To feel I can’t holiday abroad again?

[backoffice]

I feel really guilty using air travel (although it’s so easy!) and used to travel by train through Europe wherever I could. Had a lovely trip planned in 2020 taking in several countries - but all went to pot!

Inter-Europe travel feels very dodgy now with Covid and lack of fresh air etc in carriages. Planes feel safer (shorter trips and good air circulation) but I’m too guilt-ridden because of the environmental impact. Cruises seem just as bad!

I can’t see a way of planning a safe and ethical holiday abroad now. AIBU? How are people justifying it?

I’ve had a few holidays abroad since COVID and haven’t found other countries any stricter than the UK

The country I am in, you need a vaccine passport to enter shops and restaurants etc. There is 100% observance of masks indoors. There don’t appear to be any exceptions allowed apart from very young children.

@Jerseygirl12

EileenGC I’ve had a few holidays abroad since COVID and haven’t found other countries any stricter than the UK. Lots of noses out, masks pulled right down and eating and drinking going on.

I’ve been in 8 countries this summer only.

I’m tourist areas, maybe they’re less strict.
Regular trains, buses, shops etc - yes they’re strict. There’s no one without a mask.

Were there people not wearing masks on your plane, if you flew? I can guarantee not, or not more than 1%. Compare that to the tube or the national express in August or last week for example, where less than 50% of passengers had a mask on. And I mean mask - not a flimsy cloth over their mouth. All Central Europe requires medical masks, and they are compulsory - you’re refused entry if not wearing one.

It would take me 10 hours to drive to the Eurostar

Plus vaccination passport for anything. France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria… all have required me to

1. Wear a medical-grade mask
2. Show my vaccination pass or negative test before getting on transport or going to a restaurant or an event

I’ve had a few holidays abroad since COVID and haven’t found other countries any stricter than the UK

I’d also be interested to know which countries these were.

I was somewhere in Eastern Europe a few weeks back and yeah, no one could give a shit there.

EileenGC I was in Crete last week and there were people at the Crete airport who didn’t have their mask on. The passport control guy had his nose out the whole time I was queueing. In an indoor museum I visited I’d say about 20% were not wearing a mask.

I therefore have to print out her correspondence and either scan it to her or phone her to pick it up

Forgive me if a stupid question but surely you can just email it to her without having to print it?

@Gwenhwyfar

"It would take me about 3 hours to just get to Eurostar here and that is with car in a picture."

So what though? It's something you could consider doing some of the time isn't it?
And many people do travel from big city to big city anyway so the Eurostar is a good option for those going to Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Lille and on to other stations on the continent.

Maybe it's fine for you but I have limited holiday time and on top of getting to Eurostar, it would take another 24 hours to get to my family.. actually 26 with the travel from main station.

Frankly, not doing it.

@backoffice I can’t travel far because of a medical condition. I won’t be going away at all this year and it’s 5+ years since I’ve flown or been on a train. You are welcome to have my 2 years worth of holidays to use on a trip!

@Jerseygirl12

EileenGC I was in Crete last week and there were people at the Crete airport who didn’t have their mask on. The passport control guy had his nose out the whole time I was queueing. In an indoor museum I visited I’d say about 20% were not wearing a mask.

That’s not ‘not much stricter’ than the UK. It’s 20% with a mask in a London museum. Different worlds really.

Yes, it does sound like Crete is a bit more lenient. Not comparable to getting a train from France to Germany for example, no leniency there.

In Hungary there are no masks required anywhere and no vaccines/tests required to either enter the country by road (different for air travel) or to enter any restaurants, events etc.
Just come back from there.
I live in Austria and our rules are toughening up a bit but throughout the summer normal masks have been required on transport and in supermarkets, pharmacies (essential shops basically) and NO masks in non-essential shops. Medical grade masks are coming back in from next week though I'd say that about 75% of people have just continued to wear them during the summer and the other 25% changed to normal masks.
We have also had to provide a test, vaccination or recovery certificate to attend any events or to go to restaurants, bars and hotels. This is looking like it might be toughened up to vaccination certificate only if numbers continue to rise.

So two Central European countries - two completely different approaches.
Some people seem to be lumping Central Europe into one big pot - claiming they are either ALL stricter than the UK or ALL less strict.

The point stands though that anyone travelling around Europe needs to be aware of the different requirements in different countries.

@Indoctro

If you are really that concerned about the environment you shouldn't of had children that's the single most beneficial thing anyone can do for this planet. No to breed.

Well said.

"Maybe it's fine for you but I have limited holiday time and on top of getting to Eurostar, it would take another 24 hours to get to my family.. actually 26 with the travel from main station.

Frankly, not doing it."

Well, the extra 24 hours is a lot more than the extra 3 hours so yes, for you it's not a feasible option. For long distances, the train doesn't always work, but it can replace some shorter plane journeys.

@EileenGC

Plus vaccination passport for anything. France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria… all have required me to

1. Wear a medical-grade mask
2. Show my vaccination pass or negative test before getting on transport or going to a restaurant or an event

I was in Italy in August and didn't show my vaccine passport except at the airport (I always eat outside). You didn't need it for local public transport. I wasn't aware about the medical-grade mask, but I suppose I was wearing a surgical mask anyway as I need to in the summer.

@EileenGC

I’ve had a few holidays abroad since COVID and haven’t found other countries any stricter than the UK

I’d also be interested to know which countries these were.

I was somewhere in Eastern Europe a few weeks back and yeah, no one could give a shit there.

I think they're giving up on masks in the Netherlands now too.

"The reason why mothers are mentioned here is because fathers don't bitch to posters about people not doing enough. The probably bitch to someone rlse so you could see "he and his 5 kids" on a different forum"

Or it's because rate of reproduction is often measured as number of children per mother?

"I bought two tops from the charity shop today - does that give me some credit? "

No, you're supposed to wear your existing clothes until they're full of holes or make your clothes out of old cushions or something. The not buying new clothes I will leave to the beautiful who don't have to worry about looking like shit.

I agree and care OP.

@Gwenhwyfar

Why would you go on holiday 20 minutes away? What would you learn from that? What new experiences would you have?

Well, thanks for concern, but we have a fantastic time there. Not all breaks have to be about 'learning' or having 'new experiences'. Sometimes it's nice to just switch off and enjoy a different view. What an odd viewpoint to have

The not buying new clothes I will leave to the beautiful who don't have to worry about looking like shit.

Same tbh.

@Gwenhwyfar

"Maybe it's fine for you but I have limited holiday time and on top of getting to Eurostar, it would take another 24 hours to get to my family.. actually 26 with the travel from main station.

Frankly, not doing it."

Well, the extra 24 hours is a lot more than the extra 3 hours so yes, for you it's not a feasible option. For long distances, the train doesn't always work, but it can replace some shorter plane journeys.

The whole post was 5 hours door to door to different country, and just to Eurostar it takes me 3. That was in reply as an agreement to someone saying that not everyone lives close to Eurostar.

Obviously, it will take then longer on TOP of travel to Eurostar. I have no idea what the problem with my post was.

5 hours by plane that should say

@Thesandmanishere

I therefore have to print out her correspondence and either scan it to her or phone her to pick it up

Forgive me if a stupid question but surely you can just email it to her without having to print it?

This. At my work we print and post very little. Just about everything is drafted electronically and emailed.

There's even facilities within Adobe Acrobat to add electronic signatures. Then sent back with a covering email from a named person, which provides sufficient evidence of authorisation should it be necessary for contractual purposes.

I do it because I live overseas and (Covid aside) refuse to go more than four months without seeing my parents.

A train journey is going to be a lot more Covid safe than a plane journey as well as more environmentally friendly.
You can open the windows on a train carriage which is better than any hepa filter.
Added to which you do not have to hang around in an airport for hours as train stations will also be better ventilated and require a shorter wait and less queuing.
If you were previously planning to get the train then just go ahead.