To keep framing foreign travel as a holiday?

[stopgap]

I haven’t seen my parents in 14 months, as they’re in the UK and I’m in the US. I know it’s only semantics but I’m truly tired of UK politicians referring to foreign travel only in the context of a jolly. There must be thousands upon thousands of people in my position, desperate to see family, desperate for grandparents to see their grandchildren, and I resent the situation being presented from one perspective only.

I am not going to be kept away from my family for another year

Except you may be. As I will not see my child who is on another continent for a long time (last saw them November 2019) and my Mum who I haven't seen for a year. It sucks.

Well as op said it's the framing of it. I don't expect to be allowed to travel before anyone else at all - it's the way it's spoken about in the press by politicians, just an acknowledgement that some of us need to travel when it's allowed, and it's not just for package holiday to Marbella

You are talking a load of rubbish

Do you actually understand what a stay at home order is? Do you actually understand what EVERYONE in the UK is going through at the moment, not bring able to see family who not only are in the same country, but often not very far away?

Do you not understand there is a global pandemic, and people all over the world can’t see their families

Do what everyone else does, zoom, Skype, FaceTime, phone them, but quit moaning about the fact your little jolly is being treated as non essential, because it is, there are other ways to keep in touch

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

No different than the millions of families who haven’t been able to see family in the same country.

It’s no ones fault if people choose to live in a different country than their family as it’s a choice. Surely the majority wouldn’t move away if seeing family so regularly was high in the agenda.

No one could actually imagine this situation. I can be from my home to my mum house within 5 hours and under £50 quid. Flights were going basically every day. That's faster or similar time and cheaper than much of only UK travel. So it didn't really cross many people's minds that they will be fully cut off. Who could have imagine this. When you move abroad you do obviously take the risks. Not making in time for funerals, missing some big life events. Fine. But this is a different level.

Anyhoo. I get what op means by putting it under "holidays". I used to get people asking me "How was your holidays?" until I started asking the same when they went to stay with their families😂

You could visit your family in the UK today if you wanted to, as long as you take the required Covid tests, and then stay with them in their home where you will be under 'quarantine'. You don't need to go to a hotel or anything, you can just stay in their house and get all the time with them you want. What's stopping you? Flights are cheap now.

I understand you so well. I moved to the UK with my husband, but my own family is in a different European country. We used to visit every 3 months and it didn’t feel a long distance. Now with international travel restrictions and people judging “oh can’t you wait for your holiday?” I feel very annoyed. No I bloody cannot wait, I want my kids to know their grandparents.

Any foreign travel not for business or work purposes is for pleasure.

Your pleasure may be for the joy of travelling, the joy of seeing friends or family, the joy of sunbathing, the joy of foreign food.

It doesn't matter. It's still for pleasure not business and is therefore a holiday and not essential.

I think you might be alright OP as you're coming from the US. There will probably be some kind of vaccine-based admission possible. Those living in Europe however will struggle, what with their third wave and shockingly poor vaccination rates.

I'm in same situation. I haven't seen my family in 19 months...my son is 8 months old and sees his grannies, grandad, auntie and uncles via video Chat. It's upsetting and I miss them all very much and hate the fact they have missed out on the early months of my son's life.

I stick to covid rules and take it seriously but we're still allowed to be upset at the situation. I was really really hoping to ask back for my son's 1st birthday in July but the country I live in won't vaccinate breastfeeding mums ☹️ and I reckon only vaccinated folk will be allowed to travel

*get back

I get what op means by putting it under "holidays". I used to get people asking me "How was your holidays?" until I started asking the same when they went to stay with their families

When we go to visit our family for a few days we'd class it as a holiday. Sure, its a UK holiday in our case but doesn't everyone class going to stay somewhere else, a reasonable distance away, for several days as a holiday or break? I'm not quite sure what else it would be called.

@siyhack58342 I saw five members of my family from a distance at a funeral, because my grandfather died alone in hospital. I'll swap situations with you any day.

When we go to visit our family for a few days we'd class it as a holiday. Sure, its a UK holiday in our case but doesn't everyone class going to stay somewhere else, a reasonable distance away, for several days as a holiday or break? I'm not quite sure what else it would be called.

I guess it depends what you do there? I can have holidays in my own backyard, it's not the distance for me, but the relaxing part.
Being passed around the households for a week with maybe 2 days rest😂

Visiting faimly and holidays are different things for me. Might be subjective

It’s hard OP I do get it. My DH works in another country that’s been put on the red list and it’s horrid. He’ll have to do 10 days hotel quarantine (and direct flights have been banned too) but we just have to suck it up unfortunately. He’s due his second Pfizer jab in 2 weeks time so we’re hoping maybe things will change and he’ll be able to isolate at home - we’re not bothered about going out just want time together and with the DC.

But in the view of reducing this virus all travel is the same really. Whether it’s for a beach jolly or to be see much loved family members.

Just keep reminding yourself this won’t last forever and know you aren’t alone.

@RunningFromInsanity

Well it is really a holiday, as it’s not for work.

This! It is a jolly holiday as what work will you be doing while seeing them.

20 miles or 2000 miles makes no difference in a global pandemic. Until every country is on a sustained trajectory of improvement no one is able to enjoy the freedom of travel 🤷🏼‍♀️

My parents are two counties over. We’ve not seen them for a year.

I can’t afford to go back to my home country, $5k for isolation let alone the tickets! My friend wanted to go home in the summer to help her ailing mum, ticket for one $20k!!

It’s shit to be sure

I found out this week that someone I know’s wife has just got back from several weeks in the US visiting her parents with a toddler in tow. So some people are badging family trips as essential travel and doing it anyway.

So many shortsighted posts along the lines of 'it's your own fault for moving'.
People move for work, to study, because they fall in love, because they want to.

None of us could have imagined that we would be so cut off from our families whether in the Uk or abroad.

There are people in the UK who haven't seen their families in a year, but except for CEV there have been opportunities for some when restrictions were eased.

It is absolutely different knowing that your family are a flight away, especially in times of crisis.
If your mum in the UK gets sick, chances are you can visit. If you have a baby under one you can have a bubble, if you have children you can have a childcare bubble. If you're single you can have a support bubble and while it's preferable if it is local it doesn't have to be.
None of those much good if your family are abroad.

When I visit family it can be a holiday, or a short visit. I don't necessarily take time off work, I might work from home there and see them in the evenings, as they are also working in the daytime and the purpose id just to spend a bit of time together. I don't go out sightseeing in my hometown.
It's not the same as choosing a holiday to a destination just because I want a holiday.
For couples who are from different countries it is even more complicated.

I'm not in the UK but family members who are have mostly seen each other at least for walks which is better than nothing.

I'm not saying travel abroad is essential but I am saying there's a difference in a holiday and a trip to visit family.

@Lostinspace23

I found out this week that someone I know’s wife has just got back from several weeks in the US visiting her parents with a toddler in tow. So some people are badging family trips as essential travel and doing it anyway.

I heard people from europe goung and coming too and seriously. Lockdown is lockdown. It sucks, and putside of lockdown I wouldn't say a word, but like this it's just 🙄

@KingdomScrolls Sorry to hear about your grandad, may he rest in peace. An aunt who helped raise me while my mum worked died and I watched her funeral online. She also died alone in hospital. I'm not into comparing situations, but I don't think you'd want to be me either.

@RunningFromInsanity

Well it is really a holiday, as it’s not for work.

Define “work” For some, visiting family is work and for some like Prince Charles his trip to forthcoming trip to Greece (is it?) is essential

Not helpful!

My parents are in the same country and when I finally get to go and see them it won’t be for work purposes, so surely holiday is the appropriate terminology for it?

YANBU OP, but this is one of those posts where people seem to feel the need to tell you you are being unreasonable because they also have it tough. Like that lovely race to the bottom of miserableness that people on MN seem to enjoy. There is a huge difference between people being upset they cannot go on a foreign holiday this year -v- people who still will not be able to see their family come June.

Everyone responding that they haven't seen their family in a year. Sure, its tough - but come the 21 June we will all be able to do whatever we want in this country and see whatever family we wish to (and earlier for many). For those with family overseas, they still won't be able to see them and there is zero clarity when they will be able to. How hard is it to see that that is tough for those people?