To desparately want to go abroad this summer.

[Asvan]

Hi,

I have got a very big dilemma. Since lockdown, me, huby and three kids have barely been out of the town where we live. We have done local walks etc but not had any major days out or trips away.

For the past two days, my huby has been looking online at holidays and there are some really good deals for Turkey in the first week of September. The huby and kids really want to go but I'm really anxious about it because of the current situation. I am just so worried about what may happen if someone at the hotel we stay at gets infected or if one of us gets infected. I've put my foot down and said no (in a covid free world I would have jumped at the chance), but now i feel so awful. Deep down i really do want to go but i don't know if it's worth the risk and extra stress. Also my mum would be mortified if we want so that worries me a little bit too.

Can anyone offer me some guidance please? What should I do?

Many schools will be doing assessment tests quite early on I don't think they will be too impressed if children aren't in school and miss these. Planning is going to be a nightmare as it is.

I've just got back from two weeks in Rhodes. It was glorious. Airport/planes etc were absolutely fine and we had two weeks of sunbathing, nice food and cocktails which suited us perfectly. I'd definitely say if you aren't too concerned about the possibility of needing to quarantine when you get back (we weren't) then you might as well go.

I worked in travel for years. The industry is decimated. But I think it’s madness to go abroad in the current ever changing situation. Especially now things are looking towards an increase again.

A friend has been preaching her arse off the whole time about anyone going to a newly opened pub/restaurant or anyone not living up to her high covid standards, yet she’s now in France on a family holiday 🤦🏻‍♀️ I just don’t get it.

I think it depends on your attitude to risk. I don’t deal well with a lot of risk so we’ve already had a uk holiday here. It also felt reasonable and responsible in the circumstances for this year.
But if you feel you can cope with the risks, without it spoiling the holiday, then I would probably book it and go.

It's not the chances of catching covid in a resort that would bother me - it's the plane journey. Whilst you may have been careful and selective about where you've been, I should imagine there'll be plenty on that plane who have been rammed into pubs/beer gardens in the last few weeks. You'll be getting into a confined space with 300+ complete strangers who are potentially carrying covid and no escape. I won't be getting on a plane/boat any time soon - and i say that as a fit and healthy person - albeit over 50. There'll be plenty of other years to have a holiday abroad.

Life is too short for all this worrying. Go.
Ive already been to France and I am going to Greece next week. Two more trips abroad planned for the rest of the year too.
This could go on for ages! If rules allow, then just do it.
Alot of the negative comments come from jealous people or people for whom this pandemic has been a wet dream and they're not ready to give it up yet.

I'm in Corfu right now. Arrived yesterday. We booked this about two months ago fully expecting it to not go ahead but prepared to get a refund or swap dates etc. We got an absolute bargain. Flights, car hire and a sc hotel for £580 for 4 of us. So just under £150 each. The airport was great, I was the only person I saw not wearing a mask ( health reasons). Same for the plane. Airport was mega quick and the resort area is pretty quiet. My kids (teens) are having a total blast and masks only need to be worn in shops and public transport. We aren't the sort of family that Male friends etc so are already socially distancing here. Plenty of space on the beach etc. We eat out once a day of an evening. Tbh I feel safer here than I did at home as all staff wear masks and are COVID safe and there is no busy atmosphere. Very relaxed.

And since we got here my daughter has visually destressed. She's like she was before lock down. It's been a life saver to us and the income is a life saver to the hotel owner too. He was delighted to see us, everybody has been. I'm not thinking of sneaking a week away in Portugal at the end of August.

We just got from Rhodes and it was brilliant, never felt that anyone was compromising safety everyone kept to the guidelines. It is so good for you mentally I would say go but book very last minute, we did ours 3 days before,

@GlassMarble similarly to your acquaintance in France. One FB friend who was staunchly against sending his DCs into school in June, now has pictures of them jaunting all over Greece.

On the one hand I'm frankly just jealous that they're away, on the other I'm slightly amazed at his cognitive dissonance. Bet he doesn't send them back in September either.

Our long awaited cruise has fallen through and we are deeply saddened. We thought of going abroad to see relatives and friends, but decided against it. Those places have it way worse than UK concerning lockdown. It would be a nightmare, not a holiday.

Look at Italy -very low cv19

We are there , great prices available.

@ludothedog

No sorry, I would not be going abroad this year. Can you even get insurance to go?

Yes! Just paid £13 for me and my daughter to go to Greece next week

@Notimeforaname

I'll be (hopefully) going to Greece in a couple of weeks. If the plane is leaving and the accommodation is open, I'll be there for sure.

Me too!

Does that cover COVID and potentially travelling against FCO guidance @pollylocketpickedapocket?

I initially read that as the whole cost of the holiday!

I would go if there was two weeks between your return and the start of school, but not otherwise. So I think sadly you have made a sensible decision. I think you'd be safer there probably than in many parts of the UK, but the government has no love for Turkey and cabinet ministers don't go there, so there is the possibility of quarantine being introduced.

We haven’t been able to holiday for a good few years due to money. Tbh to hear your description of desperation and only being able to go on a few days out just sounds entitled. Why you’ve come on Mumsnet to ask this question is beyond me.

I am intending to go to Turkey in September. I won't be booking until the week before though.

If you are on Facebook look for groups around the specific resort you are looking at, there are a number of groups.

I go to Olu Deniz/Hisaronu. You can talk to people who are there now and see how it is. (Same applies for any holiday - most places have facebook groups I think.)

It seems really chilled and relaxed there currently. Masks to be worn whilst moving between places but not when seated. The only reason I'm waiting until September is it's too hot now (Oh and having no kids I prefer to go when the kids are at school)

It's an individual choice, I am choosing to go because I want to support the tourist industry over there. They don't get the government support we do. Covid will still be around next year, and probably forever now.

I'm going because I genuinely feel we can't hibernate for years on end and when people say 'why can't we' I say we can't live life on hold! Yes it's serious but there are things we can do to limit it, we have to live !!! I'm going to Greece late August as long as they don't announce a quarantine and then I'll hopefully be able to deal with whatever the next few months throw at my family !!!

No I won’t go - mainly because I absolutely cannot have both the kids at home for 2 more weeks when we get back - if they quarantine while we are away. No holiday is worth my sanity!

@ineedaholidaynow

Does that cover COVID and potentially travelling against FCO guidance *@pollylocketpickedapocket*?

I initially read that as the whole cost of the holiday!

If FCO advice against travel you get a refund regardless of insurance. Honestly misery seems to love company! I'm getting a huge sense of glee of a lot of posters that we'll be stuck in misery for years to come, we won't!!

Turkey have done very well so far containing the virus and have very stringent measures in place at hotels, bars and restaurants. Masks are mandatory in all public places (even just walking down the street) you can remove them whilst on sun beds or when eating/drinking in a restaurant. I’m over there 5 or 6 times a year as my fiancé is a Turk and I honestly felt far safer there than I do here. If you decide to go you’ll have a lovely time, and no quarantine on return as it stands at the moment

The impression I got is that you would go come what may @pollylocketpickedapocket so wanted to know how you got such cheap insurance to cover all eventualities

I think anyone going on holiday abroad right now needs their head testing tbh. People don’t need a foreign holiday every year - it’s that kind of entitlement that’s fucking the planet.

@ineedaholidaynow

The impression I got is that you would go come what may *@pollylocketpickedapocket* so wanted to know how you got such cheap insurance to cover all eventualities

You'd have to ask the insurance company that-I gave them all the necessary information and I'm pretty sure they're aware of COVID-19

yet she’s now in France on a family holiday

Looking likely they’ll have to quarantine on return.

Other places are being added to the list. Assuming flights don’t get cancelled