Like you have been a bit up and down. Lockdown was hard as I live in a flat without a garden. It was great when things relaxed and I was able to have socially distanced meetings with family and friends.

A trip to Lake Como in June had to be postponed until next year. A friend and I have a holiday to Cuba booked for November with Travelsphere but we are not sure if this will go ahead. We would be travelling from Edinburgh to Paris on the way out and coming back via Amsterdam! Not prepared to risk quarantine. Hopefully we can  postpone until next year.   

Fingers crossed that we do not go back into lockdown.

Take care

Lesley

Very pleased to hear you’re well, if a little bored !

Fortunately for me I’m a bit of a sports nut, so the resumption of Formula 1 (yes I know it’s tedious and predictable at the moment, but you never know), World snooker, horse racing etc.. has been a very welcome distraction. Football has left me cold since it’s return though.

I have 2 future bookings, Australia in Feb and Uganda in June. Like you I have serious doubts about Feb.

Questionable vaccine delivery, 3 very serious Family health issues (non Covid, but worse) and a possible pacemaker replacement could all scupper my planned travel arrangements, so I find it hard to get my hopes up too much. Mind you I’ve always had a ‘glass half empty’ mindset ! :-)

I’m sure I speak for many when I say this sorry state has taught me one lesson and that is to get out and enjoy things while and when you can. As Covid proved you just don’t know what’s round the corner, so go for it while you’re fit and able.

Here endeth the lesson .. :-)

Take care one and all.

Roger

In answer to your question (thanks for asking BTW) I’m keeping well and, like you, am missing my holidays. I did have a holiday to India booked with another company in March which obviously got cancelled but I got a refund after a bit of a fight.

I’ve nothing else booked for the remainder of this year or for next year as I’m waiting for things to settle down a bit before taking the plunge. I’ve plenty of countries to visit on my ‘bucket list’ so having no travel plans in place is very disappointing. However, I was lucky enough to go gorilla trekking in Uganda back in January (seems ages ago now) so at least I’ve been away this year, unlike so many people who have been left disappointed by the inevitable cancellation of their holidays.

I hope your holidays to South Africa and the French/Italian Riviera go ahead. I went to South Africa back in 2012; it was a fabulous holiday - my first ever time with JY - and I’ve been lucky enough to travel far and wide with them many times since then.

Let’s all hope for a brighter future and in the meantime, stay safe.

All the best

Mike

Hello everyone,

It's understandably very quiet on here and I wondered how everyone it. I know many of us are missing our holidays but I live in hope of better things to come.

How are you all getting on? I'm OK, I have moments of loneliness and boredom as well as wondering if this will ever end, but I find that the good weather helps a lot. I hope all fellow travellers (or would-be travellers) and JY staff are well, it must be hard for you to have to keep cancelling holidays rather than taking bookings from excited travellers.

Does anyone have anything booked for next year? At the moment I have South Africa in February and the French and Italian Riviera in May, I'd like to think they will both go ahead but I admit I do have my doubts about the S.Africa one, but I can only wait and see.

Fingers crossed for travelling again in 2021, stay safe and well all.

Rose

Hi Rose

I was looking at South Africa for February 2021 to celebrate my 50th birthday.  I didn’t book as I couldn’t decide between South Africa, Costa Rica or Canada. It now looks like I’ll be home alone with not even a wet weekend in Blackpool to look forward to ☹️.

Hopefully your South Africa trip will go ahead, who knows what will happen but the months are flying by.

I really hope Just You bring out some more UK ?? breaks that aren’t walking trips, I would book straight away.

Stay safe

Sarah

Glad you, end everyone else who has replied, are well and getting through this terrible pandemic.

Like Lesley I used to live in a flat with no garden so feel for all in that situation. These days I live on the Isle of Wight which was fairly well cut off with many cross Solent routes suspended/restricted for the duration.

During lockdown I have been updating/preparing various illustrated talks I give to photographic etc groups so whilst not travelling I have at least been able to re-live past travels.

I was due to travel to Andalucia last March but suffice to say that was pulled at the 11th hour and I have now put that forward to next March. Flights are due to be with BA from Gatwick but as BA have said they intend to pull out of Gatwick we will wait and see on that one.

Other than that I have 2 South Africa trips for 2021. I was due to do "Sun and Safari" in October but have carried that forward to February 2021 (is this the one you are on Rose?) with "Experience SA" in October 2021.

Fingers crossed we get back to some semblance of normality soon. Interest rates are pathetic so I can't wait to spend some money to help the struggling economies of those places that rely on tourism money.

Stay safe all and hope we can get back to travel before too long.

As a final note a word about the staff at JY. I have spoken to people there at different times when they have cancelled or a trip has been re-arranged. They have been as helpful and nice as ever even when being the bearers of bad newd. Well done people and I hope that you also come out of this safe and sound - and employed!

Ian

Regarding my gorilla trekking holiday, I wrote a piece which appears in the section ‘Share your Travel Tips’. I was careful not to write a review of my tour as such because I went with another travel company, having booked up long before JY brought out their excellent looking itinerary.

Anyway, it’s entitled ‘Uganda Thoughts & Memories’ and you’ll find it in page 1 of the travel tips section. If my piece inspires you to consider JY’s Gorillas in the Mist tour, post-coronavirus, I’d be very happy to answer any questions you may have,

Cheers & all the best

Mike

This is the first time I have been on the forum since lockdown begun back in March 

I too was lucky to get my winter rockies tour in with JY back in January which I truly loved, I was due to go to New Zealand to celebrate a friends 60th with another company in April/May with another company which was cancelled and then pushed on to next year, I also have Canada east to west with JY set for Sept 2021

I live in a ground floor flat and get depressed with all this especially when we couldn't even travel more than 5 miles here in Wales, fortunately I work in a hospital so have worked throughout though I did like many of us there at the time Pick up covid and was off work just under 3 weeks, high temp no taste or smell no appetite for several days sweats shivers it was horrible especially living on ur own no visitors was also tested positive, most of the time I was lying on the sofa with no energy and feeling lowsy

That was April into May coincidentally the exact time span we should have been in NZ

Being a sport person I missed the climax to the football season so was delighted when it resumed in June and getting cricket back too was a bonus for me along with some tennis, I had a couple of concerts called off too well 3 in total rescheduled for next year

Like everyone else who I hope are all well as other parts of the country are much worst off than us so let's prey this virus eventually moves off though a full recovery of our lives mat still be some way off

Take care all

Dave

I have not been able to get on the Forum for some time as have been a bit busy. I still work full time and cannot wait for my retirement in 2 years time. I am having to work till 66 before I get my State pension. I have been working from home since March and I doubt very much if we will be going back to the office any time this year. Things are going to be very different. I miss travel and cannot wait to start travelling again to support the tourism industry and all those who work in it. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed that my June Gorilla trip goes ahead as I have been looking forward to it for a very long time. I am not getting any younger and the trek is not an easy one so I rather do this trip sooner than later. Time will tell but I live in hope. Let us all be very positive and I am sure good things wwill happen. It feels as if I have lost a year in travel and will have to make uip for this. Obviously whilst I am working, I can only have so much holiday but when I retire then the world is my oyster!

Stay safe everyone. If we all follow the guidelines then we can get rid of the virus soon.

Kind regards

Jaya

I do not mind retirement age being pushed back, but I do mind that despite having to work longer we are not going to get the same pension as those who retired at 60 a few years ago. All we are now going to get is a flat rate, which is not much. Never mind, life does not treat everyone the same! You were lucky you were not born a month later! Let us all hope we can start travelling again as I personally am having withdrawal symptoms. Take care

Regards

Jaya

How are you seems along time since we last met, would be nice to hear from you? 

Julie

Am booked for Lyon in December but can’t believe it will happen as so many Christmas markets etc are being cancelled.  Not to worry, I am fit and enjoying catching up with house jobs and the garden and now we can meet people life is more sociable. 

Hope you are all feeling optimistic and that we will soon be attaching our luggage labels again.

Well I decided to finish my relationship in November last year.

So am looking forward to starting my journey for holidays with just you 2021,2 holidays I fancy are, 

Canada mountaineers, and Barcelona. any advice as when to go would be appreciated.

Julie 

Lindau

Hi, I started going on holiday with just you in September 2013 loved costa del la lux, my first, then I met a man, stopped going on holiday with the gang I’d met on many just you holidays taking me to some gorgeous places, Spain, America Canada, 

Well I decided to finish my relationship in November last year.

So am looking forward to starting my journey for holidays with just you 2021,2 holidays I fancy are, 

Canada mountaineers, and Barcelona. any advice as when to go would be appreciated.

Julie 

Lindau

Canadian mountains are fabulous.  We had a ride on the Rocky Mountaineer train, a trip across to Vancouver Island; Banff, Lake Louise, so many other highlights. Hotels were great, Tour Manager great.  The whole experience worth every penny.

Went to Barcelona on the Catalonia Holiday and had an amazing time.  Shall never forget the train ride along the mighty Med.  it was the week of the German Beer Festival and as a teatotala I had mixed feelings but it was fantastic.  Oompa bands marching along the streets, an evening to listen to the bands. The whole town in Festival mood.   Great fun.  

Have been on about 15 JY holidays and enjoyed them all.

Where ever you choose I hope you have a great time, it will be soooooooo good to be free to travel again.

I've postponed my South Africa Trip yet again, thank you JY for your patience!

I originally booked for September 2020  but, of course, that never happened, I moved it to February 2021 but that's looking very unlikely so I've now moved it to September 2021. At the moment I'm hopeful that I will be able to go, but who knows! Otherwise I'll perhaps transfer it to a couple of European holidays as I feel they may go ahead before others.

I've loved every one of my holidays with JY and I've met some lovely people, some of whom I still keep in touch with, it really did change my life when I took that huge step and booked my first trip :-)

It's been an awful year for so many people, for so many reasons and I'm grateful to be safe and well and I know I will travel again one day, I am luckier than many.

Stay safe and well everyone and here's to travelling in 2021!

Rose

Hi Rose!  Yes, I think we all feel like this, but the only thing is that when JY holidays come back,  and as I have saved so much money by having so many trips cancelled, I shall upgrade to everything next time and really spoil myself.  Even without upgrades, JY holidays are brilliant and have been wonderful for me over the last four years.  Those poor TM's though, all over the world and the JY staff must be suffering and worried too, but just to let them know, we worry about them and their loved ones too and I hope JY can keep going despite everything.  At least the news tonight is about an effective vaccine, so we must all stay positive, - but it is hard!  Thanks for posting Rose.  It was hard to know what to say after the second lockdown, but you cracked it, so well done.  I chat like anything anyway, - you can't shut me up usually,  but hard to do that if nobody else gives me anything to latch onto, then it is hard, so merci beaucoup.

I am trying to stay positive and really hoping that we can travel next year. I will be so disappointed if I have to cancel/postpone the 2 trips which are booked. I feel this year has been lost. It has been a very strange year but let us look forward to the future and travelling. I am suffering a bit from withdrawal symptoms!

Take care and stay safe.

Jaya

I think you’ve made a good call on your planned South Africa trip postponing it til September.

My recommendation would be to stick with it as it really is an excellent holiday.

I’m close to doing the same thing with my Australia trip. February looks way too close (just 11 weeks away) and I see on the TS website the next bookable trip is in September.

It is indeed very encouraging news re possible vaccines, but nothing is going to enable widespread jabs before Spring it seems. If that does turn out to be the case I am more optimistic about my Uganda trip in June. Half a chance there now hopefully !

I agree totally with all the comments about the TMs and the JY and TS staff (and all those involved in the travel industry to be fair) who must be despairing of when this will all end and when relative normality can return.

I think they will find that when ‘normal service’ does resume the floodgates will open and bookings will go thru the roof as we are all itching to get going again. Let’s hope so.

In the meantime let’s get the dreaded Winter out of the way. If only I could hibernate ...

Take care everyone

Roger