A family holiday in a pandemic

Thinking of a family holiday but not sure if it’s safe? Here’s a personal account from one of our fellow industry colleagues who shares his family holiday experience. Shuja Bin Mehdi, B2B Manager, India, VisitBritain, drove from Delhi to Jaipur in August, and experienced the new normal first-hand.

I took a three-day holiday with my family and two other friends to Jaipur during the 15th August weekend. We were three families that included seven adults, two children and two infants in total. I would like to share our travel experience on what seems like a risk during a pandemic and why I feel it is important.

The lockdown was a difficult phase especially for my two daughters who are both young. Our house had become their playground for months, but lately, we were missing the outside world. Even for my 67-year-old mother, it was quite a challenge to stay indoors as she enjoys her evening strolls.At first, it did appear to be a huge risk, going out with the entire family, little ones and an elderly all the way to Jaipur from Delhi and staying at a hotel. However, when I spoke to the team at Trident, Jaipur, they reassured me about all possible safety precautions that the hotel staff had undertaken. Even our breakfast would be served in our rooms and we did not have to go to the restaurant. This constant reassurance from the hotel was a big factor in taking the decision to travel.The riskiest part of our journey was the 250-kilometre drive between Delhi and Jaipur. We knew that we had to take multiple stops because of the young ones and my mother, so we planned accordingly. We stopped at the McDonald’s restaurant at Manesar for breakfast. We knew it would be empty in the morning and so it was. The lunch was at a highway restaurant that was also quite empty. We made sure to wipe all the plates with wet-wipes to sanitise them even more. We did the same with the chairs and tables. We never took off our N95 masks during the trip, except for when we had to eat or drink. In addition, we ensured there was no stranger present within six feet.

We followed the same regime while in Jaipur. The meals we had were pre-booked at restaurants and our table was always in the corner, away from the crowds; there were hardly any though. We managed to create a ‘health-bubble’ around us and took the responsibility of ensuring we maintain a consistent routine throughout the trip. Instead of fear, we placed our faith in science. There is plenty of guidance available from WHO on how to maintain safety and hygiene while travelling.