My
husband and I became proud owners of a Motor Home two years ago and
quickly discovered the joys of travelling, with all its freedom of
movement and a life lived mostly outside. We have travelled with our
little dog to France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and Morocco. We have
been amazed by stunning mountains and coastlines and enjoyed that
most wonderful of things – sunshine.
Earlier
this year we drove to Marbella in Southern Spain and then slowly
made our way up the Mediterranean coast in ignorant bliss of the
growing Covid-19 pandemic. We'd heard about a virus in China from
short snatches of news on the BBC but had no idea how serious it was
and most of the focus at home was on 'Get Brexit Done.'
After
our last campsite in Northern Spain, we travelled back through France
to our ferry crossing in Caen, increasingly puzzled by the many large
signs above the autoroute saying Corona Virus
with a radio station frequency.
Just
one week after our return, Lockdown was declared but by then we knew
how dangerous this nasty little virus was. We had already booked our
next travels to Morocco at the end of May, where we were looking
forward to two fabulous concerts showcasing Morocco's Gnawa Music.
Of
course, that's not going to happen now and, instead, we have offered
the use of our Motor Home for any key worker needing a safe haven.
Like
everyone in the world, we are hoping for an effective and safe
vaccine so that life can resume. But we want a new way of life where
climate change is tackled seriously, where people will continue to
look after each other and where the NHS is properly funded.
Naturally,
we'd like to resume our travels but we're wondering how long it will
be before countries feel safe enough to open their borders and when
they do, what kind of reception will we get? Even with proof of
vaccination, will we be viewed with suspicion?
And in
tourist areas within the UK, how keen will residents be at the
prospect of an influx of holiday-makers given the large numbers of
unwanted visitors who are shamefully disobeying the Government's
travel rules and putting the lives of locals at risk.
The
future is uncertain but it could, in the long term, be a better
future. And since I'm an optimist, I suspect that travellers will be
welcomed back because we may well be the ones to help kick-start
their economies.
