Well that was a year!
A year and a half!!
An Annas Horribilis!!

Will 2021 be any better? Well not for a while it seems. We are still in COVID-19 restrictions although a vaccination program is starting it’s going to take a while and while we are all desperate to get out and resume “normal” life it would seem more sensible to keep the restrictions going as long as needed to get the majority vaccinated.
2020 ended for us in Isolation. We have done so well all year and not caught the dreaded lurgy. Then we had our government guideline approved Christmas Day. Both daughters and son came for Christmas morning to exchange presents and say hello. Then daughter No1 starts to feel unwell on Boxing Day, had a test the day after and got a positive result the day after that! BOOM! That’s 7 people in isolation!

10 days not allowed to leave the house! Meant that I couldn’t return to work on the 29th and has had us absolutely climbing the walls. OK we couldn’t do much in Tier 4 but we could have gone for a walk, made a snowman….. Oh wait we never had enough snow here for that.

So I recon it’s looking like Easter before we can start to get back to “normal” so what can we do until then?

We have a couple of things to get sorted first, not least of which is the damp found in the caravan last October. Also the seat cushions are going back as they are not quite right. In fact they are not very comfortable at all. So that means the van has got to be completely emptied. That’s not a task I’m looking forward to one little bit!

Next we have to figure out a) if we will be able to get to our beloved Argeles Sur Mer and b) what new rules and regulations do we have to contend with?

a) Well we hope so. Until we get much closer we just don’t know. We have our pitch booked and deposit paid and a voucher to rebook the ferry that was cancelled last year.

b) Se far we know that you don’t need an “International Driving License” IDL thanks to “the Deal” our UK Plastic driving license will be accepted. I never understood why we would need an IDL anyway as our plastic license is exactly the same as licenses issued in Europe anyway, while an IDL is a bit of card written out at the post office.
We will however now need a “Green Card” this is issued by your insurance provider and is proof that you have a valid insurance that covers you to drive in Europe. As far as I can find out so far through the rumour mill that is the internet if you plan on towing a trailer while driving in Europe you will need an additional “Green Card” for this too. I can only fathom that this is due to the way trailers and vehicles are registered in Europe. Separately. You may have noticed the European Trucks have a different registration number/plate on the truck to the trailer. British trucks do not. We show the towing vehicle’s registration number on the back of the trailer. This may change in the future with trailers over a certain size being registered in their own right and then needing MOT tests etc…. HGV trailers already do and new trailers are now being registered like European ones.

Passport requirements. We will now need our UK passport to be valid for at least 6 months after our return from Europe, just like if you go to the USA or similar, you didn’t need this extra time before.

EHIC these may or may not be valid but either way I would never go abroad without travel insurance! Having only ever needed to visit a Dr. once while in France I can tell you the bills soon mount up! Even just for a G.P. visit! Don’t risk it!

Pet Passports. We don’t take a pet but These are No longer valid. That does not mean you can’t take Fido! There is an alternative Health Certificate available from your Vet and I urge you to speak to them for the details, not me.

So to one and all Happy 2021 or at least enjoy as much of it as you can.
We’re hoping our van repairs won’t take too long and will be completed by the time we are allowed out again.
As we find out more info and make our plans I’ll keep you updated.