subject: Worried About Volcanic Ash Affecting Your Summer Holiday Abroad? Consider Getting There On Land [print this page] It was reported in every major news agency around the world on 15 April 2010 that all UK air space was closed completely, not allowing for any flights to enter or leave the United Kingdom, due to a volcanic ash cloud as a result of an eruption Icelandic volcano. Whilst the BBC reported late on 20 April 2010 that UK air space was to be largely reopened, it is expected that there is to be such a backlog of flights that it could take up to an extra week for some stranded holiday makers to be flown home.
Of course, it is generally accepted that by the time the summer arrives, the primary problems related to this volcanic ash cloud will have dispersed and all flights will have resumed their normal flight patterns.
That is, however, assuming that a second cloud doesn't hit the UK, as was reported by the BBC early on 20 April 2010.
If you're concerned about whether or not your summer holiday abroad will be affected by this or any subsequent results of a volcanic eruption, whether in Iceland or not, you should think about making the journey yourself.
When this is first posed, it is common to completely disregard the thought initially. Long travelling distances, whether you're in a car or on a bike, might seem particularly uncomfortable and reducing the length of the actual holiday by adding on additional journey time can seem like a ludicrous idea, especially if you're in desperate need of a holiday.
However, when it is thought about more in-depth, the idea isn't overly problematic and for the right destinations it can make the entire process a whole lot easier.
If you're travelling to anywhere outside of the European continent, generally speaking travelling by car or bike isn't going to be a plausible option. Holidaying on the continent, however, is a whole different story.
For example, if you live in or around London and are heading to anywhere in France or Belgium, you can jump on the Eurostar high speed train service and take a direct route to various stations in France, as well as to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. And when you get to the train station? Hire a car or pay for bike insurance and ride the rest of the way to your destination.
A lot of bike riders actually make a holiday out of their whole journey and unlike the traditional holiday of having a final destination, they make sure that their bike insurance covers them in a variety of countries and basically just ride in a loop. Starting and finishing in England, they stop at various points along the way, seeing a range of different countries in one holiday.
Travelling yourself, whether by car or by bike, can be a more complex option than choosing the aeroplane. Particularly if you've got young children, a large family or are travelling outside of Europe, it will more often than not be easier to travel by air. If you're by yourself or only with your partner and you're staying on the continent, however, then travelling by car or bike should be a strong consideration.
