The measures taken because of Corona are slowly but surely being relaxed everywhere. In the Netherlands, hotels, holiday parks and campsites open their doors. A holiday abroad also seems to be a possibility this summer. Where will your journey go now that the borders are slowly opening again?
In February, Europe was taken by surprise by a huge increase in Corona or Covid-19. Where everyone at first thought that things would not go so smoothly, we in Europe were suddenly confronted with all kinds of measures in March. From advice not to travel abroad to the ban on traveling any longer.
It did not only affect the Netherlands. It started in Italy and spread like an oil slick across Europe. Suddenly countries were locked, the airspace was virtually closed and tourists were stranded in all kinds of places worldwide. The travel industry had all its hands full trying to get stranded travelers home.
We are now a few months further and due to all the strict measures, countries worldwide are relaxing the measures. Hotels, holiday parks and campsites in our own country are now allowed to open their doors to guests again. The catering industry and further relaxation will follow in June (if everything continues to go well). Zoos and amusement parks are also gradually reopening to the public.
Not only is much more allowed in our own country, the rules are also being relaxed in other countries. In addition, the borders are opening cautiously everywhere and there is hope that we can travel again this summer. Countries like Greece and Turkey can't wait to welcome tourists again.
We had been looking forward to it so much:our first trip together as a family in 6 years. The children are now adults, but really wanted to travel with them. We had secretly selected a nice destination, they only knew the date and that it would be warm there. Warmth and sun was a must for me, as I had a major vitamin D deficiency. In addition, I am simply a lover of sun and heat (sorry, I can't get used to the Dutch climate!). Not surprising if you have lived in Suriname for 13 years.
After a lot of searching, deliberation and especially keeping an eye on all offers, we hoped to be able to go on holiday in mid-March. It would be Cape Verde. Six days, nice sun, sea and above all rest. Our package holiday (hotel and tickets) were booked, my new suitcase with imprint was ready (not yet packed). My daughter had already packed her suitcase. I was so proud of the suitcase:my own logo prominently displayed, so that everyone could get to know my lifestyle magazine. If the suitcase had to be in the hold, I would quickly recognize it too.
Shopping had also been done:in addition to the suitcase, I had also had a towel personalised. Also with logo and the text:reserved (in English). I could already imagine it:towel on a beach chair by the hotel pool where no one could take my place anymore.
Unfortunately, it all turned out differently. A few days before Rutte announced that the advice was to stay at home as much as possible and to travel only if it was absolutely necessary, my husband was told that he was no longer allowed to travel abroad as a healthcare staff. No advice or a question, but a complete ban.
Well, there went our hard earned vacation. No heat, no sun, no Africa and, above all, not relaxing and boosting my vitamin D level. No, we had to stay at home. For a while we still had the hope that I could go away with the children, but unfortunately, he didn't.
It is now mid-May and due to all the efforts worldwide, the number of infections seems to be decreasing rapidly. This means that countries are looking at a relaxation of the measures taken. These are initially looked at per country. In addition, many countries are also looking to see if there are opportunities to receive tourists again.
Not surprising when you consider that many countries depend on income from the travel industry. In this country, many entrepreneurs are already complaining about the loss of income and countless companies are going out of business. But suppose you live in a country like Greece or on a Caribbean island. These countries are completely dependent on what the tourists bring in. The whole economy revolves around it. And suddenly all income disappears. If you are still a rich country and can absorb the blows then the damage is not that bad, but in these countries this is not the case. That is why it would only be good for those countries if the borders were completely opened and everyone can travel freely again.
Because there are changes every day, it is sometimes difficult for us to keep track of which rules are being relaxed. If you want to go on holiday, a staycation in your own country seems to be a very good solution for the time being. You don't have to be bored:you can spend a night, a day out, explore cities and, for example, take the children to the beach. Plenty to do, especially when the catering industry opens their doors again soon.
If you still want to travel, you can see exactly which country is open, to whom and which measures apply via the ANWB travel guide. That way you know where you stand.
Well, our journey did not continue. We have been compensated for this, but what are we actually going to do next? Let me start by saying that I am in dire need of a vacation. Yes, it is warmer now (well, not really the past few days), the sun shines more often (alternating with rain showers and a lot of wind), but still. I'm just ready for a change of scenery, doing nothing and above all enjoying.
Grab my personalized shopper, put your swimsuit in it and go to the beach to go snorkeling. Or take that coveted surf lesson, for example. My camera is ready, my action cam ditto. No, I'm all set.
The children also need a different environment. It should not be underestimated:young people have now been in the house for weeks and also felt very limited. It's hard for adults, but even more so for teens and young adults. They are full of energy and prefer to meet up with friends as often as possible… And suddenly nothing is allowed and they have to sit at home. Studying together is only possible via the internet and even a boring study lesson suddenly seems like heaven on earth. Because anything is better than sitting at home.
We are therefore ready for a holiday. BUT, at the moment we don't dare to book a holiday. Not only because there is no prospect of future measures yet, but also because we do not know whether we would be compensated if the trip was canceled again. A holiday with four adults is not cheap and we do not want to spend that money just like that. So we have to wait a little longer and hope that we can still go out. If not, we will look into the possibility of celebrating a holiday in our own country.
Now the question arises:is travel necessary and where are you going? Do you already dare to book a trip or would you rather wait a year? Or have you booked a trip for later in the year and are you still looking at the cat out of the tree?
