Hello, it's Monday the 28th of August and thanks for joining me for the latest on travel and destinations from the Green List and the travel desk of the Independent.

Right now I'm in the beautiful East German city of Torgau and the rain is falling but it looks like being another interesting day here.

Meanwhile, the government is taking action at last against the cowboy firms that it leads you to

for its list of travel testing providers, but it is certainly too little and way too late.

And let's talk about tipping, which many travellers find to be a night. It is certainly too little and way too late.

And let's talk about tipping, which many travellers find to be a nightmare, but it really shouldn't be.

Of course, this podcast is completely free, as is my weekly travel email. Do sign up at independent.co.uk, slash newsletters no need to tip.

For months the government has insisted that anybody going abroad must have two tests when

they return unless they're coming back from beautiful Ireland. From everywhere else you need a test before travel,

which most people will take a lateral flow test

because it is much easier and cheaper and faster and less stressful.

It will probably cost you, well, I'm expecting to pay somewhere between 30 and 40 euros so maybe 25 to 35 pounds

then when you come to fill in your passenger locator form which you're going to have to do to get

back into the UK you also need to put in details of a pre-booked, prepaid PCR test.

What's happened is that the government links to all these providers.

It ranks them in order of price.

And guess what?

The cheapest tests are almost always not available.

And so the government is removing 57 firms from its website today

because either they no longer exist or they don't provide the tests

and another 80 plus have been warned that they are going to

have to make sure they don't advertise misleading prices again if they do they will be struck off the list

...