The unusual story of our special correspondent in Glasgow for the Stade Rochelles match

On Saturday 22 January, La Rochelle did well in Glasgow, winning the Champions Cup with a bonus. A big performance, and it wasn’t just one of the weekend: Frank Puzos tells you about the administrative side of staying across the channel during the COVID period. exhausting

I warn you, I will speak in the first person. A very selfish impulse to escape, like an urgent need to open up. Precision So, it’s not a complaint. It would still be inappropriate to cry because we’re going to work in Glasgow to watch a rugby match… just building up a bit of this trip under O’Micronon. Trying to go as low as possible. Just saying that let me add a line. played poorly.

In short, moving to the UK these days requires preparation. Seven-eight hours of paperwork (at least for the slow pace), especially when you pass somewhere, in this case Amsterdam. Among the Covid tests to be booked in advance in Scotland, declaration of quarantine for the Netherlands (even without quarantining), oath statement that you do not have a cough, PLF (Passenger Locator Form), DPLF (Digital Passenger Locator Form); European Digital Traceability Sheet in French, to be found in the case of Contact or others)…

Mr. Charbas in the Chowk

Not to mention the recognition in three phases and over three days, designed by the Scottish Federation. With a video to watch in full, what I do sitting in Merignac, wedged, waiting for the plane, Scarlets – not far from Bristol’s assistant referee Mr. Charabas.

To complete DPLF, I need a seat number, which I do not have. Vicious circle, chicken and egg »

I heard your name on the microphone, there is a problem. There will be a problem in the second flight and it will also be difficult to enter the stadium. Every so often, a blocking barcode, a red cross, but “no, that’s good, go ahead”. so much the better. Anyway, I’m good, almost too confident, it worries me. The next afternoon, match day, a pint keeps me company outside Everton – Arsenal (0-1) in Halle of the game while I want to end this stubborn DPLF – to be polite. To fill it, I need a seat number, which I do not have. Vicious circle, chicken and egg. I’ll try again later.

Negative

In the morning I came to know that I was negative, which would save me from being locked up in a hotel for a week. Can’t believe I deserved a support committee under my window, which Djokovic doesn’t want. Oh, but by the way, what were they talking about in credentialed form again? Mandatory “3 layer mask” for players and coaches to watch after the match. Three-layer, three-ply mask, teaches me Deepal, an invaluable translation colleague. I see one of my masks: it’s surgery, it’s blue. Uh, here it is. It looks to me like it only has one coat. Too bad for a micro-nap, after all it’s not me who plays. Get directed to the pharmacy guided by GPS.

This trip was enough to make you turn your head upside down, like Thomas LaVault during the match.
This trip was enough to make you turn your head upside down, like Thomas LaVault during the match.

Andy Buchanan / AFP

It’s okay, I’m happy, I have a pack of ten fat masks”

It’s always awkward to have a walking GPS, but I’m smart, I don’t pretend to know where I’m going. I come across as similar to Ines de la Fressange, unless it’s as real as Thomas Charbas. I don’t ask him. I get lost but not by much, anyway I have to hurry, my battery will let me go and I have the bus to catch. Never mind, I’m happy, I have a pack of ten thick masks (A Simple Pleasure of 2022), only to walk again in the other direction for twenty minutes. Thinking slowly about the reason for this discovery, if not a bit absurd. As if at Scottston Stadium they were going to ask me to take off my mask to count my diapers…

twenty one pages…

No, on occasion, it’s good, other than that La Rochelle wins. On the other hand, the Internet has told me five times that “this seat is not available” and it will be “probably later”. No seat, no DPLF, Sunday morning at the airport you can’t miss, “Where’s your DPLF?”. I explain OK, I’ve got my boarding pass, he’ll do it. Except that when I put in “January 23”, the computer doesn’t agree. I’m starting to get drunk on this DPLF, I’m going to end up in PLS.

Time is running out, I send an email, they send me an automated response saying I can consult the FAQ (FAQ) but if I can’t find it I can rephrase them what I’m looking for. Eighty-one page FAQ file. But my answer is no, otherwise I don’t know how to find something of which I have already been accused. I send an e-mail and I receive the same reply. I sent a third away just like that, just for fun. I feel like Obelix in a madhouse. Think, think, I tell myself. I try something like this: I enter the date 24 then go back. In fact, I didn’t try anything, not on purpose, but it works! I am up to date. light heart. everything went well. I’m coming back home.

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