Shapps says people can start thinking about holidays abroad

[Tal45]

Shapps says people can start thinking about summer hols abroad and that the cost of the covid test needs to be driven down. Anyone else as excited as me?
Errr no - YABU
Yes I'm excited too - YANBU
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56682226

I read the headline and thought how many people go straight to book one. I'd love to go as part of the family is abroad but not booking anything. Will probably wait until next year before we go. I worry about the virus and mutations spreading. Also with small children I just don't want to be worried about them touching everything, I don't want to wear mask any more than necessary and most importantly: I do NOT want to quarantine. I've had enough time indoors with my family thank you !

@Tal45 Spain have tighter rules on mask wearing now than they did last year. You would need to wear one when sunbathing now for example

Agree OP, we went to Italy last summer and it was lovely. Basically empty of tourists. We did have to plan everything in advance but I do that anyway!!

I’ll take ten tests if I need to. I am desperate to see the world again.

[quote CeeceeBloomingdale]@Tal45 Spain have tighter rules on mask wearing now than they did last year. You would need to wear one when sunbathing now for example[/quote]
I understand they were rowing back on masks for sunbathers.

Not too many sunworshippers would want mask shaped tan lines on their face e.g. snow goggle tan lines look starkly ridiculous.

@CeeceeBloomingdale Spain announced today, sunbathers / people by the pool etc., won’t have to wear masks. The Canary Islands had already said they wouldn’t be following the directive in any event

Too many confusing rules
Too much risk of situation changing
Prohibitive cost with extra for tests on top
Risk of
Masks on planes
masks on beaches
masks in restaurants

None of that is remotely appealing to me

I'm losing any hope of it ever being affordable again. Some vague bollocks about reducing the cost of tests. It's currently £600 for our family of five and that's only for the tiny number of green countries who may still require tests on their side. It's utter bullshit.

Too much uncertainty for me. I have flight credits and a retained deposit for a villa that has been cancelled twice.

I don’t expect to use them this year. I really wish everyone would get on board with this and get the UK sorted before we all start mixing it up on non essential travel abroad again. And I live for my holidays !

@ChristmasFluff

It seems like the entire world (except Australia and New Zealand) is deliberately refusing to see how the virus became a worldwide problem due to air (and other) travel.

This really should be a wake-up call that the way we lived previously is not conducive to the survival of the human species - not just because of vaccines, but because of climate change. But no.

Safety is being sacrificed to corporate finance. And I am by no means opposed to opening up business - but mass travel isn't sensible until/if this virus is controlled.

No. Freedom is being sacrificed to safety. There is a lot more freedom yet to be taken away under the guise of "emergency", "public health", "the community". Has always happened in other countries, and since we're so damn happy about it, it'll carry on pretty much forever.

This headline really made me laugh - all I do is think about going on holiday! We made it to Portugal last year and it was amazing. Masks on the short flight was no problem at all. Airports were very organised and calm. Once we were there, it was just like being here (UK and Portugal infection rates were both very low at the time) in terms of mask up to enter a shop, mask until you sit at a table in your restaurant, but hot and sunny with beaches and a nice swimming pool!

We've just been cancelled for the third time today. Should have been flying on 11th June with Jet 2. To be honest I'm going to have my money back this time rather than transfer it again :(

No. Britain only this year. Hoping to get abroad next year I booked two separate weeks back in autumn tho so I know uk places are hard to come by now.

Well I had a shit holiday in England last year - I’d rather sit on a beach with a mask than with wellies and raincoat again and eat fish (or sausage or burgers) with chips most days as most places in England don’t serve much else. So to say it’s miserable to go abroad is ridiculous. I can’t wait for nice weather and nice food and beautiful beaches.

And of course dying to see my family abroad.

@AdriannaP
I'm not sure where you are visiting but I've had some amazing food in the uk. Certainly not fish chips etc as the only option.

I think this is purely about generating cash flow for travel companies and airlines that are in danger of going bust. Then they’ll cancel it all again if they have to but at least those companies have a bit of cash to see them through and can offer vouchers and date changes to customers.

I feel so lucky to have travelled a lot and had my children later in life. I feel sad that it's probably not possible over the next couple of years, maybe many years. I'm going by how it has gone over the last year, from drip feeding the public previously unacceptable unsavoury ideas until they become set in stone and impossible to fight, over many months, to holding out hopes by dangling carrots, then dashing them at the last minute. This drama is just starting. There seems to be some kind of drive to keep travel for the rich. I find myself sadder about how Christmas is likely to be cancelled again and about how my children's future is looking shady.

[quote whenwillthemadnessend]@AdriannaP
I'm not sure where you are visiting but I've had some amazing food in the uk. Certainly not fish chips etc as the only option. [/quote]
Yes it was also Help out to eat and most decent restaurants were very hard to get into. The average English seaside town has more fish and chips type of places than great restaurants. Completely different in Italy for example where you can get fantastic food in even the most average trattoria.

My summer holiday was cancelled by Jet2 today

It’s my very reason for living, but I won’t be in any rush to book anywhere in Europe.

I’m not one for beaches and swimming pools, so it’s a no hols for me situation this year. I love café culture, galleries, museums, markets, wine bars and that’s just not going to be a runner this summer.

Back garden it is cos I’m not paying for an unsatisfactory, expensive piss-mire “holiday” here.

[quote whenwillthemadnessend]@AdriannaP
I'm not sure where you are visiting but I've had some amazing food in the uk. Certainly not fish chips etc as the only option. [/quote]
I take it you haven’t had the misfortune of visiting places like Skegness?

@shouldistop

My summer holiday was cancelled by Jet2 today

Sorry to hear that. May I ask when you were meant to be going ... and where? Curious to see if the same will happen with my holiday.

I would prefer going abroad to U.K. and keep dithering over whether to book.

Insurance fine but tests are a faff

YANBU. I've just postponed our half term holiday for another year though We're off to the Isle of Wight for a week of camping instead, yay. I bloody hate camping.

I'm holding out hope for our summer holiday though and our 3x postponed honeymoon.

A word of warning I booked to travel to visit my Mum in France and have subsequently discovered at the moment you are legally required to buy the government travel COVID package and what I was reading this is £520 per person which puts it out of reach , I don’t feel this has been well publicised unless it’s just me !