I decided to remove myself from the UK to investigate a plan to buy an apartment in Athens.
The city has had a rough time recently. Invaded by Eastern European hordes in the early '90s, raped by Germany in the 2000s and now also overrun with migrants bringing all their third world habits with them.
That said, you can buy an OK 2 bed apartment in the City Centre for under £100k euros. I like the idea of a winter bolt hole (I've gone off Asia) where I can hop across to the islands or spend a day at the beach at the drop.
Buying a property is a "permitted' reason to travel. I'm already vaccinated and tbh, Blighty can get fucking miserable when there's little to do apart from pick litter off the beach and experiment with French cooking at home.
BA are operating a 787 on the LHR-ATH route. Book a business class seat for just £70 extra and you get the nice comfy bed for the 3.5 hour flight. I didn't. Overcome by the "you can buy a lot of Metaxa for £150 return extra I booked economy. £40 for breakfast at Gordon Ramsay T5 (rather than the usual bacon butty in the lounge) underlined the false economy.
You have to show a negative PCR test to enter Greece. The Sofitel at T5 has a spit n scoot package for £199. So I stayed overnight, in a nice room and because of the plutonium Accor card had comp canapes and four beers delivered free to the room at 630pm. Nice touch. You hand the completed test kit back to reception after a bit of pallaver with QR codes and registration. The result was back at 4am (12 hours later).
There's a bit of paperwork in addition to the PCR negative certificate. I had to download the UK travel form (no-one asks to see it). The Greek form is on-line. You register where you're planning to stay with contact and where you have to "self quarantine" for 7 days. I brought along some proof of intent to be looking at investment property too.
No food or drink on the flight, except a bag of crisps and a bottle of water.
On arrival all passengers were tightly corralled into a holding pen and a nasal swab taken. We were then told to wait for the results. Five minutes later we were told we could all proceed. Go figure.
As a subject of Her Majesty I was directed away from the unwashed EU swarm to take another Covid test. This one a throat swab cross referenced against the QR code on my Greek registration papers. Then, front of the line (comme il faut) for immigration and a stamp in the passport to say I was in Greece.
I stayed at the Intercontinental, in case I was totally confined to barracks for quarantine. Fortunately no-one much knows, or cares. Athens is quiet, but not dead. The takeaways are busy, but all bars and restaurants closed. The weather is 20C and sunny today. Perfect for a stroll.
There is a prohibition on travel between provinces which is observed. Otherwise you are obliged to carry a piece of paper stating the reason for being outdoors. "Daily exercise" covers most eventualities I think.
I will be chasing the real estate broker for some viewings later today.
Pics to follow.