Topic: Holidays - UK or abroad?

[Crosby Nick]

Has anyone travelled from UK to Ireland?

Due to go back home in a few weeks but I am unsure of the requirement. How do you prove you are double jabbed if you don’t have that EU Covid app thing?

Fly to Belfast!

Just spent the last few days on the beaches of County Antrim. Absolutely stunning at the moment (less so today but last week was amazing).

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Fly to Belfast!

Just spent the last few days on the beaches of County Antrim. Absolutely stunning at the moment (less so today but last week was amazing).

Have flights booked in/out of Dublin as heading towards Longford for a family thing, Belfast would be a bit of a ballache.

[rob1966]

Have flights booked in/out of Dublin as heading towards Longford for a family thing, Belfast would be a bit of a ballache.

Ireland is in the common travel area, so you don't need any of the stuff you need to go abroad. There was a fella answering questions on telly last week and he said just go to Ireland as its got no restrictions in regards to tests nor quarantine

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england#ireland-the-uk-the-channel-islands-and-the-isle-of-man

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Ah amazing! Thanks, Rob!

[rafathegaffa83]

Just spent the last few days on the beaches of County Antrim. Absolutely stunning at the moment (less so today but last week was amazing).

I genuinely thought this was a BigDog post at first until the lack of details about the Reeds' Ulster Fry  made me think otherwise

[Crosby Nick]

I genuinely thought this was a BigDog post at first until the lack of details about the Reeds' Ulster Fry  made me think otherwise

Haha that’s when you know you’ve spent too long in the transfer thread. I believe Big Dog (and family, and family friends) prefer the New Forest.

[rafathegaffa83]

Haha that’s when you know you’ve spent too long in the transfer thread. I believe Big Dog (and family, and family friends) prefer the New Forest.

[Nobby Reserve]

Each summer, we have a long weekend in a lodge somewhere with my old parents (mum has Alzheimers as well now). Didn't go last year for obvious reasons, but the couple years before we went to the Yorkshire Dales. Beautiful area and the complex was lovely and peaceful with plush lodges, but we'd exhausted the main things to do there. So we tried another site operated by the same company on the outskirts of the Lakes.

I suspect Covid played a part, with people tending to holiday in the UK this year, but it was a really different vibe. And not in a good way. We have kids and it's not that long ago they were legging it round everywhere, but this was mad at times.

And lots of loud younger couples treating it like a Benidorm piss-up.

Hoping it gets back to normal next year.

On the plus side, the weather was great. Sunday me and the kids were swimming in Ullswater.

[DanJay87]

Running a B&B out of ours this summer on my own on the Ceredigion Coast. Two rooms. Unreal how fast I've booked up. July was full within 3 days of going live at the start of June. No spare rooms the length of the coast.

[UntouchableLuis]

Still uncertain about Gran Canaria in October.

We've been double jabbed but need it to be on the green list so we don't need to isolate on return as I'm a teacher so difficult to do that. Our work policy says if they changed it while you're over there that's OK though but still want to avoid that scenario.

[rob1966]

Looked at the prices for the lodge we paid £600 for 12 months ago for next August, £1333 for 3 nights😂 Get to fuck, no way will we be paying that.

[El Lobo]

Looked at the prices for the lodge we paid £600 for 12 months ago for next August, £1333 for 3 nights😂 Get to fuck, no way will we be paying that.

We're looking at booking ten days away somewhere in mid-October, but likely to leave it late to book.

We've looked at lodges in Scotland with hot tub etc and its literally £1600 at best for something half decent. £900 for a fucking caravan. Or we can go to a 5* all inclusive in Kos for 11 nights for about £700 each.

[I've been a good boy]

Still uncertain about Gran Canaria in October.

We've been double jabbed but need it to be on the green list so we don't need to isolate on return as I'm a teacher so difficult to do that. Our work policy says if they changed it while you're over there that's OK though but still want to avoid that scenario.

You don't need to isolate as it's on the amber list and you're double jabbed

[rob1966]

You don't need to isolate as it's on the amber list and you're double jabbed

The big worry is if they red list at the drop of a hat. We're due to go to Cyprus end of October and I no longer want to go, just hoping Jet2 cancel it now.

[keano7]

The big worry is if they red list at the drop of a hat. We're due to go to Cyprus end of October and I no longer want to go, just hoping Jet2 cancel it now.

How come you don’t want to go?

[rob1966]

How come you don’t want to go?

Don't trust the government to not red list them while we are there and us end up with a £3300 bill for staying in a hotel. If it was just me and the wife, I'd take my works laptop and just fly to an amber or green country for 10 days, but the kids have school and they've missed enough as it is.

[I've been a good boy]

The big worry is if they red list at the drop of a hat. We're due to go to Cyprus end of October and I no longer want to go, just hoping Jet2 cancel it now.

It's very off-putting for a lot of people right now. Would love to book Dubai or Turkey but they just don't seem to be coming off the red list.

[Nobby Reserve]

We go to western Scotland a week on Friday and it's starting to come into weather forecast range.

It looks fucking shite at this stage.

If it's going to be wet all week, I'm going to be back home by Monday.

Our climate is wank.


I'm now thinking of arranging to get pinged so I can get a refund and just put it to something next year.

[rob1966]

We go to western Scotland a week on Friday and it's starting to come into weather forecast range.

It looks fucking shite at this stage.

If it's going to be wet all week, I'm going to be back home by Monday.

Our climate is wank.


I'm now thinking of arranging to get pinged so I can get a refund and just put it to something next year.

You'd better check what is happening on the 16th. We'd had an email from work today that says it's looking like, from the 16th August, double jabbed won't need to self isolate. Scotland will be different to us, so hopefully you can get out of it.

[Drinks Sangria]

Looked at the prices for the lodge we paid £600 for 12 months ago for next August, £1333 for 3 nights😂 Get to fuck, no way will we be paying that.

Is that the place near Skipton mate? I had a look - looks really nice, but the prices are mad. Literally worse than the cost of going to Greece or somewhere. Will look again next year though, because it does look really nice.

[Lee1-6Liv]

Have flights booked in/out of Dublin as heading towards Longford for a family thing, Belfast would be a bit of a ballache.

We are flying to Cork tomorrow. We have got proof of double vaccination for me and girlfriend and have got a negative covid pcr test for our 15 year old daughter (children under 12 don't need one) You have to fill out passenger locator form before you fly too.

[rob1966]

Is that the place near Skipton mate? I had a look - looks really nice, but the prices are mad. Literally worse than the cost of going to Greece or somewhere. Will look again next year though, because it does look really nice.

No, this one was for White Cross Bay, which is on Windermere. Managed to snag a lodge we stayed in 2 years ago for the 4 days after Christmas there for £700 last week, so made up with that, its a lovely little lodge with a hottub.

The one near Skipton is lovely, we've stayed in both the Morland and Malham lodges there, the hot tubs are nice and private too 

[Tesco tearaway]

Just got back from a week away in Scotland.
Booked a static caravan just outside Edinburgh for £850, and used it as a base to go to different places while we were there.
Loved every minute of it; can't wait to go back there next year and do a bit of panning while we're there.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Just got back from a week away in Scotland.
Booked a static caravan just outside Edinburgh for £850, and used it as a base to go to different places while we were there.
Loved every minute of it; can't wait to go back there next year and do a bit of panning while we're there.

It's a great City but if you go back just keep going,follow the coastline all the way up and back down the other side.


The scenery and beaches will take your breath away.

[.adam]

Still nothing on my San Francisco flight which is scheduled for five weeks time.

The flight number hasn't operated since March 2020 and the ongoing ban on arrivals from the UK/EU means I'd be surprised if it changes any time soon.

A friend had a booking with the same airline (Aer Lingus) to the US which was due to depart at the weekend. He heard from them about 6-7 weeks ago that it was cancelled and received a full refund within a fortnight.

Hoping they make a decision soon and let me know then I can put a backup plan into operation.

Current thought is Croatia. Rates are exceptionally low there so there is very little change of it being added to the UK's red list. You need a negative PCR test (about £50-£60 each) to get in which isn't too much of a hassle as I live a short drive from Manchester airport where they're set up drive through testing with results via the post in 48 hours.

Booking flights to Croatia leaving on Thursday are still around £120 return so demand must be low. I'm looking at September so reckon they'd potentially be even cheaper then given that the kids are back in school.

Thinking of flying into Split, hiring a car for two weeks, driving the coastline for nice beaches and perhaps a visit inland to Plitvice Lakes National Park.

[reddebs]

It's a great City but if you go back just keep going,follow the coastline all the way up and back down the other side.


The scenery and beaches will take your breath away.

I know quite a few people that have done the 500 route recently, it's something I'd definitely love to do some day too.

[Riquende]

It's a great City but if you go back just keep going,follow the coastline all the way up and back down the other side.


The scenery and beaches will take your breath away.

I went to Scotland for the first time just 2 years ago and will be moving up there in a couple of months. We did the run from Edinburgh to the north coast last year for a long weekend away, and this year went across to Oban. Beautiful areas.

Speaking of a few months time, in 7 weeks I'm supposed to be going to Greece for a fortnight. Athens and Evia...

Athens is non-negotiable as the Mrs hasn't seen her family for over 18 months, but I think we might now look for an island in a different direction.

[stewil007]

The big worry is if they red list at the drop of a hat. We're due to go to Cyprus end of October and I no longer want to go, just hoping Jet2 cancel it now.

I'm the same with TUI, we are booked to go to Egypt mid October but it remains on the Red List, i would rather it was just cancelled so we can sort something else out.

[rob1966]

I'm the same with TUI, we are booked to go to Egypt mid October but it remains on the Red List, i would rather it was just cancelled so we can sort something else out.

If there was just me and the missus, we'd take our laptops and fly on to somewhere like Malta and just do 10 days WFH there. Can't do that with two kids

[stewil007]

If there was just me and the missus, we'd take our laptops and fly on to somewhere like Malta and just do 10 days WFH there. Can't do that with two kids

We've got 2 kids with us too, its just a hassle i dont need, but the wife is desperate for a holiday and at this point, any holiday will do

[Riquende]

at this point, any holiday will do

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/7qYL_KT06-U" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/7qYL_KT06-U</a>

[Nobby Reserve]

I'm the same with TUI, we are booked to go to Egypt mid October but it remains on the Red List, i would rather it was just cancelled so we can sort something else out.

I'm due to go to Benidorm in November for a piss-up weekend for a close mate's 50th. There's a group of 6 of us who've been mates since early teens (some of us back to infant school days). We straddle 2 school years so over 14 months, we all reach 50.

The lad who's organised this is the social animal of the group (alternatively, the pisshead who's never grown up) and originally it was supposed to be just the 6 of us but he's thrown it open to more of his mates and there's now about 14 going in all.

He's got nothing on the agenda apart from "get up in the afternoon, get on the piss, grab a burger or KFC, back on the piss, club, hotel, repeat"

Sounds like a fucking nightmare to me. But I felt duty bound (reckon I'm going to be back in my room by midnight, chilling on the balcony)

As a group we usually steer clear of politics, but since Brexit and usually through the WhatsApp group, there've been a couple of flashpoints. Came to a head during the Euros with me reacting to nationalist bollocks and probably going too far toward two of them (including the lad who's organised the benidorm trip). Relations have been strained since.

Was hoping it'd be cancelled due to Covid but that looks a forlorn hope. Even considering just cancelling, but that'd be ending some friendships.

Dilemma.

[Son of Spion]

I'm due to go to Benidorm in November for a piss-up weekend for a close mate's 50th. There's a group of 6 of us who've been mates since early teens (some of us back to infant school days). We straddle 2 school years so over 14 months, we all reach 50.

The lad who's organised this is the social animal of the group (alternatively, the pisshead who's never grown up) and originally it was supposed to be just the 6 of us but he's thrown it open to more of his mates and there's now about 14 going in all.

He's got nothing on the agenda apart from "get up in the afternoon, get on the piss, grab a burger or KFC, back on the piss, club, hotel, repeat"

Sounds like a fucking nightmare to me. But I felt duty bound (reckon I'm going to be back in my room by midnight, chilling on the balcony)

As a group we usually steer clear of politics, but since Brexit and usually through the WhatsApp group, there've been a couple of flashpoints. Came to a head during the Euros with me reacting to nationalist bollocks and probably going too far toward two of them (including the lad who's organised the benidorm trip). Relations have been strained since.

Was hoping it'd be cancelled due to Covid but that looks a forlorn hope. Even considering just cancelling, but that'd be ending some friendships.

Dilemma.

That sounds like my idea of a nightmare of a holiday.

Is there any plausible excuse you can make in order to pull out without some of the others getting the hump?

[moondog]

Get pinged a few days before departure I’d say.

[rob1966]

Get pinged a few days before departure I’d say.

That's what I'd do.

[CHOPPER]

Each summer, we have a long weekend in a lodge somewhere with my old parents (mum has Alzheimers as well now). Didn't go last year for obvious reasons, but the couple years before we went to the Yorkshire Dales. Beautiful area and the complex was lovely and peaceful with plush lodges, but we'd exhausted the main things to do there. So we tried another site operated by the same company on the outskirts of the Lakes.

I suspect Covid played a part, with people tending to holiday in the UK this year, but it was a really different vibe. And not in a good way. We have kids and it's not that long ago they were legging it round everywhere, but this was mad at times.

And lots of loud younger couples treating it like a Benidorm piss-up.

Hoping it gets back to normal next year.

On the plus side, the weather was great. Sunday me and the kids were swimming in Ullswater.

Get over there, arrange to meet him in the hotel bar first thing, show up wearing a pair of clowns shoes, take a massive run up and volley him in the goolies. Job done, holiday sorted, air cleared.

[rob1966]

Get over there, arrange to meet him in the hotel bar first thing, show up wearing a pair of clowns shoes, take a massive run up and volley him in the goolies. Job done, holiday sorted, air cleared.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Do you need to print off the passenger locator forms?

[Crosby Nick]

Do you need to print off the passenger locator forms?

I know a family who went to Greece recently and the husband forgot to include his wife’s holiday locator form and she wasn’t allowed to fly. Had to go home, sort it out and book another flight and meet the rest of the family out there a day or two later. Oops!

[Stubbins]

I know quite a few people that have done the 500 route recently, it's something I'd definitely love to do some day too.

Though I've read that the locals haven't taken too kindly to the sudden increase in tourist numbers and the popularity of route 500.

Those that aren't working in the tourist or hospitality industry presumably.