Should we stay or should we go now?
Anyone who has read the original Catch 22 novel could be forgiven for thinking that Joseph Heller is currently advising the UK Government on its COVID policies in relation to international travel. It’s not only confusing but each time we get to grips with the rules, someone moves the goalposts.
Last year, we lost our retirement world travel dream to COVID but salvaged 14 weeks away in Croatia and Turkey in the end. This year, we’ve been thinking all along that we’ll leave it till late June (ie now) and plan a trip starting in July, to wherever we can go.
To this end, it seemed reasonably clear that red listed countries would be off the agenda, and that the green list consisted only of countries with closed borders, so a pretty damn pointless green list in other words. This left the amber list: for which, until recently, all indications were that if you were vaccinated, willing to provide a negative test at your own cost, and willing to quarantine on your return to the UK, you would be able to visit. We can tick all of those boxes.
Within two days of confirming that this was the case, the Government backtracked and now advised that amber countries are off the agenda except for “essential travel only” and were not to be regarded as open for leisure travel, throwing us back into confusion. Consequently our thoughts turned to maybe another UK tour….
Yet we’re now starting to read blogs by Brits abroad, hearing anecdotal evidence of friends of friends who’ve booked flights and, most troubling of all, we’re watching the European football championships where fans of all countries are in all places. Thousands of French in Budapest, thousands of Poles in Seville, and most mystifying of all, hordes of Welsh fans first in Baku and then in greater numbers in Rome. Essential travel? Really?
We can’t help feeling that we’re sat here at home like dummies waiting to be given permission to travel, when everyone else who can “get away with it” is….well…getting away.
So guys tell us – what are you going to do? Is anybody else contemplating travel to the world of amber? Would you go now, if you tick those three boxes?
Because we’re starting to think about it….
22 Comments
leightontravels
Your frustration is palpable. Not being based in The UK, our situation is of course totally different. We plan to sit it out in Serbia until August/September and then make the (hopefully) smooth transition to The Balkans for some living and exploring throughout September, October, November. Our first real test will be trying to get into The UK in December for Christmas with my family. Haven’t seen them in two years and they’ve never met Sladja! We actually plan to stay in The UK until April/May time before finally heading off to more exotic shores. Who the hell knows if all of this achievable. And indeed what lies in store over the next months. Are you tempted at all by some Sottish islands? Is The Faroe Islands on the cards as a reachable destination?
Phil & Michaela
Well not the Faroes as they’re not part of Britain – the Faroe Islands are Danish. Currently we’re very tempted to disobey the “essential only” rule and simply grab a flight to one of the European countries which still letting UK residents in.
leightontravels
I’m aware the Faroes are not part of Britain ha ha. Was just wondering whether they would be reachable.
Phil & Michaela
Not really looked into that possibility – I think that event we take that plunge, we would head to the sun!
Alison
I read the news of UK here in Australia and it does seem very confusing. All this traffic light jargon. How is going to see the rugby essential travel. Also people must have a lot of holiday time to be able to quarantine as well! Maybe by the time you get back it will be green again! I’ll watch for your updates
Phil & Michaela
Not rugby….football. I guess I should have said “soccer” to be universally understood! Yep, it’s both confusing and ever changing, I think if we get away we’ll feel just a little bit rebellious!
Lookoom
I’m in the same situation, the rules were due to change on July 1, so I have a flight planned for July 2, but with 10 days to go there is no confirmation of the new rules yet.
grandmisadventures
I think you should go. You’ve done your due diligence and ticked all the required boxes and you can take some extra precautionary measures specific to where you are going if needs be.
Monkey's Tale
It is a neverending, frustrating, confusing time. We’re planning on traveling to Canada’s east coast this summer if they’re open. Most Canadian provinces haven’t even allowed inter-provincial travel. Hopefully by the winter we can go a little further like Mexico but until now getting back into Canada has been costly with tests, required quarantine hotels etc.
Phil & Michaela
Mexico would be our choice for the winter too, fingers crossed 😁
wetanddustyroads
Unfortunately … for us South Africans, we are more red than the actual red on the traffic light! So, I guess, we are going nowhere (except if we were part of the Olympian team … and we’re not).
But fortunately we can still travel around in our own country – which is big and there’s many places we have not seen before, so it’s happy SA travel for us!
But I do feel for citizens in other countries where the light is green and then, without warning, changing to red in an instance … good luck with your choice(s)!
Phil & Michaela
Yes, its very frustrating, watch this space 😁
Toonsarah
I share your frustration and confusion, and I despair at the lack of logic at times! What I find most irritating and concerning is the short notice that is sometimes given when the rules change, e.g. when Portugal was changed to amber with only four days’ notice. Plus the fact that no allowance is made for those of us who have been double vaccinated!
We are supposed to be going to Paris in early September and won’t try to go anywhere before that as we have some short UK trips planned. If things stay as they are we won’t go to Paris either – not so much because of the ‘essential travel’ rule but because it’s only for a long weekend and not worth the 10 days quarantine. If things do open up we may take a last minute trip in October, otherwise I’m sort-of resigned to waiting until 2022. At that point though, I would go regardless of that ‘essential only’ rule, I think – but surely they will have seen sense by then?!
Phil & Michaela
Yes we’ll see….it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that they’ll suddenly decide we can go to amber countries as long as tick those three boxes. We’ll see.
Toonsarah
There seem to be slight hints that they may waive the quarantine period for those who are double tested if they do daily tests – surely if they do that they have to also permit non-essential travel?
Phil & Michaela
Exactly!
Mark
As we have just come out of yet another lockdown here in Melbourne we are happy to be heading north to Queensland with our caravan for a couple of months, leaving next week. As for Europe, perhaps 2022, if COVID is under control and our vaccinations prove effective. Safe and happy travels! Cheers, Mark
Gilda Baxter
We share your frustrations and confusion. In my humble opinion I think you should go ahead with your plans of travelling to any of the amber countries that are receiving British tourists, since you are both double-vaccinated and can still take all necessary precautions to travel as safely as possible.
We are planning to travel in Europe in September, but we are also seriously considering visiting our family in Brazil ( a red country) in December…fingers crossed. We are both fully vaccinated and will take all the precautions we can to stay safe and ensure the safety of others as far as Covid-19 is concerned.
WanderingCanadians
Ugh, it’s tough to plan ahead because the rules are constantly changing. We’re hoping to travel in December, maybe to the US or Caribbean, but we’d probably book something last minute because who knows what travel or the world will look like then.
Phil & Michaela
Yep, who knows….
Steven and Annie Berger
What a quandary for travelers like us to be in, isn’t it? I know how addictive the lure of traveling to foreign destinations is and knowing we’ve not been able to follow our dreams has been hard. I hope you’ll soon be able to travel beyond the UK whether it be for ‘essential’ reasons or not.
We’ve just embarked on a two-plus month road trip here in the US but have made all the hotel reservations for a 2.5 month trip to Europe beginning in mid-December. We have purposely put off booking flights and other transportation arrangements in case things go downhill, knowing we could always cancel the hotel bookings if necessary. Absolutely aghast, though, now at the cost of flights as we normally book them much further out than this.
Wishing you happy travels ahead,
Annie
Phil & Michaela
Thanks Annie, enjoy your trip!