Livin La Vida Limbo Lockdown: living the dream since March 18, 2020
It is official - Australia has closed its borders and had a compassion bypass.
It has been a very interesting few weeks. If you call living day by day, reading the news in a state of shock, having a single suitcase packed, listening to stories of people stranded and having no idea what the future now holds - interesting. Yes, it is interesting - like running a marathon over broken glass and marbles while wearing rollerskates with a blindfold on is interesting. Just because the country on my passport can not make up its mind how to handle a pandemic in an organised and humane way many of us are now living in some weird limbo. It has tested my patience, my resilience and my personal limits every day. I have even been known to swear more than usual.
It is no secret that Australians are currently being told by the press and the government that returning citizens 'had plenty of time' to get back. That they have assisted '100's of thousands of Aussies' to 'get home' (yet the last count of repat flights the government paid for was 6 - worldwide). That we had been warned to return and had months to prepare. That basically it is our own fault. The lack of compassion and depth of bullshit in these statements is truly breathtaking. But not surprising.
Returning citizens have endured some of the most hateful, isolationist and racist trolling I have seen in a long time from fellow Aussies for months now. We could not even get on Smart Traveller to ask a basic question without a barrage of abuse - the same story with the ABC and SBS. No where was safe. I have had to write to social media managers repeatedly and point out the effect this is having on people stuck abroad. We have been called infectious, biohazards, lazy ass backpackers, moochers, freeloaders and a burden to the country. Labels that are freely distributed by so many fellow Australians with little idea of the background or reality people like myself are facing.
The entire world is in a pandemic in case you have missed it - I have worn a mask since mid-January - my partner was locked out of the country we live in. The life we shared in Asia collapsed overnight. We all have our reasons to return to Australia and most of them are usually emotionally harrowing and uncertain. We will have to face huge adjustments and uncertainties in every aspect of our lives when we do get back. Many people have a future of couch surfing and bunking with family and friends ahead of them. Most have lost their jobs. People had to put it off for as long as they possibly could. And now they are forced to return - to a country, they left many years ago and have no idea what will await them when they land. I can honestly say, after the reactions, I have read from government and citizens alike - we have not shown our best self as a nation in the last few weeks - let me tell you. It has been awful to witness from the outside. It does not bode well for the future.
Now lets clear up this bit of 'plenty of time' fiction once and for all. In my case and tens of thousands of others, this was not the reality at all. We did not always have time, limitless options and bottomless funds available. Nor were we all on holiday.
I have worked as a travel agent in the past and consider myself a fairly robust and experienced traveller - if I couldn't find a viable, safe way out for myself - I would love to know who could.
As an example, let's look at how many options I had to get back because according to the government I had 'plenty of time' and 'options':
1. get on a flight via Doha and fly in a petri dish with a 20 plus hour layover - Qatar flights are well-known infection sources. Feel free to go on the health websites of Oz and prove me wrong.
2. fly via HK (one flight a week at best) and they were often cancelled leaving folks stranded in airports - HK goes from hotspot to closed in the blink of an eye - oh and that pesky uprising is happening - so didn't fancy sleeping on an airport floor for a week - sorry.
3. wait for Malaysian Airlines to start reinstating some more flights - the safest most direct route from KL but an airline that notoriously cancels, doesn't give refunds at all but hey at least you could book them in July
Now keep in mind we had Ramadan and Eid during this time too and a very strict movement restriction order in place for months as well. That meant someone like me in Penang had to go to the police to get a permit to even leave the city to cross the bridge. That was if I found a driver willing or allowed to take me to KL (the domestic airport is shut at this time remember). There was an army to contend with and there were roadblocks - I am a female travelling alone. I didn't want to risk it. I am not ashamed to say that.
And no our High Commission does not assist us in any of these choices, plans or decisions - they offer advice only and even that is minimal at best. That is the support level from the government representatives here.
There were no domestic flights out until recently as the airport was closed.
The international airport here is still closed.
Add the fact that the advice from Australia was: if you cant get a flight to Australia just stay put and stay safe - so many of us listened and just waited it out. We also watched on as those that did return soon realised they were now locked in and could not leave.
Then due to Australia extending its border closure until at least 17 September 2020 - airlines literally pulled their flights to Australia overnight once that announcement happened. People had booked 9 flights with 4 airlines and were still unable to get home as they just kept cancelling. That was when the new 'options' disappeared.
As for these so-called "repat" flights you all keep hearing about - let's first establish we got no special treatment. They are all flights we pay full fare for or more - hardly a freebie - so classifying them as repat and that they are rescuing us - is a real stretch. A good example is the two commercial flights that were announced for us almost 2 months ago ( cargo flights) at a time when there were no other options available. The announcement gave many of us so little notice (36 - 48hrs) there was no chance to even get on them. Keep in mind during the MCO and CMCO here you had to apply with the local police for a permit to leave the area and the state. For anyone not in KL, it was unviable to even get to the airport in time.
Fast forward to this week - many have booked flights for this month and next, just as we were told to do by the government - I booked with Malaysian Airlines. They reinstated flights for the next two months - we all got on them - we all started seeing some light at the end of the runway. Then the passenger limits became 50. Now with no notice, they are 30. Sydney went from allowing 450 people a day to 350 from all destinations. Melbourne is shut - flights are being redirected to other airports as passengers are being bumped off flights until September.
No one had ever said they will close the airports down with no notice. In fact, they said they had the pandemic under control in Australia and they shouted it from the rooftops how well they had done.
What many people also don't know is those trying to fly to Oz are also being forced to upgrade to business class and even that is no guarantee of a seat. ( I am currently waiting a week for a confirmation). So say the flight you booked is the 25th July with MAS - you will not know if you are flying until possibly 24 - 48hrs prior. Think of those with homes to leave and kids to organise - it is terrifying to think about what will happen if you are stranded with nowhere to return to. You basically are going to have to live in a hotel. Some already are caught in this limbo here as they got bumped off their flight this week after they handed their house keys back. Add the 3k cost for one person to do quarantine in Oz and you have to ask...do they even want us to return?
With what is happening with the recession and the economy in Australia I am starting to think this has less to do with the virus and more to do with stemming the flow. The majority of people now returning would have lost their jobs, income and homes in other countries - they held on to the bitter end. Trust me - most are coming back because there is no other option left. The world is closed. The government of Australia knows this. We are also now being asked to pay for quarantine in what is a developed country we paid taxes in.
This isn't about lack of facilities anymore - we have very few cases compared to many countries in the world - this is about $ and closing off a nation entirely in fear. So before anyone tells you - they had 'plenty of time to get back' or that we are just privileged travellers returning from an extended jaunt and we don't deserve any better than this because it's our own fault - get your facts in a row Straya. We should be better than this.
