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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Will you go abroad?

89 replies

Lolarosemama · 04/05/2021 03:59

DH and I have been discussing our holiday booked for France in July and we’re just not sure.

Whilst we’re desperate to go on holiday, with rates unpredictable once things start opening up again, and officials saying foreign travel will still be ill advised even when it’s legal, it feels almost irresponsible to go? I don’t know. What’s your stance?

OP posts:

nancywhitehead · 04/05/2021 10:02

I'd love to go but think we will wait until it's safer and we know where we stand. I would hate to have to cancel it last minute, just can't be doing with the angst, I'd rather stay in the UK.

massistar · 04/05/2021 10:44

Um. Thanks for that @ItsCokeFFS . Not sure why you felt the need to point that out. Clearly we'll be adhering to any rules that are in place at that time.

ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 04/05/2021 10:46

We're reckoning most of Europe will be green by August so will do the same as last year and drive to our house in Italy.

I wouldn't fancy airports or big resort hotels with lots of mask wearing. But a very rural village in Italy, in our own place and driving felt super safe last year.

If we're in another wave by then or India (or somewhere else ) produces a new variant that's not as responsive to the vaccine then obviously won't go.

I'm surprised by people saying they're waiting for October or December. I'm sort of assuming we'll be more restricted again then as we head into winter.

beachsidecafe · 04/05/2021 10:51

think I don't think France will be green at all this summer, and even Italy looks very shaky. How are you going to get there if France is amber?! Europe are opening up too soon, they have not got the virus under control in many many countries, their vaccine roll out is diabolical. I fail to see how this will change in a few months. I understand the wishful thinking and currently have a holiday booked in Lake Garda, so I can see why you would want to go, but really I think our chances are very very slim.

Divebar2021 · 04/05/2021 10:53

I’m due to go to Venice in September having moved it from March. If it’s not a green country by then I’ll shift it again. It was supposed to be a trip to celebrate my 50th birthday last year but at this rate I’ll be 52 by the time I get to go.

ItsCokeFFS · 04/05/2021 10:57

@massistar

Um. Thanks for that *@ItsCokeFFS* . Not sure why you felt the need to point that out. Clearly we'll be adhering to any rules that are in place at that time.

I wasn't suggesting that you wouldn't.

My children and grandchildren are in another country to me and we haven't seen them for over a year so I am just as desperate as you to be able to travel (relatively) freely.

My comment wasn't aimed at you personally. I have seen a lot of posts today where people are saying "yay - we can go abroad" but not really getting the fact that it is returning to the UK that will be a problem if quarantine is still required.

I don't live in the UK and we would very much like to be able to go back and see relatives, but that just won't happen if we have to quarantine.

I hope that everything works out so that you can see your family. It's hard isn't it?

OneCalamerra · 04/05/2021 10:57

We’re staying in the uk this summer - I know I wouldn’t be fully relaxed if we planned to go overseas, I’d be worrying that rates could change, and new variants, or new rules, or not being able to get back here etc etc. All kinds of people got stranded last year, or found out after they left they’d have to quarantine in a hotel room when they got back etc.

So we’ll play it safe and stay here!

massistar · 04/05/2021 11:08

Yep. Agree @ItsCokeFFS . We won't be going if we need to quarantine. It's so hard. My in laws are desperate to see the children more than anything so can imagine how awful it must be not to see your grandchildren.

Cases in Italy do seem to be coming down and the vaccine program finally seems to be getting going so I'm hoping against hope. I wouldn't bother this year if we didn't have family though I don't think.

ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 04/05/2021 11:13

@beachsidecafe this time last year Italy was seeing 320 deaths a day (7 day average). Now it's at 280 and falling fast.

I don't see why in 3 months they won't have an infection rate close to ours. Italy's daily infection rate is about where ours was in mid feb so on track to be minimal by mid July.

They are behind on vaccines but by august everyone over 45 should have had two doses.

I'm more optimistic than you. Fingers crossed 🤞

BestOption · 04/05/2021 11:19

No, I'm not.

I think international travel this year should be 'essential' only. I think allowing people to bob here & there is daft. Variants need to be controlled, not spread about

Apart from that, I think the airports are going to be an absolute nightmare and even if I drove to my favourite spot in France, the things I love won't be the same this year (big event already cancelled) and cafes, markets etc will be very busy snd I won't feel safe.

Plus I've been to the local hospital & have every desire to avoid repeating that!!

I can wait until next year.

I'm a dual citizen (UK.:NZ) my Mum, siblings & many friends live there, I haven't seen my mum in 3 years and I know she'd love me to be there, but I'm not happy with the 36 hours of travel (door to door) being Covid safe and then 2 weeks in a hotel when I get there.

I don't even have a bloody garden either.

Itisablessing · 04/05/2021 11:20

The problem with Italy is the volume of travellers. It makes it more risky. Not sure about their infection numbers either, they have gone down very very quickly, suspiciously so some might say, given they are adjacent to France! Travelling this year is a very bad idea, and I hope the gov find some backbone.

SavageBeauty73 · 04/05/2021 11:27

Nope. I'm not in any rush (and I love travelling)

Silkiecats · 04/05/2021 12:52

No would love to go abroad if it was like it used to be but with all rules, tests, added costs and restrictions will stick to UK again. DH has family in France but even that looks unlikely. We are quite happy with UK summer holiday (thankfully never did one pre covid so got lots to explore) but annoying due to the risk of school isolations can't do first 10 days which is when the sunny part usually is. All got booked up so fast this year though we got coast with a pool as booked around Feb time.

bellsbuss · 04/05/2021 13:13

No UK only for us this year and we love going abroad.

Alfaix · 04/05/2021 13:14

Yes, if we can. Both DH and I fully vaccinated. Happy to pay for testing.

99victoria · 04/05/2021 13:14

Yes, we're planning to go to Greece at the beginning of July if we're 'allowed'. We go every year and obviously didn't last year so really keeping fingers crossed for this year.

Also, my son lives in Europe and we haven't seen him for nearly a year so we will be going to visit him asap. We will both have had both our vaccines and we are fortunate that we are able to quarantine on our return as we are semi-retired. We will go as long as the countries we want to visit are not red. We are keeping an eye on the trends and will obviously only go if the numbers are on the decline

SpaceRaiders · 04/05/2021 13:25

We were planing to go as soon as restrictions were lifted, unfortunately for us our home country has been placed on the red list meaning quarantine both here and there would make the trip incredibly expensive, it’d be around 4k in tests and quarantine alone not including the costs of the trip! We’ll definitely be escaping to Europe by car, if we’re allowed to.

Devlesko · 04/05/2021 13:27

No, but wouldn't be planning to anyway, irrespective of covid.
Saving up for the pilgramage of a lifetime, hopefully in a couple/ few years.

Sallycinnamum · 04/05/2021 13:32

Yes we will. Both of us will be fully vaccinated and will pay for testing there and back.

EileenGC · 04/05/2021 13:34

I’m going, multiple trips to multiple countries but they will all be booked a few days in advance. I also don’t mind paying for tests although I will not be coming to the UK unless the country I’m in turns green, because 3 tests in 10 days at the prices offered in the UK, plus the wait for the results, is just a joke.

I don’t mind the uncertainty of rules changing whilst I’m away, as everywhere I’d go, I would have family or friends I can stay with for longer. I appreciate families with multiple small children who all need tests, or people who need to be back at work the day after they fly in, will be in a harder situation.

Lozza70 · 04/05/2021 13:38

@KateWinceyette

Dud anyone go to Spain last year? Dud you have to wear masks?

We went last year and masks are to be worn at all times. That is in shared spaces like moving around hotels/apartments and as soon as you are outside so putting them on in the car so they are on as soon as you get out. Everyone wore masks onto the beach for example and only took them off when they had sat down. It worked okay though.

EileenGC · 04/05/2021 13:49

Dud anyone go to Spain last year? Dud you have to wear masks?

I’m Spanish and have been there quite a few times since the pandemic began, including last summer. Yes, masks are worn at all times, both indoors and outdoors, unless you’re on your private property, eating or drinking, going into the sea/pool, or exercising with no one else in sight. It’s very uncomfortable in 40º+ heat, but heavily policed. You can’t just claim you’re exempt either, you need a medical certificate.

They are talking about relaxing the rules around outdoors mask wearing, like they’ve done in Israel after the majority of the country is vaccinated. Whether they’ll do that in time for summer holidays or not, no one knows.

TimeForLunch · 04/05/2021 13:56

Yes, we have booked several trips between July this year and April next. Happy to go if the countries are on the green or amber lists. The only thing that concerns me is airport queues. I just hope they sort that out before the holiday season really starts.

ShoppingPrecinctPrincess · 04/05/2021 14:05

Just to Ireland. Haven't seen my elderly parents since Christmas '19 and I cannot wait to hug them.

SwimBaby · 04/05/2021 14:37

I’m going to try and go on a foreign holiday late May/early June. I’ll do a late booking as have had so many holidays cancelled.

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