Sister won’t commit to booking holiday because of “threat of war”

[Posypointshoes]

I’m an anxious person. I worry a LOT especially about the way things are in the world at the moment. I can see how it can feel like things are pressing in on all sides.

however we have a special family birthday coming up and we are all supposed to be booking a special holiday abroad for it. It’s been in the works for a while we’ve sorted all the arrangements and now when it’s time to actually book my sister is saying she won’t commit because we just don’t know what’s going to happen with the world.
she’s panicking about war breaking out if we were on holiday and then what would we do?

as I said I am an anxious person. I’ve had some dark and scary thoughts about possibilities and what we could be facing but this just seems mad to me? Our parents are upset as it’s their occasion and now she’s the only one not going.

its also making me alarmed that she’s struggling with her mental health maybe more so than she’s letting on, if that seems like a logical reason not to book a holiday? She’s also stopped making plans further than a few weeks ahead as well. I don’t really know what to do about it, if it’s my place to try and how to approach it.

😂batshit

I think you should tell her the holiday is being booked a week from today (or whatever date you and your parents decide on). She needs to tell you yes or no the day before and then the holiday is going to be booked with or without her. If she doesn't want to go because she is worried about war then that's up to her. It would be a shame for everyone else to meet up because of her.

But I'd also tell her that the scenario of "war breaking out" when you are in Greece is extremely unlikely. Anyway, you'd know in the couple of weeks before the holiday how stable the world is at that point because things can change a lot in a couple of months. She can decide again at that point whether to go or not (but make clear if she does pull out she still has to pay her share).

@SummerFeverVenice

Of you are flying within the EU or west, no worries, but any flight path that goes East past Greece, I’d avoid right now and keep in mind the #7 isn’t lucky.

To be meaningful that list of flights you came up should have come with the detailed context of each shootdown....

Otherwise it looks like your chucking random apples in with oranges to perhaps scare people.

Where is there an imminent threat of war? (Other than current war zones of course)
i can’t imagine there being a problem for brits in Greece, unless something happened I don’t know about?

I think it’s just quite near problem countries , you know , the other side of that pondy bit.

How far away is the actual trip OP?

Just book it.
can you parents afford to cover her place and she can then take it or leave it when the time comes?

it might be worth a talk - worrying is so destructive. But worrying about the world is something that is completely out of her control so best to carry on regardless and not think about it.

Oi, stop dissing Yemen! I've been on holiday there ... admittedly 30 years ago. Best trip ever! Though I probably wouldn't go again for a while ...

Timing is everything Gonners, timing is everything.

Or at least fully flexible flights so she can dive to the airport at the first hint of trouble? The truth is once she gets there it will be fine.

She’s escaping to NZ which is about as much as anyone can do.

It really boils down to wether Greece as a destination is mor einprtamt then your sister being there .
Is there a compromise with say France or Italy .

mor einprtamt sounded faintly Germanic .

I agree: I’m not feeling especially nervous about travel but France or Italy would feel a lot less of a gamble I think. It’s even just closer time wise ( for the dash to safety!)

Sorry I should have clarified. I don’t think it’s the destination that’s the problem, she’s said herself she doesn’t think anything is likely to happen in Greece. It’s just the idea of going away somewhere.

i do get it to a point, I’m pregnant, I fear for the future. But while we are in the privileged position of being able to live and do as we please, I’m bloody well going to do it.

Threat of war wouldn’t put me off but I’d look carefully at which areas in Greece have been subject to forest fires for the past few years and avoid those.

It’s also prone to seismic activity. But then so is NZ - which kind of makes the point: you can 🏃‍♂️ run, but you can’t hide.

As long as you don't go anywhere near the Middle East you'll be fine.

Greece will be absolutely fine.

And as for the poster talking about passenger planes getting shot down - please take your meds. I'm sure the OP is not going to be flying through Afghanistan or anywhere like that FFS.

I'm an anxious person too, OP, and so I would probably use this as well to sit on my a*se at home. 😊

I would be concerned about her mental health too as this seems to be an unhealthy level of anxiety about something that is highly unlikely to happen. Could you have a chat with your sister and encourage her to see her GP?

what I don’t understand is she is looking at emigrating to New Zealand this year which has been her dream for ages and that’s a far longer flight etc but maybe it plays into the anxious fears as it’s so far away and likely to be safer if things do go bad

Honestly, apart from the Antarctic, I think NZ is the next safest bet if you are worried about war. I mean, who is going to bother about it🤷‍♀️. Plus I can only imagine an invasion:
’what’s that bro? Uhm, I dunno, yeah, come back next Tuesday, hey’🤣.

I say this with love as an Aussie next door neighbour.

Of course though, she may be killed in an earthquake when she gets there🤨.

Oh dear lol oops didn’t have my glasses on!

I read your reply then had to read my comment again.

I think with the uncertainty the comfort of your own home is your safe place . If I was the sister I’d be feeling happier staying “closer to home”

Although f there was anything bad to happen while In Greece OP’ sister would be with all her family. That would be my argument for her to booK with everyone else .

It’s completely OTT and I’d be worried about her mental health.

Would she be able to book the holiday on a fully flexible basis so she can cancel if nearer the time she is still unhappy? Probably would need to book hotel and flights direct not via a package.

There are 36.5 million flights a year. Over the time span that you mentioned (2014 to 2020) that would be 256.5 million flights.

Of those 256.5 million flights 3 were shot down. Making your chances of being in a plane that gets shot down 1 in 85 million. You cannot avoid flying based on a 1 in 85 million chance. You are literally more likely to die putting on your trousers. Literally.

What exactly does 'planning for a war' comprise of in say Basingstoke? I'm curious, humour me....

I have actually splurted out my coffee.