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hey Asian travelers in Europe...

NGO1
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I need your honest opinions here. We planned an epic family vacay in May with my 8yo daughter’s first time in Europe. We’ll visit all the hot spots and doing all the traveler stuff. We’ll be in Paris, Florence, Venice, Barcelona, Athen, and Santorini.

My daughter read and studied so much of these destinations. This is her trip! I need this trip to go well.

With the explosion of the Corona virus, fear and violen toward Asian travelers increased. Honestly, I don’t care if a taxi driver sees a trio of Asians and decided to drive off. I can spin that to explain it to an 8yo. No problem. But it would be harder to be refused service in a restaurant or someone hurls racial slurs or started any funny business— this Happened to a colleague recently, but he was in a pub, at night. We will avoid all drinking holes, all together.

My question to you is: shall we postpone the trip to next year? I don’t want her first trip to the “magical” Venice be colored by an angry nut job looking to spew hate. There are more and more of those idiots everyday, everywhere.

And of course this thread has photos. Here is my trio.
trilogy speedy, dark side of the moon, 42mm PO
Edited:
 
E9C73D6E-F942-4357-BA50-51DDD19105C2.jpeg 1BBEE9DC-95C1-4AD8-98DD-52CD1DFDDAE5.jpeg
shaun hk
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Tough question, I would like to think the incidents like this we read are about are isolated events rather than the norm. I would also assume that they are not happening in typical tourist hangouts, a restaurant in a tourist area is very different from a rough local pub in a residential neighbourhood. At least this would be my impression on from the UK, I do not know Paris etc so well,

PS - you are probably aware of this already but such racist Incidents are stupid bigots who were looking for an excuse and have now found it, My wife is Asian and we have had multiple trips to Europe over the years and she has seen any anti-Asian hostility towards her. Similarly my Asian friends who live in England rarely mention racist attitudes and certainly nothing stronger towards them.
 
janice&fred
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Since this is a special trip for an 8 yr old I would hold off until things get under better control. Perhaps you can substitute something else for her in the mean while?
 
STANDY
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janice&fred janice&fred
Since this is a special trip for an 8 yr old I would hold off until things get under better control. Perhaps you can substitute something else for her in the mean while?

Come to Australia then, spend some time in the outback and see Ayers Rock and our beautiful outdoors. The kangaroo s and Koalas won't say a thing unsettling
👍
 
Dan S
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It's very hard to predict how things will go. A lot of these destinations are really going to be hurting, and they could be very grateful to see any tourists at all. I am hearing first-hand about large conferences being canceled in various major European cities, including Barcelona and London. That is the bread and butter of the tourism industry.
 
Evitzee
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May is three months off and the coronavirus issue will be greatly mitigated by that time, I don't think it will be an issue, especially since you are mainly going to be in tourist spots. They want your money much more than using your family as an excuse to rant. The news reports that racist incidents are on the rise is not borne out in reality in my view. Most people have the attitude of 'live and let live' if you are just going about your business. But I must say your trip is pretty extensive for an eight year old to fully grasp the experience.
 
verithingeoff
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STANDY STANDY
Come to Australia then, spend some time in the outback and see Ayers Rock and our beautiful outdoors. The kangaroo s and Koalas won't say a thing unsettling
👍
Don't forget sunny Queensland while you're in oz
 
CaptainWinsor
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If you do go and are doing the museum circuit, get a museum pass ahead of time. Saves money and waiting in line. You can usually book ahead as well. When we went to Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence, our hotel called ahead and we bypassed the line. Other than that I wouldn’t worry about something 3 months away yet
 
NGO1
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shaun hk shaun hk
Tough question, I would like to think the incidents like this we read are about are isolated events rather than the norm..

I think so too, my tiny Asian wife panicked after reading Milan is quarantined. the "OMG, they're Asian" joke I made last week is no longer funny to her.
 
NGO1
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STANDY STANDY
Come to Australia then, spend some time in the outback and see Ayers Rock and our beautiful outdoors. The kangaroo s and Koalas won't say a thing unsettling
👍
Australia in December. Yes sir. My bosses already planned this last year. These will be my last (and only) Omegas. I raised a son on ramen noodles and video game. I need to rob a bank every few weeks to raise a daughter.
 
NGO1
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Dan S Dan S
It's very hard to predict how things will go. A lot of these destinations are really going to be hurting, and they could be very grateful to see any tourists at all. I am hearing first-hand about large conferences being canceled in various major European cities, including Barcelona and London. That is the bread and butter of the tourism industry.
We received the same news. Milan is being quarantined just pushed everyone closer to the edge a bit, I think.
 
NGO1
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Evitzee Evitzee
Most people have the attitude of 'live and let live' if you are just going about your business. But I must say your trip is pretty extensive for an eight year old to fully grasp the experience.

I'll probably give it a few weeks to see where things are. It was initially just Paris and Venice. The "magical" cities, her words. Then Mom got into the action, a few instagram searches later, then...
 
NGO1
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CaptainWinsor CaptainWinsor
When we went to Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence, our hotel called ahead and we bypassed the line. Other than that I wouldn’t worry about something 3 months away yet
I appreciate the tips Capt. Keeping our fingers crossed.
 
Larry S
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I would stay home frankly.
 
Muddlerminnow
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Larry S Larry S
I would stay home frankly.

I'd probably stay home too. The dilemma is that if things do get worse, travel insurance won't help because Covid-19 is a 'known' factor now. If the city you are flying to is quarantined and you decide not to go, the insurance won't cover you. It will cover you if you get quarantined, though--maybe. There's so much fine print to different policies, I'd read anything you are thinking of signing up with with the eye of a skeptical lawyer.

I'd do what Janice&Fred suggested--find a plan B.
 
Braindrain
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Have you already booked? If not, make sure the bookings are cancellable/refundable. Who knows what'll happen by May.

To Europeans, all Asians look alike and they can't discern which nationality one comes from, nor do they care
Edited:
 
NGO1
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Damn, back to a coin toss.
But honestly, I don’t see any improvement from here to May, at this transmission rate, it could only get worst.
Thanks all. I appreciate your thoughts.
 
NGO1
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Braindrain Braindrain
To Europeans, all Asians look alike and they can't discern which nationality one comes from, not do they care

Ain’t that the truth! 4 Asian guys in my team are same height, 5 lbs from one another, same comb over—to the right. The only difference is I wear Omega, the other losers wear Rolex.
 
JimInOz
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Asian or Anglo or whatever, you have a young kid, they are more susceptible to hard viruses than healthy adults, so that's the most important thing to consider.

I will not be travelling overseas, or internally if I can help it for the foreseeable future.

Aeroplanes, like cruise ships, are mobile Petrie dishes and while the risk is small, it's still there.

Plan B and hold off on travel, make sure you can cancel without penalty.
 
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