Kicking off with Germany

She has danced, safely, in a nightclub housed on a river boat and watched a live music performance, since arriving in Berlin last Friday.

Communications manager Janice Chew says clubs in Berlin check guests for their vaccination status, a recent Covid-19 test result or proof of recovery. "I just danced at the back of the room so there's more space," she says, intent on exploring Germany safely and ardently.

The emotions are surreal as she globetrots again. "It feels like I'm slipping into a familiar skin of a previous traveller life," says the 31-year-old. "It's great to be in Germany - feels like I'm truly living."

She also found herself "relearning" how to travel. En route, she paid attention to the in-flight safety video and tried to remember when she could fill her water bottle at the airport.

In Berlin, she will also savour art, history and cool enclaves. She will likely spend time in another lifestyle capital, Munich, and mediaeval Rothenburg before flying home on Oct 21.

The first Singapore residents to visit Germany under the new Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme - which started on Sept 8 - have just returned home (see other stories) or are still holidaying there.

At a time when VTLs are rolling out at a quickened pace, their experiences in Germany show that it is possible to travel safely during the global pandemic.

Last Saturday, a flurry of new VTLs was announced by the Transport Ministry. From next Tuesday, vaccinated travellers can go on quarantine-free trips to eight more countries: Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Britain and the United States.

South Korea, popular with Singaporean travellers, was added to the scheme last Friday. The VTL flights start on Nov 15.

Previously, Brunei was a VTL pioneer, alongside Germany, but its borders remain closed to leisure travel.

In sync with these multiple openings, Singapore Airlines (SIA) is expanding its VTL network and stepping up its German services.

SQ325, the designated VTL flight from Frankfurt to Singapore, will increase to daily departures from next Tuesday. From Munich, there will be three VTL flights to Singapore every week on SQ331 from next Wednesday.

And Scoot will resume non-stop flights thrice a week between Singapore and Berlin.

In the coming weeks, travel-famished Singaporeans will have a fuller choice of quarantine-free destinations, though Germany has first-mover advantage. An SIA spokesman says "demand remains strong" for Frankfurt and Munich VTL flights, which carry a mix of Singapore and Germany residents.

"Anecdotally, there is also a good combination of customers travelling to visit families, those going for leisure and holidays, as well as business travel," the spokesman says.

This early VTL is filled with significance for nations and travel lovers. "This travel lane is an important step in the safe and calibrated reopening of Singapore to international travel, backed by rising global vaccination rates and confidence in robust health and safety measures," the spokesman adds.

Certainly, the pilot VTL acts as a template. As Mr Chew Kian Beng, course chair of hospitality and tourism management at Temasek Polytechnic, sees it: "Because of the success stories of this VTL, we can quickly replicate this model."

In the same vein, Dr Norbert Riedel, Germany's Ambassador to Singapore, says this introductory VTL will provide "best practices" for restarting travel in a calibrated style. "It is our common hope that a successful implementation of this pilot paves the way for expansion to other countries in Europe and South-east Asia," he says.

Germany's vaccination rate is high at 84 per cent. Singapore's rate is almost identical, with 83 per cent of the population fully vaccinated as of last Saturday.

Dr Riedel discerns another parallel. "Germany's strategy towards containing the coronavirus and learning to live with it is aligned with Singapore's own policies - thus travellers will find a very similar and safe environment."

Germans welcome Singaporeans, he adds, saying: "My countrymen have a very positive image of Singapore and thus I am sure, there will be many happy encounters when travelling in Germany."

According to the European Travel Commission last year, the top five countries in Europe most likely to be visited by Singaporeans in the next five years are the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany.

Mr Chew from Temasek Polytechnic says: "For Singaporeans who have been itching to travel, the light at the end of the tunnel has finally arrived and we can once again look forward to overseas vacations."

As interest surges, travel agencies will be the "travel buddy" for tourists, managing travel disruptions and arranging polymerase chain reaction tests, he says.

This is a point highlighted by retiree Peter Tay, 65, who started his 11-day Classic Germany Romantic Road tour yesterday. Organised by Chan Brothers Travel, this is the company's first Germany tour on the new travel lane, and a full complement of 20 clients signed up.

Mr Tay, who is travelling with his wife, says: "We were drawn by the flexible cancellation and refund policies, smaller group size of no more than 20 travellers and inclusion of Covid-19 protection benefits."

He adds: "We have full confidence that the agency can operate calmly and competently during exigencies, as witnessed in our past tours with it." These were an Italy tour in March 2018 and a Rhine cruise in November that year.

The travel agency has new safety protocols and devised contingency plans in case of suspected or confirmed Covid-19 cases among clients.

Mr Jeremiah Wong, senior marketing communications manager at Chan Brothers, says lists of medical facilities have been prepared, and also emergency contacts of the local health authorities.

"Our tour manager is well equipped to act swiftly on the spot in scenarios of a suspected case, which includes making sure the rest of the travellers in the group are tested negative using the antigen rapid test self-test kits before continuing on the tour."

Itineraries have been modified. "In pre-pandemic times, some of our itineraries to Europe may cover two to three countries, including Germany. Now under the VTL, we have the opportunity to showcase in-depth what Germany has to offer."

For the 11-day tour, clients can linger longer at three fairy-tale castles rather than treating them as photo stops. The itinerary also includes the Black Forest and local epicurean delights, such as smoked-beer tasting in Bamberg.

Travellers are also booking or inquiring at agencies like Dynasty Travel, which has itineraries such as German Christmas Markets and Travel Wander, which specialises in leisure active travel.

Ms Alicia Seah, director of public relations and communications at Dynasty Travel, says that with the pandemic, itineraries are designed to be more relaxed, with in-depth exploration of Germany.

Group sizes are intimate, with a maximum of 20, compared with 40 before the pandemic, so there is greater privacy and comfort.

Ms Sheryl Lim, founder of Travel Wander, has been getting inquiries about cycling trips and treks in Germany, and also private tours.

One client, Mr Desmond Chan, says Ms Lim kept in touch with him on WhatsApp during his recent multi-day Bavaria trek. She was able to book his trek and hotels even though his was a last-minute request during the European summer peak. The 55-year-old semi-retiree in the logistics sector loved the adventure and is considering a second trip to Germany this year.

And so Singaporeans have jumpstarted their travels, with German sojourns the first of more quarantine-free journeys.

Who: Annette Lee, 29, a film-maker, actress and musician, and her husband Raphael Foo, 31, a hedge fund manager
Their trip: A self-drive holiday in south-eastern Germany; Munich and vicinity; Sept 24 to Oct 5

The couple chanced upon a late-summer parade of cows bedecked with flowery headdresses in a small town edging an alpine lake in Bavaria.

They also dined on molecular-cuisine "laksa" crafted with squid sashimi strands and clear broth at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Munich.

And so their pandemic holiday fused serendipity and serious planning. It was also an equal balance of town and country experiences portraying Germany's many facets.

Mr Foo, an ace planner, created their 10-day itinerary in a couple of days and his wife shared ideas.

They kept in mind that Lee, while she is an effervescent YouTube personality, is also a self-confessed "homebody". She says: "My ideal is to spend three days at a destination, then recharge one day at home. Home is my charging port. I'm introspective."

They both did study stints in Germany as undergraduates and had travelled with friends on a budget. This time, they rented a car to explore freely amid the natural splendour of the south-east.

Mr Foo says: "The profile is similar to New Zealand, with mountains and lakes, though Germany is more densely populated."

Their journey encompassed the great outdoors, five Michelin-starred restaurants, Hitler history, a half-day of shopping and more, yet they could linger.

The first days were most memorable, possibly because they were returning to travel, Lee says. They had not taken a flight since visiting Dubai in January last year.

"The Konigssee Lake is straight out of a movie," she says of where they boated for two hours. This is in the Berchtesgaden area, where some scenes from the classic musical The Sound Of Music (1965) were filmed.

In that mountainous zone, one fun favourite was the Alpine Coaster, a summer tobaggan run on ski slopes. Already, at least 20 followers want to replicate the couple's itinerary (annettelee.sg/blog/germany). Lee has more than 350,000 followers across her social media platforms.

Looking back, the couple sped to Germany because they had been primed to travel for so long. They had yearned to visit Cuba, Egypt and Australia, and were hoping to sail with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection from Mallorca in Spain.

"Our plans were all shattered," she says. "But within a week of the Vaccinated Travel Lane announcement, the trip was planned."

• Although masks are not mandated outdoors, the couple wore them in crowded places. They internalised the "Singapore thinking", Mr Foo says.

• Renting a car for a self-drive holiday outside cities will "de-risk" travel while seeing more, he adds.

• The countryside gets crowded on weekends when Germans venture out for a respite, so plan weekday jaunts instead.

• In Berchtesgaden, do not inadvertently drive or trek across the border into Austria, which does not have a VTL with Singapore.

• On Singapore Airlines flights to Germany, business class cabins tend to be full. Premium economy is quite popular too. Consider economy seats as there may be space to spread out.

Who: Mr Desmond Chan, 55, a semi-retiree
His trip: A solo, self-guided trek in Bavaria, plus a city jaunt in Munich, from Sept 17 to 28

He was trekking among alpine mountains and meadows in Germany, days after Singapore's first Vaccinated Travel Lane launched on Sept 8.

"The summer is short and you never know when there will be another lockdown," he says of his swift decision to travel. "Seize the day. Why wait?"

So enthused was he about taking his first flight out of Singapore that he hiked alone - another first - when his wife could not join him. She gave her blessings and soon he was revelling in the great outdoors of Bavaria, a scenic, south-eastern state.

"The air was so fresh. The places were so untouched," recalls Mr Chan, who started trekking five years ago. His adventures include a snowshoe trek in Japan and tramping in New Zealand.

A confident traveller, he did not mind when he hiked in the wrong direction in Bavaria or when the day turned foggy.

He simply backtracked if he strayed and relied on "amazing technology" including Google Maps, which shows even tiny trails. And fog made the mountains dreamy. "It was like walking in the clouds," he marvels.

For about a week, he walked on easy to moderate trails, with some rocky terrain here and there. He savoured the solitude and the singular focus on the route.

Once, at a summit restaurant, he lingered over Bavarian wheat beer and local sausages at an outdoor table. At those lofty heights, birds were soaring at eye level.

He explored safely, since the trails were uncrowded. He might go an hour or more without encountering trekkers and, if he did, they were companionable.

He also felt safe in the city of Munich, which bookended his trek. Proof of vaccination was needed at public places like eateries and attractions - and he also finally enjoyed the breakfast buffets that Singaporean vacationers love.

Some hotels required diners to don gloves and masks in the buffet line. "I had all kinds of sausages and, sometimes, sparkling wine at breakfast. It's so nice to get back to a buffet."

His German sojourn was all the more exhilarating because of the trips he had to shelve during the pandemic. He had booked and dropped a Phuket trip this year, when Covid-19 numbers in Thailand did not look good.

He had also hoped to cruise in Alaska, but settled for two cruises to nowhere this year. Neither did plans to travel in Bhutan materialise.

But Germany, with its splendid nature and safety, compensated for all that. And, solo travel in Bavaria was ideal. "Own time, own target - that was the best," he declares.

• Print out your vaccination certificate for entry to hotels, restaurants, attractions and cable cars, says Mr Chan. Masks are not required outdoors. Most of the time, he dined al fresco.

• Buy travel insurance with Covid-19 cover.

• Head to attractions early before crowds show up.

• Consider packing and using antigen rapid test kits on the go.

• Use cash only when necessary.

• Rely on technology. For instance, get tips on buying train tickets on YouTube. Besides Google Translate, try Linguee for online bilingual dictionaries.

Who: Ms Usha Brockmann, in her 40s, a communications director at a hotel
Her trip: Dusseldorf and Baltic Sea, from Sept 19 to Oct 12

Ms Brockmann is a Singaporean with deep roots in Germany, for her husband is German and they lived in the country from 1997 to 2007. Moreover, she is fluent in German as she was working during that decade.

She says: "It came as a pleasant surprise that this travel lane was established for Germany, which made the decision to travel fairly easy except for the 21-day consecutive stay requirement."

But the couple felt making the trip was worthwhile as they had not seen his family, who live close to Dusseldorf, since October 2019.

The journey has been smooth, she says, and pandemic travel is not a challenge. "Our flight and airport processes were efficient, possibly given the low numbers of travellers."

After their Singapore Airlines plane landed in Frankfurt, they drove a rental car to Dusseldorf to spend time with the family. "Having a car to ourselves throughout our stay has definitely made us feel more confident during the trip."

In their third week, they holidayed at the Baltic Sea on the northern coast of Germany. This part of the country is often overlooked, she feels, but has much appeal.

"Blessed with kilometres of scenic coastline, the idyllic charm of seafaring towns provides not only great fresh seafood, but also boating adventures and crisp sea breeze. Cities like Hamburg and Lubeck are within close proximity for a glimpse of city life for those looking to explore that too."

She also recommends the 51 Unesco World Heritage Sites dotted across the country. From cathedrals to parks, and from a Modernist housing estate in Berlin to Ice Age art in six caves in the south, these gems add rich dimensions to any German trip, she reckons.

"And they are guaranteed to leave visitors with memorable moments as well as Instagrammable photos."

• Pandemic travel in Germany need not be a challenge. Its Covid-19 measures are reassuring, Ms Brockmann says, while travellers can avoid large crowds.

• Like in Singapore, continue to wear masks with good filtration; wash and sanitise hands frequently; and maintain social distancing.

• Take along antigen rapid test kits, which are also available at pharmacies and drugstores there, and cost as little as 0.80 euro (S$1.25) each.

Who: Marketing manager Francesca Stumpacher, 32
Her trip: Vienna, Barcelona, Munich and Frankfurt, from July 31 to Sept 24

Ms Stumpacher spent a month in Austria and Spain, then spontaneously added a 23-day-long "workation" in Germany while she was still on the move.

The Austrian national works in Singapore for a regenerative food company, and discovered during her trip that re-entry approval from the Ministry of Manpower would take longer than anticipated. That was not the case when she travelled to Austria in October last year.

"It was very stressful this time," she says. So when news of the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Singapore and Germany emerged in August, it was a glimmer of hope.

She decided to spend the requisite 21 days in Germany on a "workation". She reasoned that her company, WhatIF Foods, already works productively with remote teams in Hawaii, Vietnam and Australia. Her boss agreed, thankfully.

Swiftly, Ms Stumpacher and her Spanish boyfriend, who also works in Singapore, booked serviced suites in Munich and Frankfurt. They also snagged VTL flights out of Frankfurt on Singapore Airlines (SIA), using frequent flier miles.

Stress over, she could chill in Munich's beer gardens.

"There were mainly locals, including families with kids and groups of friends. We were in huge outdoor spaces and it didn't feel overcrowded. I liked the atmosphere. Live bands played music. It felt like normal life."

After work and on weekends, the couple walked in the city centre and around their cool neighbourhood dotted with little parks. The days were still long and summery last month.

Previously, she had visited Berlin and Hamburg, but Munich and Frankfurt were new experiences for the travel lover.

She spied few tourists in these early, hopeful days of postvaccine travel, though she heard Singaporean accents in one hotel.

Ms Stumpacher, who speaks German, says: "Germany is very respectful of rules. Singaporeans will feel comfortable here."

The country is big, she adds, and Singaporeans can journey beyond its cities to mountainside villages and wine regions.

Friends in Singapore have asked excitedly about her trip and she wants to inspire globetrotters still uncertain about travel. "Normal life is slowly coming back. It's possible to travel during the pandemic."

• Read up on Germany's latest Covid-19 rules and ask hotel concierges or locals for more clarity if needed. In essence, Germany requires people to show proof that they have been vaccinated or tested, or have recovered from the virus.

• This may be an opportune time to redeem frequent flier miles. Ms Stumpacher used 38,000 miles for her one-way SIA VTL flight from Frankfurt and says this was good value. She paid $160 in airport taxes.