Off Topic Holidays

Like most people I haven't been abroad since pre-pandemic but we're making up for it this year. We've had a US road trip lined up since 2020 for our honeymoon and had to delay it a couple of times, but looks like we should be able to finally go in the Spring. Can't wait. Also got a delayed stag do in Amsterdam even though I've been married months now.

 

I did the west coast trip from Seattle to LA, really enjoyed it, though you see part of the USA you rarely see on TV, really backward out-of-the-way places and real Hillbilly types.

 

I've been stuck abroad from two years due to the pandemic.
My holiday will be in England ... eventually.

 

Managed to get a week in Fuerteventura in November which is our ‘go to’ place. Booked to do a Northern Lights cruise next month and hoping that goes ahead. All being well Portugal and back to Fuerteventura later in the year.
Usually manage 3 holidays abroad a year but missed them in the last couple of years and done Kent, Filey, Salisbury instead. If you can get away go for it.

 

Hope you have a great time at Center Parcs TOM.
Hopefully getting away snowboarding in March, after two years of missed trips. I’ve also been to Austria in summer though and loved it. Just getting out walking in really warm sun (well it was when we went there) and being able to still get a gondola up to the mountain tops to start a walk up there was great.

 

We did a little scenic drive starting in Raleigh, going down the Blue Ridge Mountains and ending up on the coast.
Love Amsterdam, but prefer The Hague.

 

Going back to Amsterdam in April hopefully for a Weller gig.
I love Amsterdam too, but never been to The Hague. Is it similar?

 

Center Parcs is a compromise, we went as a family to Devon last year, staying in an Airbnb house, it worked well but still was expensive. I will not be able to go abroad again with my wife as we will not get insurance.

 

Bit of public information, but always check with the .gov website as the rules seem to change every week.

On of the problems in the past was that the UK would only recognise vaccines given in the EU and the USA and the UK of course, so even if you had been vaccinated outside of those place you still had to do the quarantine, pre and post arrival PCR tests. That's changed they are now recognising Astra Zenica, Pizer, Moderna given just about anywhere in the world now, make sure the certificate is in English.

Pre departure negative tests are not required, one of the few bits that made sense is not needed, no need to go into isolation on arrival another bit that made sense that has been dropped. Now you need to do a test on day two, still can't use the NHS testing system you have to book in advance a private test, this can be lateral flow. If negative you're free.

Not looked for a while but presume you will still need to do the on-line passenger locator thing.

 

You stick to Playa Blanca T.O.M,it's a beautiful little resort.We've hired a few villas down there in the past and stayed at numerous hotels, but if you're moving there in the future we won't need to bother with that anymore

 

Ah
I’d not thought about insurance.
I know you get some insurers to exclude some things from the insurance, but of course that’s a huge risk.
Was a risk we took when we took my Mum to New York after one major cancer op, and before another one for an unrelated cancer.
Of course that’s no use if the person needing to be insured isn’t well enough to travel (she was even though she was more frail than usual…and actually she recovered well from both operations in the end) or if there’s a risk of needing sudden care (she was mid care and the consultant just pushed an appointment back a few days for her to go. However as it was a fairly short trip the likelihood of needing care relevant to her cancer was low)

Not saying you should do that TOM, and apologies if I’m dangling a carrot when it’s not something that would be possible. Just thought I’d mention it in case.

 

We went to Den Haag, on the tramway one night and it was like being in some futuristic film. It has a beach and isn’t full of tourist dope shops and brothels.

 

I never thought about your insurance issues T.O.M.

Wherever you go,Enjoy

 

It’s wierd Den, we can get insurance when she is having chemotherapy but not when she isn’t. I can “talk” about it here but not in person which is odd. It’s a very bumpy rollercoaster atm.

 

Look Ric, just a few minutes thinking about Playa Blanca lifted a bit of gloom. I am friends with the crew at the dive centre and can stay fairly cheap there. That’s the point of the thread really. Happy thoughts about warm places.
I got an email from Barcelo hotels virtually at the same time as your post! ****ing spam bots. We stayed in one on Furaventura a few years ago.

 

I can only imagine
Still ‘talking’ here is better than not doing it anywhere.
Mum was certainly still receiving treatment when we went, so might have been a similar thing.

 

I have been lucky with holidays.
Done some stuff, white water rafting in Deliverence country. They didn’t like me doing a squealing noise every time we went under bridges with locals on!
Did it again in Croatia and the guide said, “the water is fast today, if you fall in you will die and we will not try to rescue you.”
Had my painting put on the wall in a hotel in Venice

 

By some sheer coincidence,the first time we stayed at the Rubicon Palace,our room was directly above the little dive centre room...

 

Oh the cheap rooms!!!

We always went Privilege!!!

Sorry mate, couldn’t resist.