Enjoy your covid holiday
thanks mate - will do...
Things are starting to look promising...(crossing fingers,toes etc). For me France is the lynchpin, as long as we maintain an Airbridge agreement it should allow a roadtrip this summer.
We should currently have been sat enjoying our first night in the Alps with Bike Village right about now.... Instead we get a wet week at home having worked through months of sunny weather. Ho hum.
Bouncing it all to next year has been pretty straightforward as we held off booking ferry / tunnel. BV has handled it really well and we can't wait to (eventually) get there.
So, it looks like going to Spain late July for us be technically on. There's then the question of whether we still want to.
Does anyone know of have any links to the situation regarding beaches, restaurants etc? I heard anecdotally that some beaches were all segregated etc, and also full of Spaniards having local staycations. We were planning Girona then Pyrenees.
To be honest I don't think I can be arsed going if everything when we get there is difficult or limited. Also worried about covid on the rise again. I'm sure they'll lock down sharpish if there is even a hint of anything sustained. I don't want to get stuck there, that's for sure.
Losing money on flights etc. isn't a consideration.
Same here, should have been on the shores of Lake Garda today.
All moved on to same time next year.
Still got fingers crossed for the September trip.
Ahhh - family mtb holidays 🙂 Our kids are slightly younger and more xc racer than yours Tracey - holiday should have been their reward for finishing A levels & GCSEs. This year hasn't worked out quite as we imagined.....
If you're going to be self-contained - in a camper van, for example - yes, good news.
As for hotels, it will be a very new normal for them, their staff and guests; not on my agenda for this year.
I wonder what scheme is being cooked up to encourage travel to/from the US; I have family in the states but won't be seeing them anytime soon.
I wonder what scheme is being cooked up to encourage travel to/from the US; I have family in the states but won’t be seeing them anytime soon.
Keeping absolutely everything crossed here at 'dirt towers UK that we can return to 'dirt towers across the pond later this year. Spent the last 4-5 years planning our US retirement vacation home which was finally completed in January. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend three months there at the start of the year but since then have had to rely on the security cams for our mountain fix :'(
Does anyone know of have any links to the situation regarding beaches, restaurants etc? I heard anecdotally that some beaches were all segregated etc, and also full of Spaniards having local staycations. We were planning Girona then Pyrenees.
Have a look at the foreign office website that has all the rules for all countries.
In Spain the rule is that you should wear a mask if you can't maintain >1.5m distance when out in public, or wear a mask regardless on public transport.
In practice in majorca most bars have rearranged their outdoor terraces to provide >1.5m distance between tables so no need for masks.
I don't subscribe to waiting until next year if there's the possibility of going abroad this year - take every opportunity while you can as next year things might be worse again! So this year a holiday might well be different from the norm, so what, adapt to the new norm and enjoy being abroad...
adapt to the new norm and enjoy being abroad
What if you just want to be in the place that will afford the most fun though? (That's what I want)
That place might not be abroad.
Ps thanks Julian s I will take a look at the foreign office website
From what I've seen, noone is wearing masks in bars or restaurants in Spain apart from the staff. Based only on experience where I live (Pais Vasco) and where I've been camping the last week (Cantabria). It's largely business as usual, apart from obviously close to zero foreign tourists.
The problem you might have is if the region you're staying in has another outbreak, they'll crank up the restrictions again. I think this happened in Huesca (Pyrenees) this week. Some quite serious outbreaks have popped up this week but remains to be seen what action they take.
IMO you'll have a normal holiday and notice little difference, but there is the slight chance that your region goes back one phase, meaning back to 50pc capacity in hostelry etc so reservations and queueing again, beaches closed..
We live in Southern Cataluña just inland from the Costa Daurada, our area has escaped with no recorded infections and a very tightly observed lockdown. Thankfully the beaches are normally very quiet so no distancing issues. Friends are reporting a much better demand for holiday lets in rural accommodation than apartments by the seaside. Club rides have resumed this week and when out shopping and suchlike, mask wearing is strictly adhered to. This is us Casa Tomillo
Booked the eurotunnel last night for our trip to Morzine in August. Website had been a nightmare through the day,really slow and kept getting looped back to the start of the booking process on the few times I tried. Thought it was just playing up.
Tried again late last night and got on to realise it must’ve been demand slowing things up as the crossing slots I wanted were sold out on the way out and very expensive on the way back! Had to tweak things so now going at 3:30am (Luckily we’re only 40 mins from the terminal!) and extending the holiday a few days and coming back midweek. Now only £20 more than we paid last year.
The early out / late back weekend slots are going to cost a lot if you can get one.
I find this a bit odd. Given the restrictions that exist and / or could well be imposed again there is no way I would be booking anything right now
I'm still debating whether we're going to go to Belgium in 2 weeks time (10th-13th July)
It had been planned for 8 months, but obviously cancelled, now it looks like we can go.
The only downside is that Eurotunnel are double the cost of last year, out on a Friday morning, back on Monday dinner.
The only time we have interaction with other people is in the hotel/B&B, cafes and cakes shops. We're just doing a few Flanders bike rides, then stocking up on beer and wine on the way back.
I’d booked the Airbnb in Feb before Covid. The tunnel booking can be moved by a year. I have pre-Covid annual insurance policy. It’s a calculated risk
Not aimed particularly at you Blitz. I just find it odd that people would be attempting to book european or US holidays given the situation we are in.
Personally I'll feel I have done well if I get a Scottish holiday this year. ( three trips already cancelled) I wouldn't even think of attempting to book overseas although I would do a last minute booking if things look OK by sept ( which I doubt very much)
Different strokes for different folks
I find this a bit odd. Given the restrictions that exist and / or could well be imposed again there is no way I would be booking anything right now
Agree with this. It's why we're wavering over our existing trip. There's a lot to go wrong.
We've cancelled our trip to France in mid-August, just decided that on balance, it was the right thing to do. P&O ferries would have allowed us to credit the booking for use next year but we just cancelled and got a refund. The campsite we were staying at are not interested in letting us defer the booking till next year, which is a shame (and a bit odd I thought, given the circumstances).
We're going to play it all by ear and see what happens, probably end up with a few local camping trips instead.
I am in Spain, business as usual round this way on the beach, cafes, villages. Just been out on my daily walk and seen a group of rock climbers, a group of mountain bikers and a few mountain walkers. If you stay rural you won't notice any difference. Noone wears a mask up here as it's hot and pretty uncomfortable wearing one. Just in the shops where you have to, but I just stand on the street and order from the staff as I know them. I really feel for them wearing a mask all day.
Expecting a few villa let's, I got one at 09.05 yesterday all of 5 mins after the news allowing quarantine free holidays. I had pretty much written off this summer apart from my regulars so we 'll see.
What if you just want to be in the place that will afford the most fun though? (That’s what I want)
That place might not be abroad.
I find this a bit odd. Given the restrictions that exist and / or could well be imposed again there is no way I would be booking anything right now
This is the view in our household. Our holidays are always quite stressful and busy, dashing around getting things done. I enjoy them loads but I know that this is tempered for the missus by the logistical complexities. I think we've also had around 8 trips to hospital/ medical facilities in that time, including a three week stay for the wife and kid. So about one every two years....
Getting this foreign medical care has become more tricky of late, and with the whole Brexit thing, not to mention the whole Poxed Island Apes thing it will just become harder.
Given that the primary purpose of a holiday is to relax, she has decreed that we aint going abroad.
It's weird, I normally do between 6 and 9 foreign holidays each year, but this year we had nothing booked after the skinofourteeth north Italian half term ski trip.
First time in quarter of a century that I haven't got at least one set of flights/ferries/tunnels booked.
I've just booked a self catering apartment near Cork for October.
Nothing to pay until arrival and free cancellation. So if a second wave hits then I won't be out of pocket. Ferry over from Holyhead rather than flying.
I'm counting on Ireland being less of a destination for Brits and therefore quieter. But who knows.
We've got EuroTunnel booked for end of July but that's under their fully refundable/no questions asked terms.
We'll wait until formal quarantine/FO travel statements made tomorrow and tentatively plan to still go proving insurance cover can be obtained. We'll probably wait until very close to departure date before finally decided.
Tbh, we wouldn't go other than we have a house in southwest France that we haven't been to since we closed it down for the winter in November. Lots of grass to cut and general maintenance. At least we aren't reliant on hotels and restaurants and it's pretty rural if we end up going. Mind you, I'd like to be riding there again as it's beautiful.
I guess for us too, it's not so much a holiday as a second home. Our plan was to spend half our time in the US and half here. We had been far safer in the mountains back in April than packed like sardines onto a plane to return to the UK but our visas expired and we had to no option but to follow the rules. 14 days' quarantine would be no problem if travel restrictions were lifted #fingerscrossed
We are booked on the tunnel on the 29th July, with accommodation in southern Alps all booked last December. If restrictions allow we will go, we are fairly self sufficient, don't eat out when away and tend to just head for quiet rivers and lakes so should be able to socially distance easily, and there's always a risk of something happening whilst away. After seeing photos of our beaches so far this year I think I'd rather take the risk of going to France than holidaying here.
After seeing photos of our beaches so far this year I think I’d rather take the risk of going to France than holidaying here.
That's what we are thinking about Belgium.
Locally, (Leicester) there has been an upsurge in the Virus. I'm not surprised at all. Little social distancing, the usual idiots having a party in their street/back gardens where all of their friends are invited. A large BLM gathering, with no distancing that I could see in the pictures. We've been doing a lot more biking, one of the paths, the Great Central Way passes a small park in Leicester, we went past there on a Saturday afternoon, it was like a festival field, so many people there.
10 reported cases within a mile of me in the last week, it seems to be centred on the local Tesco, 5 members of staff, and 4 staff at the nearby biscuit factory have it. My auntie live another mile away, she's 74, had it, yet I found out she still went to the local shop to get some milk. This is the local shop where the Owner had died and 2 other family members had had it.
Shop owner dies
It's hard to understand how thick some people are, hopefully they may be a bit more clued up over the channel.
after it was revealed 658 new cases were recorded in the Leicester area in the two weeks to June 16.
Is that the best we can do? Stats from 12 days ago, and almost another week before anyone decides whether a lockdown is worthwhile. The response is far too slow - but it’s not the first time.
We've booked a hotel in the Neukôlln district in Berlin. The hotel reserves the right to refuse guests from some areas but accepted ours. Kitkatklub is shut apparently... .
I am beginning to think I might just consider going abroad at the end of August - we had been considering taking a break in the UK but at £1,600 for six nights in a bog-standard hotel room only (not even B&B) in Whitby with four of us crammed in versus £2,000 for 14 nights All Inclusive in a 4-star (4.5 customer rating on TripAdvisor) in the Med is making me reconsider.
I had Austria & Holland booked this summer, both countries are still stating any UK visitors either need to have a recent (few days old) negative test result or 2 weeks of self isolation. Thankfully I took the decision to cancel a while back as having booked back in December my cancellation terms were about a week ago for full refund (actually made 5% thanks to the £ vs € rate change). If it frees up still want to head over there as Tunnel crossing is still in place.
Keeping an eye on the Austrian Embassy London website for updates. UK & Sweden are the only 2 countries in Europe that have this test/2 week rule in place.
We could actually have gone to Duinrell when we were supposed to, DFDS and Duinrell themselves open fro travel, but things like booking pool time etc sounds utter shit, so er, naw.
EasyJet have just cancelled our out-bound flights to Cyprus but not the in-bound flights. They have offered a free switch to the next available flight. The only available outbound flight is the day before we fly back...
They have offered a voucher, plus and extra £5 per passenger plus a £50 EasyJet holidays voucher. As I (occasionally) forward plan, in anticipation of just this event we've been looking at EasyJet Holidays to Croatia in October. That little lot would cover most of it, except...
...you can't combine the ****ing vouchers, they have to be used separately and the flight voucher can only be used for flights. ****ing useless. Oh well, their loss. Refund time.
just cancelled my Eurotunnel for Saturday. Was planning on a week's riding in Morzine, but its just not worth the hassle or risk in my opinion. Too many variables with local lockdowns, travel insurance, getting the contagion!
Family holiday to Croatia in august is still on the cards. But only due to the holiday company not giving us the option of a cancellation or changing the dates... so come the time, we will have to decide if we go or lose all our money...… ho hum.
We had 11 days booked in Greece in August. 4 nights in a hotel, then 7 days sailing in the Ionian Islands.
I’ve changed my outbound flights to bin the hotel, just keeping the sailing. 7 days isolated on a yacht, coming ashore for meals in outdoor Tavernas seems ok to me. Our oldest daughter is still unsure about the flights, but we shall see.
We changed ours to the same dates in 2021 now - 2 weeks at a 'Eurocamp' type place in Lake Garda.
Even the Novotel in Geneva which we'd booked for way down (which was a non-cancel-able booking) has given me a credit note to be used before Dec-21.
I'm sure we could go this summer, but we've talked it to death and just don't want to - too many unknowns, and an expensive exercise only to find its crap.
Apologies, I started another thread on this but it died the quickest and quietest of forum deaths, sinking off the bottom of the page like a stone!
Anyone see any Covid-related reasons not to book July 2021 flights with Ryanair?
I assume they will only get more expensive, and it's pretty much as far out as it is possible to book, plus we know refunds from Ryanair are possible, however painful and protracted.
So what's the risk? A massive second/third/fourth wave, flights not cancelled but prohibitive quarantine measures in place?
Could Ryanair (or Air Malta, who are operating these flights) fold due to the collapse in air travel and we lose the money?
I'm of a mind just to book it and hope for the best, just interested what others think.
The biggest issue for me is if it's possible to get insurance to cover COVID-19 related medical costs.
Why book through Ryanair for an Air Malta flight?
I can think of 100s of reasons not to fly RyanAir, but I’m pretty certain they won’t be going bust.
I'd just go for it Iain, book with a credit card too. Our Dutch holiday that isn't happening will be getting booked with the credit from this years abandonment, as soon as.
We're off to majorca tomorrow, assuming that the flight does actually go, the same flights as ours but on other days this week have all gone ok, so barring some kind of negative change in the state of affairs it looks like it will be flying.
For spain you need to complete this form ( https://spth.gob.es/)no earlier than 2 days before you fly, which will email you a QR code, which you need to show when you land.
Why book through Ryanair for an Air Malta flight?
Dunno, I'm not a very savvy flier, when I googled flights to Toulouse it was Ryanair and KLM that immediately came up, but KLM not direct. It's a Ryanair flight, just operated by Air Malta, if that makes a difference...
I’d just go for it Ian, book with a credit card too.
Yeah, that's my inclination.
Well, according to Grant Schapps (or whatever his name is this week) you can go where you want as travel restrictions are only "advisory" so it is fine for you (and "Johnson" Johnson's father) to travel to Greece, circumventing their ban on Brits by stopping off in Bulgaria (and ignoring Bulgaria's quarantine laws).
