I'd feel guilty now about sunning myself in Italy, Spain or France | Rick Jackson

We decided to cancel ours. We’d been so looking forward to it, saving up our pennies, but was a Mediterranean cruise really an option?

We’ve been monitoring the situation in Europe closely and there was a glimmer of hope as some countries begin to ease their lockdowns.

Our cruise leaves at the end of July so by then, will Spain, Italy and France be back to normal? Will there be no fear of future infection?

We hear in China there are new cases being reported from people arriving in the country, but also from some who have recovered from coronavirus.

We know from experience how good the cruise companies are with hygiene and the other protocols they have in place, but sadly, the fear of a fresh outbreak made us come to our decision.

I can’t imagine how all four of us would cope if we were confined to our cabins for any length of time!

So our thoughts have turned to what to do instead.

For me, the idea of relaxing and sunning myself on a beach in a country where so many people have recently lost their lives make me feel very uneasy.

Plus the fact that any future outbreaks could see us stuck in a foreign country, no matter how lovely. This is a very real worry, especially with two young children.

So, like last year, it will be a ‘staycation’ for the Jacksons and the UK will be our oyster.

Last summer, we spent a superb week on the Isle of Purbeck and I would be more than happy for seven days on the Isle of Wight at the moment.

I like the idea of loading up the car and travelling down Devon or Cornwall way.

Maybe Gordon Ramsay would let us stay at his second, third, fourth or fifth home which I keep reading about in the papers.

But wherever we go, it will be with great relief and with much appreciation that once again we are able to do so.

I’m sure we will all be far more grateful for everyday life in the future.

Lockdown has brought out the ugly side of capitalism

We really have seen the ugly side of capitalism during the lockdown.

Philip Green putting all his staff on furlough when selling one of his fleet of luxury yachts could have paid their wages. Richard Branson doing the same with his Virgin staff even though he’s worth £4bn. Is it right the taxpayer should pay for their staff when they don’t seem to pay their own way in tax?

Then Premier League football clubs. Many have now performed Theresa May-style U-turns after putting staff into furlough. In the next breath, there’s talk about £200m transfers. Man Utd’s ex-player Gary Neville also made this point. Much to the surprise of many football fans, he talks a lot of sense.

Will Southsea to Ryde hover service survive coronavirus?

Empty trains, empty buses and clear skies because planes have been grounded.

The Isle of Wight becameeven more isolated as Red Funnel announced the suspension of the passenger catamaran service between Southampton and Cowes joining Wightlink’s Lymington to Yarmouth and Portsmouth to Ryde services.

As competition rules were relaxed, it seems Wightlink saved Hovertravel by leaving the Ryde route alone. The craft had their 80-person capacity greatly reduced to allow for social distancing. With the amount of deep cleaning public transport is getting, when restrictions are lifted we will have the cleanest transport in history!