View Full Version : Staycations due to pandemic
When I popped into my local Co-op store late afternoon today to pick up some grub for our evening meal tonight, I noticed on the front page of one of today's papers (can't remember exactly which one as I only caught a very quick glimpse of it from a distance), it said that UK holiday parks are having record bookings this year due to Europe being in the grip of COVID chaos.
Personally I think the powers that be acted too prematurely by letting people start to have holidays abroad again so soon, especially as we're still far from out of the woods as far as the CV pandemic is concerned, and people constantly toing and froing between different countries is still very much a recipe for a possible mass infection relapse IMO.
There are still plenty of great things and places to enjoy in this country, which could very well make a nice change from multiple trips to countries like Spain every year, which seems to have become a rite of passage for many over the past 30 years or so.
Any thoughts?
Of course holidays in foreign climes used to be considered de rigeur in the pre-Covid days of Austerity and ahem..Deprivation.
The horrors of a staycation in Blighty may only be acceptable now because there's no other option-unless you enjoy risk-taking-but I'm looking forward to a night in Weymouth in September. I'm looking forward to exploring the Jurassic Coast briefly and hopefully finding a fossil or two to feel at home..
Oh I LOVE Weymouth! We went last summer & it’s such a lovely town.
I’m off to the Isle of Wight this year.
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I've never been to Weymouth before, Scass so new territory! Thanks for the recommendation!
I hope you have a lovely holiday and do visit Monkey Haven if you can?! My daughter sponsors a javan langur called Wheat there!
I've never been to Weymouth before, Scass so new territory! Thanks for the recommendation!
I hope you have a lovely holiday and do visit Monkey Haven if you can?! My daughter sponsors a javan langur called Wheat there!
The beach at Weymouth is really lovely. Sandy and with quite a calm sea. There are loads of little shops & cafes too.
Edit: and yes! I will look into Monkey Haven. X
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Of course holidays in foreign climes used to be considered de rigeur in the pre-Covid days of Austerity and ahem..Deprivation.
The horrors of a staycation in Blighty may only be acceptable now because there's no other option-unless you enjoy risk-taking-but I'm looking forward to a night in Weymouth in September. I'm looking forward to exploring the Jurassic Coast briefly and hopefully finding a fossil or two to feel at home..
Regarding your first paragraph, it's kind of ironic that in the 'austere' and 'deprived' pre-Corona days that many people (across the entire political and social spectra) managed to splash out grands on foreign holidays abroad, sometimes more than once per year, but keep belly-aching about both themselves and the UK as a whole being increasingly hard-up, and viewing the general quality of life in those foreign destinations with rose-tinted specs.
Funny how many were (pre-Corona) forever travelling abroad and inadvertently boosting those respective countries' economies but constantly bemoaning this country going to the dogs and being a pale shadow of its former self. Smacks of self-inflicted declinism IMO.
Hope you enjoy your trip to Weymouth in September, Pulisa.
Thank you, Lencoboy and Scass
One good thing about this lockdown has been forcing people to be less greedy and materialistic and to be grateful for the small things in life. Are holidays a luxury or a necessity?
I remember going to the South Coast with my parents as a child-the only time I really saw my dad as he was a workaholic! Going to a different country wasn't ever discussed in the Dark Ages and I don't feel I missed out. When my children were young we went to Westward Ho! in North Devon-it was hard work with 2 on the autistic spectrum but enjoyable in a special way and I often think back to those times because they were happy, uncomplicated days...Now it's very different of course.
I'd love to be free to go on a staycation now but am very grateful to be going on an overnighter to Weymouth. I'd like to explore Yorkshire too on a road trip..One day I will! There are so many good destinations in the UK so why can't people settle for a holiday here without risking so much by travelling abroad at this dodgy and unpredictable time?
glassgirlw
30-07-20, 02:44
Funny that I happened upon this thread...
so I live in Kansas - dead center of the US. To reach a coastline, it’s a minimum 15 hour drive for me. I’m actually really scared of flying. I’ve flown a couple times and just had horrid anxiety the whole time. So, I always base my vacations on where I can drive to, and have been all over the states.
this whole pandemic is changing my views on things. My husband and I have spent our non working hours watching all kinds of travel documentaries on Netflix and YouTube. We’ve decided that after Covid is a thing of the past, we’re taking our first big trip as a couple (10 years this October). We’re going to Ireland and Scotland. Big flight but I’m willing to do it. And really I can’t wait. I want to explore all of Europe (never been outside of US) but I think starting in a mostly English speaking place is a good start. I do speak French but don’t know how useful that would be outside of France really. So any tips from those across the pond would be amazing and greatly appreciated!!
so, not a staycation - but genuinely looking forward to a real vacation!!
MyNameIsTerry
30-07-20, 05:09
I think it's a good thing. I expect many write it off simply because it's not exotic or a bragging right.
Lyme Regis is nice, as are the surrounding towns. They remind me of my childhood and the days before it was all about stag & hen parties or theme parks at these places. We used to go to Rhyl and Blackpool. Whilst we would enjoy going in the slots for a bit their was much more around but these places have gone downhill badly.
In Lyme Regis there is a nice shop near the beach that sells what have been found. Some are huge. Rock & gem shops are a nice walk around (I remember one in Glastonbury that had a top shelf full of solid gemstone dildos :ohmy::blush::roflmao:)
I think it's nice to pick an area to explore and rent a cottage.
Funny that I happened upon this thread...
so I live in Kansas - dead center of the US. To reach a coastline, it’s a minimum 15 hour drive for me. I’m actually really scared of flying. I’ve flown a couple times and just had horrid anxiety the whole time. So, I always base my vacations on where I can drive to, and have been all over the states.
this whole pandemic is changing my views on things. My husband and I have spent our non working hours watching all kinds of travel documentaries on Netflix and YouTube. We’ve decided that after Covid is a thing of the past, we’re taking our first big trip as a couple (10 years this October). We’re going to Ireland and Scotland. Big flight but I’m willing to do it. And really I can’t wait. I want to explore all of Europe (never been outside of US) but I think starting in a mostly English speaking place is a good start. I do speak French but don’t know how useful that would be outside of France really. So any tips from those across the pond would be amazing and greatly appreciated!!
so, not a staycation - but genuinely looking forward to a real vacation!!
I love that you’ve been making plans.
I sort of thought I knew how big the US was, but 15 hours to the coast is huge!
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That's wonderful, glassgirlw! You need to start planning your itinerary now! I think you have to visit Edinburgh but not in August when the Fringe Festival is on and prices are sky high for everything..
I've been to Dublin which is a beautiful city but I expect you'd want to visit some remote places as well?
glassgirlw
31-07-20, 02:03
Scass - yeah, it’s a crazy long drive to most places from where I live lol. Takes me 16 hours to get to Florida - 15 to get to the gulf in Texas, and 25 (roughly) to get to the pacific in California. So when we started watching all these documentaries, and the longest “drive” was the 8 hr trip between Dublin and London, I was a little flabbergasted lol. I’m so jealous that so many wonderful places are relatively close by for Europeans!!
Pulisa - from what I’m seeing, September/October might be a good time for Ireland? Not as busy and we like things on the cooler side anyway. Definitely have to go to Dublin, I’m a huge fan of Guinness haha - have to have one fresh from the source. Not to mention Trinity College...and so many other things. I’d love to see the cliffs of Mohr, think that’s in the south (still brushing up on my geography lol). I don’t know as much about Scotland. Just that I’d love to see it!!
one of the things that interests me the most about Europe, and always has, is the history. How old things are. We just don’t have that here. I’m all for seeing and learning about as many ruins as I can...and eating some really, really tasty food!!
so first trip will be 10-14 days of Ireland and Scotland. After we master that, we’ll plan another trip to do the UK, France, and Italy. I wanted to try to do it all in one trip - but I don’t want to rush through all the wonderful things to see and experience. So probably best to break it up into two trips!!
Thank you, Lencoboy and Scass
One good thing about this lockdown has been forcing people to be less greedy and materialistic and to be grateful for the small things in life. Are holidays a luxury or a necessity?
I remember going to the South Coast with my parents as a child-the only time I really saw my dad as he was a workaholic! Going to a different country wasn't ever discussed in the Dark Ages and I don't feel I missed out. When my children were young we went to Westward Ho! in North Devon-it was hard work with 2 on the autistic spectrum but enjoyable in a special way and I often think back to those times because they were happy, uncomplicated days...Now it's very different of course.
I'd love to be free to go on a staycation now but am very grateful to be going on an overnighter to Weymouth. I'd like to explore Yorkshire too on a road trip..One day I will! There are so many good destinations in the UK so why can't people settle for a holiday here without risking so much by travelling abroad at this dodgy and unpredictable time?
Exactly. It does seem that especially over the past 25-30 years or so that more than one holiday abroad every year has more or less become a god-given right and a necessity amongst many, rather than an occasional luxury, like when we were much younger (before the 90s).
I also think that it's also very much become a 'keeping up with the Jones's' thing.
The other day my dad told me that (in the other extreme) that he read that some UK camp sites have now started taking bookings as far ahead as 2023!!
Sounds like big changes might be on the way in that case, and IMO, for the better, too.
I am always happier to take holidays in England - never understood the obsession with foreign holidays and all the faff that goes with packing cases, crowded airports, herding onto planes and staying in lousy hotels with sometimes even lousier food. I have lived abroad and sampled most of what Europe has to offer and quite honestly get more enjoyment from watching documentaries on travel and arts from the comfort of my own home. And you cannot get a decent cup of tea anywhere outside England!
Looking forward to finally being allowed to stay in my other place in Worcestershire on the river .... been stuck in London lockdown for all this time and it is beginning to pall.
Sounds lovely, dorabella. I hope you manage to escape London very soon and enjoy soaking up the peace and tranquility of your country retreat. I envy you!
RainbowGirl
02-08-20, 14:44
Aghhh, I think honestly that essential travel (doctors conferences, other important things, pharmacy top up courses etc...) should be only allowed. Non essential travel is a no-no in my books. I am happy to go somewhere local this summer. Just to get away for a few days would suit me just fine as long as there's good food too :yesyes:
What an appallingly sexist thing to say, Lencoboy - what on earth does it have to do with the thread, either?
What an appallingly sexist thing to say, Lencoboy - what on earth does it have to do with the thread, either?
Sorry, I wasn't thinking and I shall remove it pronto!!
Personally I think the powers that be made a big mistake allowing people to start having holidays abroad again, which could be one of the factors behind the edging up of CV cases again over the past few weeks.
Now look at all the hassles and inconvenience many people returning from abroad are facing through having to self-isolate for at least 14 days, which is already being met with derision by many of those now returning from mainland Europe, and could have been avoided had they either instead opted for a staycation, or waited until at least next year or the year after to travel abroad when the risks might be lower.
I know I'll probably get shot down in flames yet again for saying this!!
People don't like being told what to do. How on earth will quarantining be enforced? We were told it was ok to travel abroad to most countries but now it's not. I'm cautious and would never have considered any trip abroad during a pandemic but I'm boring. Others would just say to hell with it and book. They would never be satisfied with a holiday in the UK let alone a staycation which officially means that you stay put at home.
I'm fed up with all this nonsense. The UK has become a laughing stock..I don't blame the Government because I think some British people are utter morons and thanks to them good people suffer.
People don't like being told what to do. How on earth will quarantining be enforced? We were told it was ok to travel abroad to most countries but now it's not. I'm cautious and would never have considered any trip abroad during a pandemic but I'm boring. Others would just say to hell with it and book. They would never be satisfied with a holiday in the UK let alone a staycation which officially means that you stay put at home.
I'm fed up with all this nonsense. The UK has become a laughing stock..I don't blame the Government because I think some British people are utter morons and thanks to them good people suffer.
You're right, some people ARE utter morons who only think about themselves and don't give a flying fig about others. And not just in the UK either, as there were actually riots in Berlin the other week orchestrated by the blatant Corona deniers, CTers and hard-righters, so there are basically stupid people the world over. It just seems that the UK almost always seems to get it in the neck more than most!!
And I now personally believe blaming the govt in this country over all the CV-related madness is a waste of time, as society itself is probably just as much (if not more) to blame for not doing enough to help keep CV at bay. Whilst I still agree that our govt screwed up big time over management of the pandemic earlier on, the 'blame game' continues with the govt still getting it in the neck over the recent upturn in cases, which is actually (and mostly) caused by the public's failure (and refusal) to co-operate with the guidelines, and coming out with this nonsense about living in a dictatorship, police state, etc, which is far from the truth IMO.
The 'real' dictators as far as I am concerned, are the Corona deniers!!
You're right, some people ARE utter morons who only think about themselves and don't give a flying fig about others. And not just in the UK either, as there were actually riots in Berlin the other week orchestrated by the blatant Corona deniers, CTers and hard-righters, so there are basically stupid people the world over. It just seems that the UK almost always seems to get it in the neck more than most!!
And I now personally believe blaming the govt in this country over all the CV-related madness is a waste of time, as society itself is probably just as much (if not more) to blame for not doing enough to help keep CV at bay. Whilst I still agree that our govt screwed up big time over management of the pandemic earlier on, the 'blame game' continues with the govt still getting it in the neck over the recent upturn in cases, which is actually (and mostly) caused by the public's failure (and refusal) to co-operate with the guidelines, and coming out with this nonsense about living in a dictatorship, police state, etc, which is far from the truth IMO.
The 'real' dictators as far as I am concerned, are the Corona deniers!!
There are now also protests in Madrid, fuelled again by the Corona-deniers.
There were some demos in central London over the weekend, but they were students protesting over the exams fiasco and not the Corona-deniers, though I fear they still might be yet to kick off there, especially with the 'monkey see, monkey do' copycat culture we seem to live in!
I'm also surprised nothing has (as yet) kicked off in Paris, which usually tends to be one of the first ports of call in mainland Europe for protesters and rioters, though on the other hand I wouldn't be overly surprised if things did kick off there in due course.
I reckon the significant upturns in UK cases over the past week or two could well be attributed to people returning from foreign holidays (plus various other factors of course).
I wonder how long it might be before the govt has no alternative but to impose a second national lockdown?
Though the overall death rate still remains low (just 10 today).
My opinion is that lockdowns will be confined to local areas only. We won't be able to eradicate covid, just manage it and the country can't cripple itself economically a second time because it's just not viable.
The vulnerable always have the choice to shield but the rest of us just have to take our chances and get on with life as best we can.
Pamplemousse
04-09-20, 18:43
My opinion is that lockdowns will be confined to local areas only. We won't be able to eradicate covid, just manage it and the country can't cripple itself economically a second time because it's just not viable.
Oh, we could afford it: we break the unwritten rule of the last 40 years and raise income tax. We also finally get a grip on multinationals avoiding tax but the pathetic mewling from people already richer than Croesus, non-domiciled newspaper owners and the Tangerine Mussolini would be deafening. I'm old enough to remember the basic rate of PAYE at 33%.
I also don't think the vulnerable should be expected to play Russian Roulette with their lives just to save the bank balances of greedy billionaire *******s.
Pamplemousse
04-09-20, 18:47
On a grammatical note though: I always understood the horrid word "staycation" referred to taking a holiday AT HOME, NOT within the UK - that's still a bloody holiday in my book!
My opinion is that lockdowns will be confined to local areas only. We won't be able to eradicate covid, just manage it and the country can't cripple itself economically a second time because it's just not viable.
The vulnerable always have the choice to shield but the rest of us just have to take our chances and get on with life as best we can.
Exactly.
The main reason why the national lockdown happened first time round (March-May) was undoubtedly because there were a lot of fears of the unknown at the time, but obviously most things concerning CV seem to be a bit clearer now compared to 6 months ago.
But of course, it's dead easy to get worked up into a frenzy over the latest stats and imagine all the worst case scenarios possible. And we're not alone as France and Spain are both extremely hard hit ATM, though fortunately, like us, their death rates are lower or at least relatively stable compared to earlier on in the pandemic, so there definitely seems to be an international pattern with lesser deaths vs increasing cases.
Oh, we could afford it: we break the unwritten rule of the last 40 years and raise income tax. We also finally get a grip on multinationals avoiding tax but the pathetic mewling from people already richer than Croesus, non-domiciled newspaper owners and the Tangerine Mussolini would be deafening. I'm old enough to remember the basic rate of PAYE at 33%.
I also don't think the vulnerable should be expected to play Russian Roulette with their lives just to save the bank balances of greedy billionaire *******s.
You won't. You can control your own environment, PM. The government isn't forcing you to do anything other than choose to shield if you so wish.
MyNameIsTerry
07-09-20, 23:50
You won't. You can control your own environment, PM. The government isn't forcing you to do anything other than choose to shield if you so wish.
Agreed. And I'm also wary of tax increases when they might push already struggling people under in the process. Tax the corps, none of the major parties will do it as it affects their own wallets and mates.
Local lockdowns will hammer local economies if they are strict. I wonder how government will help out local economies. Full out lockdown on a regular basis and you might as well call a recession now. The knock-on effect being services such as the NHS and more people struggling or even dying. There has to be balance.
What's really annoying me now is people returning from foreign holidays abroad seems to be greatly overlooked (and indeed downplayed) as one of many potential factors behind the current resurgence in cases in this country, but the youngsters packing into pubs without social distancing, which I'm still not denying is a significant factor, seems to be considered the be all and end all of the current situation.
Some people on other forums have even been blaming the absence of school caning since 1986 (and parental smacking) for the behaviours of the young 'Covidiots' over recent months.
Give me strength!!
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