I think I can speak on behalf of a lot of people in saying travel has been missed! 

2020 saw the start of the COVID pandemic putting a stop to any travel across the world. I was lucky that a week before any restrictions were put in place I returned from my trip to Australia and Dubai. As we started 2021 there were still restrictions in place but as the year went on we saw some of the restrictions being lifted resulting in being allowed to travel a lot more freely if we were fully vaccinated. 

In September I took advantage of the return of cruising as I embarked P&O’s newest ship Iona for 7 nights as she sailed along the Channel Islands as well as the coast of France & Spain. This was a cruise without any ports of call and only passengers who were fully vaccinated onboard. Before boarding the ship as passengers we had to do a test at the quayside which allowed us to board once we got a text to say we were negative. Once onboard face masks were mandatory except when seated or in your cabin, masks were to be worn whilst seated in the theatre. Whilst onboard I felt safe and at ease as fellow passengers maintained their distance and wore face masks. It felt good to have a change of scenery from home and to also be travelling again even though I was not exploring somewhere. Although the day after coming home from the cruise I then went to Edinburgh for a short break of exploring. 

When travelling at the moment it’s important to check what the requirements are for entry as well as requirements for testing. It’s also worth looking to see what the face mask requirements are as there are some countries that still require face masks to be worn. It’s also important to check what the testing requirements are for the country you are travelling to as well as checking the requirements for returning home. Testing requirements are changing regularly, until recently it was required to have a PCR when travelling or returning to the UK. It’s also worth checking what the vaccination requirements are at the destination you are travelling to as some destinations require people to be fully vaccinated when visiting restaurants or attractions.

Some people I have spoken to are being put off from travelling at the moment due to the change in rules. Rules changing on short notice did affect me towards the end of last year which meant I had to delay a trip to Disneyland Paris. 

Not being able to travel made me realise just how much I love travelling and exploring a new city. Due to some of my trips in the last two years being postponed it’s meant that I’m going on seven trips this year at the moment. 

Are you taking advantage of being able to travel again or are you waiting a bit longer?

LauraJane