The Lockdown Diaries: Getting down, Down Under

Down Under has a new meaning to me: enough frustration, worry and anxiety to put you down…

It all started with my three-week trip to visit my youngest, Chandre, and her husband, Marinus, in Sydney. I landed middle March sans my hubby, Danie, because this trip was only for the mothers-in-law … But how were Ella and I to know it would become six weeks before we returned to sunny South Africa again? And how could we have guessed it would become eight weeks as we are now trapped in a 14-day quarantine in a hotel in Joburg?

I still haven’t seen my ailing hubby and I worry. I’m in my third day of quarantine and although I speak to him daily, I know anxiety is taking a toll on his health.

Ella worries too: she runs a biltong business and needs to be in charge. But all we can do is stare at each other and pace the 6m x 3m “jail” we are sharing.

Strictly no leaving your rooms, we were told as we were sprayed down to the soles of our shoes when booking in. Food is delivered to the door; the only human contact we have is with the medic testing us daily; no balcony to escape to and, when my friend asked over the phone, “sadly no minibar, either”.

But back to Down Under: us girls landed exactly one day before Sydney announced a severe quarantine for travellers. Phew, escaped that one, I thought. But then came South Africa’s lockdown from 26 March.

We were booked to return on 4 April, but decided to cut our trip short. Rush to the airport and we got a return trip for 27 March, a day after SA’s lockdown started. Phew again. Phew indeed: the SA government blocked all return flights. We were stuck Down Under. Yes, it’s wonderful to spend extra time with my daughter, but I was anxious about work: would I even have a job after all this?

Off to the high commission and lo and behold we got on a “mercy flight”.

“Just be ready to take off by 27 April – and that will be three times what you paid for your original flight, thank you very much.”

Beggars can’t be choosers, I guess, so we paid up. On Tuesday we boarded the Qantas plane with about 200 other lost souls stuck Down Under – and that should’ve prepared me for my current “jail”.

Onboard we got food – only food; no pillows, no blankets, no coffee … just water.

But I count my blessings. I’m back on home soil – and at least the sun shines…

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