No more UK trips planned with new travel rules.

[Scouse123]

I completed a UK trip and returned last week. There were plenty of hoops to jump through but it was important that I made the trip and I am glad I did but here are a few observations.

 

1. I flew business but economy with Qatar was dead going both ways regardless of the hype. I could have had three seats in economy in most rows with nobody anywhere near me. In February 2022, they are quoting 25,000 baht economy and now 95,000 baht business class. I think I will happily go back to economy at those prices.

2. With the new variant, UK is reintroducing mask wearing in public and enclosed spaces and a compulsory PCR test on entry with further restrictions if the new variant takes hold. Things are just getting more and more expensive with all these add ons and uncertainty.

3. I am unsure, as is everybody else, if Thailand will reverse these latest set of relaxed entry rules and go back to lockdown.

4. The weather is now lousy in the UK and freezing cold and I can think of nothing worse than returning there for the next few months.

5. The pains I was feeling in my lungs and kidneys and aches in my body have all gone since returning to Thailand.

6. I am very happy to eat Christmas dinner in 35C in flip flops and T shirt.

7. I appreciate now why I live over here, something I forgot about after two years and feeling ' cooped up ' I am now enjoying my Thai lifestyle once more.

[tonray]

19 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

4. The weather is now lousy in the UK and freezing cold and I can think of nothing worse than returning there for the next few months.

5. The pains I was feeling in my lungs and kidneys and aches in my body have all gone since returning to Thailand.

6. I am very happy to eat Christmas dinner in 35C in flip flops and T shirt.

7. I appreciate now why I live over here, something I forgot about after two years and feeling ' cooped up ' I am now enjoying my Thai lifestyle once more.

^^^^ Agree with all ^^^^....Thailand life isn't perfect but for most of us, the best current option available

[MRToMRT]

Thailand in the cool season beats UK's freezing season every time, no brainer. I too would not be considering travel at the moment with this omicron thing, been caught out before by travel restrictions in the middle of a trip and will not take that chance again, christmas or not.

[BritManToo]

46 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

7. I appreciate now why I live over here, something I forgot about after two years and feeling ' cooped up ' I am now enjoying my Thai lifestyle once more.

I never once forgot the freezing cold, sideways rain and aching joints.

Haven't been back since Spring/Summer 2016 where the weather was actually quite nice.

[FlorC]

Cold , yeah , but at least the air is much cleaner in europe.

Not looking forward to spend the next 5 months in very bad PM2,5 air .

Edited November 29, 2021 by FlorC

[Chongalulu]

Why ,unless you had to ,chose this time of year ? A totally different perspective would apply had you chosen june - September or wished to avoid the horribly hot April May here. 

[fangless]

22 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Cold , yeah , but at least the air is much cleaner in europe.

Not looking forward to spend the next 5 months in very bad PM2,5 air .

When were you last stuck in a UK  city centre with it's congested roads clogged up with polluting traffic due to the stupid cycle lanes?

[Scouse123]

50 minutes ago, FlorC said:

Cold , yeah , but at least the air is much cleaner in europe.

Not looking forward to spend the next 5 months in very bad PM2,5 air .

I don't have any problems with the air quality in the area of Isaarn that I live. There is no burning, traffic is light and the air is quite pleasant.

[Scouse123]

33 minutes ago, nchuckle said:

Why ,unless you had to ,chose this time of year ? A totally different perspective would apply had you chosen june - September or wished to avoid the horribly hot April May here. 

I think I covered the above in point 4 of the opening post.

[Red Forever]

38 minutes ago, fangless said:

When were you last stuck in a UK  city centre with it's congested roads clogged up with polluting traffic due to the stupid cycle lanes?

The roads are congested in UK because too many lard arsed car owners are too lazy and lack the nous to find cheaper and quicker ways around e.g. London.

I speak as a holder of HGV, Taxi, JCB and car driving licences.

Oh...I'm also a cyclist.

[sandyf]

On 11/28/2021 at 7:25 AM, Scouse123 said:

The weather is now lousy in the UK and freezing cold and I can think of nothing worse than returning there for the next few months.

I went in Aug, came back Oct, was getting a bit cold for me by then. I was stood on the platform of Forres station waiting for the train south and quite glad to have the mask on. No alcohol on the trains so hipflask came in handy.

Will be May before going back.

[473geo]

On 11/28/2021 at 8:14 AM, BritManToo said:

I never once forgot the freezing cold, sideways rain and aching joints.

Haven't been back since Spring/Summer 2016 where the weather was actually quite nice.

I experienced harsh northern winters, trudging through snow to school, years of outdoor working, moved south and for the last 15 years cycled a 28k round trip to work. 

Never felt I was suffering, gained great satisfaction, pleased I carried the energy and fitness to do it ???? but yes ingrained in the mind, as I now sit appreciating the warmth of Thailand viewing photos of the current snowstorm in the north of England

[roquefort]

3 hours ago, fangless said:

When were you last stuck in a UK  city centre with it's congested roads clogged up with polluting traffic due to the stupid cycle lanes?

There's more to the UK than congested city centres, same as there's more to Thailand than Bangkok. Why do people have to talk in generalisations?

[Scouse123]

3 minutes ago, roquefort said:

There's more to the UK than congested city centres, same as there's more to Thailand than Bangkok. Why do people have to talk in generalisations?

Yep,

 

There's asylum seekers, boat people, dinghies in the channel and charity and pound shops in the city centres as all the major brands have gone online.

[fangless]

12 minutes ago, roquefort said:

Why do people have to talk in generalisations?

In my case above it was because I was replying to a generalisation!

I wonder sometimes why do people ask rhetorical questions?

Edited November 29, 2021 by fangless

[Bangkok Barry]

13 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Yep,

 

There's asylum seekers, boat people, dinghies in the channel and charity and pound shops in the city centres as all the major brands have gone online.

Nothing wrong with pound shops. Get some great bargains in those. Same as there's nothing wrong with Thailand's 20 baht shops. They have similar shops in Spain, run by Chinese. They're always packed with stock in whichever country and I have no idea how they make a profit.

[mavi]

On 11/28/2021 at 7:25 AM, Scouse123 said:

it was important that I made the trip

We can be sure about it !

 

[topt]

6 hours ago, 473geo said:

as I now sit appreciating the warmth of Thailand viewing photos of the current snowstorm in the north of England

Here's one from the south east taken less than an hour ago.........

 

Yes it is only a sprinkling but I was surprised when I saw it had snowed yesterday evening and expected it to have gone by this morning.

As others have mentioned I too have struggled with the cold a couple of times this last week and can't wait to get back to Thailand.

[Upnotover]

There's a ghostly apparition in that garden.

[MRToMRT]

UK haters rejoice, a thread whereby you can justify your life move.

 

Some things UK beats Thailand hands down on, some things Thailand beats UK hands down.

 

[Andycoops]

What puts me off going back to the UK, apart from the lousy weather, is all the extra documents/paperwork that needs to be done with various agencies.

I suspect I will never go again unless travel goes back to the book a ticket and that's it times.

Which I suspect we might not see.

[Boyn]

What a relief reading posts where people are positive about living in LOS for a change normally its all doom and gloom putting me off making the big move to the sun.

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

15 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Nothing wrong with pound shops. Get some great bargains in those.

Come on man, who the hell doesn't like Daiso (rhet)

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

36 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

I suspect I will never go again unless travel goes back to the book a ticket and that's it times.

Which I suspect we might not see

I don't expect I'll ever go back to Blighty but it's nothing to do with weather or anything else. Nobody there gives a phvck about me.

 

I sure miss a pint of Theakstons Old Peculier in springtime though.

 

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

I sure miss a pint of Theakstons Old Peculier in springtime though.

You can find Old Peculiar here if you look hard enough. Hope is on the horizon....

 

Or someone I do business with has:
OLD SPECKLED HEN, ABBOTT ALE, YOUNGS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT, BOMBARDIER, PEDIGREE, BELLHAVEN SCOTTISH STOUT, WEXFORD IRISH CREAM, RUDDLES COUNTY ……120 BAHT/CAN…..OR….115 BAHT/CAN FOR CASE OF 24

PM me if you're interested. He also sells tea ????

[Scouse123]

5 hours ago, Andycoops said:

What puts me off going back to the UK, apart from the lousy weather, is all the extra documents/paperwork that needs to be done with various agencies.

I suspect I will never go again unless travel goes back to the book a ticket and that's it times.

Which I suspect we might not see.

It isn't the UK that requires a lot of documents, it is Thailand that requires them for the Thailand Pass for your return.

 

The UK only want the passenger locator form filling in which includes you purchasing a LFT in advance and that's it.

[huangnon]

I'm looking forward to spending a couple of months there in April-May, next year, scary-variants permitting.

Fleeing the oppressive heat and humidity here at that time for usually great weather in UK around start of Spring.

Luckily, I still have family and friends in the UK, even after spending nearly 30 years away. I'm quite looking forward to it, tbh.

[rott]

On 11/29/2021 at 9:26 AM, 473geo said:

I experienced harsh northern winters, trudging through snow to school, years of outdoor working, moved south and for the last 15 years cycled a 28k round trip to work. 

Never felt I was suffering, gained great satisfaction, pleased I carried the energy and fitness to do it ???? but yes ingrained in the mind, 

Glad you said that last bit ???? I was beginning to worry. Always been ingrained in my mind, but at the time we knew no different and it was the same for everyone. 

 

In the first para you forgot to mention the windows being iced up on the inside. ????

[HashBrownHarry]

On 11/29/2021 at 12:41 AM, fangless said:

When were you last stuck in a UK  city centre with it's congested roads clogged up with polluting traffic due to the stupid cycle lanes?

You must had lived in a big city, traffic in the city i'm from ( pop 300-400K ) traffic is great, get anywhere in 20 minutes.

 

The fresh air is one of the few things i miss from UK.

[Stubby]

On 11/29/2021 at 7:41 AM, fangless said:

When were you last stuck in a UK  city centre with it's congested roads clogged up with polluting traffic due to the stupid cycle lanes?

Perhaps if more Brits got off the big fat, flabby backsides and did more cycling and less driving, well... congested roads and air pollution wouldn't be such an issue. But umm... I don't like to say anything ????????????.