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?

Yanbu, go for it, OP! We went away at October half term, the 'queues' at the airport were shorter than normal. As long as you're prepared, it's easy. Yes, the spontaneity is gone, but for us, that went with kids anyway! It will give you a lift, we loved it. And all the airport, hotel and restaurants staff etc are SO grateful that everyone is coming back. There are massive areas of the world which rely on tourism and they've been decimated the last few years.

I started a similar thread a few months ago after a couple of people told me I was selfish for going abroad.

We had a fabulous holiday, we felt it was no less safe COVID wise than going to the supermarket where hardly anyone wears masks these days (we do). We'd be seeing reports by now of increased cases due to travel if it was causing issues.

I know people who still won't meet inside and still won't go to cafes or restaurant and others who won't travel on public transport in this country, let alone abroad. Their choice but they shouldn't make those who are ready to move on feel bad. Covid seems to be here to stay. Whilst vaccines won't stop transmission completely , they do reduce it and the severity if you should get it so risks are way lower than last year.

Some people like to make up their own rules, it's been the same all the way through. Go and enjoy yourself x

@Toomuchlaundry Yes, I enjoy my holidays and seeing family more.

@PurBal

I mean… my family still can’t get back to the UK because there are no fights. A NZ friend hasn’t seen his family (nor have they met his almost 1 year old son) and there’s a 50k strong waiting list for NZ nationals to get home. So to me the pandemic is very not anywhere near over.

NZ is reducing MIQ requirements to citizens then moving it to shorter, home quarantine. Opening to non-NZs from first quarter 2022.

I think it's ok. We should be trying to return to some sort of normality. People should be able to book a summer holiday for next year.

I went to Lisbon and also Ljubljana recently for a long weekend. Was fabulous.

@gogohm I know for some jobs it isn't possible just to do zoom meetings rather than travelling, but I would be disappointed if we went back to pre-pandemic levels of travelling. It's good that some companies are going to maintain an element of virtual meetings.

I am sure I would have traveller guilt now if we travelled abroad multiple times in a year.

Urgh could he scientists hurry up and invent a green plane?! Love travel but know it’s terrible for the environment!

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

Actually travelling to stay with family is probably riskier as you will be spending lots of time with them and if anyone in the group has COVID, the chance of transmission is much higher than those of us just travelling for pleasure.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

@TwinklyBranch

I'm with your friend. It's not necessary.

I really hate this attitude.

It's the same one which had people criticised for buying Easter Eggs in April 2020 because it's not essential/necessary.

It's the difference between existing and living. Who wants to just exist, purely concentrating on keeping breathing and doing nothing fun or frivolous because it's "not necessary". How utterly joyless and shit.

We have travelled within the UK throughout when we were able to. And have booked for next summer overseas.

@toomuchlaundry

Does the environment ever cross anyone’s mind when they book multiple holidays abroad?

Flying isn't the only thing that damages the environment. I do plenty of things to reduce my carbon footprint, including not having any children and not eating meat. I'm not going to be guilted into giving up one of the only things that brings me joy. I travel as responsibly as I can, I use trains where possible, but I'm not going to feel bad about going on holiday.

Some people think we should stay locked in our homes singing kumbaya by candlelight while eating grass.

@Oblomov21

I think it's ok. We should be trying to return to some sort of normality. People should be able to book a summer holiday for next year.

I went to Lisbon and also Ljubljana recently for a long weekend. Was fabulous.

Ljubljana looks great - don't know why I'd never considered it before! Unfortunately it looks like a bad time to go weather wise at the moment.

@puppup25

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

That's Queen Nicola Sturgeon's mantra.

When she comes on telly in this house everyone shouts in unison FUCK OFF NICOLA.

You ‘can’ literally do anything you want but doesn’t mean you should.
I could spread Covid every time I venture out of my house and do anything ‘non-essential’ that’s affecting the environment too.

So I guess we’d all better lock ourselves in our houses and survive on gruel and dust by candlelight, otherwise we’re a bunch of selfish twats according to these people.

I'm currently on a plane about to take off for my 4th trip abroad in the last 5 months. Very little faff. Airport felt totally back to normal. I can't wait to get to Portugal

@MsTSwift

Urgh could he scientists hurry up and invent a green plane?! Love travel but know it’s terrible for the environment!

They have...SAF flights and electric planes

@puppup25

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

Exactly puppup25. Same as the bleating "but we're allooooooowed". You're a fucking adult, do you really just go by permission and absolutely no thinking for yourself. It's bizarre.

@puppup25

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

But why shouldn't I? I've just had the worst two years of my life. I didn't travel last year because it was clearly a bad idea (our rates were very low by summer and could have stayed that way but we're way beyond that now). I went over and beyond complying with all the lockdown and mask rules and everything else. I'm triple jabbed. I always wear an ffp2 mask indoors. What exactly is the reason I shouldn't travel? I've got far more chance of getting or spreading covid by going down my local pub or to the office.

I genuinely do not understand your viewpoint at all.

I feel like the Day 2 test has ruined spontaneity quite a bit...I'm used to just booking a couple of days in advance and going. I know you only need the number, really, but what do you do if you get back and the test isn't there yet, or it's been lost?

You don't have to book the test before you go (unless the country you travel to requires one). You can just book one online when you are away, a couple of days before you return to the UK. My experience is you get the 'code' for the PLA emailed instantly. And that's all you need to get home. Then the test is delivered to your house but that's the testing companies responsibility (imo you can't be held responsible if it doesn't show up in time - you did your bit by booking it). With the lateral flow test it's easy - all I had to do was take a picture of the negative lateral flow test with the included booking sheet and email it to the testing company, and they emailed back my certificate. So no need to go to post box at any point.

I've got minimal interest in travelling while it involves masks and Covid passes, but for people who can tolerate all that malarkey, fair play. Tourist destinations need the trade and its keeping economies alive.

I didn't fret about holiday health safety even after the Bombay Bowels, or the super-spreading AI buffet vomit bug where half the hotel including 3/4 in the family going down with it. Life's too short to constantly miss out on fun incase something goes wrong.

@MsTSwift

Yeah I have flight shame now for sure. The person that took 40 flights! Don’t you feel guilty?! I would love to not feel guilty and fly to my hearts content… we are going to use train / car where possible to get away to Europe

Next week I have to work in Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Italy. All within 6 days. No, I don’t feel guilty for doing my job. I don’t have ‘traveller shame’ as someone else put it. How else am I going to work if I don’t fly?

There are other ways in which I try to minimise my carbon footprint, because of course I care about it. I don’t have children, I don’t know how to drive. I’ve never eaten meat in my life. I don’t buy new things unless I actually need them.

I wonder how many of these posters have a child or two, drive or have driven a car, ate meat for 40 years and are currently planning their Christmas shopping for their little darlings, to allow for yet more consumerism than we already have.

It's not that we want people to sit in candlelight and eat grass, but surely there is a happy medium. Travelling 5 times abroad for a holiday in a year is excessive, like washing your bedclothes/towels every day, wearing clothes a few times and then throwing away, buying vast amounts of plastic tat for Christmas. Doesn't mean you don't travel, don't wash your towels, buy presents for Christmas, but you can cut down a bit

@ArialAnna

I feel like the Day 2 test has ruined spontaneity quite a bit...I'm used to just booking a couple of days in advance and going. I know you only need the number, really, but what do you do if you get back and the test isn't there yet, or it's been lost?

You don't have to book the test before you go (unless the country you travel to requires one). You can just book one online when you are away, a couple of days before you return to the UK. My experience is you get the 'code' for the PLA emailed instantly. And that's all you need to get home. Then the test is delivered to your house but that's the testing companies responsibility (imo you can't be held responsible if it doesn't show up in time - you did your bit by booking it). With the lateral flow test it's easy - all I had to do was take a picture of the negative lateral flow test with the included booking sheet and email it to the testing company, and they emailed back my certificate. So no need to go to post box at any point.

Ah OK, true. I dislike stuff being left outside my flat door when I'm not there because it makes it obvious i'm away, and I think a break-in is more likely (or at least someone would steal the package with the test!), so I try not to have anything arriving when I'm not here. I know most of the tests are small enough to put through the letterbox but most of the delivery drivers don't seem to think to do that. It's a communal mailbox downstairs and they can post stuff without even entering the building but instead they prefer to get a neighbour to buzz them in and leave it there outside my flat for anyone to steal. Not the end of the world though, I agree.

- Exactly puppup25. Same as the bleating "but we're allooooooowed". You're a fucking adult, do you really just go by permission and absolutely no thinking for yourself. It's bizarre.

Assume you are staying at home then, doing all your shopping online and not visiting cafes, restaurants or any other non- essential places. Limiting meet ups with friends to huddling outside? Because unless you are continuing to live that way, you have no right to criticise other adults as you are also doing things which you can, doesn't mean you should.... .
It's offensive to suggest we're not thinking for ourselves. The amount of research I did before flying to convince myself I was not putting myself and others in any greater danger than going about my usual business at home was unreal.
Those of us who can think for ourselves ARE analysing risk. How we come to a different conclusion than those who call fliers selfish is up for debate. The person I know who is the most vocal about selfish adults travelling has no research to back up her views. She just 'feels' it is wrong. Well her 'feeling' isn't enough to persuade me I'm afraid.