Yesterday I finally left Kuwait for a vacation, my first trip since the pandemic started and the experience turned out to be much more simpler than I had anticipated.
I chose to fly Kuwait Airways to Amsterdam. I’ll be staying here for a couple of nights before I start making my way down to Paris over the next few days driving through Bruges (Brussels on the way back), then hitting up some spots in the North of France before heading down to Paris. When planning the trip I looked at direct flights, I didn’t want to deal with hubs and changing planes so my options were really limited. But, picking Kuwait Airways turned out to be the best idea.
The airport in Kuwait was fairly busy but lots of empty spots in the long term parking. A lot of people including security officers weren’t wearing masks so the atmosphere was fairly laid back. On the plane we also didn’t have to wear masks which was great. I did two PCR tests before I traveled. I did the first one and then realized for Amsterdam I needed a test taken 48 hours before the trip and mine would have expired by the time I landed so I took another one to be safe. Nobody even checked them, not in Kuwait nor in Amsterdam.
In Amsterdam nobody is even wearing masks, it feels so weird, feels like everything is normal again and I’m loving it. Places are super busy, restaurants packed and nobody has a mask on except for a the odd tourist here and there, I love it. The only two places so far that have checked to see if I’m vaccinated or not was passport control at the airport, and a restaurant I had dinner at last night. For both I just showed them my immune app.
I’ll be posting about my trip while I’m here, I haven’t done that sort of posting in forever so I’m looking forward to it. If anyone has any questions about the process of flying out of Kuwait, let me know in the comments.
52 replies on “I finally traveled!”
Now that’s what I call a Bon Voyage! Keep us posted, Mark. I’m intending to travel soon
Enjoy 👍🏻
You are lucky the weather is exceptionally good these past two days! Have fun.
What are the charges for the long term parking?
2KD a day
Are the ticket prices still outrageous?
no cost me like 140kd to fly to amsterdam. would have been a few kd cheaper if i had booked a day earlier even.
also flight was pretty empty
Hey Mark
That’s great!
Can you tell me what is it like on board the kuwait airways flight?
Did they provide hygiene kits to passengers?
Thanks
Nope no hygiene kits or anything. It felt like a normal trip pre-corona. Flight attendants did wear masks and have gloves on though.
Thats super bad,
Kuwait should at least provide branded hygiene kits like emirates or qatar airways.
They should be a flagship airline, they act like budget airline.
🤦♂️
I just came back from Tblisi this afternoon.
KAC flight KU192 gave us hygiene kits, extra masks, sanitizers etc..
I think MARK refused to pick it up when entering.
I didn’t refuse to pick up anything. On our flight, they didn’t provide us with any kits.
Awesome, enjoy! This might be a longshot, but try to pass by Disneyland Paris when you’re in Paris, there are tons of fun stuff to do there, and its not very busy
FYI no body was wearing masks in Amsterdam even at the absolute height of the outbreak there. That’s because the RIVM (Dutch CDC) declared the ‘Fauci mask’ to be nothing but ‘theater’, and can only marginally reduce transmission in very closed spaces (which is why they were only required on public transport, but rarely enforced).
There were rumors going around that people tried to visit Amsterdam and were not allowed in, being forced to come back to Kuwait because they had the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine! Did you hear about that or did you notice anything when you were at Schiphol airport?
I think just rumors, a friend was telling me he heard kuwait vaccines weren’t accepted here and we needed a pcr test every day. That isn’t true either. Kuwait is on the Netherlands safe list.
Hey Mark,
Hope you are enjoying the vacation.
I am travelling too end of novmeber and I would like to know if I will be required each time before boarding a flight in Europe?
For example, France to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to Austria? Do i have to take a pcr everytime?
I’m driving down so not sure if same rules apply but I’ll be getting a PCR test today in case I need it. Supposedly the tests are free and there is a place right outside my hotel that does it.
If you’re vaccinated you won’t need it, I traveled all around europe this summer and most don’t check and if they do the kuwait vaccination certificate is enough
Thanks man.
So i will have to do is take a PCR Before leaving Kuwait. Carry my Immune Certificate and App & take a PCR before coming to Kuwait.
I hope that’s the only requirement and a safe travel.
I live in Germany and if requested, antigen test is valid for 48 hours and results in 15 minutes. You don’t need PCR!
As what Kal said, with a vaccine card, you are good to go.
Remember that some European countries got their own forms to be filled out before arriving. Check this website which is the official website and has updated information https://reopen.europa.eu/
You can download the app on your phone , check travel pan and receive update information.
Great news Mark !!!
Wishing you a smooth and relaxing R&R.
Surely you deserve it.
Looking forward to your TravelVlog postings.
While in Amsterdam, don’t forget to have a serving of some Fresh Oysters washed down with a cold drink. Enjoy.
Stay safe.
God bless
👍👍👍
2500 daily cases. So people not wearing masks at their own risk.
Some venues and clubs require an equivalent of immune app which is EU digital COVID Certificate app, is that true?
No clubs open still, but restaurants require immune proof and I’ve been using our immune app for it. They just scan the QR code
So exciting!! Hope you have a great trip and stay safe (but don’t compromise on any fun!)
You might as well engage in some space cake while you’re at it 😉
Is Kuwait Airways food still bad? Anything new at the airport? (Kuwait and Schiphol)
There wasn’t much for food, just shake shack, McDonald’s,‘Starbucks and caribou
Glad to see things back to normal again.
Enjoy your holiday man.
Enjoy..!
Did you have to quarantine when you landed?
No, no quarantine or the need to take a PCR test
Do visit Cafe Bulldog ! a little Doobie to chill…
Please don’t visit cafe bulldog, it is tourist trap that is only famous to people who are familiar with the insta culture. There are plenty of other quality coffeshops to visit & I am pretty certain Mark has done his research if he intends to indulge.
Yeah was not gonna visit it, or any coffee shop for the matter, don’t really get stoned anymore.
Hey Mark! Hope you’re well! As per the Dutch travel website, it says no need for a PCR test, so why did you take a test before leaving Kuwait? Thanks 🙂
According to the Dutch website they require a PCR test taken less than 48 hours before departure
Hey Mark!! Hope you enjoying …even I read the same that you don’t need a PCR and only vaccination certificate is enough. Did they check your PCR
Nope nobody checked PCR and just drove to Belgium and no border patrol or anything here either so all good.
Enjoy it Mark,
Just came back to Kuwait and couldn’t believe how quickly they’re able to change your mood at immigration. Just an absolute shit-show at the Jazeera terminal with no social distancing, 4 immigration officers for 200 people and as usual, no respect for expats.
Yeah.. exactly why am not really excited about the new airport.
Can we travel around Europe by car freely and if not what are the requirements to travel around ?
I think so, drove to Belgium with no issues, heading to France tomorrow
Puff puff pass
Wow… Enjoy your vacay Mark!
Hope to see/read some interesting posts of your journey. 🙂
I believe you should post this website so people get the right information about traveling in Europe. It will help!
https://reopen.europa.eu/
Hope you know your coffee shops from your cafes! 😜
While in Bruges do as the Bruges-ians do which is eat plenty of waffle and Godiva.
Hello mark & readers,
If you an answers these questions please :-
1) I have my kuwait driving license ( not International ) will it be allowed to rent a car there specifically in austria & norway?
2) Is renting a car a better option than taking trains? just for a short period of time. Also, should we rent from airport or from the city side?
3) How much will be Gas / Petrol cost me for 4 – 6 days of driving the car?
4) Any others pointers you can help me with.
Regards
1- Yes you can rent a car without an international driving license
2- Too vague a question since it really depends on a lot of different factors. You staying in the city? Don’t rent a car use public transpprt.
3- What car, how much are you driving, and what distances are you traveling? Fuel in Europe is around 6-8 times more expensive than in Kuwait. Filling up a full tank will cost you 50-60kd depending on the car and which country you’re filling it in. Also expect to pay alot for parking and also tolls.
Thanks mark for the info.
Regarding the rental, I wanted to travel from Vienna to Hallstatt lets say and maybe I could passby Hungary if possible, so in that scenerio i was asking.
Also, I got to know the charges from Hallstatt to vienna or vice versa is 125euros/person so in that case it would be hell costly.
I would rent a 4dr small car and travelling distance would be max 4-5 hrs of travel daily.
Just a Quick Update :-
Got back from my trip of Belgium – Oslo – Kuwait
Overall process was easy.
Got my PCR done back and fourth package from KoonSalbi ( 20KD RETURN PACKAGE )
Got asked first for my Negative PCR And then about my trip in Kuwait Airport.
Reached Belgium ( Just checked my visa and that’s it ) I had filled in PLF for Belgium and they never asked anything about it.
Belgium to Oslo was very frightening to me because i had ended up watching some video where they ask to have a EU Vaccine certificate ( Some fuck up happened ) but It was all smooth.
Norway was very chilled out, people without mask all over the place.
Just be sure when you get back to Kuwait please do the PCR 3 days before because it will cost you 30 KD ( 1-3 working days ) but a quick pcr is 75 KD 2500 NOK ( Gets result in 40mins )
Overall the pcr to be done is that they scam you by saying you might not get the result before flying.