Travelling in a pandemic
Going abroad in the 'new norm'- should I or shouldn’t I?
If you’re anything like me then deciding to travel in the midst of the pandemic was not an easy decision to make. The media presents a whole realm of possibilities, everything that could go wrong and all the different ways you could lose money. To a degree they’re not wrong but fundamentally it’s for you to decide if it’s a risk you’re willing to take. Interestingly, it’s the first time it ever occurred to me that there has always been such risks when deciding to go abroad:
What if I get taken ill when I am away?
What if I get so ill that they won't let me travel home?
What if my travel insurance isn’t suffice to cover something?
What if the flight gets cancelled?
What if I get there and my visa isn’t filled out correctly?
What impact could coming home late have on my work?
Could I afford for any of these things to go wrong?
Would I be embarrassed and shamed for booking a holiday that didn’t end up all happy and jolly?
The list is endless.
Of course the risk of these eventualities are increased with a pandemic. The ever changing government guidance and quarantine rules makes it hard to plan for the worst however if you think about it, there are always things that could go wrong when you go away.. there are always things that could go wrong anytime you leave the house (and that isn’t a flippant thing for an ‘anxious Annie’ like me to admit). Yes there were reservations about booking a trip and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hesitant to start packing in case we couldn’t end up going, but upon reflection that isn’t a good mentality to have. If you are apprehensive about everything I’ve listed then probably now isn’t the right time for you to travel and perhaps waiting a few months/year is best for you. On the other hand if this really is ‘the new normal’ then you may just be delaying the inevitable and missing out on that break you so greatly needed.
Look I am so very fortunate that Greece remained as a ‘travel corridor’ for our getaway and the country had clear boundaries in place to keep tourists safe. Careful research of countries which have been badly hit by Covid could help lessen your worry but I don’t think anyone has really been able to predict anything that has happened in the last few months so why try to predict the future now? If you’re deciding whether to run the risk it’s a decision you’ll have to make alone, weighing up the risks vs benefits. A friend of mine who did have to quarantine after a trip to Spain said even just the first day in the sun was worth the quarantine for her! Only you know what would cause/relieve stress/happiness for you...
If you are happy to run the risk to travel but feel nervous about safety and new protocols let me reassure you that I had a very positive experience! In my partner's opinion travelling has never been easier. We were sat together on the flight without paying and enjoyed the benefit of not having a stranger join us on the end of the three seats. The airport was quieter than expected for this time of year but by no means was our flight empty. Of course masks were expected in the airport and on the plane. This was no burden for us, except perhaps the thing we least give thought to was how unenjoyable breathing through a mask could be. Our 4 hour flight to Mykonos was doable but I would have been quite irritable if I had to wear it for much longer (shout out to anyone who wears them daily for their job!). On the most part everyone was respectful of social distancing in the airport, although it was comical that in true British fashion, everything went out the window the moment the boarding announcement was made. Sure there were a lot of people who had their noses hanging out of their masks on the plane and judging by the finger marks on the window I’m not certain of the quality of cleaning that was carried out before we boarded but these are all things that you have to be relaxed about if you’re prepared to step outside of the safety bubble that has been lived in throughout lockdown.
Arriving in Greece was simple, they had introduced a new passenger locator form which was needed upon entry and some people were randomly selected for covid testing. None of this was unexpected thanks to gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice (travel advice I urge anyone to read before travelling anywhere during the pandemic or not!), Once abroad you must of course abide by their rules and hygiene expectations. Due to the low number of cases in Greece (254 deaths compared to our 41.5K at the time of writing!) I felt things were relatively relaxed there. Tourism has brought in a new wave of cases so there had been changes to rules such as curfews and masks in indoor spaces. In between travelling and arriving there had also been a new rule for masks to be worn outside - which for me highlights in the importance of checking the government website for updates (you can subscribe to email alerts for any country of your choice). We felt very safe during our holiday in Greece and if anything refreshed to be experiencing something that resembled ‘usual life’. We booked a villa to reduce the worry of being around so many people, brought cleaning wipes and hand gel but truthfully once you arrive and adapt to the country's way of living with the virus you lose the recently ingrained fear that has absorbed us for the months previous.
Upon return to the UK you are asked to complete the UK’s version of a passenger locator form. One form must be completed for each person (not family) and it’s quiet extensive- asking everything but your dog’s favourite brand of food. I had read that very few people have been asked of this when they returned to the UK but I am rule follower so I was sure to complete it in the 48 hours before our return. Travelling back through passport control quicker than ever, no temperature checks or testing area and no our passenger locator form was never checked for or looked at.
Overall I felt there were minimal changes to travel, masks were the most different part of our experience but once you've mastered your 'smize' (Brent's still working on his), you'll quickly fall back into old habits of enjoying and relaxing on holiday exactly as it is intended for. Had I have taken ill on holiday I may have felt very differently about 'running the risk' but surely I would feel like that if something unfortunate was ever to happen abroad. As previously highlighted, there has always been minimal risks to travelling and there may now always be greater risks. For us those risks were outweighed by the benefits, I hope sharing our experience may help to inform your decision but ultimately it's only you who can decide if it's worth it. Best of luck, Charlotte xx
