nirakaro wrote:Maybe I'm being over-optimistic, but from 12 April, "Self-contained accommodation … where indoor facilities are not shared with other households" will be allowed. That should cover a remote wild-camping site shouldn't it? B&Bs hopefully open by 17 May. Campsites perhaps unlikely.
Which country is that, please?
England.
The BBC coverage is linked above. Have you already got the definitive version on GOV.UK?
It does look as if it's going to be difficult to do the sort of cycle-touring I normally do, booking ahead at weekends, otherwise just turning up (especially if C&CC). I'm hoping to do a few weekends each from one campsite, which does mean I could look at hillier areas than I'd usually think about fully loaded! Maybe a week or longer using 3 campsites with a day ride in between so I feel like I've actually 'toured'. But any increase on last year's one long weekend away - though very welcome and much enjoyed - will be nice!
And abroad next year? I'm reluctant to think that far ahead really...
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.” ― Peter Golkin
Using one campsite as a base sounds like a great plan. As long as you don't arrive in the campsite from hell!
It's very difficult to assess where things are at the moment. An objective mixture of good news - basing on the number of vaccinations and trepidation about variants. Guess it's the wise move not to think that far ahead at this stage. Thought Europe would be way ahead of the game, but it seems to be a mess there at the moment.
I don't know the details on other EU countries, but after the initial delays because Astra Zeneca did not deliver the contracted quantities of vaccine doses, the Netherlands are on track to have everyone over 18 who wants to vaccinated with a first dose by early July, and two thirds of them already with a second dose. See here for daily updates: https://coronadashboard.government.nl/l ... accinaties However, there is lot that can still go wrong.
Whether international travel will be possible around that time is a different matter, of course, and will depend on actual vaccine supply and on the timing and detailed implemenation of the EU Covid passport. For people from the UK there is the additional question mark about UK participation in this EU scheme. As for myself, my wife and I have planned for two holiday periods. The first is two weeks in mid June, and that may well have to be confined to the Netherlands, although by then we will both be vaccinated with one dose, but the second will be three weeks in late July and early August. By this period we may well be able to go to France or Italy - who knows.
Exactly. I would have thought as well, that regardless of how well the vaccine supply is to an individual country, the problem now is not the indigenous population of a country, but how well that country manages tourism and the multi-national mix coming to their country. There is consternation now that 8,000 "tourists" are arriving a day in the UK - a staggering number. How many of these are tested ? And if the med opens up its borders, how many variants will be exchanged and then brought back to the country of origin. Don't want to sound pessimistic but the testing process only works best within a 10 day window, and not at the early stage or post infectious stage due to less antigens. Numbers could slip through.
I agree about testing. It is not testing that will allow more travel, but vaccination, and proof of such. Biontech/Pfizer have been utterly reliable with their supplies to the Netherlands, and have now started to supply enormous quantities. Janssen will do the same from May. And after the initial disappointments with Astra Zeneca supplies to the EU, even Astra Zeneca is now supplying far larger quantities, although still quite unreliably (so unfortunately a larger stock has to be kept in reserve).
The EU has been very aware that nobody is safe unles everybody is. So a number of the richer countries have now made a few million additional Biontech doses availble to some poor EU countries that are lagging behind because they placed almost all their bets on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Last edited by willem jongman on 6 Apr 2021, 1:40pm, edited 1 time in total.
willem jongman wrote: ↑6 Apr 2021, 1:37pm
I agree about testing. It is not testing that will allow more travel, but vaccination, and proof of such. Biontech/Pfizer have been utterly reliable with their supplies to the Netherlands, and have now started to supply enormous quantities. Janssen will do the same from May. And after the initial disappointments with Astra Zeneca supplies to the EU, even Astra Zeneca is now supplying far larger quantities, although still quite unreliably (so unfortunately a larger stock has to be kept in reserve).
The EU has been very aware that nobody is safe unles everybody is. So a number of the richer countries have now made a few million additional Biontech doses availble to some poor EU countries that are lagging behind because they placed almost all their bets on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
If vaccination and proof of such is a prerequisite to travel, then I think that is good news, but I think the response from the travel industry and individual countries is mixed:
No consistent approach at this stage. I guess the travel industry and countries that rely heavily on tourism would fear a loss in tourism if there were heavy stipulations.
Re campsites, you need to be careful (or lucky). Last year I booked a site that had toilets, wash, wash up and showers. Due to spacing 'rules' they closed the showers. Fortunately all other facilities still available. No reduction in price.
Hopefully after June 21st all facilities will be open, but any glitches could see selective facilities being closed. You can then up paying top dollar for a field and tap.
simonhill wrote: ↑6 Apr 2021, 1:52pm
Re campsites, you need to be careful (or lucky). Last year I booked a site that had toilets, wash, wash up and showers. Due to spacing 'rules' they closed the showers. Fortunately all other facilities still available. No reduction in price.
Hopefully after June 21st all facilities will be open, but any glitches could see selective facilities being closed. You can then up paying top dollar for a field and tap.
Thanks for the heads up. I was considering a few week-end jaunts so that will be something to look out for.
"No consistent approach at this stage." That depends a bit on the countries you look at. The list in that Which article consists of many distant countries, almost entirely outside the EU. The EU is not developing its Green Passport for nothing. As I wrote earlier, it will be green for those who have been vaccinated (one or two doses, and from when after vaccination?), previous Covid infection, or a negative test. The two important questions will be from when it will be implemented, and for you guys, whether the UK decides to join. The tough current German and Italian travel restrictions show that these countries mean business.
Here in the Netherlands campsites have been open all through the winter (if they were normally open) and during the warm spell in February I did indeed do a short tour to one, and spent a pleasant night there. By now the vast majority are in fact open, but current weather is not too inviting.
willem jongman wrote: ↑6 Apr 2021, 2:13pm
"No consistent approach at this stage." That depends a bit on the countries you look at. The list in that Which article consists of many distant countries, almost entirely outside the EU. The EU is not developing its Green Passport for nothing. As I wrote earlier, it will be green for those who have been vaccinated (one or two doses, and from when after vaccination?), previous Covid infection, or a negative test. The two important questions will be from when it will be implemented, and for you guys, whether the UK decides to join. The tough current German and Italian travel restrictions show that these countries mean business.
Yes, I agree with you. As well, what matters here are the EU wide, or border regulations. The which article talks about the stipulations of airlines, cruise and travel companies, but ultimately you have to abide by the EU wide or border regulations in the first instance. Hopefully the Green Passport or such like will be developed and then adopted by others, including the U.K.