Should You Travel Right Now? Here's What I Can Tell You

 

I'm just back from a month backpacking trip around Europe, in April, the concept of even leaving your house seemed like an impossibility, the travel plans that I had planned this summer had to be cancelled completely and back then, I didn't know the next time I'd be leaving the UK. At the end of July I had decided that I wanted to spend my summer break backpacking so I could get a change in scenery and I'm sure loads of people will be wanting to go somewhere, but there is a lot to be thinking about. 

What must first be addressed is whether or not it is the right thing to travel right now, the answer is yes, but you need to consider where you will be going and understand the restrictions put in place. On the UK government website, there is a list of countries you can visit that is deemed safe by the government and you won't be required to self-isolate once you go there or when you come back. 

Many will ask how it is to travel right now? From my experience, it was fine, everywhere I went there were reasonable restrictions set in place to control the pandemic. Almost everywhere, you will be asked to wear a mask in public areas, not be in huge groups and use hand sanitiser at every opportunity. When I was in Italy, everywhere I went I had my temperature checked and in Germany, every place where I would sit in public such as a pub, I was required to provide my name and phone number. Apart from that travelling in some European countries feels more or less normal. 

However, I think you need to consider that you won't get the full experience in some places. When I went to Berlin, a few museums were closed and going out to bars didn't feel like the proper experience. During my time there, a protest took place against the restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the virus and begging for so-called "freedom." I can only lambast the idiots who attended the protest, but also the politicians who did nothing to stop it from taking place. Huge gatherings like this is hugely irresponsible and also dangerous. 

So, is it a good idea to get somewhere? Absolutely, if you make sure to stay safe, it means that you are putting money into local economies and you will be helping businesses such as eateries, hostels and the travel industry in general. I had noticed that in places such as Italy, Austria and Poland, their economies had been hit hard and many local businesses had suffered due to lack of tourism. 

If you're planning to fly out, make sure you are aware of the requirements in travelling to certain countries, you will most likely be reminded in an email from your airline and they will tell you what you need. When I was flying to Italy, I was told that I must print out a form that will be checked by the immigration authorities, however when I showed up at the gate, the airline was giving out spare forms and when I arrived in Italy, the immigration officers didn't look at it.

When coming back to the UK, you are also obligated to complete a passenger locator form online, this can be found on gov.uk. The form requires your contact details, the countries you visited and your permanent address and when you land back in the UK, you will be required to show an immigration officer the QR code on your form. 

That's all I can really say in terms of advice on travelling right now, whether or not you should travel is ultimately up to you and I am more than certain that things will change. Hopefully for the better...