Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dreading upcoming holiday, so want to cancel but family will be disappointed

241 replies

Sleepescapesme · 03/03/2022 03:40

We’ve had a holiday to New York booked for over 2 years now.
It’s repeatedly been moved forward due to covid and we are now due to go Easter weekend.
When we booked originally ‘kids’ were 18 and 16 so it was the final big trip before they flew the nest into uni etc.
They are now 21 and nearly 19 so things have changed a bit but they still seem keen to go.
All trip admin is down to me to organise- no point in asking DH to do anything except pay as he wouldn’t have a clue and I’d never relax.
I’ve had to sort estas, insurance, we have to have a supervised covid test in the 24 hour window before we leave, everything is pricey, car parking etc.
All this organisation is stressing me out and I’m not looking forward to it at all.
I keep reading how crime ridden NYC has become, the war in Ukraine has me worried me closer to home our dog is now elderly and she’s not going to be gear left with the dog sitter like she may have been 2 plus years ago.
Final payment time is looming, we’ve already dropped around 1k on deposit and NYV passes / insurance/ estas.
I want to cancel so much, I have no interest in going whatsoever but I know DH and DD especially will be really disappointed. It’s not up to me to decide to pull the rug on a family trip.
WWYD?

OP posts:
MurmuratingStarling · 03/03/2022 11:35

Don't cancel @Sleepescapesme ! NYC is amazing, and you will love it! Smile I have been 3 times, and adore the place! All the hard work seems to be behind you now, covid is on its way out, and I don't see how the Ukraine unrest is going to affect your trip!

Have a great holiday. Smile

Amnotamug · 03/03/2022 11:50

I second @MurmuratingStarling…I was very indifferent about going to New York and wasn’t looking forward to going…I absolutely loved it . It’s a fantastic,fun,surreal place and I felt very safe there . Stayed in Times Square and would go back again in a heartbeat !!

Landedonfeet · 03/03/2022 12:09

@Knittingnanny2

I totally agree with those who have used the phrase “ totally sucked the joy out”, I actually used to enjoy the planning etc but not now My biggest ( holiday related ) fear is having a positive result from the pre flight test, how disappointing would that be Not important in the bigger picture though of what is going on in Ukraine.
So many places…. No testing needed!
MurmuratingStarling · 03/03/2022 12:40

@Amnotamug

I second *@MurmuratingStarling*…I was very indifferent about going to New York and wasn’t looking forward to going…I absolutely loved it . It’s a fantastic,fun,surreal place and I felt very safe there . Stayed in Times Square and would go back again in a heartbeat !!
We stayed close to Times Square too. About 2-3 minutes walk from there. Smile It was lovely to be in the middle of Manhattan, and close to the 'touristy bits.' We were able to walk to many places of interest.
ChateauMargaux · 03/03/2022 12:42

I totally understand.. all of it.

Knittingnanny2 · 03/03/2022 17:51

@Landedonfeet I know, it’s just that I’m visiting family so no choice
However we are having a lovely few days on the Suffolk coast at the moment which was extremely hassle free!

Bouledeneige · 03/03/2022 20:22

It's really not hard. Esta you just fill in online - do it now! Done. Insurance - use google - Hilda's insurance and off you go. Covid test - again simple. Check out where the nearest/easiest site to get to. I chose one in a shopping centre car park. You can book a few days in advance and paid for same day results. Print out your fit to fly test results.

Make sure everyone has had their vaccinations and their covid pass is up to date - you just tap on the app and get a travel pass.

Done!

rookiemere · 03/03/2022 22:27

The person who said that covid has sucked all the joy out of holidays has got it right.
We've been abroad three times now since October and whilst it's great once we get there, all the anticipation and enjoyment of planning has gone, replaced instead by low level anxiety about the result of any covid test needed, trying not to catch covid before we go and having the right set of documents to wave at anyone who demands to see them.
Plus after not having been on holiday for a couple of years, it all seems so damned expensive.
So I have a lot of empathy OP, but you will be fine once you get there.

TheHoptimist · 03/03/2022 22:29

Covid test is £25 each at boots- results within an hour

capstix · 04/03/2022 00:38

I sympathise entirely. For reasons I cannot explain, I loathe holidays.

Nonetheless, I take one for the team every six months. I think you should to, but I really, really do understand!

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 08:35

@rookiemere

The person who said that covid has sucked all the joy out of holidays has got it right. We've been abroad three times now since October and whilst it's great once we get there, all the anticipation and enjoyment of planning has gone, replaced instead by low level anxiety about the result of any covid test needed, trying not to catch covid before we go and having the right set of documents to wave at anyone who demands to see them. Plus after not having been on holiday for a couple of years, it all seems so damned expensive. So I have a lot of empathy OP, but you will be fine once you get there.
Speak for yourself

My children and I sure as heck don’t think all joy has been suck out of holidays
We have enjoyed some wonderful holidays and we have one at the end of this month and another In May that we are very excited about.

tiredanddangerous · 04/03/2022 08:37

I would go but pass the organisation over to your DH and kids. They are definitely old enough to help!

rookiemere · 04/03/2022 08:38

@Landedonfeet I'm genuinely glad you and your family is still getting such joy from holidays. Pre-covid I was the holiday queen, never happier than when researching or booking my next break.

But Covid has meant that a few trips were cancelled at short notice - first world problems I know - and that coupled with the extra paperwork and fear of getting covid, also potentially extra anxiety because of menopausal symptoms,means I find it easier now not to think about the trip until we're actually there.

Hopefully covid will continue to die down and I'll get back to how I was.

Delatron · 04/03/2022 11:32

To be honest, chatting to friends (and seeing how stressed my parents were last week) I think most people currently find travel stressful. To varying degrees. So it’s definitely not abnormal to feel this way.

I’m a stressy person anyway so all this extra admin and background worry does suck the pre-holiday joy out. I no longer get excited when I’m packing.

I do relax once I’m on the plane though and I mange to enjoy the holiday. The last one I even did the PLF for the return in the queue for checkin. Whereas in the summer it was the day before and it had to be printed out for back up! Etc. So I’m getting a bit better!

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 11:34

I’m going to Spain

No test
No nothing
For entry to Spain
Or entry back home

What’s the big deal?

Delatron · 04/03/2022 11:37

@Landedonfeet yes that’s wonderful.

OP is not going to Spain...

I went to Italy last week, 2 forms for 4 people. 4 LFTs to be done with results back no more than 24 hours before arrival. Proof of vaccinations. PLF on the way back.

Every country is different.

I can’t wait until we drop all the forms and testing. Then yes there will be no big deal.

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 11:40

[quote Delatron]@Landedonfeet yes that’s wonderful.

OP is not going to Spain...

I went to Italy last week, 2 forms for 4 people. 4 LFTs to be done with results back no more than 24 hours before arrival. Proof of vaccinations. PLF on the way back.

Every country is different.

I can’t wait until we drop all the forms and testing. Then yes there will be no big deal.[/quote]
As of 1st March
Absolutely no test required for Italy if vaccinated

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 11:41

And if a child over 6
Just a negative LFT (takes 2 mins!)

Delatron · 04/03/2022 11:46

That doesn’t mean it wasn’t stressful last week @Landedonfeet and that it hasn’t been stressful for everyone on here.

Yes it’s getting easier but the OP is not going to Europe...

If the LFT needs to be validated with a fit to fly certificate for a family of 4 that does not take 2 minutes. Obviously. Photos need to be taken of the test by the passports, passport info filled in. For each person. The whole process took me an hour and a half then I had to trust the certificates would be in my in box by the next morning.

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 11:51

Vaccinated adults don’t need to do a thing

And lft doesn’t need to be validated in Italy. Just shown.

Passport info etc?

I’m a single parent. I do everything! And I suppose I don’t regard previous entry requirements as particularly onerous

And now not onerous in the slightest

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 11:52

How many people are in your family that the form filling took ninety mins?

Delatron · 04/03/2022 11:56

Do LFT for 4 people. Wait for result. Take photos of results with the LFT result. Fill in 4 separate forms with all details from the passport on the app and upload the photos for each test. It takes while. Have you done it? It doesn’t take 2 minutes. I wish it did.

Delatron · 04/03/2022 11:59

@Landedonfeet this was last week. Are you aware that the rules change all the time? So last week multiple forms and tests for Italy had to be done.

I’m pleased this has changed now but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a massive stress last week.

OP is going to the US not Spain. So it’s irrelevant that travelling to Spain is now easy with no forms of tests.

Landedonfeet · 04/03/2022 12:01

@Delatron

Do LFT for 4 people. Wait for result. Take photos of results with the LFT result. Fill in 4 separate forms with all details from the passport on the app and upload the photos for each test. It takes while. Have you done it? It doesn’t take 2 minutes. I wish it did.
Yes I’ve done it

I don’t regard “waiting for an LFT result” as a hardship. I put it on counter and made a cup of tea

Not do I regard inputting limited passport details and uploading a pic as particularly onerous. I did it whilst i enjoyed my cup of tea that I had made whilst waiting for the lft result on the counter

Delatron · 04/03/2022 12:04

@Landedonfeet bully for you.