Being judged for travelling in uncertain times

 I think it's safe to say 2020 has been a pretty rotten year. Many have sadly lost loved ones; hundreds of thousands of people across the world have suffered the awful effects of Covid-19, and all of us have had to endure some form of lockdown. Now that it is being eased, how comfortable are you with returning to some sort of normality, and when will you feel confident enough for travel to be part of that new normal? 

When the pandemic hit the UK back in March, I was supposed to be heading off to Portugal but my flights were cancelled just before lockdown. As I tried to make the most of the time at home, I realised how I'd have much preferred to have been locked down in Portugal! I'm lucky enough to have a little bolt-hole over there, so could easily have whiled away the time on my deck looking out to sea, instead of sitting in my garden in the North West of England.

I was also due to fly to Barbados in May and obviously that holiday was also cancelled (refund in your own time Mr Branson!) but the thought of long-haul travel didn't sit well with me anyway at that point in time, so that one will have to wait until next year - I hope! While the health and well-being of myself and others was always at the forefront of my mind, the one thing that kept me going through lockdown was the thought of a summer break. I'm sure we all felt like a change of scenery of some sort after so many weeks and months stuck at home.

 I must say, a few people were surprised I was keen to travel so soon after lockdown had been eased. I know others have been totally against anyone travelling at all. In my opinion, The Sunday Times put it perfectly recently calling it "Covitriol" - the sense that those who are travelling in uncertain times are reckless and self-indulgent, that they're letting the side down. On the contrary - my flight was quiet; I'm staying in my own place in Portugal; the rules are adhered to there with no problem (unlike my own experiences in the UK with masks and social distancing), and I saw less people on my whole break than I would have on one trip to my local supermarket back home! 

As a passionate traveller, a world without it is not something I can bear thinking about. It's such a hugely important part of my life, and it's the main reason I work so hard - to get out and discover what the world has to offer. With the exception of face masks, Portugal has felt almost normal. The parts of the country that I visit are always so quiet social distancing doesn't feel like a thing, because it's always relatively quiet! While I totally appreciate those who have been personally affected by the virus will be very timid about travelling at the moment, I believe a holiday was very important for me - not just physically but mentally. When you follow the rules and stay as safe as you can, wherever you are, can anyone really argue with the benefits travelling has on your mind and well-being? Stay safe everyone - wherever you're spending the summer!