I feel like I need a degree for my Italian getaway - Fiona Duff

My husband and are planning to travel to Italy next weekend to stay with some friends. It’s always nice to keep in with people who have holiday houses in the hope that they invite us to visit them. Mind you, I think they are the only ones who ever send an invitation.

There are hoops to jump through before hitting the beach

I know that the last time we went there was a new form we had to fill in – I think that was because of Brexit, but frankly I can’t really remember. However, I think that this time it’s going to be a bit more complicated. Although, at this moment in time we don’t quite how complicated it will be as we await the latest travel rules from our glorious leader.

At present, as far as I can make out, we have to fork out for various Covid tests and then cross our fingers that they come back negative. Then, should that be the case we may have to employ someone to fill in various forms, perhaps download a QR code and make sure that we don’t have any liquids over 100ml in our bag. On top of that we’ll have to remember to take our passports, a form to say that we’ve had a couple of jabs and buy some euros which we are unlikely to be able to spend for the first five days.

Travel used to be a fairly uncomplicated thing before terrorism and global pandemics. You bought a ticket, turned up at the airport and within a couple of hours could be lying on a beach wondering how long it would take for some freckles to appear.

Nowadays you need a degree in filling in documents that often the customs officials completely ignore as well as a way of passing an interminable time at the airport lounge. I find that a good books and a large glass of something chilled helps to pass the time.

So if you wonder how it goes my next column will either be moaning that I am still in Edinburgh or boasting about the view from the side of the pool.