Who's currently cancelling their holiday to Portugal then?

[diggingatrench]

I think I’m definitely going to France soon and for that I’m happy !!!

@Katie517

It’s an absolute joke! We are due to go end of July and will be cancelling if it doesn’t get back in the green list at the next review. It’s a farce people are vaccinated, paying for tests at their own expense at vastly inflated prices and it’s still not good enough, we are still expected to imprison ourselves in our homes on return even though we will have tested negative before getting on the plane and on day 2. Anyone who thought vaccines were our ticket to freedom must be feeling very silly now. Meanwhile business travelers and government officials can jet here there and everywhere with no isolation period, you couldn’t make this shit up.

Totally agree with katie517 .

Watermelon222 I live in an amber list country - our national numbers are the same as the UK's. Mind you my country has the uk on a "varients of special concern" list which is worse than the red list and only residents of my adopted country are allowed in from the UK, no visitors, so the two countries are as hypocritical as one another... Amber list countries aren't necessarily any higher risk than the UK though. The incidence in the area where I live is currently 15 per 100 thousand, and nationally liw 30s like the UK. Amber list.

I would love a holiday abroad , like many people I have lost family to covid and have had an awful 12 months .

However it was obvious that the countries were on watch and we are on watch from other countries . So there was no way I would take the risk of booking abroad at the moment .

And I bet a lot of the people who are critical of the situation are the ones shouting about other people coming here .

Everyone knows you can still spread the virus or bring the virus back when you have been vaccinated and as we don’t or can’t discriminate between those who are vaccinated or not then I don’t see what can be totally safe .

What could change in the future ? I don’t know really an ultra cheap quick accurate test before travelling ? Or the sniffer dogs at airports who are trained and apparently very good in detecting covid .

Don’t forget it’s a high percentage that will have no symptoms at all .

And if you think the whole idea of having a vaccine was to go on holiday I think you might have missed the point .

I feel quite sorry for all those now scrambling to get home from Portugal. I live in an Amber list country (according to UK) also and I feel that the UK government just don’t want people spending money in EU countries this summer. They would far rather boost the UK economy and have people pay extortionate prices for a UK based holiday. Maybe they saw the mass exodus to places like Portugal and decided to reverse their decision. Not fair on people who were already in Portugal though! They should have given them more time to get back!

I think that’s because between creating our traffic light lists and the recent review the U.K. has managed to knock itself off it’s own green list and on to Amber. The fact that the U.K. has mmoved from having low levels of Covid to moderate levels and may have higher circulating rates than some of the countries it’s keeping on Amber, doesn’t mean that those counties don’t also have moderate levels of Covid.

I ask about the other industries because whenever they get mentioned it's "shrug shrug" but now they can't go on holiday...

Where? Where does this shrugging happen?

@strangeshapedpotato

By the current logic, banned travel isn’t one more year- it’s the foreseeable future.

Err no - it SHOULD have been banned completely until the UK had completed its vaccine program, and then allowed with proper restrictions.

But instead we had the ridiculous duality of the government both telling everyone it was fine to go abroad for holidays, and simultaneously advising them not to.

I quite liked that, kind of like a Schrodinger holiday.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

I love the idea that people genuinely think that what we’re doing is anything to do with zero covid.

Is it a sort of top secret zero covid plan that involves identifying a more transmissible variant circulating in some areas, relaxing restrictions, allowing people to mix more freely and then just watching and keeping an eye out while the strain becomes the dominant strain and cases are increasing at quite an alarming rate while maybe suggesting there might be a delay to the further relaxations proposed next month.

Tbf to the government, it is a very cunning disguise for a zero-covid plan.

I'll be really impressed when this government has a plan for anything other than staying power and enriching their mates.

I do have sympathy for people wanting to travel to countries with similar infection and vaccination status as our own.
I also worry though about people who’s thinking seems to stop at, I’m fine, I’ve had two vaccines if they are wanting to travel further afield to countries where they represent the real danger.
My elderly parents have spent so many happy months in African countries and can’t wait to return now that they are both vaccinated.
I had to point out to them that they would potentially take a virus with them. They’re not stupid people, retired draughtswoman and a groundbreaking computer scientist.

What I find the most mind boggling about this whole situation is that according to the tabloids 112000 brits are in Portugal just now. That's more than 1 in 600 of the entire population of the uk who are currently in Portugal. Surely that can't be right?!

Today 20:51 badg3r

What I find the most mind boggling about this whole situation is that according to the tabloids 112000 brits are in Portugal just now. That's more than 1 in 600 of the entire population of the uk who are currently in Portugal. Surely that can't be right“

There are very few destinations in the green list. People are desperate for a break. Sounds about right.

Not being able to go on holiday abroad. Terrible. What an awful life we all have. Some people had to live through 2 world wars and the Great Depression. Some people are living in a war right now.
Stop having your own self-pity party and grow up.

I don't understand why people think a holiday abroad is a right. Holidays are a privilege and any time away from work should be appreciated. A holiday at home or in the UK doesn't mean you are being denied a holiday. I also don't understand how 'staycation' has been reinvented - it used to mean staying at home and 'going out days' rather than going away somewhere. Now it seems to mean taking a holiday somewhere in the in the UK as a second best to going abroad.

At the end of the day we are still in a pandemic that is sadly on the rise again - yes we have vaccines but we also have mutations and sooner or later there will be one that the current vaccines are less effective at treating. The more we travel unnecessarily the easier it will be for the mutations to spread. You don't need to go abroad to have an 'experience' as one cancelled traveller bemoaned. Life is what you make of it and a week or two in the sun is not the only source of life experiences.

I don't understand why people think a holiday abroad is a right. Holidays are a privilege and any time away from work should be appreciated

This is one of the most depressing things I've read in a long time.

Moynomore - why is it depressing? It's a statement of fact - It isn't a right but people behave as if it is.

@Kittykaboodle

Not being able to go on holiday abroad. Terrible. What an awful life we all have. Some people had to live through 2 world wars and the Great Depression. Some people are living in a war right now. Stop having your own self-pity party and grow up.

Totally agree

Kittykaboodle

Not being able to go on holiday abroad. Terrible. What an awful life we all have. Some people had to live through 2 world wars and the Great Depression. Some people are living in a war right now.
Stop having your own self-pity party and grow up.“

Not sure if that was in reply to my post, it came immediately thereafter?

We’re not going anywhere this year, quite happy to holiday in the UK in the autumn.

My CEV husband and I have had a very easy time of it though, these past 14 months. We have a large house, gardens, worked from home
It was all pretty crap for our asthmatic (though unfortunately not bad enough, apparently, to be vaccinated, just enough to frighten him) 18 year old who had, because of his dad, to lockdown with us though. If he had had the chance to make any friends these past 14 months, I would happily pay for a holiday for he and his mates. But he hasn’t. He stayed home to save elderly, vulnerable strangers who are now going on cruises while he awaits his vaccination.

.Our daughter and son in law with their first baby born in 2020 didn’t exactly have a ball either, but they’re not complaining. He cries when he sees strangers. But hey, they saved lives, whoohoo!

My parents lived through London in WW2. Mum was born in September, 1939. Her mum refused to send her away because she would t leave her other three daughters, 14, 27 and 29 behind. They survived and are sanguine and grasp life bumpy both hands. MThey have spent many happy years in Africa. I have had to point out to them that they shouldn’t travel there until the local population is vaccinated. Which they won’t.

So many people though have every right to complain, they have had the most appalling time these past 14 months and I wouldn’t for a moment begrudge then an overseas holiday.

Think medical staff, bus drivers, delivery drivers, retail workers. One of my brothers in law will probably die in the next few months. He has an 18 year old son and nearly 16 year old son and daughter twins. He has prostate cancer which in normal times would have been detected soon enough to save his life. This was said to him in a matter of fact way by his oncologist. They are planning a trip to the Canary Islands this summer, where they’ve holidayed since the children were born. Some of their happiest times were spent there.
Presumably, you begrudge that too?

Just go lock yourself up in your secure little cupboard. While you’re there, maybe think about other people who’s lives differ from yours.

Pressed post too soon. Mums sisters were 15, 17 and 18 when she was unexpectedly born. they all grabbed life with both hands. My mum and her youngest sister are still here and will not lock themselves away.

Please don’t hide behind people who survived the Wars. Fear was the very last thing they would encourage.

Zgran, I really hope they get to the Canary Islands. Mumsnet is full of some very bitter, spiteful people at the moment who are relishing in this.

My dm said the war was horrific and was scared all the way through. She would have totally understood the fear now.

@Needanewhat

Why people would even have booked a holiday abroad this year is beyond me

It was obvious it was going to go tits up

Exactly! I'd love to go abroad but it's madness to think this year is a possibility. It's a worldwide pandemic, you would think it's a deliberate ploy to spoil our fun.

@ seenoevil33
Actually I’m British but live abroad in an amber list country - I flew in and fully observed the quarantine requirements and will need to do again when I return watermelon 222 ....
What I have seen is a worryingly high number of brits failing to observe masking requirements - in my amber country this wouldn’t be allowed and you would definitely not be able to shop or use public transit without a mask - the cases in the uk are on the rise again and it’s easy to see why

Where are you in the UK? Where I am, people are following the rules on public transport, in shops etc - almost without exception.

@moynomore I agree.

@Zgran

Kittykaboodle

Not being able to go on holiday abroad. Terrible. What an awful life we all have. Some people had to live through 2 world wars and the Great Depression. Some people are living in a war right now.
Stop having your own self-pity party and grow up.“

Not sure if that was in reply to my post, it came immediately thereafter?

We’re not going anywhere this year, quite happy to holiday in the UK in the autumn.

My CEV husband and I have had a very easy time of it though, these past 14 months. We have a large house, gardens, worked from home
It was all pretty crap for our asthmatic (though unfortunately not bad enough, apparently, to be vaccinated, just enough to frighten him) 18 year old who had, because of his dad, to lockdown with us though. If he had had the chance to make any friends these past 14 months, I would happily pay for a holiday for he and his mates. But he hasn’t. He stayed home to save elderly, vulnerable strangers who are now going on cruises while he awaits his vaccination.

.Our daughter and son in law with their first baby born in 2020 didn’t exactly have a ball either, but they’re not complaining. He cries when he sees strangers. But hey, they saved lives, whoohoo!

My parents lived through London in WW2. Mum was born in September, 1939. Her mum refused to send her away because she would t leave her other three daughters, 14, 27 and 29 behind. They survived and are sanguine and grasp life bumpy both hands. MThey have spent many happy years in Africa. I have had to point out to them that they shouldn’t travel there until the local population is vaccinated. Which they won’t.

So many people though have every right to complain, they have had the most appalling time these past 14 months and I wouldn’t for a moment begrudge then an overseas holiday.

Think medical staff, bus drivers, delivery drivers, retail workers. One of my brothers in law will probably die in the next few months. He has an 18 year old son and nearly 16 year old son and daughter twins. He has prostate cancer which in normal times would have been detected soon enough to save his life. This was said to him in a matter of fact way by his oncologist. They are planning a trip to the Canary Islands this summer, where they’ve holidayed since the children were born. Some of their happiest times were spent there.
Presumably, you begrudge that too?

Just go lock yourself up in your secure little cupboard. While you’re there, maybe think about other people who’s lives differ from yours.

@Zgran I hadn’t read your message, it was coincidence mine came straight after yours. I don’t begrudge people wanting a holiday, I’m a frequent traveller myself, and have missed it in these strange times. I’m certainly not bitter 🤷‍♀️. Strange logic but that’s ok. I simply don’t understand why people insist on whinging about the fact they can’t go on holiday abroad. That doesn’t mean I think they don’t deserve a holiday, again strange logic. It’s been a rubbish year and a half for most people. Some more so than others. We all need a holiday. But I prefer to get on with life as each day comes, for now.