{"id":37681,"date":"2020-03-18T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-18T09:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/?p=37681"},"modified":"2021-06-14T16:05:49","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T15:05:49","slug":"exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/","title":{"rendered":"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Zagan the motorhome is back on UK soil and we’ve just woken in the aire at Canterbury having had a decent night’s sleep, our hearts not pounding quite as hard as they have these past four days. We’re very relieved to be back in our native land, although we’re under no illusions we’ve avoided the storm that is COVID-19, we’ve just found what we hope will be a safer harbour for us. This is roughly the route we took to get from Barbate near Tarifa in southern Spain up to the UK. It took us four days and three nights, stopping at Salamanca west of Madrid, Capbreton near the Spanish\/French border and Chateaudun, south-west of Paris. We’ve heard from other motorhome travellers they did it in two days, driving in shifts in 15-hour stints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The route we took to get from Spain to the UK in Four Days<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sheesh, right, OK, calm, calm. I’m going to have to really think about this one and get help from Ju, it’s been a fairly intense few days. I know truckers do this kind of driving every day, and others Brit motorhomers did it in half the time we did, so that’s nothing special. Our worlds changed as we drove though, as they did for millions, maybe even billions of us, and we did the drive under mounting anxiety and stress. I’m proud of the two of us for working together as a team, and it’s at times like this I really get to see what a wonderful woman my wife really is. This COVID-19 thing is affecting each of us in different ways, and while Ju and I are in a privileged position compared to a great many, we’re far from immune to its effects. Our two main fears these past few days were for our personal safety (probably me more than Ju to be honest) and to not be prevented from getting back to our families for months while they’re living in isolation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The former was almost certainly over-egged. There will still be thousands of motorhome and caravan travellers who opted to stay in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France and so on or who can’t now travel due to border closures, and I’m sure they’ll be safe in their host countries. We were very, very nearly among you guys and we’d have made the best of it too. The latter, not being able to get back to our families, was perhaps also over-egged as although driving across many of Europe’s borders is not currently possible (you can still drive across France and get the tunnel or a ferry home as I understand it), we could probably have left the van and flown home, perhaps. All this stuff is easy to sit and tap out in retrospect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Gantry sign as we crossed France: “COVID-19 = Limit Your Contacts”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let’s go back over what happened. We’d chosen to leave Barbate near Tarifa on Sunday morning. At that point Spain wasn’t in lock-down, although the Spanish borders in Morocco at Cueta and Melila had already closed, we’d seen some panic buying in supermarkets and one campsite we visited was turning away new people trying to check-in, despite having space inside. Folks were wearing gloves and a sense of fear was starting to develop, at least in me, and especially after some thugs hit our van during the previous night. We drove to an aire near Salamanca, locked ourselves in the van and slept the best we could. Anxiety was building about the French border closing, which fellow travellers had warned us might happen several days before but we couldn’t quite believe it. They closed it at noon yesterday, so we were right to finally get a move on, crossing the border and resting for the night at the aire at Capbreton<\/a> on Monday. At that point France was in a kind of optional lock-down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A familiar sight these past few days. The toll booths don’t need you to touch the machines, and there are no operators, so less chance of virus spread at these points.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

France felt markedly more normal than Spain had. Ensuring I didn’t get within several metres of anyone I did a 10 mile run up the beach and back (my the last run for at least 2 weeks), seeing a few families out and about, a paraglider and couples walking the sands. Someone had written messages in the sand: “COVID-19, We Are the Virus” and “Coronovirus, Courage to Us All”. Beaches on the Costa del Sol had (I think) been closed by this point. On the aire a few folks were knocking about, apparently unperturbed, although heavy rain started to fall in the evening so everyone was locked inside later on. We got a message from friends who live in France advising us to use the toll roads and to fuel up before we were empty, as stocks could run low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A glimpse of life as we pass: people queuing to get into Lidl<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We left Capbreton at 8:43am, a relatively late start, perhaps a reflection of a lull in anxiety having made it to France. Although there was a flood of information, we couldn’t guess whether the UK border would stay open, or if it closed whether we’d be allowed back into the UK. I was still in half a mind to try and drive right across France in a day though, so relaxed we weren’t. Zagan’s fuel gauge has had my eye half glued to it these past few days, ticking up and down like a metronome as diesel’s poured through his engine and out the exhaust, having me permanently in mild fear of not being able to buy more. As the gauge got down to about 1\/4 for the first time in France, we found a Super U (a French supermarket, where fuel is often cheaper, like in the UK). Ju tried to buy food but the queues were huge. We tried then to buy diesel but just as I removed the fuel cap an attendant came over and apologised that they’d sold out, and started taping signs to the pumps. We changed tack from that point and deliberately went to the more expensive, non-supermarket stations. The next one we went to also had signs taped to the pumps, these saying you had to pre-pay inside as too many were driving off without paying. My sense that the world was going into free-fall was gnawing away at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Queues for the till at a Super U in rural France yesterday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After 585km we were getting tired and opted to head to an aire we know (mini safe havens, where we could remember ‘normal’ times) at Chateaudun, set beneath the walls of a huge castle and besides a river, a wonderful spot. Word was out that Boris was starting a daily televised speech and being so far north our satellite TV would work again, so we sat and watched as he announced the UK going into social isolation, although he stopped short of closing any businesses and schools. Later that evening Macron announced all France’s borders would close the following day at noon, and a mandatory lock-down would come into play. We didn’t sleep well that night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
All heading for home: the aire at Chateaudun at 6am<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Given the fact we might be challenged by the police for driving after noon we got up in the dark and left Chateaudun just after 6am. There were about 8 other motorhomes in the aire, presumably all heading for the UK, we didn’t speak to anyone, as much as we wanted to. All the aires we used were open, although we’ve since heard the one at Wissant not too far from Calais has closed. Our guess is these decisions to close aires are taken locally, not at a national level, so hopefully many will remain open for those who opt to stay in France or other countries in Europe. Five hours later we arrived in Calais at 11:15am, before the noon deadline and tried to check-in at the Eurotunnel. Our train wasn’t until 4:50pm and the lady’s voice spoken through the check-in machine told us she was sorry but we had to come back after 2:50pm. Ju asked whether trains would still be running to the UK. “Yes, they are still operating after noon”. She then asked if we could drive on French roads after noon “Arrr, I will ask my colleague… I am sorry, we don’t know that”. And with that she directed us out of the terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We needed somewhere close to the terminal to stay, and spotted lots of motorhomes through a fence which we thought were in the nearby Cite Europe but they were actually in the pet check-in at terminal. Unable to get to them (of course) we gave up and went to the Auchan supermarket. Ju legged it over to get some supplies, knowing we’d be locked in the house for 14 days when we get home (there is no official guidance on how long we should self-isolate as we have no symptoms, but this feels right). As she shopped I sat and grew increasingly concerned at the small groups of migrants wandering around the parking area. One chap found a British transit van with open rear doors and climbed in, then back out again. The next thing I knew the van had driven off but was parked up across the car park with, presumably the driver having to stand across the open rear doors stopping a migrant chap from getting in. There was no fighting or violence, but a little bit of pushing, and my fear levels started to go through the roof as the noon deadline ticked past and the parking area started to clear of cars, leaving us with a group of maybe 15 migrants. Were they any threat to us? I doubt it, but the whole world seems to be imploding at the moment and I was in no mood to find out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I sent a text to Ju, asking her to be quick and when she returned (with a packet of loo roll among other useful things, and stories of how the shopping experience has changed, with a briefing before being allowed in, metre separation at check-outs queues, plastic screens in front of the operators and so on) we drove past the group and over to the aire at Sangatte, of all places, which was devoid of migrants other than us and a clutch of other British motorhomes, all presumably waiting for the tunnel or a ferry. Ju told me to go for a walk, as I’ve gone into social isolation already, avoiding all contact with anyone but Ju, and I probably needed the air. I stood on the beach and watched the ferries, staring at the scene which would have bored me five days ago, and now I already missed it like air, the sensation of standing outside on a beach under a cloud-blue sky, with only my few petty cares to worry about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Plastic barriers, face masks and hanging signs at Auchan asking you to queue a metre apart<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sat in the van we got a message from Eurotunnel telling us the French police were now asking for a signed form saying why anyone was driving anywhere. We had no forms, no way to print them off, and I’d already seen one police car patrolling the streets which were now almost completely traffic-free. Come 2:40 we were off, driving to the terminal on empty roads which weirdly feels normal now, and feeling a small sense of relief when the check-in machine printed a hanger for us and raised the barrier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A very welcome sight!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Inside the terminal everything was as normal, although Ju reported all the shops were closed and for some reason a message was playing on the screens asking us to use the loo before boarding the trains. At this point we didn’t quite believe the word CANCELLED wouldn’t suddenly pop up against all the subsequent trains. It didn’t. We both walked a few metres in the car park for air. I looked up at the windows of a coach, seeing everyone sat inside close to each other, one of them wearing a face mask, thankful we’re able to travel in almost complete isolation in the van. Every time we get out and do something we wash our hands when we get back in. It’s very probable we’ll get the virus, we know, but it seems essential that as few of us get it in the coming weeks as possible, so that’s our small personal aim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After a short delay our train was called and we went through the motions to board. Parked inside, the slight lurch as the train departed pushed a small wave of relief through us, we were heading for British soil and have never been more pleased, while at the same time not really being relieved at all. The talk in the media is of 250,000 deaths if the UK hadn’t gone into social isolation. It’s terrible, gut-wrenching stuff for all of us. My parents both have significant health issues which means they have to literally avoid COVID-19 like the plague. They’ve been locked in their home for 7 days now, and are ready to be there for months if needs be. My sister’s family are delivering food and we’re talking to them daily. If there is one good thing from this pandemic it’s surely the fact many of us will realise how much we love one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the train on UK soil we rolled off with everyone else, aiming for the aire here at Canterbury, which we’d seen that some other motorhomers will still using so we assumed it remained open. The traffic threw me. The UK at this point *should* be in social isolation with only essential journeys but the cars, vans and lorries didn’t seem much fewer than they usually do. It gave us both a strange sense of calm while being unsettling at the same time. The same thing seemed to happen in Spain and then France: a request for social distancing by the government which was ignored, followed by mandatory lock-downs with law enforcement. We have to wonder how long it will be before the UK is forced down the same path. It could be within a day or two, so we’re heading for home in an hour or so, back up the M25 and the M1 to Nottingham, where we’ll unload and place the van in storage and start our isolation. Many friends have already offered to deliver food, and one kind soul is dropping off a ‘turbo trainer’ tonight so we can use one of our bikes as a stationary exercise bike. The 50 mile run I’ve been training for is in early May but hasn’t cancelled yet (it will, I’m certain) but I’ve already decided I’m not doing it, by then we’ll be well into the spread of the virus and my head won’t be in the right place for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ll keep blogging in the coming days so say how we’re getting on in isolation, and what is happening around us. If anyone reading this has opted to stay outside the UK, we’d be very pleased to hear from you too, let us know what’s happening where you are?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strength and love to you all. Jay<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[417,53,94,39],"tags":[1360,1361,745,1497],"class_list":["post-37681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motorhome-blog","category-france-motorhome","category-spain-motorhome","category-uk-motorhome","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-motorhome-travel","tag-motorhome-travel-pandemix"],"yoast_head":"\nExodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Our Tour Motorhome Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OurTour\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-03-18T09:15:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-06-14T15:05:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"523\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jason\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ourtourblog\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ourtourblog\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jason\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jason\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/28b4763ac800fdf951974d671ed33d28\"},\"headline\":\"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-03-18T09:15:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-06-14T15:05:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2647,\"commentCount\":20,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"coronavirus\",\"covid 19\",\"Motorhome travel\",\"motorhome travel pandemix\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Blog\",\"France\",\"Spain\",\"UK\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/\",\"name\":\"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-03-18T09:15:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-06-14T15:05:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":523},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/\",\"name\":\"Our Tour Motorhome Blog\",\"description\":\"Touring Europe and Beyond by Motorhome\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The OurTour Motorhome Travel Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/OurTour-Logo-Square-no-Strapline-small.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/12\\\/OurTour-Logo-Square-no-Strapline-small.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":206,\"caption\":\"The OurTour Motorhome Travel Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/OurTour\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/ourtourblog\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/ourtourblog\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCKAWyrFnDzaZ5xJxCWHskmQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ourtour.co.uk\\\/home\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/28b4763ac800fdf951974d671ed33d28\",\"name\":\"Jason\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm","description":"COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm","og_description":"COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.","og_url":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/","og_site_name":"Our Tour Motorhome Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OurTour\/","article_published_time":"2020-03-18T09:15:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-06-14T15:05:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":523,"url":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jason","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ourtourblog","twitter_site":"@ourtourblog","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jason","Estimated reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/"},"author":{"name":"Jason","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#\/schema\/person\/28b4763ac800fdf951974d671ed33d28"},"headline":"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm","datePublished":"2020-03-18T09:15:00+00:00","dateModified":"2021-06-14T15:05:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/"},"wordCount":2647,"commentCount":20,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg","keywords":["coronavirus","covid 19","Motorhome travel","motorhome travel pandemix"],"articleSection":["Blog","France","Spain","UK"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/","url":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/","name":"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg","datePublished":"2020-03-18T09:15:00+00:00","dateModified":"2021-06-14T15:05:49+00:00","description":"COVID-19 has seen us motorhome across Europe in four days, from the bottom of Spain to the UK. Trying to keep ahead of lock-downs and closing borders.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg","width":1024,"height":523},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/exodus-to-the-uk-seeking-a-safe-haven-to-ride-out-the-covid-19-storm\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Exodus to the UK, Seeking a Safe Haven to Ride Out the COVID-19 Storm"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/","name":"Our Tour Motorhome Blog","description":"Touring Europe and Beyond by Motorhome","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#organization","name":"The OurTour Motorhome Travel Blog","url":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/OurTour-Logo-Square-no-Strapline-small.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/OurTour-Logo-Square-no-Strapline-small.jpg","width":300,"height":206,"caption":"The OurTour Motorhome Travel Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/OurTour\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ourtourblog","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ourtourblog\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCKAWyrFnDzaZ5xJxCWHskmQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/#\/schema\/person\/28b4763ac800fdf951974d671ed33d28","name":"Jason"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/IMG_20200316_090455520.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37681"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37702,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37681\/revisions\/37702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37685"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourtour.co.uk\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}