Desperate for a holiday

I completely understand the need for a break - I'm just back from mine on the Blackpool coast.

I had a superb (solo) time, walked miles every day, 81 miles in the week, loved it so much that I'm actively looking at moving to Fleetwood next year. (Any Gransnetters with property to rent, do get in touch!! ?)

I chose a time before the school holidays started, so it was less busy.
I stayed in a b and b, had the odd fish and chips in the open air, and bought salads etc to eat in my room in the evening - not keen on eating In yet.

It was definitely one of those situations where I hadn't realized how "needing it" I was until I came back feeling so much better.

I still wouldn't go abroad at the minute - I still have visions of cattle truck type aeroplanes, and I would worry not about the being there but about what would happen if quarantine rules changed while I was away.

Thanks Sophrosyne, it’s nice to see someone else showing sympathy for those without hope of a break. I wish you a swift return to good health.

Sophrosyne your description made me yearn for a holiday! How wonderful it sounds, and hopefully soon you will be able to go back and breath the lovely air, eat the good food and recuperate from your treatment.

Ethelwashere1

I too cant understand anyone being desperate for a holiday. Holidays are luxurys, nice to have but not necessary. No one dies because of not having a holiday.
Apart from the lovely uk holiday destinations there are many ways of relaxing at home, lovely garden furniture available, barbeques etc. Im happy to have a good book in the garden sitting on my patio.
Think about our grandparents generation, going through war and strikes. They coped and no one went on package holidays. Its a relatively new concept that many want to jump on the bandwagon. If their friends can go to on holiday abroad then they must go too.
Find contentment and mindfulness at home

I havent got a garden.

Ailidh

I completely understand the need for a break - I'm just back from mine on the Blackpool coast.

I had a superb (solo) time, walked miles every day, 81 miles in the week, loved it so much that I'm actively looking at moving to Fleetwood next year. (Any Gransnetters with property to rent, do get in touch!! ?)

I chose a time before the school holidays started, so it was less busy.
I stayed in a b and b, had the odd fish and chips in the open air, and bought salads etc to eat in my room in the evening - not keen on eating In yet.

It was definitely one of those situations where I hadn't realized how "needing it" I was until I came back feeling so much better.

I still wouldn't go abroad at the minute - I still have visions of cattle truck type aeroplanes, and I would worry not about the being there but about what would happen if quarantine rules changed while I was away.

I rented a lovely Airbnb near Fleetwood. Great because we could take the dog and have the use of a kitchen.

LIVE AND LET LIVE so many judgemental folk

I would go anywhere in the world given the chance and that includes places in the U.K.

But saying that I am very happy staying home.

We have just come back from Northumberland - chosen because we thought it would be less crowded - glorious weather and a peaceful and relaxed holiday.

Next is a cottage in Worcester in 6 weeks times. Then a few days in the Forest of Dean in late October to enjoy autumn colour.

We should have been going to Sardinia and Corsica but have postponed until 2022 -fingers crossed that things will be back to normal-ish by then.

Everyone is different and everyone has choices which is good. My DD prefers holidays in the U.K. my DS travels abroad every single chance he gets - not since covid though.

Some people don’t like holidays.

It all adds colour to the human character.

In reply to lucca, i did say that holidays were nice but not essential.
I do occasionally have a holiday every few years but i dont hanker for one. Im so sorry for you not having a garden, maybe you have relatives where you could stay for a short break. Best to wait for next year and just enjoy days out.

I haven’t seen my daughter and her family since Easter 2019. We Skype and chat on the ‘phone, but it’s not the same as a hug. We’ve both decided that until it’s safe, we’ll just have to be patient. Much as I would love to see them all, I would be too afraid to get on a plane.
I live in a beautiful part of the country, so I don’t have to travel far for days out.
Let’s hope that the world can get back to some kind of normality in the not too distant future. I won’t hold my breath!

Chardy

Ailidh

I completely understand the need for a break - I'm just back from mine on the Blackpool coast.

I had a superb (solo) time, walked miles every day, 81 miles in the week, loved it so much that I'm actively looking at moving to Fleetwood next year. (Any Gransnetters with property to rent, do get in touch!! ?)

I chose a time before the school holidays started, so it was less busy.
I stayed in a b and b, had the odd fish and chips in the open air, and bought salads etc to eat in my room in the evening - not keen on eating In yet.

It was definitely one of those situations where I hadn't realized how "needing it" I was until I came back feeling so much better.

I still wouldn't go abroad at the minute - I still have visions of cattle truck type aeroplanes, and I would worry not about the being there but about what would happen if quarantine rules changed while I was away.

I rented a lovely Airbnb near Fleetwood. Great because we could take the dog and have the use of a kitchen.

Oo, I hadn't thought of Airbnb, I'll look into that, thankyou!

I'm giving myself a week there in a holiday flat in January, to test whether I really do want to live there, not just when it's sunny! Can't take the dogs, though. ?

Airbnb is what I have sort of been offering, but without charging, and in addition providing lunch and evening meal. I'm on my 4th set of visitors (friends) and loving doing it. I know they would do the same for me if I lived in the city and couldn't get away. It's the least I can offer.
The advantages of Airbnb are ...... you can come and go freely, you are not tied to times, if you want you can socialise with the hosts and relax on site not with crowds of other people. You can usually bring in your own food and use the kitchen etc.
A good idea for those who are feeling cautious.

Having not had a holiday last summer we have been going on a series of mini breaks. Struck lucky in June with a holiday cottage in the Sid Valley in the grounds of a hotel which had an outdoor heated pool and acres of grounds to walk in. We met up with friends in the area whom we had not seen for two years, self catering and some eating out and came back very relaxed. Looked to stay at the same place in July/August and rental rates through the roof! Had a few days in a beautiful hotel in Brighton in very hot weather so consider myself very lucky. But my husband is Covid paranoid and took some convincing to go. Thinking of risking a long haul holiday in October with friends but this constant changing of green/Amber-red not helping. I do feel for carers and others who have difficulty getting away. I wish there were discounted places for them as well as for NHS staff.

We had a rental cottage in Somerset for a week. It was lovely, very clean when we arrived, and then we kept it clean ourselves. The couple who lived in the farmhouse next door were friendly, and although we talked we didn’t get near to each other. We went out and about, some meals in pubs/restaurants and some in the cottage. Felt very safe all the time. I would recommend a rental for people who want a holiday but are a bit anxious about it.

The constant changing of the tiers/rules is very annoying Babs.

Ethelwashere1

In reply to lucca, i did say that holidays were nice but not essential.
I do occasionally have a holiday every few years but i dont hanker for one. Im so sorry for you not having a garden, maybe you have relatives where you could stay for a short break. Best to wait for next year and just enjoy days out.

I’m fine without a garden thanks ! I was just pointing out that staying at home in the garden is not the answer for everyone.
Life is very short and in my opinion it is good to have variety and see as much as we can and that includes foreign travel.

I agree with you Lucca. I have really enjoyed the variety of life styles and cultures that I have seen during my travels. I appreciate we’re all different but I would find a holiday during which I stayed in my garden all the time utterly boring.

Ailidh

I completely understand the need for a break - I'm just back from mine on the Blackpool coast.

I had a superb (solo) time, walked miles every day, 81 miles in the week, loved it so much that I'm actively looking at moving to Fleetwood next year. (Any Gransnetters with property to rent, do get in touch!! ?)

I chose a time before the school holidays started, so it was less busy.
I stayed in a b and b, had the odd fish and chips in the open air, and bought salads etc to eat in my room in the evening - not keen on eating In yet.

It was definitely one of those situations where I hadn't realized how "needing it" I was until I came back feeling so much better.

I still wouldn't go abroad at the minute - I still have visions of cattle truck type aeroplanes, and I would worry not about the being there but about what would happen if quarantine rules changed while I was away.

We stayed in a village called Preesall. (Cemetery Lane was the jolly address) Have tried to find if Fiona's still doing Airbnb, but I can't find her. We took the dog btw, and her crate for night time.

GagaJo

I know a woman who has gone to Spain on holiday and caught covid there. She is now stuck, in Spain, unable to return to the UK until she tests negative. She is having to keep paying the hotel and the costs of the tests and has run out of money.

Personally, I think all but essential travel is a huge risk and wouldn't do it.

What are you going to do if you catch covid abroad OR if quarantine comes back in while you're away?

A friend returned from his son's wedding in UK, from NZ- they had to quarantine for 14 days on return, in a Hôtel- as his OH tested positive for Covid on day 2, and they then had to isolate in 2 separate bedrooms and charged twice the huge cost!

onedayatatime

LIVE AND LET LIVE so many judgemental folk

Not judgemental onedayatatime just sad and p****d off at not being able to see my family for almost two years.

like many others, I am just desperate to see my families in the U.S and Oz.
Miss my daughters and grandchildren so much

I hope we never return to "normal" if it means the skies full of planes as people think they are "entitled" to several holidays a year.
I hope the travel industry thins down and we learn to live our lives with more care for our poorly planet.
I hope no one goes to NY for the weekend for a shopping spree or has to have stag weekends in Budapest.

I am not a killjoy, honestly, but what we should have learned from the Lockdowns is that we don't need so much in our lives. Less is more.

BTW The pandemic is not over yet.

I for one hope that things get back to “normal” as soon as possible. I can’t wait to be able to hop on a plane and visit new places. I also can’t wait to be able to spend time with my wife in which ever country we chose to be in at the time.

Some of us have different lifestyles which involves travel. My wife and I have for years lived between at least 2 countries and on one occasion recently 3 different countries. In order to be together we need to be able to travel quickly and without hassle.

Not all lives are the conventional home, family, knitting apple pies type. Some of us through necessity and through personal choice need to be able to travel.

Watching richard e grant’s marvellous documentaries with travel based on books “write around the world” makes me long to travel again (and please note there’s no lying on a beach drinking sangria involved) wonderful scenery and culture.

Me too Lucca. We go to the beach (if we’re near a beach) about twice in a holiday. I get a lounger and read, my husband does his crosswords, and then often takes himself off for a walk whilst I have a snooze. But the rest of the time we drive to local beauty spots, drive up, into the mountains, visit museums, churches, mosques, or synagogues, we eat out in lovely restaurants, and visit places of interest. We often look around monasteries if they are open to the public. Rarely drink sangria as we don’t visit Spain all the time, but if we’re in Spain, I might have one in a cafe.

Not all lives are the conventional home, family, knitting apple pies type. Some of us through necessity and through personal choice need to be able to travel.

And some of us are all those things