Europe in 2021

[Dr-Snickers]

Each must make their own decision. We lost a lot on a booked holiday to NZ and Australia. In our case, taking it on the chin, will do our best to support the UK, move forward.

Of course, and we too will be spending as much time as we can in the UK this year, in our Cali. So sorry you couldn't go on what sounds like an amazing trip. My parents in law missed out on their trip of a lifetime around the Far East last Spring, so I understand just how frustrating and expensive these things can be.

I'm also very aware that trying to book UK campsites last summer, let alone other accommodation, proved quite tricky for many and that there might not be enough capacity for everyone to holiday at peak times in the UK. We also have heard some horrendous stories about inconsiderate people causing chaos for some communities who were already full up, giving the whole camper van/motorhome community a bad rep in the process.

Hopefully, we can all look forward to the adventures to come, and doing our best to be considerate to one another in the process.

 

[NessL]

Each must make their own decision. We lost a lot on a booked holiday to NZ and Australia. In our case, taking it on the chin, will do our best to support the UK, move forward.

Recommend booking with Trailfinders next time. We had a big expensive holiday booked last Easter. Full refund with no quibbles.

 

[GSX1300R]

Recommend booking with Trailfinders next time. We had a big expensive holiday booked last Easter. Full refund with no quibbles.

Unfortunately Brittany Ferries’s don’t look at the refund system the same way as package holiday companies. However you book with them you are going to lose at least a quarter up to the Full amount.
Luckily we had travel insurance so if the worst comes to the worst we won’t lose everything just the excess.

 

[66tim99]

What happens to those who booked a holiday LAST year then because they couldn’t go and faced losing their money then moved it on to 2021. Now face losing their money again or moving it on to 2022 or maybe 2023. Or........

Yes just decided to rebook a 2020 Egypt diving holiday for the last week of August...they already have my deposit so nothing to lose. Fingers crossed.

 

[JunglieD]

Just booked the following for school summer holiday - there’ll be plenty of UK weekends too, but keeping everything crossed that this goes ahead although I recognise it’s a shot in the dark:

1) Poole-Cherbourg return
2) 6-nights in the Vendee (Camping La Garangeoire)
3) 8-nights in the Dordogne (Les Gorges du Chambon)

 

[Romke]

The Covid situation will dictate where we can go but i’d want to explore both home AND abroad and I’m sure many of our EU friends will want to visit the UK if allowed. (Even if they can’t bring their fromage et jambon baguettes with them).

Don't think so. And it's not Covid-related.
Up to now I've been able to travel to the UK with my European ID card, a European driving license and my EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
If I want to travel to the UK now I will have to buy an expensive passport, try to figure out where I can find an international driving license, spend money on travel insurance, and I’m not even sure if I can go to the UK with our dog.

 

[GSX1300R]

Don't think so. And it's not Covid-related.
Up to now I've been able to travel to the UK with my European ID card, a European driving license and my EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
If I want to travel to the UK now I will have to buy an expensive passport, try to figure out where I can find an international driving license, spend money on travel insurance, and I’m not even sure if I can go to the UK with our dog.

Yes but these are things that brits have been doing all along, apart from the International driving license. Our passports are last time I looked £75.
Travel insurance and breakdown costs us £12.50 a month. We still have the EHIC card but that’s just a backup. The cat stays at home....

 

[Velma's Dad]

Recommend booking with Trailfinders next time. We had a big expensive holiday booked last Easter. Full refund with no quibbles.

+1 for Trailfinders. We had a trip booked with them last year and they immediately refunded when it became clear it was a no-go. Have used them a couple of times and found them excellent. I hope they survive and come out the other end of the pandemic.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Yes but these are things that brits have been doing all along, apart from the International driving license. Our passports are last time I looked £75.
Travel insurance and breakdown costs us £12.50 a month. We still have the EHIC card but that’s just a backup. The cat stays at home....

Not really a valid comparison IMO. As a Brit, if I want to take my Cali touring outside my own country - okay other than in Ireland - I'll have to get all those docs arranged, I have no choice. If like Romke I lived in say France or the NL or Germany I still have 30 other countries inside the single market area that I can jump in the van and hang out in without any of that palaver. So in future I'd be less likely to consider the UK as a destination for a short break with the van, or even maybe a longer one.

 

[GSX1300R]

Not really a valid comparison IMO. As a Brit, if I want to take my Cali touring outside my own country - okay other than in Ireland - I'll have to get all those docs arranged, I have no choice. If like Romke I lived in say France or the NL or Germany I still have 30 other countries inside the single market area that I can jump in the van and hang out in without any of that palaver. So in future I'd be less likely to consider the UK as a destination for a short break with the van, or even maybe a longer one.

Everyone has the choice where they want to go in normal times.But these are far from normal in many ways and the UK not being in Europe is only one of them. Everyone whether you travel to the UK from Europe or to Europe from the UK has to expect from now on and probably for a number of years there will be more red tape and more costs..The joys of travel..

 

[Wongo]

I suggest all UK residents holiday in the UK this year. What ever side one is on re the European Question British businesses have taken a hammering over the last 12 months. They and the UK economy really need our support in 2021, those across the sea

Everyone has the choice where they want to go in normal times.But these are far from normal in many ways and the UK not being in Europe is only one of them. Everyone whether you travel to the UK from Europe or to Europe from the UK has to expect from now on and probably for a number of years there will be more red tape and more costs..The joys of travel..

UK not in Europe? Wheres my atlas?

 

[Velma's Dad]

UK not in Europe? Wheres my atlas?

No we're a mid-Atlantic freewheeling geo-political powerhouse now, part of a trading bloc with St Helena and Tristan da Cunha, didn't you get the memo?

 

[Romke]

If like Romke I lived in say France or the NL or Germany I still have 30 other countries inside the single market area that I can jump in the van and hang out in without any of that palaver. So in future I'd be less likely to consider the UK as a destination for a short break with the van, or even maybe a longer one.

Exactement! If I need a passport I have to take a train to Paris, pay 300 euros at the embassy and take the train back. All for just one country. Not worth it!
(And FYI: my wife is a British national and we have family and friends in the UK.)

 

[Romke]

No we're a mid-Atlantic freewheeling geo-political powerhouse now, part of a trading bloc with St Helena and Tristan da Cunha, didn't you get the memo?

And don't forget the Albania deal!

 

[WelshGas]

Exactement! If I need a passport I have to take a train to Paris, pay 300 euros at the embassy and take the train back. All for just one country. Not worth it!
(And FYI: my wife is a British national and we have family and friends in the UK.)

Welcome to the Real world.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Exactement! If I need a passport I have to take a train to Paris, pay 300 euros at the embassy and take the train back. All for just one country. Not worth it!
(And FYI: my wife is a British national and we have family and friends in the UK.)

I wonder... how many nationals of EU countries don't actually have a passport. Obviously it's quite a large proportion but how many of the Cali-owning community? Really interesting question I'd be wanting the answer to if I was running VisitBritain.

(Years back there was a similar question doing the rounds about how many Americans didn't hold a passport. Turns out it's really hard to get any reliable estimate on that, although figures of about 40% being passport holders seems credible.)

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Don't think so. And it's not Covid-related.
Up to now I've been able to travel to the UK with my European ID card, a European driving license and my EHIC (European Health Insurance Card).
If I want to travel to the UK now I will have to buy an expensive passport, try to figure out where I can find an international driving license, spend money on travel insurance, and I’m not even sure if I can go to the UK with our dog.

Do you have no aspirations to see the big wide world outside of the EU Romke? You’d need all of the things you mention.

 

[WelshGas]

No we're a mid-Atlantic freewheeling geo-political powerhouse now, part of a trading bloc with St Helena and Tristan da Cunha, didn't you get the memo?

You forgot these Countries.

 

[andyinluton]

I read the 3rd on that list as the Cali Forum Trade Bloc.

 

[GSX1300R]

UK not in Europe? Wheres my atlas?

Mainland Europe..is not the UK.

 

[GSX1300R]

Mainland Europe..is not the UK.

But hey ho....

 

[WelshGas]

Mainland Europe..is not the UK.

I beg to Disagree. Europe by International Convention is a Continent and includes the UK and Iceland.

Europe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[GSX1300R]

I beg to Disagree. Europe by International Convention is a Continent and includes the UK and Iceland.

Europe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I should have said EU. Not Europe.

 

[Jayne.L]

I don’t get it why people have to find fault with others on here. Surely we’re all in this together and a bit of friendship goes a long way.

 

[Vagophile]

I wouldn't get too excited about holidays in 2021.
Quote from Jonathan Van Tam yesterday "The more elaborate your summer holiday plans, the more likely that you will have to cancel them"