Family Days Out - How We Found Travel in the "New Normal"

Family Days Out is BACK on tour, and yes, this includes a trip to the airport and travelling across an ocean in what is still considered by some to be the eye of the storm.

Travelling with a family is often never easy even without a pandemic lingering overhead.  Today, you might be overwhelmed with the endless rules, changing guidelines, pre-PCR tests, post-PCR tests, passenger forms...but what is it REALLY like to travel now we are coming to an end of 2021, and countries are slowly opening up their borders and holidays are once again a possibility?

Our Family Days Out team has made 3 international trips since travel opened up - and "open" is relative depending on the country you live in, but for some countries, travel isn't impossible.

The biggest tip we could give, is not to be overewhelmed. At first, it seems like the number of tests you need to have, and the forms you need to fill out are endless. But in fact, they aren't, depending on your vaccination status of course. For those fully vaccination (and children of those fully vaccinated), travel is easier - but that will change in due course.

For now, assuming you are fully vaccinated, just give yourself half an hour to just read the official government website of your own country, as well as the country you are travelling to.

Keep in mind the following:

- You may need to hold a negative PCR test to enter your holiday destination of choice

- You may need to fill out a passenger locator form to enter your holiday destination of choice

- You may need a PCR test AFTER you land in your holiday destination of choice (Thailand is an example of this)

- You may need a negative PCR test before you depart for your home country

- You may need to complete a passenger locator form before you depart for your home country (the UK is an example of this)

- You may need to complete a Day 2 PCR test once you land in your home country (the UK is an example of this)

But all of the information is there for you to find online.

Should you arrive at the airport and realise you have missed something, or haven't even realised that you have missed something, just remember that everyone is going through this together. There will always be someone who forgets something - and the airports and staff are very acccommodating and any forms that need to be filled out can often be done at the airport too.

Even Heathrow in the UK offer pre-flight PCR tests with 3 hour results, so even if you do forget the test itself, there might be a way to fix it last minute.

But just take your time, and read the official websites really carefully.

We found on our latest trips, it was incredibly smooth sailing in all cases! We were lucky in we saw no signs of chaos, no backed up queues for hours....make sure you carry a mask with you, and have your proof of vaccination handy just in case. Places like Germany still require you to show proof to enter all restaurants and bars.

Our conclusion? Travel has changed slightly, and it will take a while to get back on its feet, but to get away for a bit is highly worth the extra forms and testing.

Now get out and have some family fun if you can! It's been a long 18 months for everybody, so now celebrate.