Europe is open! Who's going?

[ColinJ]

"Of" or "with"? I am highly attuned to NHS stats as you know, contracting Covid-19 on a cycle tour is not something to cause me one second of worry. After all, should I be so unfortunate as to become infected then I've a 99.98% chance of not dying. I mean, I worry about cars, now and again.

I had a feeling you would come back with that!

I look on it as Russian Roulette with a 1,000-chamber gun... I know that I might get zapped by lightning when up on the tops on my bike. I do my best to avoid thunderstorms, have been caught out a couple of times, but am still prepared to take a one-in-several-million chance. If somebody put a briefcase containing £10,000 in used fivers in front of me though and said it would be mine if I played 1-in-1,000 Russian Roulette first, I would decline their generous offer!

PS I know from horrible personal experience what it feels like to be close to dying OF/WITH lungs riddled with blood clots, and since something like one third of Covid-19 deaths are caused by pulmonary embolism, I will do my best to decline coronanavirus's generous offer...

 

[ColinJ]

According to these people the current rate of infection in the UK is 14.0 per 100 000 over a 14 day average.

France is a slightly higher 17.1 and Germany is 8.7.

Let's revisit those numbers in 14 days time...

I'm seeing half the people in this town wandering around in masks and crossing the road to avoid each other. The other half seem to think it is party time!

 

[dodgy]

I had 'The Conversation' with the Husband today about going to France this summer (not necessarily touring, just on hols). He's adamant we don't go. I'm genuinely gutted today. The idea of being in the lake in Annecy with an aperol literally got me through lockdown. I'm normally pretty upbeat and grateful for my lovely life...but today I'm a little bit tearful about not going on hols.

We went through similar, we're very lucky to be able to go to Samoens every July, but not this year, even though technically we were allowed to go.
I remind myself that not having an amazing holiday sucks when you're used to it, but we still have a roof over our heads, food on the table and still working.

Make up for it next year in style. Come to Samoens and I'll buy you and husband une pression!

 

[HMS_Dave]

"Of" or "with"? I am highly attuned to NHS stats as you know, contracting Covid-19 on a cycle tour is not something to cause me one second of worry. After all, should I be so unfortunate as to become infected then I've a 99.98% chance of not dying. I mean, I worry about cars, now and again.

Well if you're going abroad to tour on a bicycle you're not just touring on a bicycle. Unless you own a private chopper or plane and can avoid the riff raff in the airports, check in and what not. But fill your boots, no one is going to stop you at the moment. All my point I'm making is that people should take more responsibility and understand it is not others carrying the virus but all of us, some of which wont even know they've got it or even had it but can be fatal to others. People are quick to blame the pub owners for the outbreak in Stone, staffs. But be as that may, didnt anybody else think when they were crammed in the bear garden about their own safety?

That is all....

 

[MarkF]

I had a feeling you would come back with that!

I look on it as Russian Roulette with a 1,000-chamber gun... I know that I might get zapped by lightning when up on the tops on my bike. I do my best to avoid thunderstorms, have been caught out a couple of times, but am still prepared to take a one-in-several-million chance. If somebody put a briefcase containing £10,000 in used fivers in front of me though and said it would be mine if I played 1-in-1,000 Russian Roulette first, I would decline their generous offer!

PS I know from horrible personal experience what it feels like to be close to dying OF/WITH lungs riddled with blood clots, and since something like one third of Covid-19 deaths are caused by pulmonary embolism, I will do my best to decline coronanavirus's generous offer...

Thought so Colin. But, the stats are there for us, NHS, ONS, regularly updated, the risk is as clear as day. I suppose it's how you are as a person that determines how you interpret the risk (like helmets), to me it's infinesimal, not something I think about. If postive tests (@HMS_Dave) correlated to hospitalisations and deaths then it'd have a different impact on me, but they don't, which is good news for all of us.

 

[steveindenmark]

I would like to come to the UK for some fish and chips. Its a bit risky at the moment though. I cant go to Ireland for Transatlantic Way. Italy would be good in September for Torino - Nice Rally. Its all a bit risky though.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Why just the UK?

Partly because in some places around here it's hard not to travel internationally: you can do it by riding on the other side of the cycleway:

Names added by me.

Just to the left is a playground: every time someone kicks their ball over the fence they have to go to Switzerland to get it back.

The Swiss/French border is a bit more obvious: at least there's a Sign:

 

[HobbesOnTour]

There are just so many issues to be weighed

What if I catch Covid?

Do I have underlying conditions?
How sick am I likely to be?
How will that affect me on a tour? Should/Can I use public transport?
Can I lay low until I'm no longer infectious and able to travel comfortably? Do I have the resources, responsibilities, time to allow or disallow for that?


Even if you're of the opinion that Covid is not a risk to you…

What if a region I'm travelling in becomes a high risk area?

How will I know?
Where will I get the correct information (in a language I understand? Google Translate is far from perfect!)
Can I continue to travel?
What will that look like in terms of facilities, shops, services etc.
What happens if I need something for my bike or a repair? Is that likely to be as hassle free as before?
Can I go home hassle free or will I have to quarantine at home.
Again, how am I set up for that in terms of work, family, finances?
What if I can't travel onwards and have to sit tight or am given x hours to leave the region or country?
Do I have local contacts where I can leave my bike and gear safely while I get home?
Do I have the resources if authorities say that I have to stay in a hotel or similar?

Even if you don't care about your own personal risk of becoming ill, it is fairly clear that by moving around unnecessarily you are a risk to others. I'm aware of the argument that Covid is really only fatal to those already seriously ill or with underlying conditions (unless of course, it mutates), but the question has to be asked - Am I comfortable possibly being a carrier?

There is also insurance to consider and just what is and is not covered.

For those pointing out that the UK government is saying it's ok to travel to X, Y and Z I'd suggest evaluating that advice in light of their overall Covid performance.

Just about every Government in the world is advising against all non-essential travel. I use the Australian govt. advice when going abroad because there are always huge numbers of Australians abroad and their advice is practical and down to earth. Their advice for every single European country is Do Not Travel.

I can't understand the urge to travel abroad at this time given the unprecedented situation we are all in. I've fecked off on tours with minimal planning to different parts of Europe without a concern - whatever happened I could deal with it. I'd have no confidence in that attitude now simply because so much is out of my control and has the potential to change so fast.

If something goes wrong the impact will be significant.

From reading accounts of people who are attempting to tour at the moment in different parts of the world the experience is very different from before. Things like getting water are difficult. Wild camping is riskier, or at least permission is more difficult to get. Shops are closed. Accommodation is limited, choices limited and more expensive.

A tour in Germany where I can't sit down for an hour or two on a terras and have my three Bs - Bratwürst, Bröt & Bier, or enjoy a fantastic French meal in a bustling brasserie or have a late, late dinner on a Spanish plaza with delicious, cheap vino tinto - and relax - is no tour to me.

There are so many wonderful places in the UK to cycle tour (or wherever you happen to be) and anything going wrong will be so much easier to deal with simply by being in your own country.

 

[robing]

Friends booked Canaries last week. No sympathy for them. They knew the risks.
Still fishy how more are dying in the UK than Spain.

Don't forget that people who booked in advance though may well have lost all their money if they didn't go.

 

[Cathryn]

Make up for it next year in style. Come to Samoens and I'll buy you and husband une pression!

Merci...best offer I've had all day

 

[Julia9054]

Le cooking in Le Rozier! So glad we decided to go away. Didn't realise just how tense I was with everything going on. All outdoors, lots of space and fresh air. Only been indoors to pop into Spar with my mask on.

 

[Milkfloat]

We have just cancelled our family trip to Portugal, we decided that the risk of getting stuck their plus the minimum 14 quarantine on our return was just not worth it. We will be losing over £600 which is annoying to say the least. On a plus note, my new bike arrived a few days ago, the weather here is looking great and we have just sorted out a Canoe Camping expedition.

 

[Julia9054]

Today's very socially distanced ride!

 

[CXRAndy]

Im looking at winter 2021 for the Canaries week away

Holidaying in the UK far more in future

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Sticking to UK this year