Harbouring Dreams
As we lose ourselves in reminiscing about previous trips and places visited, 2021 is just starting to take shape and our hopes of resuming our travels are increasing considerably. Our thoughts until recently were that if we make no travel plans until we have each received our dual vaccinations, then we may just be in a position to travel from around the end of July. Developments this week have given further encouragement.
I received my first vaccination on Tuesday, Michaela’s is due on Monday, and both of us have appointments for the second dose before the end of May, meaning that allowing the 3-week clearance period after the vaccine would leave us free to travel from late June. With the first countries starting to make noises about welcoming inoculated visitors from as early as May, we are growing increasingly optimistic that we will be on our way again before too long.
Our vaccination centre is in Ramsgate, a port town of great historical importance some 20 miles from our home. This rare lockdown busting trip out of town gave us the chance to wander around the seafront and harbour areas on what was by happy coincidence our sunniest day for quite a while. Ramsgate harbour was the starting point for the famous and heroic “little ships” exercise in World War II, when around 850 private boats of all types, including pleasure craft and fishing fleets, were seconded to military service and set sail for Dunkirk over a week at the end of May 1940.
Incredibly, these “little ships”, taken across the Channel by their selfless owners, rescued 336,000 British and Allied troops who had become trapped by a German forces pincer movement on the Dunkirk beaches, saving all of them from death or capture. It is one of the War’s many stirring stories of the terrific courage and determination of ordinary people, thinking only of coming to the aid of others. It is a powerful story, with memorials around the town to this day.
These days the only military presence is a border control boat, and Ramsgate is no longer even a passenger ferry terminal, but what circles the harbour is a triumph for modern development. What was, just a few years ago, a down-at-heel waterfront feeling less than safe after dark, is now a thriving community (well, thriving when non-COVID) of bars and restaurants with an unmistakable feel of holiday, especially in sunshine.
The atmosphere is a very welcoming mix of fun and relaxation and has become a destination, day and night, for people of all kinds, all achieved without any radical change to the grand old harbour buildings. With the old derelict beach facing pavilion now converted to the country’s biggest Wetherspoons pub (well worth a visit regardless of your opinion of Wetherspoons) and a large hotel complex under construction on waste ground, the upturn in Ramsgate is a joy.
And so back to our plans. Between now and mid June we have three trips within the UK in the diary, and the second vaccine at the end of May. With all other things being equal, the maps and books will be out by then as we investigate where and when we can travel. It’s kind of exciting not knowing where that might be.
20 Comments
Andrew Petcher
Are you sure that isn’t the south of France.
Thinking about travel I was checking on covid tests and was staggered to see that Boots offer a service at £120 a pop! That is only really affordable for a long holiday, puts weekend breaks outside of my budget.
Phil & Michaela
Definitely Ramsgate! Nicest day we’ve had all year. I think by the time summer comes around, countries will be asking for proof of vaccination more than COVID tests. Step by step the requirement for a negative test will disappear, I reckon.
Andrew Petcher
I hope.
Where are you going in UK? I have a caravan booked for a few days in Yorkshire.
Phil & Michaela
Padstow first, other parts of Cornwall second, followed by a Midlands-Wales-Peak District tour.
Andrew Petcher
Excellent.
John y Susan
We never tire at looking out at marinas. Cheers!
Phil & Michaela
Us too, they are so relaxing to stroll around
Annie Berger
Phil and Michaela,
I’m thrilled you’ll fairly soon be fully vaccinated and will be able to travel beyond your shores come June! Have you both been poring over travel books or online travel forums to help you decide where you want to go? Will you take up where you left off when the pandemic forced you to immediately abort travel plans this time last year?
I enjoyed reading about Ramsgate and its heroic history as part of the ‘small ships’ in World War II. How lovely to explore the town when you had a warm and sunny day to do so.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Annie. Not been researching destinations yet but we think we will be limited to short haul destinations so will be happy to summer in the Mediterranean. As for our South East Asia trip, we are hoping to resume that early next year 🤞
Annie Berger
Summering in the Mediterranean sounds like a great way to get back into overseas travel!
Steven and I are hoping to head over to Asia, Australia and New Zealand for several months in mid-September but I don’t know how much will reopen and whether all our planning will be for naught. Time will tell, I guess.
Terrie chrines
Ahhhh congratulations! We are now fully vaccinated as of today two weeks past our second! It’s a great blessing and relief isn’t it. AND. We have booked to arrive Heathrow May 5- hoops to jump yet with rules and travel tests yet we are optimistic. Would be wonderful to see you. Wish we could go to Cornwall together!
Phil & Michaela
Hi Terrie, great to hear from you and fantastic news that you have had both vaccinations. Hope you both get to England without any hitches. Looking forward to meeting up and enjoying a G & T or two and some English real ales! 😘
Marie
Look at those skies – you could be anywhere!!!
Happy Travels!!!!
Phil & Michaela
It was like a spring day, perfect 😀
Gilda Baxter
Phil and Michaela, congratulation on getting your first dose of the vaccine. My husband had his yesterday and I will have mine on Thursday, our second doses will be in June. It is exciting to think we could potentially travel abroad again in the near future.
Phil & Michaela
Great!! We find it exciting not knowing where we will be able to head to first
Joe
It is encouraging to see your travel plans reignited. Yesterday, I was fortunate to get the Johnson & Johnson one-and-done vaccine. Even though it is less effective, the vaccine does eliminate severe disease, hospitalization, and death. In two weeks, I will be considered fully vaccinated, and free to resume my wandering. Because of her younger age, Esther is still waiting for her dose. We too are planning domestic travel once it is safe for both of us. Dunkirk was a great movie. I didn’t realize the heroic little ships set sail from your backyard.
Phil & Michaela
There is a lot of wartime history in this area, as we are of course the closest point to continental Europe and the South East was always vulnerable to attack. UK policy on vaccinations is a 12-week gap between doses, so we are due at the end of May, so will be officially fully clear during June.
Fergy.
I think I have lost count of the number of images I have of Ramsgate Royal Harbour. Did you know it is the only harbour in the country that is allowed to bear the “Royal” prefix, granted by George IV in 1821?
He was so happy about the reception he got in Ramsgate when heading back to Germany (his native country) that he bestowed the “honour”. Strange to think that less than a century later his descendants were murdering Britons on the fields of Northern France and Belgium.
Phil & Michaela
I did know that, but only because I read it on your blog site! Bit coincidental really, in that we wrote this post in mid March, then shortly afterwards found your site and found myself reading about the very same place.