I am so excited to be at the airport

[Iamsososoexcited]

I am off to the Maldives. It is awesome. I am going on a plane. Then when we come back we are off to Switzerland, skiing. I have missed the world.

There is no reason for my post except I am excited!

It does seem mad that I can't go and sit in my daughter's house but people can fly half way round the world for leisure.

Weeeeellll....

I’ve found it really hard that we haven’t been able to go anywhere or do anything for much of this year. It’s been horrible, and I agree the world has shrunk.

But for those who’ve lost loved ones, lost jobs, or had other really horrible things happen, as so many have, this does come across as a bit insensitive.

Also this:

Also, people in this thread: 'liking and being able to afford going on holiday' is not a personality type, FYI. I hate people who call themselves 'travellers' as some kind of special little title when what you mean is 'tourist at popular destinations a few times a year' (unless you literally just live out of a suitcase and travel the world constantly, in which case, fine).

I’d love to travel loads - widely and frequently- but don’t have the money or freedom to do so just now (school aged kids for one thing, and not minted!). I thought a traveller was someone who travelled constantly rather than having a fixed home too!

We all know how well it went in the ski season in February half term

Omfg, this threads responses have EVERYTHING !

You're being recklessly irresponsible - Pandemic!!!
You're being insensitive to other people's hardship
Do you know the meaning of heartbreak, Op ??
You're uncultured - I mean, the Maldives
You call yourself a traveller - you mean you have £
You're killing the planet with all your flying, zzzz

Enjoy yourself OP - if you're not burnt to a crisp - wear a mask.

We are off to the Maldives too in 10 days time, and will spend Christmas there. I can't wait.

I have travelled quite a lot this year, despite Covid, and it felt very safe at the airports and on the planes. We had two separate trips to the South of France in the summer holidays, although the second one was cut short by rushing home to beat the quarantine. And we had 10 days in Barbados in the October half term, which was fabulous.

Holidays have been the only way I've kept going through this year and I really don't care if people are judgy about it on Mumsnet (no one has been in real life). DH died on 27th December last year and having to deal with being widowed and then Covid has been very difficult. I've found it's been much easier to go away in the school holidays than be at home with two screen-addicted teenagers and no adult company. There's so much fun stuff for the children to do on holiday, they hardly look at their screens when we're away and it's nice to think the three of us will have some good memories of this horrible year to look back on. I appreciate that I'm very fortunate to be able to afford it though and also to have a term time only job.

I hope you have a fantastic holiday OP

@samandpoppysmummy

We are off to the Maldives too in 10 days time, and will spend Christmas there. I can't wait.

I have travelled quite a lot this year, despite Covid, and it felt very safe at the airports and on the planes. We had two separate trips to the South of France in the summer holidays, although the second one was cut short by rushing home to beat the quarantine. And we had 10 days in Barbados in the October half term, which was fabulous.

Holidays have been the only way I've kept going through this year and I really don't care if people are judgy about it on Mumsnet (no one has been in real life). DH died on 27th December last year and having to deal with being widowed and then Covid has been very difficult. I've found it's been much easier to go away in the school holidays than be at home with two screen-addicted teenagers and no adult company. There's so much fun stuff for the children to do on holiday, they hardly look at their screens when we're away and it's nice to think the three of us will have some good memories of this horrible year to look back on. I appreciate that I'm very fortunate to be able to afford it though and also to have a term time only job.

I hope you have a fantastic holiday OP

Sending yo and have a wonderful Christmas away. Ignore that judgy pants! You have had an even worse time than most and it's good you're doing whatever you can to make it more bearable.

@Doingtheboxerbeat

Omfg, this threads responses have EVERYTHING !

You're being recklessly irresponsible - Pandemic!!!
You're being insensitive to other people's hardship
Do you know the meaning of heartbreak, Op ??
You're uncultured - I mean, the Maldives
You call yourself a traveller - you mean you have £
You're killing the planet with all your flying, zzzz

Enjoy yourself OP - if you're not burnt to a crisp - wear a mask.

@PolkadotGiraffe thank you ❤️

Wow sounds amazing!

I'd love to be flying off to the Maldives...enjoy!

I can see you on FR24. BA61 just leaving Greek airspace on a Boeing 777. 33,000 feet and doing 498 knots. You will get there just after lunch and have your feet in that warm water in no time. Enjoy !!

Think of all that Vitamin D!

@Manolinette

I can see you on FR24. BA61 just leaving Greek airspace on a Boeing 777. 33,000 feet and doing 498 knots. You will get there just after lunch and have your feet in that warm water in no time. Enjoy !!

Really wishing I was a stowaway! 😆

@Doingtheboxerbeat

Omfg, this threads responses have EVERYTHING !

You're being recklessly irresponsible - Pandemic!!!
You're being insensitive to other people's hardship
Do you know the meaning of heartbreak, Op ??
You're uncultured - I mean, the Maldives
You call yourself a traveller - you mean you have £
You're killing the planet with all your flying, zzzz

Enjoy yourself OP - if you're not burnt to a crisp - wear a mask.

We've got a quick mention of vile too.

@Iamsososoexcited
I am not try to boast, but if you are a traveller, the shrinking world has broken my heart.

Your heart is broken because you've had to stay in the UK for a few months? Yes that's a real hardship compared to what so many people have gone through. And now you're happy to risk endangering the lives of countless others for your own selfish pleasure. Don't bother coming back OP, our country would be a lot better off without people like you.

Broken your heart? Really? There's people who lost loved ones. People who have lost jobs. People with mental health issues & financial issues. And you are broken hearted because you couldn't sit on your arse in the sun for a week? This has to be the most insensitive post ever!

Is it really though? I went to the Maldives on my honeymoon and I remember speaking to some of the staff who were paid small wages but made £1-2K a month in tips. Most of which they sent home to their extended families in India, Sri Lanka, etc. Literally feeding a village with their income.

I’m sure, like the OP, that they are also “broken hearted” that tourists can’t travel.

So she’s sitting on a beach somewhere having fun, whatever.

I’m sure the staff are still very grateful for the envelopes of cash that guests in many Maldives resorts customarily give to the staff.

But again sorry, obviously we are NOT living in any form of GLOBAL economy where our actions can cause a ripple of good effects for the 3rd world. When their economy is BASED on such a ‘selfish’ thing such as tourism.

Because at the end of the day, lockdown is (stolen from a PP on MN) ....

“rich people staying at home while the poor bring them things.”

Tourism, when actioned as safely as possible with tests etc, is helping the worldwide situation, not making it worst.

It is far better to let entire countries and economies face financial ruin than to risk them getting Covid by keeping their holiday resorts open, don’t you know! Those ranting about it being irresponsible to go on holiday to the places on the travel corridor list have not seen how many measures have been put in place, or looked at how low the Covid numbers are in these places. There ARE places in the world taking extreme measures to keep Covid out, yet even with these measures in place it is possible to have a lovely time. If they are welcoming tourists and successfully keeping Covid cases low why shouldn’t people go?

I'm a traveller, we've done better than most this year and I still miss the world!

Have an absolutely amazing time, I bet you'll appreciate all the little things you'd normally take for granted or not even notice!

Have fun OP!

I couldn't fit into my holiday clothes now 🤣

All you owners remember one person's luxury is another person's means of paying their bills.

Broken your heart? Really? There's people who lost loved ones. People who have lost jobs. People with mental health issues & financial issues.

Dare I point out:

There are thousands of people who worked in the travel industry who have lost jobs as a result of people not being able to travel due Covid.

There are probably tens of thousands of people still clinging onto jobs in the travel industry worrying themselves sick about their financial situation because if travel doesn't return (in a controlled manner/thanks to the vaccines) they will be out of work in the New Year.

Birmingham University have been looking at how Covid arrived in the UK back in Feb/March using genetic markers in the strains of the virus infecting the UK. It comes as no surprise that there were multiple ( thousands) of sources of infection originating in Italy, France and Spain entering mid February ( half term).
Covid came from Europe with all those half term skiers!
“Travellers” were to blame for Covid entering the UK and will be the source of future pandemics. Let’s hope that future governments will be far more draconian about quarantine when the next virus emerges.

I miss my holidays too but I wouldn’t be going anywhere however..to be fair the op will be at less risk of spreading or catching the virus on a small Maldives island than all those cramming into shopping centres and supermarkets Christmas shopping 24/7. Or those celebrating Christmas in their households with other households mixing in houses.

Maldives and ski resort? I agree, that's not the destination a 'traveller' picks.

Good luck with the skiing! Considering Switzerland is the only country opening its resorts, you will sharing the pistes with the tbousands who care more about their leisure time than security. It will be crowded and I can imagine the attitude that will come with it all.

As we know the high risk of catching Covid in ski resorts, I really really hope that you will indeed quarantine for 2weeks and not ignore it as a number of entitled people do because it doesn't apply to them.

It's travelling as you are that brought it to Europe and then the rest of the world in the first place. But hey ho it's nice you'll have a great time and relieve the depression of not being able to go in fancy holidaus for 9 months.

I'm going away in January and can't bloody wait. Have a fabulous time!!

Enjoy OP I'm so jealous I want to go on holiday. Have the best time x