With the COVID-19 vaccine being rolled out across the UK and the rest of the world, it’s starting to feel like the end is in sight.
1. Pubs & restaurants re-opening
When asked what they were most looking forward to, everyone in the Dolia team said that they are excited for the pubs and restaurants to open up again so that they can go out for dinner or have drinks with friends and family.
Joe says that, “great tasting food, no cooking, no washing up and a constant supply of drinks makes a perfect night. As COVID hit, we did our best to bring the restaurant to home, but it's never the same. Whether it's fresh sushi from Kyoto Kitchen, Tempura Prawns & Squid from The Ivy Winchester, or a double stack of Oreo pancakes from Josies, I'm there!”
Jess is eager to go to an Italian restaurant in London called Circolo Popolare with her sister, so she “will definitely be booking a table there in June.” She says, “Don’t get me wrong, home cooked meals are great, but I miss the atmosphere of a busy restaurant and luxury of no washing up after.”
As the pubs re-open, so will the beer gardens! Alice says, "I think the one thing I am most excited about is enjoying a beer garden whilst the sun is shining with friends and family. Everyone is always in the best mood when the sun is out, which helped a lot of us the most during lockdown, but adding a beer garden surrounded by friends laughing and having catch ups make a day when the sun is shining even better."
2. Seeing friends & family
Another thing that we are all looking forward to is meeting up with friends, family, and work colleagues that we haven't been able to see in a long time. It will be nice to see people physically, rather than on Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp!
The pubs & restaurants re-opening offers a great opportunity for us to meet up with loved ones. Jess says, “lockdown has really made me appreciate the small luxuries like being able to celebrate a birthday with all the family or going out for Sunday brunch with my friends,” so it's great that this will be possible again soon.
Joe is also excited to finish off his gym sessions with "2 for 1 wood-fired pizzas and a round of drinks with the mates”!
3. Holidays
Being stuck at home for so long makes us want to get away, so the next thing that we’re looking forward to is going on holiday in the UK or abroad.
Whilst Jess is looking forward to going on weekend trips around the UK to visit her friends, Emily is looking forward to going to Disney World, Florida, for her honeymoon, after the holiday was delayed due to travel restrictions. She says, “I have never been to the USA or to Disney World before, so I am excited to see what it is like and experience it all for the first time".
4. Shopping
Both Hannah and Emily are looking forward to shopping somewhere other than the supermarket!
It will be even better once we don't have to wear face masks anymore. As Hannah says, “eventually being able to go shopping or to the supermarket without a face mask would be lovely”!
Emily is hoping to get her shopping done in person rather than online, saying, "I like to support small independent shops when I can, and these often don't have an online store, so I haven't been able to buy from them during lockdown. I much prefer shopping in person because you can try on clothes or test things and you know exactly what you are getting".
5. Getting out of the house
The 'stay at home' mandate has been tough for some of us, as we like to get out of the house quite often.
Alice has picked up the hobby of walking and would like to carry this on once lockdown has lifted and explore different locations around the UK. She says, "I have had to make the most of my surroundings during lockdown and, being lucky living in the middle of the countryside, I have been able to explore the outdoors seeing the changes in all the different seasons".
As nice as it is to chill at home and watch a movie on Netflix or Disney +, it doesn't come close to the cinema experience. Hannah says that, as well as going out for drinks with friends, she is looking forward to going to the cinema as she hasn't been in over a year.
6. Going to the beach
With Summer just around the corner, it's the perfect time to go to the beach.
Jess enthuses, “if you know me, you’ll know that I absolutely love the beach and would spend every second there if I could. So, my group of friends and I have already planned a road trip down to Newquay to test out our new surfboards. I have to say, I never thought I’d miss finding sand in my shoes for weeks after.”
What are you looking forward to doing after lockdown? Is your list similar to ours? We'd love to know!
