saturday of the season (to be honest, great skiing regardless of what day it was!)
I went out with a workmate and expecting big queues we got to Soldeu relatively early. We got in the queue at 8.30-ish except there was no queue. We were at the front. No Covid passes were checked all day while skiing which is a good job because my mates Andorran issued pass flashed up as invalid when we stopped for lunch. We ate outside instead.
With regards to the new test to return to the U.K. I understand a lateral flow is ok. As I’ve said above, you can get certificated LFTs here administered by their staff for €15 at pharmacies. I’ve had one before in ALV, but I’d be surprised if resort pharmacies aren’t offering them.
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@hammerite, Lucky you weren't coming up from the French side.
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@mortonia, I very rarely go the French side. I live here so don’t have to travel that way very often.
It’s snowing very heavily and there’s very high winds. I was going to go up after lunch, but with the wind, hardly any visibility and the fact I’d be skiing alone, means I’ve wimped out. I can’t be bothered getting the car out and parking up elsewhere to stay low, and the only lift I wouldn’t need to drive to drops me out at 2,500m - hardly the best place to be on a day like today!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Coming from Toulouse I always have Ax as plan B. Low and with some great tree skiing for when the weather is really bad.
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They’ve closed Arcalis today. Vis and wind.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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hammerite wrote: |
They’ve closed Arcalis today. Vis and wind. |
Oh dear, Soldeu didn't open the top of the mountain tell later in the day. Conditions have been a mixture of flat light and snow, high winds and then patches of sunshine... Had the scariest gondola ride down this afternoon as the wind was ripping up the valley. They slowed the gondola right down which helped stop the swinging but it wasn't the most fun I have had
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@pieman666, sounds like it wasn’t a bad decision not to bother today. Especially as I’d have been getting the Funicamp up. Some of the chairs had to slow for gusts yesterday and that was without any wind warning.
Bonus ski day for me on Wednesday. At this rate I might need to hire some fat skis for next weekend!
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You know it makes sense.
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@hammerite, not at all had I not being doing my course I would of stopped earlier I think.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Covid announcements by the government tonight. Cases rising sharply, but no additional measures. Next update next Monday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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That's good news.
The release of the numbers seems patchy with them but publishing numbers every few days rather than daily.
On Monday when the weather was bad it was impossible to get into a restaurant. Due to the limited numbers they are allowing in. We ended up skipping lunch and finishing a bit early.
Yesterday it was fine as the sun was out but we all brought a picnic any way and had a very pleasant half hour in the sun.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@pieman666, that should improve after Wednesday, due to the sheer numbers of bank holiday skiers. They were recommending making advanced bookings on the Grandvalira website. On Saturday, we decided to head to Pas for lunch because there’s a bigger number of restaurants right next to the pistes. That ended up not working out as we planned, because my friend’s Covid pass didn’t work so we ended up sat outside anyway!
Not sure how busy the fast food/self service type places get up the mountain.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I always made sure I got to lunch at 1230-1245. At 1300 most of the mountain suddenly wants to eat.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@hammerite, hmmm, should we be worried?
Just juggling with whether we continue with our booking on the 19th… hoping it’s not something like daily testing coming in
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Specialman, I wouldn’t need be overly worried. I don’t think they’ll want to jeopardise the ski season. They need it to be as normal as possible. If they introduce extra measures it’ll probably be further reducing capacities to restaurants/bars etc..
The govern are pretty sensible here. The measures introduced last week were for 15 days. I think they’ll want to see that they’re making an impact before they introduce anything new.
All that said, how many times have we been sent curveballs by various leaderships over the last couple of years!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Orange200 wrote: |
I always made sure I got to lunch at 1230-1245. At 1300 most of the mountain suddenly wants to eat. |
Yep, that’s exactly what we did.
I think 1pm is when morning ski school finishes too!
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@hammerite, I get the feeling that even in the face of rising 'per 100,000' cases, Andorra is less panicky than large population countries, probably due to the face that their vetting of incoming travellers is pretty much done for them by French/Spanish border control, i.,e. us having to test before we even get on a plane to one of those places.
I'm down the rabbithole of 'what ifs' and worst case scenarios at he moment... my missus on the other hand is completely the opposite; probably down to having worked in social care throughout the pandemic, mixing with all sorts of people, testing like there's no tomorrow but rarely seeing a positive result, she just keeps saying about how many times we've rubbed shoulders with people in shops, been on busy trains, gone round to people's houses, stood next to people in school yards, and with nothing happening as a result.... I find it hard to share her optimism but I am very much a glass half empty person until it's over and then I'm like "what was all the fuss about?"
Snow looks immense this week.
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Please keep us updated
Looking to book a holiday 12-19 December either tomorrow, Wednesday 08 or Thursday 09
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Mike Pow, nothing is likely to change (if it does) until next Monday. That’s when they have a weekly ‘press conference’ and announce these things.
You’d be just as well to book today, as tomorrow or Thursday.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Mike Pow, keep holding out then
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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I’d be up for a meet. I can only do weekends though.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Covid update. Apparently you can get a LFT at the medical centre in Soldeu. If they offer it there, there’s a good chance you can get one in the other village medical centres/pharmacies too. Saves a trip into Andorra La Vella.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@hammerite, I have just heard the same, El Tarter has LFTs at the medical center at the gondola as well
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks folks!
We just got boosters today. Officially it’s 14 days for the new certificate to become available for download, but a friend and the nurse separately said they seem to be available already after 2-3 days. (Last shot was 11 June, which seemed ok at the time but then they reduced validity down to 6 months; ie just before we set out!)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Ready to book but really confused about transiting through Toulouse airport on the way to to Arcalis.
Do we need to have test done in the UK prior to departure?
Read on the France thread that if you’re not staying in France there is no need
Clarification anyone please?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mike Pow wrote: |
Ready to book but really confused about transiting through Toulouse airport on the way to to Arcalis.
Do we need to have test done in the UK prior to departure?
Read on the France thread that if you’re not staying in France there is no need
Clarification anyone please? |
Test in UK (PCR or lateral flow/antigen) 48hrs before departure to France for vaccinated adults/24hrs before for unvaccinated teens/no test for 11yo and under
Basically, Andorra is using French and Spanish border control to test incoming travellers.
There is some confusion about the status of the test to leave Andorra; we have to do a test 48hrs before arrival in UK, but some literature that's been published says that for a 12-17yo to leave Andorra they must have a test conducted by a medical professional. Obvs this doesn't apply to adults, but it affects us because we have a 12yo. I *think* that is confusion and we are just talking about a verified lateral flow/antigen or PCR test 48hrs prior to arriving in the UK, one where you just get a certificate.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 9-12-21 18:54; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks
Do we need to do another one on the way back, or does the 48-hr LFT for entry into UK cover it?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Legend
Thanks
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Specialman wrote: |
Mike Pow wrote: |
Ready to book but really confused about transiting through Toulouse airport on the way to to Arcalis.
Do we need to have test done in the UK prior to departure?
Read on the France thread that if you’re not staying in France there is no need
Clarification anyone please? |
Test in UK (PCR or lateral flow/antigen) 48hrs before departure to France for vaccinated adults/24hrs before for unvaccinated teens/no test for 11yo and under
Basically, Andorra is using French and Spanish border control to test incoming travellers.
There is some confusion about the status of the test to leave Andorra; we have to do a test 48hrs before arrival in UK, but some literature that's been published says that for a 12-17yo to leave Andorra they must have a test conducted by a medical professional. Obvs this doesn't apply to adults, but it affects us because we have a 12yo. I *think* that is confusion and we are just talking about a verified lateral flow/antigen or PCR test 48hrs prior to arriving in the UK, one where you just get a certificate. |
A LFT is quite easy to get here administered at a pharmacy. Mine cost €15 and took 15 mins. A friend today got there’s for €9 at a local pharmacy.
It’s been snowing heavily on and off all day. Conditions should be excellent come the weekend.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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hammerite wrote: |
A LFT is quite easy to get here administered at a pharmacy. Mine cost €15 and took 15 mins. A friend today got there’s for €9 at a local pharmacy.
It’s been snowing heavily on and off all day. Conditions should be excellent come the weekend. |
It looked heavy today, that snow falling was thick. Looks like sun for most of next week but this next few days of snow could mean a brilliant base
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The snow was quite heavy, with around 20cm on the low Soldeu pistes this morning with gentle fall through most of the day. Started snowing heavy and wetter snow around 3pm and continued through although it's dryer but not as heavy now.
Didn't venture any higher than the top of Tosa lift.
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