AIBU to think it's OK to travel now?

[dabbydeedoo]

I have absolutely tons of annual leave to use up and am looking at places to travel to over the next month or two. A friend of mine made a really snippy comment about it not being right to travel "in the middle of a pandemic" and AIBU to think she's wrong?

I think that attitude made sense throughout 2020, and I didn't go anywhere, but we're now almost two years into the pandemic and most of us are vaccinated and there are systems and testing in place to mitigate risk. I don't think it's reasonable to expect people not to go on holiday or travel to see friends and family at this point. Covid is everywhere and it's here to stay, so I don't understand why it's acceptable to go for a long weekend in Edinburgh but not Prague or Barcelona. Provided we're prepared to take precautions like wear masks and be sensible, I don't think we can be expected to curtail our lives for much longer.

AIBU?

@RuggerHug

Travelling to family abroad and being sensible is one thing. I'm bored and want a holiday not so much.

Why?

@RuggerHug

Travelling to family abroad and being sensible is one thing. I'm bored and want a holiday not so much.

Why? Lots of us have to travel out to work every day, so why can't we go on holiday if we are happy to follow the guidance given at the time for safe travelling? What's the difference between traveling to see family and travelling for a holiday? It's still travelling.

Yes. Book lots of flights. Who gives a shit about our pending extinction as long as we get our fly and flop. Entitled much?

@Suspiciousmind20

Yes. Book lots of flights. Who gives a shit about our pending extinction as long as we get our fly and flop. Entitled much?

Don't be silly, as long as we are all sensible it will be fine It's people who don't take precautions that we need to be concerned about

Newnameforabit

I’m not talking about the pandemic. That’s the least of our worries. Although travel will increase the risk of further mutations.

To be fair, I'm not in the UK so alot of what's considered normal or sensible over there is mental to me.

I dunno. 🤷‍♀️ Read the room? re: travel to and around Europe at the moment. Things are going south around the Continent rather quickly. Just because the UK is burying it's head in the sand getting on with it, doesn't mean other places are.

If you do book somewhere to travel soon, make sure you have amazing travel insurance.

@dabbydeedoo

If you go on the Gov.UK website and look at the requirements for the country you're thinking of visiting there's a link to 'approved test suppliers' or something. I ordered mine from Vivo clinic (or something like that) 3 days before travelling, £14.90 and it arrived in the post before I went. Choose your supplier carefully as some promise far quicker delivery than others, plus you can also book to go to a testing centre when you're back (eg there is a Randox testing centre at Manchester Airport which my daughter used and was very efficient).

Agree with you that it does take away the joy of spontaneity but needs must at the moment.

@Suspiciousmind20

Yes. Book lots of flights. Who gives a shit about our pending extinction as long as we get our fly and flop. Entitled much?

Just out of interest, do you plan to never fly again?

ThePoisonousMushroom

I gave up flying for holidays a few years ago. The emissions are so high. I flew to get to a funeral as it was the only option and I needed to be there. We may fly to see relatives at some point in the future but gave up flying just for a holiday around 7 years ago and had cut right back before then. It’s an easy way to cut individual carbon footprint by a huge amount.

Regardless of the pandemic, flights just for holidays should become a thing of the past. There is a Swedish word for flight shame because of just this.

Yes it’s fine to travel, and lots of countries rely on tourism. Lots of people seem to forget that.

Well done you.
My family all live abroad. Parents, in laws, siblings.

I wouldn't rush to go overseas at the moment

Covid still high, risk of being ill overseas, environmental concerns

@dabbydeedoo I’m away several times a month and I always book my Day 2 tests just before going to the airport. It’s not time consuming or a big deal at all. They arrive one or two days after but literally nobody ever checks. I’ve sent some PCRs off, I didn’t manage to in other occasions. Sometimes I got results, sometimes I didn’t. I’ve uploaded the new LFT test results and was told I’d get ‘confirmation’. Nothing. The whole day 2 thing is a farce and no one even checks if you’ve done the test, let alone pull you up on it if you don’t report a result or there’s a delay in the post.

@Suspiciousmind20 try having a job which depends on regular international travel. Or family spread across three continents, and you on another one with no partner, children or close friends nearby. Then come back and tell us how this ‘no flying for holidays ever’ thing could work.

@RuggerHug

Travelling to family abroad and being sensible is one thing. I'm bored and want a holiday not so much.

Why not? Does staying in this country stop the spread of Covid? If so, how?

Go OP, but go sooner rather than later as situation seems to be worsening around Europe. We're (fingers crossed) off to Barcelona next weekend, but not feeling confident that our ski trip to France in Feb will go ahead.

@RuggerHug

Travelling to family abroad and being sensible is one thing. I'm bored and want a holiday not so much.

Fuck me, do people still think like this?

Since covid started I’ve been abroad twice, once before vaccinations were a thing, and holidayed in the uk six times. Including in places that had the highest incidences of covid at the time. Guess how many times we caught covid. I’ll give you a clue, it’s less than 1.

I honestly don’t understand people hiding behind the sofa still. Don’t you see that this is it, covids never going away, and if you are still hiding, then covids taken your life already.

A poster. Some people love to spread gloom. They are claiming they only go out when absolutely necessary, we are still in the middle of this etc.

Me - I have been abroad 3 times. Loved every single minute. UK breaks were meh and horribly expensive. Premier Inn for £225 per night anyone?

We just went on holiday. Found the process really easy actually and felt really safe abroad. Our day 2 test was sent via tracked delivery whilst we were away so I assume if there were issues they would of resent it and it would of still arrived in time.

I’ve just come back from Tenerife 3 days ago and I went to Malta last month. Heading to Poland next month, I’ve had enough of being locked in. It’s easy to go away. Make sure you fill out the correct forms and follow the government rules and you’re fine. Enjoy.

Go. It’s liberating, invigorating and does you so much good. The paperwork is straightforward after the first time and the tests ,whilst seeming a faff are very straight forward. Would also add that compliance with mask wearing and COVID passes elsewhere (France, Germany and Greece in my experience this year ) is way ahead of UK. Be prepared to be stopped at airports on arrival to prove vaccination status. We felt safer on holiday than at home in the supermarket.

I went abroad 5 times last year…was amazing being on half empty planes etc. Less good for tourist industry. 2 trips this year and 6 booked for next year. Travel is my biggest passion. Go for it! The “faff” is worth it. You only live once.

@rookiemere

Go OP, but go sooner rather than later as situation seems to be worsening around Europe. We're (fingers crossed) off to Barcelona next weekend, but not feeling confident that our ski trip to France in Feb will go ahead.

I'm already feeling a bit anxious, and not sure if I should just go soon because it's likely to be even worse after Christmas, or hold off. I wouldn't be going until the week after next. I'm starting to feel like I wouldn't enjoy it with all the faff and anxiety tbh.

@laloue

Go. It’s liberating, invigorating and does you so much good. The paperwork is straightforward after the first time and the tests ,whilst seeming a faff are very straight forward. Would also add that compliance with mask wearing and COVID passes elsewhere (France, Germany and Greece in my experience this year ) is way ahead of UK. Be prepared to be stopped at airports on arrival to prove vaccination status. We felt safer on holiday than at home in the supermarket.

I have been abroad once towards the end of the summer. I really enjoyed it. Just feeling a bit antsy now as things seem to be getting worse again and I'm worried about being stuck abroad because of a positive test/covid restrictions suddenly changing. Even if it's unlikely. I think I'd like to go somewhere in January but perhaps things will be much worse again by then.

@Smileyaxolotl1

Yanbu at all. I swear some people on here want everyone to stay on their houses for the rest of their lives.

Tbf while the majority are acting like Covid has gone away, the CEV have to do exactly that.