The Government tap-tap

 Approaching Rosamunde's House

What did I do? How did I spend my last day? Mostly jumping through hoops.

I had tried to forget about those, while living my best life here in Cornwall. But then a few days ago I started hearing the tap tap tap of the government pin-ball machine that is any traveler's life these days. 

"Did you take your 'test to depart' covid test?" (ping!) 

"Did you fill out the Attestaton form?"  (pong!)

"Have you uploaded (or is it downloaded?) your proof of a negative covid test?"  (ping!)

"Don't forget your passport. Not the vaccine passport, your real one."  (pong!)

But what about my vaccine passport? Don't they need to see that? Well, apparently not since for you to even be over here at all, you had to be double vaccinated, so they don't need to see it anymore.

And finally, "Don't forget your boarding pass." At last, something I understand! Like the way it used to be Back In The Day when you only needed your passport and a boarding pass. We'll be needing a grocery cart one of these days to drag in all the junk they'll think up for you to lay at the altar. Just you wait.

It soon became obvious that a printer would be needed. I, of course, did not have a printer, as I, of course, am 'on holiday'. People 'on holiday' don't bring along their printers. So I found that the Library had one. But when I got there, the Library printers were powered by PC and my laptop by Apple and so they didn't like each other and certainly didn't speak the same language. It was the age-old Mac vs PC advert all over again. The Librarian was very nice about it but this language problem between our two computers? It didn't end there. We didn't understand each other either!

Now I am utterly sprawled out in front of the television and watching some very decent British detective shows. The Brits are good at that, and I am going to miss it. And the British Bakeoff show. And The Repair Shop. And Marriage At First Sight. And Love Island. Wow! How does anyone over here ever get anything done, with all these shows to get through each night? 

I'm going to sign off, now that VERA is over. I'm exhausted from all the rigamarole. But I did promise you last month to tell you if the trip was worth doing all that. Was the rigamarole enough to put me off coming back here? Not on your life! It made things harder, for part of the time; and it made things more complicated. But It was, besides that, absolutely lovely. I've even seen some new cottages on offer from Aspects Holidays that look promising. And The Cottage Boutique. And St Ives Holidays... and...

See you along the way!

the SconeLady

Barnoon Cemetery