Many years ago, when I moved back to Australia from England, I used to have nightmares that my husband would go back to London and there would be some kind of disaster that prevented him returning. I'd wake up crying. That's the antipodean tyranny of distance for you - the constant heart shift between two countries, so far apart that we are in completely different time zones. The reassurance has always, always been that if 'anything should happen', god forbid, 'we're only a twenty four hour plane ride away'.
Except it's not.
Earlier last year, my husband's step father got dangerously ill. So ill that his sister said he'd better come home. Only twenty four hours, right? But by the time we booked the tickets, and got him on a plane, it was too late. By the time the plane refuelled in Brunei, he was dead. Being twenty four hours away is not a reassurance, and is even less so in this not-quite-yet-post-viral world.
When WHO announced the pandemic, we rushed to the UK from India, where we'd been travelling after leaving Melbourne two weeks before. Within two days of landing, we were in lock down, and like many, we felt the walls closing in. My immediate panic was about getting home, to where my family was. My nightmare had come true - here I was, stuck on the other side of the globe, and I wasn't sure if planes were going to even start flying again at all. I was ready to walk back to Australia if it came to that - although my husband was hoping I'd allow him a Landrover Defender to overland in at least.
We decided not to fly immediately, because that felt too risky. At that stage, we felt as if the risk of getting the virus was too great. Three months on, and the measures put in place made things feel a little safer, and whilst the expat flights via Quantas were fully, more flight routes were starting up through the middle East. We made the decision to go with Emirates, mainly for their reputation, but also because they were reasonably priced at 700 pounds - around 1400 Australian dollars, at current prices. Would it be the Emirates of old? I enjoyed my flight with them fifteen years ago, but things have changed. Rumours were flying all over the internet - no inflight entertainment, no walking up and down the aisles, no hot food. We swallowed our anxiety and hoped for the best, whilst expecting the worst.
It is the strangest thing going to an international hub of transport such as London - which, last year, saw around 210,000 pass through it's airport - and being one of only fifty odd travellers finding their way home, or to jobs in other countries, as was the case with a few, who, like us, nervously donned mask and gloves, and physically distanced our way through scant queues and efficient bag checks. In many ways, it was far better than the push and shove of the pre-Covid travel madness. The only sadness for me was the lack of eye contact. What was the point if you couldn't see people's smiles through the mask?
The alternate reality feeling stayed with us on the first leg from London to Dubai. There was only twenty people on board, all distanced from each other, which was pleasant to say the least. The worst thing about flying that far is coughing, farting and sleeping in close confines with strangers, let alone sharing a toilet with them. Even that was better - the toilets were meticulously cleaned every hour or so.
The empty seats - look at all that stretch-out room!
The hygiene was certainly a focus of the flight. The air stewards wore PPE - stylish, of course, as Emirates is - and we were given a box that contained masks, hand sanitisers, wipes and gloves. Whilst we wore gloves at the airport, including the stop over in Dubai, we didn't need to wear the gloves on the plane, thank goodness. Sweaty hands is not pleasant. We were advised to try not to walk up and down the aisles or linger in 'communal spaces' - please tell me where these are on a plane? - but after three months of the virus, no one really needed to be told.
PPE and empty seats LONDON - DUBAI
According to Airline Geeks, Emirates has laid off many employees in respone to Covid-19 - some 6500 cabin crew and some engineers have been let go, and 180 pilets who were undergoing training, as well as hundreds of trainee cabin crew. Such economic management is not specific to Emirates. Again, the feeling of eerieness and awe overwhelmed us as we saw hundreds of aircraft grounded in London, Dubai and Melbourne. The full economic cost of this pandemic will not hit us for months, if not years, but already it is possible to see how the figures will translate into human suffering.
Social distancing in practice in Dubai airport.
However, the crisis has not affected the high level of service that Emirates provides. We did have in house entertainment, blankets, pillows, travel socks, ear buds, eye masks and hot meals. I enjoyed an okra curry with rice and dahl, a chocolate cherry mousse, fruit salad, a bread roll and yoghurt. 'Breakfast' on the second leg - this is where the time differences started making you feel weird, as time wise it was not breakfast time for a London clock - was either cheese omelette or a vegetarian meal of hash browns and some really yummy spinach 'sausage'. We also had a poached chicken with a spicey tomato and chick pea sauce, and vegetables. I stretched out and slept very well.
If you're facing a long haul flight, and worrying about the quality, don't. It's better than you think.
Plane food, not plain food.
Arriving in Melbourne was also a breeze. We had to wait for a little longer on the plane as they read us out the legal requirements which we had to sign off when we exited. All the government and airline staff were beyond reproach as they kindly and efficiently directed us, handing us forms to fill in dietary requirements and leaflets which outlined what to expect during our stay. Funnelled onto a Skybus, the fifteen remaining people (some transitted elsewhere) were taken to Novotel on Collins Street, a usually upmarket hotel, processed, given juice, and apple and a chicken wrap should we be hungry, and very quickly we were in our room, and the door shut behind us.
We had arrived. Two weeks stretched out before us between four walls.
Both of us looked at each other and tuned into our rising discomfort. The room was nice - quite big, with a couch, a recliner, desk, fridge, robe and ensuite. Big glass windows - which you can't open - look out into the enclosed, glass roofed courtyard, where no natural light enters the room. As far as rooms go, it was very nice, and we were happy with the 'hotel lottery', as online Australian hotel quarantine groups call it. It could have been much, much worse.
After a few hours sleep, our circadian clocks woke us at 4.45 am. Sex, exercise, yoga, shower. 7.30 am, we called for coffee. I made a huge note to self to NOT drink coffee in a hotel room - it's too jittery when one needs to be zen. I can't imagine what it's like to be a smoker, as I say to the health nurse, who rings to check up on us. She says they are dealing with such problems as best they can, and we joke a little before she says she can put us on the 'walking list' - I don't know yet what that means. I'm sure the online groups can tell me, but I don't want to know. I'm beginning to realise that small mysteries are worth relishing in a day that could look bleak, should we choose to see it that way.
Breakfast. The hotel staff are clearly trying their best.
Breakfast comes at 8 am, with little loving touches on the bag. I feel warmed by these human touches - people really are trying their best to accomodate us psychologically, recognising that it's no mean feat to be imprisoned like this for so long. Of course I can draw comparisions to people in actual prison, or worse, detention centres, which helps a little.
We can order online Woolworths deliveries whenever we like (expect a twenty four hour wait for the delivery slot) and the care packages from family are allowed twice in the two weeks, which, once packaged, has to be picked up by a government paid taxi. We can't order in alcohol, but we can get alcohol from the hotel bar - two choices of red wine, if we want to spend $20 - $27. We'll be allowed about one bag of laundry before we have to pay for it, and if we want to clean our room, well, that'll be up to us.
In fact, everything is now going to be up to us.
It was up to us this morning to not scream at the lack of natural light and no real view to speak of (a dirty alleyway would be better than architectural lights). It was up to us to not lie in the darkness at 4 am realising the day was going to be very long, and instead get up and do yoga and meditation. It's going to be up to us to be positive and make the most of this strange, strange room, where night and day seem to bleed into each other.
We may have made it back to Australia, but we've still got a way to go before we can get home.
With Love,
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Wow thanks so much for sharing your experience! We are all still here to read and comment :)
Thanks @vincy - definitely I am not truly in isolation, as I can speak to you all here!! Imagine if I didn't have wifi OR fresh air!!! Hm, which one would I get rid of? Oh definitely the wifi!
Hang in there, you're doing great. How surreal it all is truly!
It really is! Day 1 is weird, but easy. I imagine there will be some peaks and troughs!
You must be looking forward to be home, we're talking 14 days?
Very well written - hang in there !
Thanks for the detailed descriptions of what is going on with long distance air travel.
I also know the feeling with my parents and son 24+ hours away in Sydney.
My Mum is desperate to come and see her 6 month old granddaughters for the first time but can't even enter Israel as Israel is not allowing non-citizens to enter.
My son is an Israeli citizen but sending a 13 year old on crazy routes is a bit concerning. He's done it before pre-COVID.
We are waiting until mandatory quarantine ends.
I am sure your son would be fine as they would really look after him, as you know, airline staff are great. I do know it would also be better to wait as mandatory detention is tough on people. I'm glad you got something out of this as there's not alot out there unless it's super negative. I was quite worried before I left but needn't have been. Hope you get to reunite family soon xx
wow what a journey. Not what you´ve expected when you left australia?! were you able and allowed to lay down on the empty seats? did you had to wear the masks during the whole flights?
I´m asking because after waiting for so long now we´re planning to leave australia and fly back to europe. We planned to travel way more over here, indonesia, thailand, but at this stage it doesn´t make sense to wait any longer.
Luckily we do not have quarantine in germany. I´m so sorry for you guys that you have to do this. Keep us posted how you´re doing.
Sorry, I hoped to make it clear that we had to wear masks all the way,but I am jet lagged so maybe it wasn't clear. And yes, I loved having a WHOLE MIDDDLE AISLE all to myself. It was probably the best trip I have ever had back from UK to be honest and I have done that trip loads.
I too wanted to come back via SE Asia but it was a waste of time hanging around. Contact me on Discord or here if you have any other questions about it. I was pretty nervous as I didn't know what to expect. In many ways it was easy - no queues, lots of space, airline staff doing best to please!
Sounds like "now or never" to me. I guess we´re going to fly home soon. Also it´s not clear of we will get a further visa for australia and we´re currently on a bridging visa.
I had a look at the flights again and it seems like that etihad will be the better option for us. That´s my discord, don´t know how to find you there. 😁 Betterthanhome#4999
Thanks for the infos.
Only 20 people on that plane ..... sssssst ... don't tell Greta ;-) .
You might get lucky as the WHO is falling apart in it's own confusion and made up lies , those 14 days could be shortend for covid is not so well spreading as they thought .
But anyhowe , nice for you to be down under again :-) .
No they will keep it 14 days as the only new cases of COVID in Australia are on hotels.
Oh my goodness.. all those grounded planes more than made up for these flights! Spooky.
Glad to hear you made it back home. Guess it must be tough in quarantine but I hear bad stories glad glad your experience is a good one. Cant wait to hear your on your own sofa and environment such a blessing 💯🐒
Thanks, yeah can't wait to be home but trying to be Zen about it.
Hey how is your garden coming along?
Good to hear!
OK thanks kinda delayed a bit I had Corona and it's wiped me out 12 weeks on and I still very fatigued but do little bits. Probably shouldn't be back at work and resting but still bills to pay. I'll have to do an up date post soon 💯🐒
I love this and the raw nature of your account. I hope that you can pass the time by sharing more of your experiences through this ordeal.
Thanks so much @holoz0r. It's certainly quite raw! The finality of that door shutting behind us for two weeks - eek. I'll be sure to find some HIVE content in this experience somewhere! Appreciate the comment.
13 days left. :) You can survive. The natural light'll be a welcome change when you're out! Stay healthy - even though it'll be quite hard to do that in such confines.
I like to think I'd fill the void of that 14 day period to do something productive like learn to code, or work on a practiced skill, but I'd probably waste it playing video games!
@riverflows. That story contains a lot of details I had no idea about, since my movement doesn't allow me to experience this stuff apart from the hand sanitisers at grocery stores and the announcements in buses. No one here cares. It's almost as if people are scorned upon for believing mass media propaganda. No one buys it. In face there's a huge uprise in the country that has the WHO headquarters. I am going to a club this Friday and will break, get my hands dirty and lick the dirt I pick up from that dance floor to get a stronger immune system. My sister, who lives in LA said the tests in Switzerland are too expensive. Whatever that means? ;) The way you write this feels like being in a sci-fi movie. Just that it's actually unfolding in the year of the qubits. The beginning with the intro about about your dream and your husband totally caught me to delve into the story. That part about your husbands step father, reminds me of how little time we have for our loved ones and that ephemeral part of things is something very prominent in my life, where I can relate to you strongly. Makes me want to time travel. Emirates would not wanna give me toys at some point growing up and asked me if I wasn't too old for toys. I responded that I then just wanted the color pencils. I don't think they give these anymore. It's crazy how much power the WHO has to make everyone just obey. Maybe it's good for the meat to stay fresh and for grass and soil to replenish because we mess up our environment. I guess all think tanks must have had this common agreement because the pharma shares were down. I just see lobbyists and marketing news campaigns. Staying away from as much of it, it's not paranoia but a gut feeling that they want to lace a tracker in the vaccines. Also feel like an animal here with that number on my ID like the ones on the cows ears. I don't know if I want to wait my turn. With a dad being a PhD in Chemistry and living in the hub for generic drugs for over ten years, where you came from, gives me the creeps. What is going on there is highly disturbing and gives me an impression to compare. It raises more questions and I got a wikileaks book next to me. Hotel lottery is great. My friends from India who would never be able to afford a hotel, had that on their way to me last xmas because their layover was too long. Truly a lottery for people like that, because they are hungry right now and have nothing. Makes me stop complaining about my first world problems. sweat tear smiley The airline had to accommodate them. Something very intuitive about the signs and mysteries that become leads in your post. I think you are always on to something. It's like you can tune in. Reminds me of Dr. Chris Sheldrick and his research. I am so doing a rigorous Vinyasa session now, thanks to you. Thank you for this highly motivating and inspiring post!
Thanks lovely. I'm not sure how it's motivating but I'm glad I motivate you! The vinyasa practice helps me in the hotel. i'd give anything to share HALF to all of the free food I'm getting to people without it in places like India right now. It doesn't seem right.
I don't think we'll ever know about the virus. Some of us might just be immune and have great functioning immune systems that prevent us feeling the worst of it. I am a bit paranoid about the vaccines too, but I don't even take the flu vaccine. I just want it to be about choice, and I'm worried that it will be about taking the vaccine or not having access to travel or services. But I think there will be enough outcry against it to prevent that happening - I'd hope. Though so many rational people are making decisions based on fear, and decisions that are NOT good for their humanity.
it does raise a lot of questions. It is creepy - the whole thing DOES read like a scifi narrative or an apocalypse thriller. Fiction seems normal, real life is surreal.
You didn't mention 1 upside: you have internet which was lacking on the boat....
But I'm with you; I would go insane in 1 room for 2 weeks......
Haha good memory!!! Yes, I have wifi! Back in the civilised world! It's a human right!!!
Hello @riverflows, i am glad to know about your experience.
My friend is also working there as a pilot and he is lost job too. he belongs to the india.
Oh no, I'm really sorry aobut your friend @luckyali ! that's no good at all. So many people affected by this tragedy.
Glad to see you have made it (almost) home! I'm sure there will be many more challenges over the next few weeks, but definitely plenty of stories for the memory book, as well. Perhaps it's time for another party in the Nat Med discord to give you something to look forward to! 😉
Oh yes I'd love a party! @josecabrerav is having a music show in Palnet on Sunday, but I'm not sure I can stay awake til 10 pm - i'm back in that timezone again that makes me antisocial!!!
Glad to hear you've made it back to the home country, just less than a couple weeks now and you'll be home sweet home 😃
The only advice I can offer is try to set yourselves a daily routine of activities these next few days that you can tick off as you go along which will help pass the time. Keep your brains active, get creative, make some games up and hope the next 13 days cruise on through!
Oh I'm on it babe, don't you worry! And you bet I'll be posting about it!!
Haha awesome! Hope drum & bass time factors in to it as well 😁
Thank you for your long and detailed description of your journey, @riverflows. Reading it was another case of being fully captivated, mostly since I also just returned from my inadvertent quarantine spot on the Mexican coast to the capital. Comparing your flight (and the compulsory two weeks at the airport hotel) to mine really shows how serious the situation is NOT!
Here in Mexico City about half the people on the street wear masks, many of them even a visor, but you rarely see gloves. The other half goes about like normal, no protection, hanging out in groups, etc. The two groups don't seem to mind each other (except for it makes the entire effort ineffective).
The journey was a bit crazy, though: Normally I would have taken a bus, but had to opt for a flight as they're still not running. It was surprisingly cheap, but I had to pay almost the same amount just to get to the airport, as I had to take a taxi. On the way we were stopped by the police, who said I could pass, but my driver couldn't (someone explain me the reasoning here). So I had to get another taxi. At the airport I could go through check-in, ID control, the metal detector and the whole spiel without taking off my mask, my sunglasses or my hat, though they made me take off my boots because of the steel toes. The plane was about as fully packed with passengers as before covid, and once on board many people removed their masks. Finally, at arrival, I had to walk out of the airport area, as the only vehicles permitted were cops and special airport taxis.
Comparing all these different approaches and conflicting rules, it really seems like the virus itself is hardly something to worry about. Instead, it's how every institution and organization reacts to it that causes this whole mess. May it be over soon! And for you guys, just hang in there, you're doing great. Not much longer, and you'll be able to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air in your own home. :-)
Thanks for the well wishes - I'm glad me and Jamie are together to keep each other sane.
That sounds like a debacle. How ridiculous you had to keep on your sunnies etc going through security! It's a surreal situation. So many conflicting rules and regulations that don't make sense. England's a mess too - they don't have a clue what they're doing.
The only cases in Australia now come in via planes, so I can see why they are doing it. It's tough on the psyche though - and they need to be consistant about rules. Some hotels allow alcohol, some don't. Some have good food, some have awful food. Some allow walks, some don't.
thank god I get a 15 minute walk in fresh air today on the rooftop (I think). With mask and gloves. Ugh.
It could be worse - I have wifi, a great room, and my best mate with me, as well as good food and the knowledge I'll be out in less than 2 weeks. xx
All you have to do is breathe deeply into this experience. Allow it to connect you to every person ever who has been confirmed to a hospital room or a jail cell. Allow it to awaken your compassion. Treat it as a gift and not a sentence. You will be home soon and are privileged beyond belief. Don't forget to go and leave the Novotel a 5 star trip adviser review. And Emirates. 🤣
I'm glad the flight was both comfortable and incident-free and that you're now one step closer to your final destination .. what a year you've had .. surfers on a tidal wave of change!! Although it's certainly not what you had planned .. in the greater scheme of things and upon later reflection, it's also an experience that has made you stronger and a tale that will be shared with friends/family over (I'm sure) many years.
What a story, what an adventure!
I'm already curious about my trip to Portugal ( 10 days till countdown ) although I expect it to go way smoother and there won't be any kind of (forced) quarantine.
Living on another continent and traveling continents sure makes life even more of a postapocalyptic scifimovie these days. Although you must feel like prisoners I'm sure you will be able to focus on the positives throughout the process. How does Jamie manage to cope with it? I'm sure he wished he had a car to tinker with now.
Big hug and loads of positive vibes,
Vincent
Good to hear you made it back to Melbourne safely. A virtually empty plane is a blessing, nothing worse than being crammed together on a such a long journey. Going to read the rest of your posts now, playing catch up .....