Yes, I know this blog is dead. (I might just revive it.)
Yes, we moved to Taiwan. (No we are not here on holiday. Taiwan is not currently open to tourists. More on why and/or how in another post, maybe. Leave a comment if you wanna hear more about it, and better yet, which part of the story you wanna hear about.)
Yes, we might be a little crazy. (Or not.)
Just wanted to take the opportunity to make use of some of my quarantine time to document the current travel situation flying into Taipei was like for us. This might be useful for some people, but I am sure after these last two years, we all know that things can change quite quickly. We flew on the 14th of April 2022, and this is being written on the 16th of April 2022.
Context and Pre-Departure
We were flying from Singapore (Changi International Airport) to Taiwan (Taoyuan International Airport), and would be entering Taiwan with an Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).
After receiving news that our visas had been approved, That Millennial Husband (TMH) booked us a quarantine hotel (as required by Taiwan) while I booked our flights (Singapore Airlines baby!). Packing was absolutely crazy, but since this post is supposed to be about flying into TPE, I shall save that for another post.
Within 48 hours of departure, we had to:
- Take a PCR Test in Singapore.
- Fill out a form online. (Shall henceforth be called Q Form in this post)
Thankfully, we did not have our schedule disrupted by test results, and could proceed to travel on our planned dates.
Departure at Changi Airport
Despite having checked in online, we had to proceed to the counter probably because there were documents which needed to be checked prior to check-in. The check-in staff requested to see the following documents:
- PCR Test Results
- ARC Print-out
- Screenshot of what you get at the end of Q Form (Screenshot 1):
It was honestly so nice to see Changi alive and bustling, even if it meant standing in the check-in line for about twenty to thirty minutes. Watching and listening to everybody else as we moved through the airport made me realise how long it’s been and how I have missed travel.
Aside from the check-in, everything else about departing from Changi was the same as the last time I traveled.
Flight
The check-in staff had already informed us that the flight would be pretty empty, due to the requirements for entry in Taiwan, as well as some social distancing requirements on the plane. So TMH and I both had our own window seat on our own row.
With the decreased load, the flight was naturally comfortable. The only perceivable difference (aside from the emptiness) was that we were required to wear a mask throughout the flight, aside from when we were eating. In any case, we were smashed from all the packing and trying to make sure our documents were in order so we slept through most of the flight.
Disembarking and Arrival
Arriving was probably the biggest difference in travel experience. Upon arrival, we were all held at the gate after disembarking. Airport staff (I think) dressed in white space/hazmat suits then called each of us out by name and gave us a sticker with our “ID number” on it. I was later told by someone along the process that it was an important sticker that I could not lose until I arrived at my quarantine hotel.
PCR Test
After receiving our sticker, we had our PCR tests done at a corner of the gate. We had to wait about 45-60 minutes at the gate for the results during which we were told that anybody who tested positive would be brought to the hospital. Again, thankfully, our results allowed us to continue on our way.
Taiwanese SIM Card Purchase
Immediately after leaving the gate, we were greeted by the SIM card purchase station. As part of their containment strategy, Taiwan requires each individual above a certain age (believe it’s 18) to have an individual Taiwan mobile number for the quarantine period, even if one has an international roaming number. More info can be found here.
After purchasing the SIM Card, we proceeded to the next station was for updating the Taiwan mobile number in the Quarantine System database. There were airport staff on hand to help with the process. By the end of this process, we each received a text on our individual numbers with a link. Clicking through that with the help of the staff would eventually lead us to a site where we had to take three screenshots.
ART Kits and Test Dates
Once that was done, we were directed through a channel where we picked up ART kits and were told to take a picture of the dates on which we had to test. So far, we have received calls from the authorities everyday during our quarantine, and were reminded to take our first test tomorrow.
Immigration, Baggage Claim, Customs
These were totally normal other than due to the emptiness of the flight, these were done very quickly compared to normal. Things only started to get different after passing through customs.
Airport Transfer
After clearing customs, we were directed to a designated taxi area, where the screenshots from the SIM stage were checked by staff, who assigned us to specific taxis.
Taxi drivers dressed in white PPE (not quite hazmat-like suits) would first spray down all baggage and even persons before our bags and us were allowed into the taxi. When we finally arrived at our quarantine hotel, we (and our bags) were again sprayed down before we were allowed to check-in and head up to our room.
Quarantine has been great so far, but that shall be another post for another time!
