So I’ve only just come back from Hong Kong today (21/12/2021) and my original date I was supposed to be back was 5/12/2021, however British Airways had other ideas! This isn’t about my cancelled flights but my experience when travelling to Hong Kong during COVID and my quarantine experience. NB: this was from October 2021 so things may have changed, so please check the UK government website for updates before you fly.
Before I go to London Heathrow I was required to do a PCR test 72 hours before my flight to ensure I was negative. Hong Kong has specific places they want you to go to, I went to Vivo Clinic in Southampton. Once you get your results you need to provide evidence that it is an accredited laboratory (this will be the laboratory that emailed you your results). You can find out if they are accredited when you go to the UKAS website https://www.ukas.com/find-an-organisation/; once found you can either have it printed out or have it on your phone.
Next I booked my quarantine hotel. There are quite a few designated quarantine hotels and you CANNOT book a hotel outside from the list. This is the hotel list: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/designated-hotel-list-v5_en.pdf, you can choose one that is in your price range. I booked Metropark Hotel Kowloon. All hotels are different so please research before you book. Once booked you need to print off your reservation email, you can just print off the whole email and you just need to ensure the email have the dates that you are checking in and checking out (this is to ensure you are doing the full 21 days).
Now to book either my day 2 PCR test (fully vaccinated) or day 2 and day 8 (unvaccinated). You need to get this booked before you fly as you need the booking reference number for your passenger locator form (when you fly back to the UK). The day 2 needs to be a PCR test and NOT a lateral flow test (LFT). This test will be sent to you nearer to the time you arrive back in the UK. There’s quite a few you can book so book one that is within your price range: https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider. Once booked ensure to take the booking reference abroad with you!
Then I needed to prove that I have had 2 COVID vaccinations, this can be from the NHS App; this shows your full name, date of birth and your vaccination status and what vaccine you had. You can just save the PDF on your phone or get it printed off.
Now to complete the Health Declaration Form for Hong Kong: https://hdf.chp.gov.hk/dhehd/?lang=en-us you need to give all your travel details and what quarantine hotel you are staying in. This is needed when you arrive at the airport and CANNOT be skipped. Once completed it will give you a QR code, save this code on your phone.
I am now ready to fly! I usually get to the airport pretty early anyway but I was 6 hours early for my flight as I didn’t know how long it will take to check in. It was busy at the airport but not as busy as it used to be. Checking in was a breeze, they would look at your documents and once checked you can then go to the desk and check in as normal. Then I went to my gate and before boarding they would do another check of your documents. They need to do these checks otherwise they (the airline) will get fined and they just need to double check you have all your documents and nothing was overlooked from the first check.
As I said from the beginning I flew with British Airways, I was lucky enough to have no one else sitting with me in my row. As the flight wasn’t busy, the air crew was able to move people around so we were all spaced out a bit more. British Airways used to have a menu for you but due to COVID they don’t have these anymore. The air crew will instead just tell you what they have. You will still have 2 meals, I had dinner and then a lunch. The lunch (before arriving in Hong Kong) was a chicken sandwich, I was really hoping for a hot meal like old times!
Touch down! I arrived in Hong Kong International Airport; before you go through immigration and go to baggage reclaim you need to undergo a PCR test at the airport. This is to ensure you are negative and able to go to your quarantine hotel, if you are positive you will be taken to a public hospital for treatment. You will need to go through a few people before you go for your test, they will ask you for the QR code (Health Declaration Form) and ask you a few questions. Once I have gone through all the checks and done my PCR test, I am then needed to stay at the airport until I get my results. This can take hours… Mine took around 3 hours, luckily they gave you water and biscuits and if you are cold then there were blankets. The way they make you sit is like sitting for an exam! Once you get your results, you are then ready to go through immigration and get your luggage.
Now I’ve got my luggage, we are then at the arrivals hall when they tell you which lane to line up to get your coach/bus to the quarantine hotel. They had a few coaches/buses going different routes, so if your hotel was on the same route as another then you will get that coach. I am now led downstairs to the my coach/bus and before the luggage gets on it is sprayed with disinfectant. I would like to applaud how they have organised this, the attention to detail is amazing.
By the time I got to my hotel it was around 6pm. The hotel was still open for other guests, so any guests that are in quarantine go via the back of the hotel. Metropark Hotel Kowloon gave you a lot of information on what happens whilst I’m at hotel and that there would be 6 COVID tests conducted within the 21 days. I also need to self monitor my temperature twice a day (the temperature monitor will be provided at the airport); in the morning and in the evening. The hotel provided 3 meals a day and you can choose between A or B meals each day (as I said from the beginning, each hotel is different). I get escorted to my room and then I’m left to my own devices! I was unable to turn the air conditioning up or open the window, can’t remember what their reason was for this!
You’re not allowed to leave the hotel room at all, the only time you can open the door is to get your food or when you need to get your COVID test done. If you leave your room at all, you will be fined and could face prison time. You won’t be able to leave Hong Kong until after day 26.
After my 21 day quarantine, you are then told to self monitor for 7 days and on day 26 you need to go for a COVID test. When self monitoring you are able to go out and about but you need to ensure you go for a COVID test on day 26. On my information leaflets from the hotel you are required to book your day 26 test before you leave the hotel.
That was basically my experience from start to finish. Luckily I didn’t get too bored as I worked during quarantine but I was soooo cold in the hotel room, it was like a fridge! The food wasn’t too bad as the first 2 weeks I was able to eat everything from the menu but by week 3 I just wasn’t into it anymore. I also had mouth ulcers in my first week, so eating was quite hard. Some hotels won’t allow it but my one you were able to get people to bring you bits and bobs; the hotel workers will then bring it up to your room. So my parents were able to bring me some medical supplies!
Hong Kong have done well to keep the infection rate low, everyone wears a mask wherever they go; they only take it off when they are eating/drinking. They also have an app called Leave Home Safe, this app is like the NHS Test and Trace; you bring up the app and take a photo of the QR code. This is mandatory in Hong Kong so make sure you download it.
If you want to know my review for the food in the hotel you can go to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheOrientalFoodie or my Instagram https://www.instagram.com/theorientalfoodie/
The Oriental Foodie 