Chances of European Travel this year ??

[Velma's Dad]

Puts the post-Brexit uncertainties over pet passports into perspective.

 

[calibeach76]

As you say ASAP, As Soon As Possible which may be many months ahead in reality.

As someone who normally spends 3 months in total per year in our Normandy home having only been able to do a quick 6 days in the past 7 months with an ever protracted date of possible return I/we are feeling the travel restrictions stressful.

Months will leave nothing left. As someone with a nurse on a Covid ward and an advisor to the chancellor in the family I reckon I get a pretty balanced view. The protraction of this lockdown will cause more deaths than the virus itself. Already record numbers in the UK have gone without food for the last 24 hours. This is mirrored across Europe if not the world. Most businesses run with 4 weeks working capital, hardly any government backed loans have been issued and people are in dire straits. Our friends own a campsite in the poitou charente and this year will see them with 0 income but significant outgoings. There food and drink suppliers, casual staff eta are all but a few directly impacted. The reality is that this disease has had massively inflated statistics to suit an agenda. What the agenda is nobody knows. However, even if you take the recorded statistics (And bearing in mind hospitals have been paid £13k to record deaths as being from Covid 19 you have to question why) the virus isn't killing statistically that many people. As such on balance Cummings is right. Some people will die (mainly old and immuno compromised) but the economy needs to reopen. May sound callous but it's true.

 

[jts46]

We have a French friend, a doctor living and working in Orleans. She has told us not to visit before October of this year because of the coming restrictions

 

[calibeach76]

We have a French friend, a doctor living and working in Orleans. She has told us not to visit before October of this year because of the coming restrictions

Coming restrictions as in pending or as in existing travel restrictions?

 

[jts46]

Coming restrictions as in pending or as in existing travel restrictions?

As in pending

 

[calibeach76]

As in pending

Which are..?

 

[GregW]

They’ll have to reopen the economy by the end of May or June if they want to keep economic inflicted deaths lower than pandemic deaths. But Governments will do this very selectively, and there will be a succession of localised tightening and relaxation of rules to keep a constant stream of infections coming, but at a manageable level.

Incoming tourism will be among the last elements to return to normality because this is one of the hardest to moderate. No country wants a large number of sick and dying foreigners clogging their hospitals. I’m betting many will encourage domestic tourism before foreign tourism to attempt to keep money flowing but risk lowered.

I’m in Portugal now, but I suspect that if I leave I may not be allowed back in this year. I can’t see camper touring being permitted before October at the earliest and possibly next Spring.

Maybe by then we will need a ‘proof of infection’ certificate before Brits are allowed to enter the EU.

 

[Amarillo]

Maybe by then we will need a ‘proof of infection’ certificate before Brits are allowed to enter the EU.

I really do think this is a real risk: rewarding the reckless who haven’t kept social distance, and have shaken hands, etc, with a ‘freedom to travel’ pass; meanwhile people who have followed the rules and advice face continuing house arrest.

It may be an unlikely scenario, but the risk to real or perceived fairness in our society is very real.

Corona Party anyone. A sort of Russian roulette. Hug an infected person to either escape house arrest or die in the attempt.

The scenarios above are something perhaps best saved for novels and second rate daytime TV series.

 

[BerndRos]

I’m in Portugal now, but I suspect that if I leave I may not be allowed back in this year. I can’t see camper touring being permitted before October at the earliest and possibly next Spring. (Quote)


There is no way of leaving, is there ?

 

[Digger]

Judging by the way second home owners are treated for trying to escape and the fact that people are becoming conditioned to report possible wrongdoers I think this year is a no no and no area will want to accept travellers. They may open shops and work but movement will be the last thing to be accepted I fear. IMHO (hopefully I may be proved wrong)

 

[Lightning]

I’m in Portugal now, but I suspect that if I leave I may not be allowed back in this year. I can’t see camper touring being permitted before October at the earliest and possibly next Spring. (Quote)


There is no way of leaving, is there ?

You are still allowed to cross Schengen borders to return home.

 

[B J G]

Months will leave nothing left. As someone with a nurse on a Covid ward and an advisor to the chancellor in the family I reckon I get a pretty balanced view. The protraction of this lockdown will cause more deaths than the virus itself. Already record numbers in the UK have gone without food for the last 24 hours. This is mirrored across Europe if not the world. Most businesses run with 4 weeks working capital, hardly any government backed loans have been issued and people are in dire straits. Our friends own a campsite in the poitou charente and this year will see them with 0 income but significant outgoings. There food and drink suppliers, casual staff eta are all but a few directly impacted. The reality is that this disease has had massively inflated statistics to suit an agenda. What the agenda is nobody knows. However, even if you take the recorded statistics (And bearing in mind hospitals have been paid £13k to record deaths as being from Covid 19 you have to question why) the virus isn't killing statistically that many people. As such on balance Cummings is right. Some people will die (mainly old and immuno compromised) but the economy needs to reopen. May sound callous but it's true.

I don't dispute the need to get the economy back in motion but the overriding problem appears to be controlling the infection rate to a level that the Medical resources can cope with.
Seems that all Countries are wrestling with the decision as to when to ease movement. We in the UK have a slight advantage in being able to watch how Italy and Spain progress through the CV pandemic.

There does seem to be an acceptance that it's OK for old or any suffering with a medical issue to die in the course of having no movement restrictions by some in today's 'ME' Society.

 

[GregW]

I’m in Portugal now, but I suspect that if I leave I may not be allowed back in this year. I can’t see camper touring being permitted before October at the earliest and possibly next Spring. (Quote)


There is no way of leaving, is there ?

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...

Actually I do know a great white owner who successfully crossed into Spain and then into France before crossing at Calais around 10 days ago, and there is a BA repatriation flight from Lisbon to London every other day. So you can still move around if you can convince the authorities to let you pass, in order to get home. Just not the other way.

However I'm staying put until my supplies of English Malted Biscuit Tea run out.

 

[GregW]

The scenarios above are something perhaps best saved for novels and second rate daytime TV series.

I don't think these are as far fetched as you think. And I agree that there may indeed be a sense of injustice that those who flaunted the rules and got infected may then get beneficial travel treatment.

However, I don't think authorities will let that stop them, it seems that we will have to flip from the current state where the healthy are perceived to be those who are uninfected, to one where the healthy are perceived to be those with acquired immunity.

Social distancing was never intended to entirely stop the spread, only to slow it, and if I were a healthy 20 year old I would be increasing my social huddling so I could get my immunity as quickly as possible.

 

[BerndRos]

You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...

Actually I do know a great white owner who successfully crossed into Spain and then into France before crossing at Calais around 10 days ago, and there is a BA repatriation flight from Lisbon to London every other day. So you can still move around if you can convince the authorities to let you pass, in order to get home. Just not the other way.

However I'm staying put until my supplies of English Malted Biscuit Tea run out.

Thanks for that.

Think I will stay for the time being, here up the Rio Guadiana. Brittany Ferries are now cancelled up to 15th May, hopefully running by end of May, who knows. I have a car here in PT that I want to take back to the UK, prior to its Portugal insurance expiring.

 

[GregW]

Thanks for that.

Think I will stay for the time being, here up the Rio Guadiana. Brittany Ferries are now cancelled up to 15th May, hopefully running by end of May, who knows. I have a car here in PT that I want to take back to the UK, prior to its Portugal insurance expiring.

Ah yes... The car problem. I have similar challenges. MOT etc

Would you recommend the Rio Guadiana area? That's east of Badajoz? I'm always on the look out for new places to discover.

 

[BerndRos]

Ah yes... The car problem. I have similar challenges. MOT etc

Would you recommend the Rio Guadiana area? That's east of Badajoz? I'm always on the look out for new places to discover.

Yes, it’s like a paradise up here at Alcoutim. Not a single case of Covid reported in the wider Municipal area yet.

Along the N125 to VRSA and that’s the mouth of the Guadiana, Spain on the opposite river bank. Alcoutim is 20 miles up river.

Your thinking of the source of the Guadiana, as you say way east of Badajoz.

 

[GregW]

Ah, OK, I've added Alcoutim to my list. I was in Tavira, South West of you a few weeks back, but am now holed up in Sao Martinho do Porto to the North West.