What to pack for Quarantine...

Image Copyright: Cristi Doran

Make sure you have booked somewhere after quarantine so that you have your steps set up... but be gentle with yourself when you're in the quarantine. The admin of your move can be handled when you're out of quarantine.

Alcohol

People will be able to order and pay for alcoholic drinks with meals, but consumption will be limited.

What can bring with across the border from SA?

If you're arriving in Ireland from outside the EU, you can bring in certain goods free of duty subject to these limits:

• 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of smoking tobacco (Allowances are on a fractional basis, for example 100 cigarettes plus 50 cigarillos would be the limit together.)
• 1 litre of spirits (more than 22%) or 2 litres of intermediate products (e.g. port, sherry, etc. but not sparkling wine)
• 4 litres of wine or 16 litres of beer
• 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette

Can I choose the hotel I stay in, and can I use its facilities?
Hotels will be assigned at random, and you can only use the facilities in your room, although this will include the full range of the hotel’s in-room services, including free wifi and in-room entertainment system. Food will be delivered to your door. Everything else will be off limits except for carefully controlled smoking or exercise breaks.

Comments from members and ideas:

• games
• board games
• games consol
• Smokes and vape
• mani pedi, face pack, bath salts, bubble bath, bath scrubs... you know... all the spoil things...
  
• kindle with books preloaded
  
• magazines
• sodoku or crosswords
• If you craft - crafting supplies, colouring in books and pencils/pens, things to help you keep busy.
• If you are a photographer this is a great time to edit the tons of photos you have...
• Paint by numbers set, it is addictive and will work for adults and kids
• Puzzle - 1500, assuming space to build of course. This, for example, was quite useful over rainy days in lockdown.
• An inflatable jigsaw mat might be useful when it needs to move out of the way / under the bed.https://www.amazon.co.uk/.../ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title...
• If you just put the puzzle in a ziplock bag (with a pic of finished puzzle ), it shouldn't take up much space in suitcase.
   
• Enough cables (and plug converter) in case tablets and phones die at the same time.
• Tastes horrific I know, but maybe something like 2-minute noodles that could work with boiling water. Instant porridge etc.
• If possible, a collapsable camping bowl to use for it? E.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cam.../dp/B07V2RKPXG/ref=sr_1_10.... Collapsable (ideally) measuring.
• My kids tend to get hungry at 10pm in a hotel, so snacks, to avoid room service, I've been known to pack for camping on occasion.
• Solid soap for washing dishes, solid shampoo/conditioner bar for hair etc if it's something you like.
• Oh yeah, and any leftover space to be taken up with Peppermint Crisps for essential use after the 14 days.
• If we're allowed deliveries, I'm going to take my sewing machine in checked luggage and order in fabric to make furniture covers for our future rental for when the cats arrive...
• Books.
• Maybe a mini ring light, a bit of make up and my backdrop to film some tiktoks? (Yes, I'm one of those millennials on tiktok, but a ring light and tiktok could go a long way for people with teenagers ).
• A small Nespresso Vertuo or similar with loads of pods... your post had me thinking...I’m not a lover of the sachets. A small plunger and bag of coffee might be an easier option.  
• Sleeping remedies and lots of them. definitely a course on meditation. 
• Download your available Netflix offline space full with stuff to watch. Friends recently quarantined for 14 days and were told there was free and uncapped wifi. There was. That's where the good news ends. It was a 1 mbps line. I kid you not. So be ready to watch plenty series and movies offline.
• Warning - being sensible I've seen some posts from those who are doing quarantine in hotels in the UK and they have said that they wished they had packed some dish clothes, sunlight and some washing powder. Some packed plates and cutlery as they say its not great to eat off plastic everyday. Not sure if this helps. 
• So funny this popped up because a few days ago I was thinking ok, it’ll be chill time just you and 4 walls and hopefully some exercise, reading blogging and Netflix. All before your new adventure starts. Like a butterfly about to emerge. Maybe that is the coach in me and mind power trick
• Light exercise equipment ... yoga matt, skipping rope
• I would second the skipping rope. We used ours every day, although you do need more space than you think to skip. We didn't take yoga mats because space and weight but did yoga without them. It's not great but better than nothing. We didn't leave our flat though - the quarantine spots in the UK allowed for an hour of exercise a day, and we didn't have that luxury in our Airbnb in Ireland. Not sure if the Irish quarantine hotels will also have the exercise allowance.
• I’d also add that, should skipping not always be possible / practical, some resistance bands might be useful to use with body weight training / stretching in the room.
• Arts and crafts ... knitting, paints, puzzles, playing cards ...
• We didn't do the quarantine in a hotel. It was an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a balcony. So we could get fresh air and we had a lot of space. But I loved the 2 week period. I needed it. I found the move very stressful and was stupid enough to think I could work until the day before the movers came, so that coupled with the goodbyes and the long flights was a very toxic stress cocktail. You'll get to Dublin and won't have to worry about fitting all your luggage in a rented car or finding the hotel... it will all be sorted. All you need to do is have a hot shower, lie on the bed with your feet up, and relax. Look at it as much-needed time to clutch out and familiarise yourself with local TV, the products available by doing some online shopping, research the place you're heading to next, catch up with friends and family on WhatsApp... not so bad.
• Chinese cheap party plate holders, paper plates, batteries for kids toys, books, spork,washing powder, best music download, online two week course, Google social media free course, Joe wicks kids workout, cosmic kids yoga fun, nature documentaries, science max, stress tablets, calmease, takeaway nrs nearby recommended, online deliveries of cool drink, beer, wine, snacks, hotel will be pricey no bar open. And finally a positive attitude to know its not prison just resetting you for your new journey, Rest.. Cas you'll be very busy with paperwork and running about afterwards.
• Wool, crochet hooks, knitting needles and a YouTube video download on how to make beanies
• If you pack a games console remember the cables, hdmi etc and plug adaptor for power. You can carry most game consoles in carry on.
• Also if you like to read - think digital like an e-reader or iPad (less weight).

   

   

  (will add to this list as more ideas come in....)

   

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  Note: As we see and get a chance to update we will do so, but as this is an extremely fluid situation, we may NOT get to create these alerts immediately.

  It is in your interest to subscribe or download Irish media apps to keep abreast of travel information.

  ALWAYS check the official sites before embarking on buying tickets and travelling to ensure no changes have occured!!!!!

  The official sites will be linked off the pages below!

  https://sa2eire.com/covid-19-updates

   

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  Important links: 

   

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