Holidays on our mind

 With Easter round the corner and overseas holidays banned for Brits currently, there is a lot of sympathy for the travel industry,let alone families wanting to plan ahead. 

The next target on the road to lifting lockdown is 12 April 2021 when  the government of Boris Johnson are to review when foreign travel can resume. The Prime Minister had previously said that by 17 May, foreign holidays could restart as the earliest possible date. 

But days ago, senior government officials have warned that foreign holidays are very

unlikely to be allowed until August. 

A glimmer of hope is that a third vaccine could be the answer as stated by the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, as more evidence is being gathered at Porton Down

as how vaccines work against the variants, the South African and Brazilian variants.There are already plans afoot to have a booster jab by late summer like the old flu jab.

Another plan is to introduce a traffic light system that allows travel to “green list” destinations which have low infection rates but at the same time have good vaccination rates. However, holidays to the Continent are looking very unlikely particularly to Europe which is going through a third wave of Coronavirus.

Reports circulating suggest that the government could allow shorter quarantine periods with greater testing for those countries classed as less dangerous. Presently anyone returning to Britain from overseas must quarantine for ten days and in the case of 35 “red list” countries,in a government ordered hotel.

What about staycation?

Britain has taken two more huge leaps towards the end of lockdown with 30 million Brits having their first vaccine and families and friends finally allowed to meet outside again. 

Families are now, as of 28 March 2021 allowed to enjoy the beach or countryside. Under the new Covid 19 rules which have eased,families can meet in groups of six outdoors and outdoor sports are to reopen as the “stay at home” message over the winter has now come to an end.

People are now able without restrictions as to how far they can travel in England to meet with family or friends. But they should not stay anywhere overnight away from home and social distancing must still be followed. 

The message has strangely come to coincide with the Easter break, as now  the “outdoor is much safer than the indoor”,fresh air is now what matters especially with the year’s first warm sunnier weather forecast . All the same,the word is for everyone to act responsibly and cautiously and minimise travel where these restrictions have been relaxed.

Choosing a staycation holiday this year

Staycation over a holiday abroad is this year a real option. It has many advantages. Not only can you leave your passport at home and forget about foreign Covid restrictions overseas, you can usually drive or get the train to your destination, which means no stressful airport security or luggage limits and you can bring back mementos without any hassle. 

A UK staycation this year in particular,is more than a practical convenience. There are 15 national parks that abound with natural beauty,flourishing wildlife and an endless opportunity to indulge in mouth watering seasonal produce ,homegrown wine and local delicacies. 

For the specialist holiday maker, I list the following resorts, with breathtaking countryside, market towns,honey coloured fishing villages,seaside destinations which may have never been explored before, and COVID-19 has opened up. I was shocked a 7 day holiday in Pembrokeshire costs a measly £371.

My Choice of  TOP 8

1 West Voe. Shetlands, Scotland. 

2  Observatory Gully. Ben Nevis, Scottish Highlands. 

3 Elegug Stacks. Pembrokeshire, Wales.

4 High Force. Durham, England

5 Langamull Beach. Isle of Mull, Scotland 

6  Norfolk Lavender Fields. Norfolk, England

7 Mealt Falls. Skye, Scotland.

8. Bidean nam Bian. Scotland.

When one thinks of a holiday, it has always been Spain or Greece or Italy for cost saving. But strange as it seems there is much on offer at very competitive booking rates this year in the UK. 

Victor Cherubim