Summer holidays 2020

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Discussion

raceboy

13,266 posts

286 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
Be interested to hear from those that have been on holiday, be it a week in the sun or city breaks abroad as to what it's actually like 'out there' scratchchin
I'd get on a flight tomorrow if I knew the destination was as 'normal' as it was a year ago, don't mind it a bit quieter in the fight for sunbeds but I don't want one choice on the all you can eat buffet and a roped off pool.
What are restaurants like in the major European cities, pre-booked tables only, or are walk ins welcome?
Are hotel breakfasts the normal buffet or is it a bowl of cornflakes in your room?

rednotdead

1,224 posts

232 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
Had a week in Switzerland (Interlaken region) late Aug/early Sept. Eurostar and TGV to get there, overnight transit in Paris on the way back.

Switzerland - masks everywhere, sanitiser at the entrance of all shops/establishments/supermarkets. Social distancing in all pubs/restaurants. Track and trace in place - no filly outy, no service. Felt safe and calm out there. Everyone playing by the rules and being sensible with it.

Paris - complete st show. Felt very vulnerable, no social distancing, no track and trace that we could see, masks seemed to be optional and if worn it seems under the chin is de rigeur. The hotel was better - breakfast buffet was replaced by table service.

Eurostar - couldn't fault their measures, one row in about 3 or 4 in use.
TGV - masks compulsory but no social distancing on the train.

UK Form - duly filled out prior to return. Not once asked for it or evidence we'd completed it by UK Border at Eurostar checkin. No subsequent follow up either.

75Black

880 posts

88 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
raceboy said:
Be interested to hear from those that have been on holiday, be it a week in the sun or city breaks abroad as to what it's actually like 'out there' scratchchin
I'd get on a flight tomorrow if I knew the destination was as 'normal' as it was a year ago, don't mind it a bit quieter in the fight for sunbeds but I don't want one choice on the all you can eat buffet and a roped off pool.
What are restaurants like in the major European cities, pre-booked tables only, or are walk ins welcome?
Are hotel breakfasts the normal buffet or is it a bowl of cornflakes in your room?
I flew out to Dubrovnik for 8 days the same weekend Croatia was added back to the quarantine list. Felt a lot more normal than here to say the least, I can't speak for hotels as I booked an AirBnB so had a whole 2 floor apartment to myself, restaurants were fine, you could come and go as you please and masks were only needed in shops/public transport. Bars in the old town were heaving come evening and the cable car to the top of Mt Srd was very popular during sunset. I only went to the local beach once but it was pretty packed. I'm more of a "sit in the sea" type rather than a tanner, but was also travelling solo. All in all it done wonders for my mental wellbeing and would go back tomorrow if I could.

craig1912

3,647 posts

118 months

Monday 21st September 2020
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Went to Corfu ( don’t do AI so can’t comment on buffets etc.) Restaurants were just walk in, waiters had masks on and sanitizer on tables. Masks in shops, taxi and airport. Fairly quiet and very relaxed. Off to Crete next week as it’s a hell of a lot better than staying here!

mattyn1

6,078 posts

161 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
raceboy said:
Be interested to hear from those that have been on holiday, be it a week in the sun or city breaks abroad as to what it's actually like 'out there' scratchchin
I'd get on a flight tomorrow if I knew the destination was as 'normal' as it was a year ago, don't mind it a bit quieter in the fight for sunbeds but I don't want one choice on the all you can eat buffet and a roped off pool.
What are restaurants like in the major European cities, pre-booked tables only, or are walk ins welcome?
Are hotel breakfasts the normal buffet or is it a bowl of cornflakes in your room?
Turkey. Kemer. Actually forgot Covid was a thing apart from masks in the buffet and that’s what everyone talks about!
Detail back on previous posts. But it was brilliant.

raceboy

13,266 posts

286 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
mattyn1 said:
Turkey. Kemer. Actually forgot Covid was a thing apart from masks in the buffet and that’s what everyone talks about!
Detail back on previous posts. But it was brilliant.
Funnily enough it was The DoubleTree By Hilton in Kemer that we should have gone to in July.

mattyn1

6,078 posts

161 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
raceboy said:
Funnily enough it was The DoubleTree By Hilton in Kemer that we should have gone to in July.
We did the Barut Kemer! Thoroughly recommended.

popeyewhite

21,170 posts

126 months

Monday 21st September 2020
quotequote all
raceboy said:
Funnily enough it was The DoubleTree By Hilton in Kemer that we should have gone to in July.
DoubleTree Bangkok very pleasant.

princeperch

8,016 posts

253 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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For one reason and another I've booked flights to Turkey at the end of may/start of June 2021.What do we think the chances are that my holiday will go ahead without needing to go into self isolation on return in 9ish months time?

Robertj21a

17,272 posts

111 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
princeperch said:
For one reason and another I've booked flights to Turkey at the end of may/start of June 2021.What do we think the chances are that my holiday will go ahead without needing to go into self isolation on return in 9ish months time?
Nobody will have a clue at present.

abzmike

9,203 posts

112 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
Robertj21a said:
princeperch said:
For one reason and another I've booked flights to Turkey at the end of may/start of June 2021.What do we think the chances are that my holiday will go ahead without needing to go into self isolation on return in 9ish months time?
Nobody will have a clue at present.
Nobody will have much of a clue at the start of May!

seefarr

1,548 posts

192 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
raceboy said:
Be interested to hear from those that have been on holiday, be it a week in the sun or city breaks abroad as to what it's actually like 'out there' scratchchin
We did 9 nights in Puglia at the start of September and by God it was wonderful. Most towns were small so we stayed in 5 different places, a mix of apartments, B&B size places and larger hotels. We live and work in London and ride the tube to work a few days a week at the moment so our risk appetite might be different to yours.

BA flights were fine although the back of my ears was getting sore after having a mask on in the taxi, in the airport, in the plane and in the airport. Probably be me but I'd look at getting a mask that ties around the head next time. Vast majority of people on the plane are abiding by the mask rules although you get knobs everywhere. No booze in cattle class was no fun and the BA lounge was table service.

We rented a Fiat 500 or similar and got a free "upgrade" to a Fiat Panda. rolleyes Can't blame The 'Rona for that though.

Mask rules in Italy are you have to wear them inside all places except when sat at your table which I find really sensible. After a couple of days it just becomes second nature to put your mask on when going inside. Probably 90% of people are respecting these rules. You also have to wear a mask between 6pm and 10pm outside for passeggiata.

All breakfast was either table service or stand in line and tell the man what you'd like type rather than buffet.

Tourist numbers seemed pretty high, irritatingly so on a weekend. Vast majority of them were Italian.

Humpy D

628 posts

201 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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We are booked to go to Kos on the 10th October but I have noticed that the 7 day infection rate in Greece has increased to 20 today (been hovering around 18 for a while).

Even though 7 Greek islands are already on the quarantine list, do we think that this statistic will force the Government to simply put Greece as a whole on the list?

Shnozz

27,960 posts

277 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
Humpy D said:
We are booked to go to Kos on the 10th October but I have noticed that the 7 day infection rate in Greece has increased to 20 today (been hovering around 18 for a while).

Even though 7 Greek islands are already on the quarantine list, do we think that this statistic will force the Government to simply put Greece as a whole on the list?
Although the 20/100k is the benchmark, it doesn't seem to be the end game. Denmark, for example, escaped the naughty list last week.

blue_haddock

3,789 posts

73 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
We have just come back at the weekend from a week in Italy, everyone on the plane had a mask on no probs (ba) and the service was great, just cabin crew passing a bag with a bottle of water, pack of biscuits and some crisps to everyone.

In Italy you had to wear a mask in shops which wasn't a problem and also after 6pm in places like beach promenades. Near perfect compliance that we saw in our resort.

Overall felt very safe but also VERY quiet.

Shnozz

27,960 posts

277 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
blue_haddock said:
Overall felt very safe but also VERY quiet.
I moved to my house in Spain to escape WFH in dreary England early(ish) days of covid. Aside from those few weeks between flights re-starting and quarantine then being introduced its very quiet. My area is fortunately populated by many year-round residents so its not entirely dead, but the vibe feels more like it does in mid-winter than it did in mid-summer. Sad to see in some ways, lovely in other ways hehe

One odd thing was that I took a flight last week to Copenhagen where my partner's family live. The flight from Spain to Denmark was empty, but my return flight was almost full. My partner today flew from Denmark to the UK and reported the same. Perhaps the Scandis are deciding enough is enough and are off to enjoy their jollies.

Edited by Shnozz on Tuesday 22 September 19:11

blue_haddock

3,789 posts

73 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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The actual flight from Heathrow to Venice was probably 80% full but was totally full on the way back which was strange.

jamoor

14,506 posts

221 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
quotequote all
blue_haddock said:
The actual flight from Heathrow to Venice was probably 80% full but was totally full on the way back which was strange.
They have reduced flights to match demand.

Phil.

5,116 posts

256 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2020
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Planning a trip to northern Sweden in November to hopefully see the northern lights.

Prices are reasonable and availability good, surprisingly smile

Birdster

2,536 posts

149 months

Friday 25th September 2020
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Appreciate it’s not summer anymore but figured most of us here were planning/moved holidays to October-December.

We’re due to fly out in a week to the Canary Islands. I’m so wondering if flights will be stopped. Anyone flying anywhere this coming week? Few people think we’re mad going, but quarantine isn’t a problem. My partner is in the office full time having to use public transport and can WFH for two weeks upon return.

Edited by Birdster on Friday 25th September 14:58