When we can finally travel overseas ...

To Europe to see my family!!! I miss them so much! In the past 30 years my cousin and I have never gone more than 2 years without seeing each other and it'll be 4 years soon because we both had to postpone/cancel trips me pre covid and her due to covid. We're very fortunate but gee I miss everything about there, and I'm so homesick

Could they stop you from travelling there once you’re out of the country though?

They might restrict you getting back into Oz but they wouldn’t be able to outright refuse entry to an Australian citizen though...

Good question. I was just basing my answer on what is normally listed on the DFAT site - the different levels, like essential travel only, reconsider your need to travel, use caution etc. But you're right, I don't think they could actually stop anyone from going. And it would be easy enough to use an intermediate country to transit through.

I was also thinking that it might depend on what the other countries do too. So say as an Australian you're permitted to go to New Zealand but not the USA (just as an example). But NZ allows travelers from the USA (again, just an example), so you can be coming into contact with them in NZ and then you return to Australia.

It is complicated!

But if you have to go through passport control to enter a forbidden country wouldn't that come up when you return? And they will put you in a quarantine hotel for 14 days at your expense? That could be a real deterrent.

But if you have to go through passport control to enter a forbidden country wouldn't that come up when you return? And they will put you in a quarantine hotel for 14 days at your expense? That could be a real deterrent.

When I've traveled overseas previously, a lot of countries don't stamp passports, and if you don't require a visa, there's no way to know that you've been in that country - is there? I don't actually know. Does Australia get notified when a passport holder enters another country?

Last May we were due to set off on our 3 week holiday to Scotland to see DH's family as some of them have not met DS. Covid happened, found out I was pregnant with DD, DH's grandfather in Scotland died.... so a lot has changed, but it's the first place we want to go and hopefully we can soon, especially since Granny isn't doing too well without Grandad. She lives in hope that she can cuddle her great grandies before she goes.

We have rebooked our European river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam for December this year. I doubt we are going so will rebook again for April 2022 and then September 2022

Same - we had our honeymoon river cruise from Paris to Prague booked in May 2020, then Oct 2020, then May 2021. I'm hoping for May 2023 now.

We have rebooked our European river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam for December this year. I doubt we are going so will rebook again for April 2022 and then September 2022

Same - we had our honeymoon river cruise from Paris to Prague booked in May 2020, then Oct 2020, then May 2021. I'm hoping for May 2023 now.

May is meant to be a beautiful time to go. I hope yo make it

But if you have to go through passport control to enter a forbidden country wouldn't that come up when you return? And they will put you in a quarantine hotel for 14 days at your expense? That could be a real deterrent.

 

When I've traveled overseas previously, a lot of countries don't stamp passports, and if you don't require a visa, there's no way to know that you've been in that country - is there? I don't actually know. Does Australia get notified when a passport holder enters another country?

Yeah I have been to some countries with no stamps to show it, I actually like the stamps so was annoyed I didn't get them

Home to Ireland or possibly Vancouver Island to see the in-laws.

Gosh this thread has popped up again. I was hoping to go to Japan next Jan (2022) but I think that is a pipe dream now. Maybe Jan 2023.

We have rebooked our European river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam for December this year. I doubt we are going so will rebook again for April 2022 and then September 2022

Same - we had our honeymoon river cruise from Paris to Prague booked in May 2020, then Oct 2020, then May 2021. I'm hoping for May 2023 now.

 

May is meant to be a beautiful time to go. I hope yo make it

Thanks - which company are you going with?

What are your thoughts on going in Sep 22?

Same - we had our honeymoon river cruise from Paris to Prague booked in May 2020, then Oct 2020, then May 2021. I'm hoping for May 2023 now.

 

May is meant to be a beautiful time to go. I hope yo make it

Thanks - which company are you going with?

What are your thoughts on going in Sep 22?

We are meant to be going with APT or travel marvel. Still booked in for Christmas markets APT this year for my fathers 75th.

If that cancels then we will book for Budapest to Amsterdam Easter 2022 for the tulips, then try September 2022.

September is a great time to do Europe as it’s not as busy and the weather is still warm and pleasant.

As for when we will be able to travel, well with the ways the virus is spreading and mutation is happening, it’s anyone’s guess.

At this rate, anywhere outside my immediate surroundings looks appealing.

My youngest and I were meant to go to Mexico before the pandemic, so maybe there to start (with a direct flight the Riviera Maya is only about 4hrs away).

Based on the current advise and predictions we have just cancelled our December 2021 European river cruise but rebooked for December 2022 with travel marvel.

Let’s hope 4th time lucky!

It seems we are not alone as our travel agent and travel marvel were flat out taking cancellations and rebookings since the announcement the other night.

We are going to New Zealand in a months time.

Where I want to go... Canada to see relatives.

Where we would more likely be able to go one day SEAsia, maybe Vietnam - they have had a good COVID response...

NZ would also be great, or a Pacific Island...

Italy all the way! My partner had a win about a month ago. Unexpectedly. And a chunk of it put away for when we can do it

Given it is now likely to be end of next year before we can go O/S it may be either Europe (for the third time with kids) (because we will be desperate to see family and friends again), the US/Canada/Central America (which, pre-covid was our Next Big Trip) or Japan (if airfares are wild).

At this rate, anywhere outside my immediate surroundings looks appealing.

My youngest and I were meant to go to Mexico before the pandemic, so maybe there to start (with a direct flight the Riviera Maya is only about 4hrs away).

You're in Canada I think? On our last o/s trip we did Canada and Cuba, and i was surprised at the number of people surprised at the combo. Made perfect sense to me with Cuba less than four hours from Toronto.

Fucking Australia!

I aín't propping up another country's tourism $$$ when my own needs it.

I do agree with this so much.. love travelling here. But we have a lot to learn about service and god knows we know how to charge

Much of the tourism industry has been built on the back of backpackers, who absolutely love the opportunity of several months of ordinary paid casual work. In the Kimberley I heard mutterings about 1,000 vacancies which can't be filled. Jobs that will be gone within months, and then what? Not to mention the fact that there is zero accommodation available to people.

Added to that, sudden border closures mean that some operators are not investing in things that require considerable outlay/insurance, and can then be left sitting idle if borders are closed. e.g Helicopters, hovercraft.

This is from personal conversations with people in the area. Car companies sold off many of their vehicles, so it's not always easy to get car hire . Accommodation is often full because locals go 'to support the tourism industry' but don't' necessarily spend big on the 'once in a lifetime opportunities'.

At this rate, anywhere outside my immediate surroundings looks appealing.

My youngest and I were meant to go to Mexico before the pandemic, so maybe there to start (with a direct flight the Riviera Maya is only about 4hrs away).

 

You're in Canada I think? On our last o/s trip we did Canada and Cuba, and i was surprised at the number of people surprised at the combo. Made perfect sense to me with Cuba less than four hours from Toronto.

I am. That combo makes perfect sense, especially since you generally cannot travel to Cuba from the US.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the rental car industry since a number of companies have sold off parts of their fleets. Now that people are traveling again in some places, car rental rates have skyrocketed. I saw an article discussing Hawaii (IIRC) where what used to be the weekly cost is now the daily rental amount.

Fucking Australia!

I aín't propping up another country's tourism $$$ when my own needs it.

 

I do agree with this so much.. love travelling here. But we have a lot to learn about service and god knows we know how to charge

I've found any country with comparable pay rates and standards of living to be pretty much the same.

It's only places that have low standards of living for their residents - who'd never hope to be able to afford to travel here - who have what we call 'cheap' holidays.

I've found any country with comparable pay rates and standards of living to be pretty much the same.

It's only places that have low standards of living for their residents - who'd never hope to be able to afford to travel here - who have what we call 'cheap' holidays.

The cost of actually traveling around in other comparable countries can be a lot cheaper, though (or at least it used to be). Train travel in Europe and some countries like Japan is much more affordable than long distance train travel here - obviously distance plays a big part, but I'd say you get better value, say, traveling around Europe by train because so much is concentrated in such a small area. In Australia, you pay a lot more to see a lot less. Same for flights.

Five years ago, we spent $6000 taking our then family of four for 2 weeks in Japan (thanks to Jetstar for half price flights!) We would really struggle to do any kind of holiday in Australia for 2 weeks for much less than that.

I will probably be going to Russia with my boyfriend to see his family. He is really homesick atm.

[mention]TeaCat[/mention] yes, so true. We’ve been pondering Vancouver island to visit family with much hilarity occasioned by the “and it’s only a 14 hour flight!” Because to get beck to Ireland it’s a 14 hour flight THEN a 7 hour flight, so yeah, a 14 hour flight is fine.

Flying from London to Istanbul takes about the same amount of time as flying from Sydney to Perth. Australia is so big and empty compared with other parts of the world.