So, I've been informed that Audubon is no longer here, who was the reason why I had to leave. I'll try to post occasionally updates and let people know how things are going. We're now about 1 week away from the first round of prospective relaxations of quarantine rules for foreign travelers, with reexamination every two weeks. Case rates here are only 0-2 per day, averaging less than 1 per day, almost always people already in quarantine. COVID-19 is basically extinct in the wild here. On the 4th,our gathering ban increased from 20 to 50 individuals, and sports teams are allowed to practice in groups of up to 10, and hairdressers are allowed to operate again (but companies are still encouraged to do work-from-home where possibe). Even concerts will be allowed after 25 May, although individuals will be encouraged to remain aware of the 2-meter rule, particularly vulnerable people. The 2-meter rule will no longer be mandatory, but both individuals and businesses will be encouraged to follow it wherever possible. The country will be keeping up its (among the best in the world) testing rates and ready to tighten restrictions should new breakouts appear. Assuming that the gathering will be smaller, I went ahead and cancelled the two of the four houses that had no bookings yet on them. This is where I discovered that when AirB&B says "you can get a full refund, minus any fees", they classify there as being several hundred dollars in "fees" on each booking, so yeay AirB&B :Þ But oh well. If we do need to need to book more, lodgings should be cheap and widely available. Summer so far is shaping up to be cool, dry, and with calm winds and lots of sun / few cloudy days. Growth is just starting. Near sea level grass is greening up and buds are opening on trees, although this hasn't yet started on my land, which is nearly 100 meters higher. I went and rooted an additional ~100 black cottonwood trees for planting and am working on finishing the fence on my land, to keep out the Tree-Killers.
Nice to hear from you again! Before COVID-19 I hoped I'd be able to go. But now I'm pretty sure I won't be able to. I'm helping my old parents who are in the high risk group. Let's hope the meetup is a great success and that a new one will follow at a later date!
Welcome back Karen. FWIW, I'm sorry to lose Audie. He was 100% wrong in your case but IMO he did a great job for years.
I agree, as usual, with @SageBrush. Despite my earlier certainty it seems impossible for me to make it this year, mostly because flights out of Rio de Janeiro are not likely to be easily available and, in Brazil rapidly growing mishandled epidemic is becoming less likely to abate any time soon. Morgues are overwhelmed so refrigerates trucks are the norm. I'll have to wait a while to come to Iceland. My spouse says, emulating the spouse of Justice Ginsburg, Martin, who used to say "it's time to move to New Zealand". Iceland would clearly work also!
@KarenRei MOM!!!! You are BACK!!!! Shrieks and screams!!! Arms metamorphose length till knuckles scrape ground Leaps thru the air A hug until both become uncomfortable Backs off Thankyouthankyouthankyou. I promise to be good, pick up dirty laundry, put away toys!! No longer disconsolate
Well, it's official - borders will be back open on or before 15 June Iceland to Open Borders on June 15 Apart from any potential whitelisted countries, visitors will have three options: 1) Get tested before you leave (documentation required) 2) Get tested after arrival (our government will set up testing for passengers) 3) 14-day local quarantine The country has basically no COVID-19 here in the wild, and we want to keep it that way I'll wait a week or two to let people mull things over, then poll to see how many people plan to come.
Lol, timing. I just sent out a bunch of messages asking people about attendance, and in my messages I mention that it's not clear who will have to pay for COVID testing of passengers, but I assume it would be passengers. The instant I finish sending them, I go read the news, and see this: Ríkið borgar sýnin úr farþegum At least for the first two weeks from 15 june (e.g. including our gathering), Iceland will pay for the tests. Results will be returned in under 5 hours. The country wants to make sure that it stays safe here, both for our residents and guests.
Based on some feedback, some people need more time to figure out details, which is understandable, so I'll check back in a week. If anyone had previously expressed interest in coming and still has interest, or no longer has interest, but I haven't gotten in touch with you, by all means please let me know your current status.
My flight is officially Canceled. Without a refund. I will get a credit for a future flight. We will probably book on IcelandAir. We will decide in a few days.
@KarenRei et.al. OT I think So, Sat, May 16th I get email and text, late in day I subscribe to “spot the station” International space station viewing Put in address or latitude longitude and you get alerts “(More or less) “NW to SE, visible for 6 minutes, beginning 5:47 am” I wake at 3:30am, close eyes for just a moment Open eyes, it’s 4:43am!!! Go outside. Swim to exercise (I’m blessed with a pool) @5:36 I notice a satellite going S to N that’s nice Then I see a pentagonal group of 5 more Then 3 more, and more and more IT’S STARLINK!!! I’m transfixed, stunned, motionless, just gazing, quietly breathing. cast back 60 years to when I watched Echo1 go overhead, viewing the launches out of Wallops Island, Virginia, 200 miles away, when giant colored clouds would appear, and seeing morning launch’s from there, all the other singletons viewed at times. For about 5 glorious, almost spiritual minutes, ~60 satellites drift overhead, with a few stragglers, a flock of lights, going S to N Then the ISS, comes into view, a single brighter light. NW to SE Just as it fades, a meteor streaks across 1/2 the sky, E to W, a cherry on top of a spectacular 20 minutes ad astra per asparagus. Out of the cradle, endlessly orbiting
Welcome back!! I would love to come, but there is no way we can make it this year. Thanks for everything you have done and continue to do.
So, of the people who are still "maybes", any more clarity as to whether you'll be coming? I still have one house reserved, with three of four slots of it booked with "maybes", but need to decide whether to keep or cancel it within the next week or two. Thanks!
This summer us Norwegians can only visit Denmark. Any other country for business trips only. For private trips the travel insurance is invalid since it depends on your home country being OK with the trip.
There's a number of "maybes", but the majority have cancelled. My main concern this whole time has been worries about people who had already made reservations to come - I don't want them losing out on cancellations or whatnot. I think that this point we should just say that there's no plans for "a meetup" due to COVID-19, but if anyone plans to come, let me know and I'll make sure that we still "meet up" Does that sound good? And I'll try to reach out to the remaining people on the group house booking list and see if they're okay with cancellation (it's easy to make your own reservations right now).
Damn, I forgot to check this thread for ages - although I PM'ed my thoughts @KarenRei Indeed it's not going to work for me at this time, as suspected, and I've requested a travel voucher from Iceland Air so I can come at a later date. I would propose we look for a reschedule next year?? And as I said, Karen, it's not right for you to be out of pocket for the booking fees, I'd like to contribute towards that, I'm sure other here would too, so let's sort something out over that, eh? Otherwise I'll just PayPay you some money whether you like it or not!! Plant some more trees...