soapdragon Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Phew......have just heard that our s/c trip to Gower for Whitsun has been refunded. But so sad that we won't be going away. I NEED to get to the sea and I think that the boys are the same. However, it's really peanuts compared to others. Hoping that others with holidays booked will be able to go later in the year. How is it shaping up for others? PL have you been able to re book or got hold of anyone regarding a refund? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Is that the weekend 3st May? My USA friends were due to fly over 1st June and I have holiday cottage booked from 4th June for 4 nights in Fife. Too early to cancel but I do have insurance too and not sure whether the travel restrictions will be lifted. Not be going anyway if my friends cant come and they wont be coming any time soon. Glad you got a refund - least you will be able to book something later in the year when everything is back to normal (whatever that will be!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 Whitsun is Sat 23rd to Sat 30th May......you may find that June is too early to cancel at the moment but best to check with your insurance. Its a very grey area when it comes to self catering. My BIL works for a cottage company in Dorset and is finding that some client's insurance pays out whilst other's doesn't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 2 hours ago, Blackrocksrock said: Is that the weekend 3st May? My USA friends were due to fly over 1st June and I have holiday cottage booked from 4th June for 4 nights in Fife. Too early to cancel but I do have insurance too and not sure whether the travel restrictions will be lifted. Not be going anyway if my friends cant come and they wont be coming any time soon. Glad you got a refund - least you will be able to book something later in the year when everything is back to normal (whatever that will be!). Listening to the news, I doubt that anyone from the US will be able to travel any time soon - sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 We would normally be in Spain May and June. Then back in September. Now not expecting to go till 2021. Just hope all our friends we meet up with there and as we drive down through Spain will be safe. The one brightness is that the wildlife on the nature reserve we go to is thriving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 My partners family hail from Padstow so (as we can’t afford to actually live there 🙄) every year, along with all Padstonians, we go back for Mayday. OHs mum rents a house for us all for a week. Obviously it’s all cancelled this year and luckily she was able to get the booking transferred to 2021. We were due to be going on a family holiday to Portugal in October but we hadn’t got around to booking anything and have decided we won’t try now. OH and I are still hoping to get to Ireland for a week in Sept / Oct but will just play it by ear. So glad I got my skiing in in Feb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 1 hour ago, The Dogmother said: Listening to the news, I doubt that anyone from the US will be able to travel any time soon - sorry I agree and hope that if they can get a refund on the fare they paid for last July, as did I on the accommodation here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 We're still trying to get some kind of contact. We booked through Expedia which I will never, ever use again, ever. In fact I will never use any online booking agency again. They are fine when things are fine but in a crisis they are terrible. Isn't there some saying about that, how you can judge a company? We've managed to make contact with the airline and they are considering our request to rebook but I expect they will simply say that we have to go through Expedia who really don't care to help. I know what you mean about seeing the sea, I think people who live in sight of the ocean must be the luckiest right now. The closest I get at the moment are the seagulls from the local dump! Flights to Japan are really cheap right now!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I used to use Expedia for some work bookings - they are total rubbish if you have to change anything about a booking. Once we're allowed out to play again, I may go to visit a friend who lives by the coast, give the dogs a run on the sand. I suspect that travel won't be the same again for at least a year.... if ever. Cheap airlines will have gone down and find it hard to get started again, there will be less travel now that we're used to corresponding via video link. The greedy rich will still insist on travelling 'because they can', us less fortunate will travel in the UK, where we have untold beauty and wonder. Many years ago, I read James Lovelock's The Gaia Theory - read it. He would say that this is nature's way of teaching us a lesson; we can't go on being greedy and damaging the earth without massive repercussions. Whether you believe it or not (there's too much of a scientist in me to totally believe it, but there's also some stark truth in there) we need to wake up and smell the coffee. Look at how the pollution has decreased during lockdown, and - brutally - the smaller population will have less of an impact too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Now you mention the greedy rich, a group chartered a private jet to take them to Southeast France where they were then due to take a helicopter charter to holiday on the Cannes Coast. Clearly they had no idea of the extent of the lockdown here, but they were stopped at customs and told to get back on the plane and go home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 There were pictures of Delhi before and now. Smog pollution and now bright blue sky and clear. No plane trails around and the planet is really enjoying it and regenerating itself. I hope we change somewhat after this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Due to go Cyprus in October, will see what situation is in July when due to pay rest. Might lose deposit but not bothered. Just want to survive this nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 52 minutes ago, Beantree said: Now you mention the greedy rich, a group chartered a private jet to take them to Southeast France where they were then due to take a helicopter charter to holiday on the Cannes Coast. Clearly they had no idea of the extent of the lockdown here, but they were stopped at customs and told to get back on the plane and go home! I saw that and ranted - smug, selfish beggars. 36 minutes ago, Blackrocksrock said: I hope we change somewhat after this. I do too; we need to ;earn a lesson from this, if only to shop and eat more mindfully and waste less. 21 minutes ago, Alis girls said: ............Just want to survive this nightmare. Exactly - things take on their proper proportions when you're faced with a pandemic and death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 21 hours ago, Beantree said: Now you mention the greedy rich, a group chartered a private jet to take them to Southeast France where they were then due to take a helicopter charter to holiday on the Cannes Coast. Clearly they had no idea of the extent of the lockdown here, but they were stopped at customs and told to get back on the plane and go home! I read about them last night. They sound like an awful sleazy bunch of people. Gangland bosses and their molls came to mind. I hope I'm right, it reminded me of the rich people in the film 2012 who try to abandon ordinary people but come to a sticky end themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Excellent news! We sat down on the phone to Expedia this morning with little hope but first they answered which made us jump a bit and then agreed to a full credit for the flights. Still waiting for a confirmation email (I'm not happy unless I've printed something off) but we have a reference number so I feel fairly confident that it's a genuine offer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 Great news, PL. REALLY pleased for you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 That is fabulous news! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 OOH wonderful news - At least you can rebook when its safe to do so and will get your holiday then. Well done for persevering. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Great news - I bet they got a lot of flack and had to sort out a position and strategy. The internet is all powerful - if disenchanted folks like you had all posted your woes regarding that company - they'd have stood to lose a lot of business. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...