Will you travel? [Mod Note in Post #1 - Travel Discussion Only! Megathread]

H8GHOTI

Went to Tenerife last week. Probably the best travel experience of my life. No queue to check in luggage. No queue at security. Plane less than half full. Got the QR code online before leaving and getting through on the other side was painless. Everyone wearing masks the whole time. Didn’t find it much of a hindrance and felt completely safe.

Flights €30 each way. Apartment €60 per night (could have got cheaper). Rented a car. All in for two of us was €650 for 5 days.

Spent the week seeing the sights and on the beach. Practically zero chance of catching the virus. Didn’t eat out or go to any bars. From what I saw though, that looked safe enough. As safe as here anyway.

I’ve seen a few people say “I couldn’t wear a mask in that heat”. Mask wearing in shops was mandatory but not outdoors. So it’s not like you have to wear one on the beach or anything.

It was pretty quiet there though. Lots of shops/bars/restaurants were closed but that didn’t bother us. With the government dragging their heals on this green list and the media coverage, there does seem to be this false sense of Ireland = good & Spain = bad. Since I came back, I am the tanned sheep of the family. I’m sure people will be judged by friends, colleagues etc.

Honestly, imo it’s bollocks. People will have reasons not to travel and that’s fine, each to their own. But believing that it’s dangerous now and thinking the government advice is only health based is naive.

cupcakedan

almostover wrote: »

How can people afford holidays abroad if they cant afford one in Ireland? I've been on heaps of cheap holidays in Ireland. I grew up in a working class family and we always had our holidays in Ireland or took the ferry to the UK because anything else was too expensive. It sounds like an excuse to me. I've a holiday booked in Ireland at the end of this month that's very reasonable, doubt I could match it abroad taking into account flights, transfers, travel insurance, airport parking, taxis etc. I suppose if you're into drinking 10 pints of lager a day in some cheap imitation Irish bar in Spain for 10 days it's different. Food and drink can be expensive here but you get what you pay for. The best meals I've had have been in Irish restaraunts. We should be making excuses to stay in Ireland to protect our health system and boost our hospitality sector as much as possible

Such an attitude, when I was young my family never went on holiday. I didn’t know what that was. Not everybody wants to go on holidays to guzzle 10 pints a day. When my husband and I had a pre teen and a toddler, we holidayed round Ireland but hotel didn’t suit as we had no freedom for us all, We liked to rent out a holiday home, but it was so expensive ever year. Then for my husbands fortieth birthday I priced Austria, flights, car hire, chalet F1 tickets (Formula1 fan), quess what it was cheaper than holidaying at home. This year would have been our fourth year going to Austria and to the Grand Prix. We were so looking forward to it and our kids were the same. We went back to the same chalet every year up in the alps. There was nowhere in Ireland like it. Scenery to die for. Food half the price as here, same as the restaurants we dined at.

Plumbthedepths

almostover wrote: »

How can people afford holidays abroad if they cant afford one in Ireland? I've been on heaps of cheap holidays in Ireland. I grew up in a working class family and we always had our holidays in Ireland or took the ferry to the UK because anything else was too expensive. It sounds like an excuse to me. I've a holiday booked in Ireland at the end of this month that's very reasonable, doubt I could match it abroad taking into account flights, transfers, travel insurance, airport parking, taxis etc. I suppose if you're into drinking 10 pints of lager a day in some cheap imitation Irish bar in Spain for 10 days it's different. Food and drink can be expensive here but you get what you pay for. The best meals I've had have been in Irish restaraunts. We should be making excuses to stay in Ireland to protect our health system and boost our hospitality sector as much as possible

My wife and I went to Italy last year for 9 days. 2nd to the 12th August. Flights €290/ car hire €140 euro. Multi centre stays. Siena /Bologna/ Lucca/ Lazise/ Ferrara. Cost of accommodation was €600 total.
€1030 excluding spending money. Very affordable and Italian prices for eating out and drinking are considerably less than here.

almostover

cupcakedan wrote: »

Such an attitude, when I was young my family never went on holiday. I didn’t know what that was. Not everybody wants to go on holidays to guzzle 10 pints a day. When my husband and I had a pre teen and a toddler, we holidayed round Ireland but hotel didn’t suit as we had no freedom for us all, We liked to rent out a holiday home, but it was so expensive ever year. Then for my husbands fortieth birthday I priced Austria, flights, car hire, chalet F1 tickets (Formula1 fan), quess what it was cheaper than holidaying at home. This year would have been our fourth year going to Austria and to the Grand Prix. We were so looking forward to it and our kids were the same. We went back to the same chalet every year up in the alps. There was nowhere in Ireland like it. Scenery to die for. Food half the price as here, same as the restaurants we dined at.

I've been to Austria, it ain't cheap. Formula 1 is notoriously expensive as an event to attend. I reckon if you put half the effort into booking a holiday in Ireland you would find something very reasonably priced.

What bugs me is we were all in it to suppress COVID-19 at the start. But now that the reality is dawning on us that this is going to be a sustained effort we're coming up with every excuse going to complain and try to go about our lives as we did pre-pandemic. COVID-19 is now more widespread worldwide than it ever was and people are on here clamouring to go travelling. We're not being asked to do much to keep those most vulnerable in our society safe. Practice good hygiene, wear a mask in shops, don't meet up in large crowds and don't leave the county unless absolutely necessary. It's not much to ask. We now can go out for meals and a drink and go anywhere in Ireland. Most sports are back too. There is lots to live for. The precautions are minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things.

Sheep Shagger

H8GHOTI wrote: »

Went to Tenerife last week. Probably the best travel experience of my life.

A trip to Tenerife was the best travel experience of your life as was no Q for checking in baggage? Really?

Can only assume you are very young with a statement like that.

almostover

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

My wife and I went to Italy last year for 9 days. 2nd to the 12th August. Flights €290/ car hire €140 euro. Multi centre stays. Siena /Bologna/ Lucca/ Lazise/ Ferrara. Cost of accommodation was €600 total.
€1030 excluding spending money. Very affordable and Italian prices for eating out and drinking are considerably less than here.

Dont get me wrong I've been on cheap holidays abroad too. Problem is that people are putting money before their health. And more importantly the collective health of our society, both physical and economic health. We're being asked to holiday at home to protect the vulernable in society and to help keep our hospitality sector afloat.

Plumbthedepths

almostover wrote: »

Dont get me wrong I've been on cheap holidays abroad too. Problem is that people are putting money before their health. And more importantly the collective health of our society, both physical and economic health. We're being asked to holiday at home to protect the vulernable in society and to help keep our hospitality sector afloat.

You do that fair play, I follow the advice from Prof O Neill/ Prof Jack Lambert. The government ain't stopping the yanks / Brits from coming here . Fecked if I'm going to ballygobackwards for 10 days to be ripped off by a goombeen. Enjoy your staycation.
Heading to Rome August 3rd on to Naples to stay with friends whilst observing the basics. SD, hand hygiene, masks.

Micky 32

almostover wrote: »

We're being asked to holiday at home to protect the vulernable in society and to help keep our hospitality sector afloat.

I’m curious, Dublin had 25 cases yesterday higher than anywhere else in the country. So you think it’s ok for bus loads of Dubs to head over to Galway from a hot spot?But not ok to go to a country with similiar infections? Will that protect the vulnerable in Galway? Give over

H8GHOTI

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

A trip to Tenerife was the best travel experience of your life as was no Q for checking in baggage? Really?

Can only assume you are very young with a statement like that.

Ya I’m 7. Just borrowed my mams phone. Idiot.

Spanish Eyes

I know I will be considered a snob or something similar, but most Spanish resorts be they in Torrevieja or Benalmadena or Torre del Mar etc.are just manufactured drinking dens with a beach umbrella and Tapas.

But that's just my view. I really cannot understand the attraction, but each to their own.

Everyone is different.

Spain really needs to move their economy to embrace all the other wonderful things that country has to offer. They started with the Camino de Santiago, and more recently the Caminito del Rey, both of which I have experienced.

Then there are the wonderful cities of Vallodilid, Segovia, San Sebastian and so on, there is an endless list. It is just like tourists coming to Dublin and going straight to Temple Bar.

Times will change.

cupcakedan

almostover wrote: »

I've been to Austria, it ain't cheap. Formula 1 is notoriously expensive as an event to attend. I reckon if you put half the effort into booking a holiday in Ireland you would find something very reasonably priced.

What bugs me is we were all in it to suppress COVID-19 at the start. But now that the reality is dawning on us that this is going to be a sustained effort we're coming up with every excuse going to complain and try to go about our lives as we did pre-pandemic. COVID-19 is now more widespread worldwide than it ever was and people are on here clamouring to go travelling. We're not being asked to do much to keep those most vulnerable in our society safe. Practice good hygiene, wear a mask in shops, don't meet up in large crowds and don't leave the county unless absolutely necessary. It's not much to ask. We now can go out for meals and a drink and go anywhere in Ireland. Most sports are back too. There is lots to live for. The precautions are minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things.

I don’t know where you’ve stayed in Austria but it’s not what we’ve experienced. We’ve holidayed in Donegal, Bray, Youghal & Killarney with the kids and the accommodation was rough and we paid through the nose for comfort. Kids under 16 are free for general admission at the Austrian Grand Prix. We’ve never spent more than €150 for 4 tickets. We’ve seen plenty of action for that section. Flights with Lufthansa on average about €400 & chalet €700. We’ve always gone for 11 days holiday. Car hire €400. We've done the Grossglockner, halstatt, Salzburg, Dachstein, zell am see, Kitzbühel, Krimml waterfalls, Brenner pass to name a few.

We didn’t go to Austria this year because of Covid 19 I’m heartbroken we didn’t as I love it there but I wouldn’t risk my family’s health or any one else’s over it. My son who is 5 keeps saying can we go to Austria when virus is over, that’s the sad part. I won’t be spending over €1000 for less than a week to holiday at home. I’ll save my hard earned money for when we feel safe to travel.

orientmen

I fully agree with all above. But the worst is that hypocrisy of this sort of decision making (or actually lack of it). While we're all being bullied to not travel anywhere and do so called staycation our basic rights of free will and free movement are being violated. This supposed to be this common sense and for our own good thing. At the same time tourists from the clusters of virus are coming here every day. Galway is full of people already. In the next couple of weeks because of the whole travel ban and with 30% of pubs capacity it may become one of the most dangerous places to stay in Europe. Where's the logic in that?

Ray Donovan

cupcakedan wrote: »

I don’t know where you’ve stayed in Austria but it’s not what we’ve experienced. We’ve holidayed in Donegal, Bray, Youghal & Killarney with the kids and the accommodation was rough and we paid through the nose for comfort. Kids under 16 are free for general admission at the Austrian Grand Prix. We’ve never spent more than €150 for 4 tickets. We’ve seen plenty of action for that section. Flights with Lufthansa on average about €400 & chalet €700. We’ve always gone for 11 days holiday. Car hire €400. We've done the Grossglockner, halstatt, Salzburg, Dachstein, zell am see, Kitzbühel, Krimml waterfalls, Brenner pass to name a few.

We didn’t go to Austria this year because of Covid 19 I’m heartbroken we didn’t as I love it there but I wouldn’t risk my family’s health or any one else’s over it. My son who is 5 keeps saying can we go to Austria when virus is over, that’s the sad part. I won’t be spending over €1000 for less than a week to holiday at home. I’ll save my hard earned money for when we feel safe to travel.

Ya I really feel for your 5 year old who can't go to Austria this year. God love him. Do you think he'll ever get over it? Hopefully with some counselling.

Back in the real world there are Irish children eating their dinners off plastic plates while sitting on the ground in O'Connell St.

faceman

Publication of green list delayed again

Spanish Eyes

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Ya I really feel for your 5 year old who can't go to Austria this year. God love him. Do you think he'll ever get over it? Hopefully with some counselling.

Back in the real world there are Irish children eating their dinners off plastic plates while sitting on the ground in O'Connell St.

That is pure nonsense. They may be doing it, but it is rarely because they have to. The social supports in the country are really good, but there will always be some who milk it or fall outside the help available etc.

I do realise that some children may be neglected, but at food banks and the likes, surely someone should ask WHY they are there, and get them the help that is available. And it is available.

acequion

almostover wrote: »

I've been to Austria, it ain't cheap. Formula 1 is notoriously expensive as an event to attend. I reckon if you put half the effort into booking a holiday in Ireland you would find something very reasonably priced.

What bugs me is we were all in it to suppress COVID-19 at the start. But now that the reality is dawning on us that this is going to be a sustained effort we're coming up with every excuse going to complain and try to go about our lives as we did pre-pandemic. COVID-19 is now more widespread worldwide than it ever was and people are on here clamouring to go travelling. We're not being asked to do much to keep those most vulnerable in our society safe. Practice good hygiene, wear a mask in shops, don't meet up in large crowds and don't leave the county unless absolutely necessary. It's not much to ask. We now can go out for meals and a drink and go anywhere in Ireland. Most sports are back too. There is lots to live for. The precautions are minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things.

It's a HUGE amount to ask!! I just don't get people like you who can't get that unless you're someone who never really embraced the Europe experiment.

But just to remind you that for the last 40 odd years we've been conditioned towards Europe. Conditioned to vote pre Europe in every referendum. Almost 20 years of a single currency, flights all over Europe from every small Irish airport. So hence major bonds forged by Irish people with Europe and also going back even further with the UK. And now we're told forget all that and stay at home!! And people think that we'll all get on board with this pseudo communist attitude! With no end in sight!

Well sorry but I don't. Masks, distancing, hand hygiene etc no problem at all as long as is necessary. But isolate myself indefinitely from a home and loved ones a bit further away in Europe just because our politicians are throwing a bit of a strop. Sorry,no way and those who can't get that must have never lost their bunker island mentality.

cupcakedan

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Ya I really feel for your 5 year old who can't go to Austria this year. God love him. Do you think he'll ever get over it? Hopefully with some counselling.

Back in the real world there are Irish children eating their dinners off plastic plates while sitting on the ground in O'Connell St.

I live in the real world, we don’t go out anywhere all year round. I stay at home, my husband works, we scrimp and save to give our kids a good life and a life of memories. We treasure every moment together. How dare you make little of somebody needing counseling. I was only making a point of my son remembering Austria of the memories we made. He really enjoyed the experience, but if you feel better in yourself for insulting a child or belittling them then I feel sorry for you.

lainey_d_123

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I know I will be considered a snob or something similar, but most Spanish resorts be they in Torrevieja or Benalmadena or Torre del Mar etc.are just manufactured drinking dens with a beach umbrella and Tapas.

But that's just my view. I really cannot understand the attraction, but each to their own.

Everyone is different.

Spain really needs to move their economy to embrace all the other wonderful things that country has to offer. They started with the Camino de Santiago, and more recently the Caminito del Rey, both of which I have experienced.

Then there are the wonderful cities of Vallodilid, Segovia, San Sebastian and so on, there is an endless list. It is just like tourists coming to Dublin and going straight to Temple Bar.

Times will change.

And all those places are absolutely rammed with tourists. Just because the Irish and Brits seem to love the crappy resorts doesn't mean everyone does. San Sebastian is hardly some well kept secret and neither is the Camino de Santiago, which has been around a hell of a long longer than Torremolinos!

There's always a type of person who goes on holiday to drink and sit on the beach and nothing else. There are tacky resorts in almost every hot country which cater to these people - in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, wherever. Doesn't mean there aren't plenty of other things to offer, which also bring in considerable tourist income.

votecounts

Just a quick question to those who have been abroad recently or going in the next few weeks if not on the apparent green list, did you or intend to self isolate/ restrict your movements when you come back.

Plumbthedepths

votecounts wrote: »

Just a quick question to those who have been abroad recently or going in the next few weeks if not on the apparent green list, did you or intend to self isolate/ restrict your movements when you come back.

I have a friend that's going to Dublin next week for a few days, I think he should self isolate when he comes back. My county only had one new case 2 days ago. What do you think?

votecounts

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

I have a friend that's going to Dublin next week for a few days, I think he should self isolate when he comes back. My county only had one new case 2 days ago. What do you think?

that's a no then.

Micky 32

votecounts wrote: »

that's a no then.

And you conveniently ignore his point.

Plumbthedepths

votecounts wrote: »

that's a no then.

Would you care to respond to my post?
Reason why I ask is to give you an opportunity not to climb on to what I assume is an incredibly high horse

votecounts

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Would you care to respond to my post?
Reason why I ask is to give you an opportunity not to climb on to what I assume is an incredibly high horse

my question was to do with abroad, don't know why you brought dublin in to it.

Lifelike

acequion wrote: »

I'm back tomorrow after 10 days in my own home in Spain.

I'm happy to be coming back as I'm missing loved ones in Ireland. But the kind of ignorance I read on this thread from people saying skip Spain for one year won't kill ye and listening to this Professor Skally on RTE radio news today saying if we only stopped travel we'd get to zero, we'd have life back to normal but we couldn't travel.

What part of Ireland is in Europe do people not understand? What part of freedom of movement, connectivity,openness, all the wonderful things that Europe brought to our once insular island do people not understand? And what part of people living lives in two parts of Europe with properties and loved ones in two parts as I do and many others like me, do people not understand?

For people like me connectivity is a life line. And this clever professor that says we should close down the country to get to zero and then what? If the rest of Europe and the world is still behind us do we still batten down the hatches locking people in and out? For how long exactly?

I was glad to hear Mc Grath afterwards saying no we can't close down and we can't enforce quarantine as we're in the EU. Yes ambiguous and bullshytty I agree and so typical of the crap we get from politicians in Ireland but at least people can still travel. I feel very sorry for people whose work compromises them re this restriction on return malarky. But people who are obeying this bullshyt and losing money on cancelled trips just because the Govt says that's what they must do are for the birds! It's anti travel propaganda to suit a new administration that is feeding on hysteria just so they can get their basic jobs done ie open schools and keep our uselessly funded hospitals from going under.

And somehow people think that repressing the population via media propaganda etc [we're all in this together :rolleyes:] when no other European country is daring to do so, is ok! And stigmatising those who do travel? Nothing like that here in Spain! I really am going back to that oppressive place with a very heavy heart. I remember feeling like that way back in the 80's when the church had everyone in thrall. Really what has changed?

I cannot agree more with this post, I too am getting fed up with how taboo the idea of planning travel abroad has become in this country. There is no good reason to restrict people’s freedom of movement between Ireland and other countries with a similarly low level of COVID, no more than there is a reason to restrict people’s freedom of movement to travel from one part of Ireland to another.

I have supported the government’s COVID strategy all along but not any more since this senseless further delay in the publication of the green list tonight. I strongly believe that part of the reason for the delays is the economic desire for people to take staycations, which in my opinion is completely unacceptable in a free country like Ireland. The Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain were built to restrict travel for economic reasons after all!

Dr. Scally may know a thing or two about epidemiology but he completely ignores the geopolitical realities of Ireland in his arguments. He doesn’t seem to realise the fact that we have an open border with the UK via Northern Ireland and that even if we achieved “Zero COVID” status it would likely be short-lived for that very reason. I’m glad that the government didn’t listen to him in early June when he advocated another six weeks of hard lockdown and I hope they don’t listen to him again now.

Plumbthedepths

votecounts wrote: »

my question was to do with abroad, don't know why you brought dublin in to it.

There was more recorded cases in Dublin today than where I'm travelling to next month.
So once again have you any opinion on a traveller heading to Dublin from a low case county, should they isolate on return?

votecounts

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

There was more recorded cases in Dublin today than where I'm travelling to next month.
So once again have you any opinion on a traveller heading to Dublin from a low case county, should they isolate on return?

no i dont think anyone should isolate coming from dublin and i take it you won't restrict your movements even though you may be required to do so.

UDAWINNER

votecounts wrote: »

no i dont think anyone should isolate coming from dublin and i take it you won't restrict your movements even though you may be required to do so.

you made the mistake of asking a simple question and there is people who just want a row regardless of the topic. they'll probably go abroad regardless of the case numbers and probably blame the americans for coming here.
answering the question, won't be going abroad anytime soon

Plumbthedepths

votecounts wrote: »

no i dont think anyone should isolate coming from dublin and i take it you won't restrict your movements even though you may be required to do so.

The country I'm going to has a lower positivity rate than us so once the list is published I'm grand.

Strange though you feel people coming from a high rate area should move along freely at their leisure I'm their home county. Seems your issue is Aeroplanes, big metal birds. I understand your fear. They are safe though, 40+ flights all successful Landings.

Diarmuid

Can someone explain why on one hand we expect people coming from countries like Spain and France (higher cases per population) to quarantine but then turn around and expect countries with lower cases per population to accept our citizens without a quarantine ?