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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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Old 25 Jun 2020
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,134
Well, I was in much the same situation as you back at the end of February 2020, when the COVID-19 problem was in its infancy and everyone thought it was a "China & Italy" problem.

I left Canada & flew to Tunisia on March 4th. WHO declared a pandemic 10 days later, and Tunisia imposed a 14 day quarantine requirement on newly arrived visitors. I checked into a hotel to complete that quarantine, but by the time I had finished, very strict "stay at home" requirements were being imposed everywhere, including in Tunisia, and all international transportation had shut down.

I spent another 3 weeks confined to a hotel (after my first hotel had closed - I was the last guest remaining), and managed by very good luck to catch the one and only repatriation flight that was ever operated from Tunisia to Canada. My motorcycle is still in Tunisia.

So, speaking from the "voice of experience" on this matter: If you have doubts, stay put where you are. The United Kingdom is large enough and interesting enough to allow you to spend several months (at least) exploring it. If you want to push your luck, you could perhaps travel to the EC, but keep in mind that if the infection rate from this virus starts to rise again - even in local areas that you might, by unfortunate coincidence, find yourself in - you could easily wind up quarantined and not able to leave a hotel, or leave a community, let alone return to the UK.

Many people, myself included, think that there will be a "second wave" of infection later on this year. Look at what is happening in the USA - the Americans decided that they wanted the epidemic to be over, so they loosened up restrictions, and all hell is breaking loose in the American south and west. Look also at the flare-ups that have taken place in the meat-packing industry in Germany, and the large-scale quarantines that have been imposed just in the last few days in response to these isolated flare-ups.

I suggest that you plan to tour in your own country until at least the end of 2020, unless you have deep pockets (to cover expenses if you get quarantined somewhere) and an awful lot of patience (to put up with being quarantined for an unknown duration).

I've been there, done that, and it's no fun.

Michael

PS: Keep in mind that you might not be made to feel welcome in other countries when it is apparent to the locals that you are "from somewhere else" and are touring around. If you stay in the UK, you likely won't face that problem.
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