I do really want to go to HiveFest but i've got a problem induced by the Dutch Government's chosen response to Covid-19...
That problem is the blanket-ban on vaccinated (into which category I currently fall) U.K. residents entering Holland for leisure purposes....
There are exemptions for essential travel but going on a five day crypto-conference jolly ain't one of them!
I bought my ticket about SIX weeks ago when I was resident in Portugal, and there are no travel restrictions between EU countries, or Schengen countries, but of course the UK falls into neither category and isn't on Holland's safe list because the U.K.s Covid rate is significantly higher than Holland's.
And then there's a further rub - the fact that I've actually recently had my first vaccination, and I can get my second just before Hive Fest, but they're demanding a further 14 days after this to qualify as fully vaccinated.
A second rub is this: I do technically have Portuguese residency so I could just go via Portugal from the U.K. with an extra overnight in Lisbon - HOWEVER I don't yet have my biometric residency card, only this shitty form with a QR code saying I'm entitled to one (from the post-BREXIT years), but my feeling is that I'm very likely to get a jobsworth at Amsterdam airport who would see only my British Passport and totally disregard the 'dodgy' temporary residency permit!
Deciding to not bother with Hive Fest
I decided last week I wouldn't bother going - it's too stressful having the thought of being blocked from entering hanging over me - so I cancelled my hotel in Amsterdam, got a full refund, and cancelled my Lisbon Hotel and parking space (I had planned to drive to the airport and park) again for a full refund.
I haven't bothered doing my flight refunds yet as frankly I get so little back after tax is taken into account I'm thinking maybe just changing them and doing some kind of other city break might just be the way to go instead!
I've also tried to get a refund on my HiveFest ticket, however this has proved to be difficult... For a start I am blocked from sending any messages on the HiveFest platform...
And so I tried sending 0.01HBD to both the @hivefest account and @roelanp and have no acknowledgement from either so I don't know what's going ton there.
Edit - people in comments informed me @roelandp contacted me on Twitter suggesting a Belgium circumvention (oddly something I was already thinking about), I'd actually forgotten I'd messaged on Twitter too, I don't use it very often, so it's all good!
Still in Two Minds...
However now I'm wondering if I might just go to HiveFest anyway....
Someone suggested I just hop on the EuroStar, go to Belgium, then Belgium to Holland, and that could be an option, although I might need to do a day stop-over in the former...
I could even just book myself a hotel when I get there too, shouldn't be too much of a problem!
And then of course there's the refund issue too.
I think I saw roland commenting to you on twitter ... might try that chanel
https://twitter.com/roelandp
Oh yeah cheers I'd FORGOTTEN I'd gone via twitter, and actually coincidentally that was something I was considering - CHEERS!
I messaged Roeland on the Hivefest Telegram to say you were looking for a refund.
I just checked my NHS app to ensure I have all my vaccination barcodes. I'll carry a backup copy of those just in case. I think I am sorted to go next week anyway via Eurostar. It would be great to see you there if you can make it.
Update: @roelandp said:
Ah cheers for that I am still thinking about coming!
Do you think this ban will remain forever? I dont plan on ever getting vaccinated so that kinda sucks if i cant ever go dam again. Crazy
I imagine they will step into line fairly soon - it would be crazy to keep it on, bad for business!
hi K!
yeah its unfortunate. not certain i understand you being “blocked” on the hivefest platform but anyhow…
just fyi i did reply on twitter a mere 20 minutes after u reached out and try to call on an old phonenumber i found …
https://mobile.twitter.com/realsociology/status/1564131644944093185
anyhow, if you dont trust it will work, personally I think it could, they do the checks when boarding (if they even do) there is nothing in NL anywhere, plus there is always the belgium (or any other eu country really) route, im happy to
refund.
lets finalise via hivefest@gmail.com ?
Hi Roel, yeah thanks I just saw yr Twitter message, I am now leaning towards coming and I think the Belgium route will work so no worries, thanks for getting back to me!
What an unpleasant bureaucratic mess!
This is really adding an insult to injury. Why on Earth would they block you from sending messages on the HiveFest platform?
It is a bit unexpected!
You're sure it's not a technical glitch but being personally blocked?
I'm not sure! It could just be my connection.
i can only imagine this being the hivefest.freshdesk.com FAQ site. i might have disabled creating tickets as it is really only used for reading the FAQ. But I am not certain. Rest assured i did not block anyone on a personal level.
note to contact me directly there is
hivefest@gmail.com, telegram
hivefest, and twitter.
just setting things straight here. would have been nicer to have talked earlier prior to this post. every year there are some unfortunate issues and normally a refund can work, unless catering and stuff has already been finalized...
id rather have Karl in Amsterdam obviously as he has been coming already so many times…
That's what I thought and suggested in another comment.
Ah it was the HiveFest FAQ - NB the reason I say 'blocked' is because when I tried to create a ticket I got a large message saying 'you are blocked from using this site' - maybe unfortunate wording on what it autogenerates!
Also - the post was supposed to be mainly about the Covid thing, not this, but that's what everyone has picked up on unfortunately! Sorry about that, not the way I intended it at all!
I hope you'll be there! I'll be giving a talk related to your topic Patronage of witnesses.
What about a round about route catching a train to Calais and then connecting on to Holland? Would they have border checks on this route as I have no clue about this and was only an idea.
Yeah I am thinking Belgium now.
That makes much more sense and hope it all works out well for you. I think this whole situation is ridiculous as everything has opened up and we are still having these issues. I have only had one vaccination and have no plans for any more.
Oh get ur arse over and see us, it won't be the same without you.
Yeah I will probably just have to EuroStar it, shouldn't be too bad.
Hope to see you there!
Bureaucracy sucks! Hope you can still make it, saw that Belgium was a potential solution.
I think I'm going to give Belgium a go!
Nice, man!
I didn't realise COVID restrictions were still a thing anywhere in Europe. We've been enjoying total freedom from that here in the UK for nearly 8 months now. Totally forgot about it. By the way, if you've already had COVID, you can get a pass from the NHS. That should work in place of a vax barcode I think.
Hey cheers - it is a thing but apparently it's not enforced very thoroughly, but the advice on the official websites is very off-putting.