Mark & Irish's recent travels and the stressful situation of flying out of Manila as the COVID-19 net was closing in on us.
As members will know, we left Caloundra immediately after the Coast Guard meeting on 11th February (yep that’s over 6 weeks ago), we drove to Brisbane, did some chores and stayed overnight before heading to the airport at 6.30am to catch SQ256.
We had 2 weeks in Vietnam staying at Saigon (HCM), Phu Quoc (an island near Cambodia border), Hoi An (3rd visit there for Mark), then one night in Danang before flying to Manila.
We had 4 nights at our all-time favourite hotel, the Sofitel Manila – apologies to the folks who know how nice that is, and yes of course we went to Dampa, the seafood market.
After Manila, now Irish is getting very excited, we flew to the airport closest to Irish’s province on the island of Mindanao (the island’s capital is Davao where President Duterte was the Mayor before being elected President).
 
 
After the flight we had a 3 hour mini-van trip to a small town where we can catch a skinny “pump-boat” for the 15 minute trip to Irish’s Grandmothers stilt house at Port Lamon, our home for next 10 days.
 
The nearest big town is approximately 1-2 hours away and requires the same pump-boat, then maybe a tricycle ride to a small but bigger town and then transport by bus or jeepney to a large town where I can download my emails which can be a slow process.
The main reason for visiting is to celebrate Irish’s Grandmothers birthday, somehow it was to be a surprise; but that’s another story altogether.
Whilst we were in Port Lamon we delivered a Teacher In Box to the local high school, this was received very well and we are already receiving feedback that it is being used. We hope to present this project to the club at some time in the future.
 
   
 
OK after our 10 days in Port Lamon its time to return to Australia and because of COVID-19 things are starting to get interesting.
Fortunately, no disruption to domestic flights in Philippines so we arrive back in Manila for 4 nights where the plan was to catch-up with friends with stayovers. So we are in an Air BnB in Pasay, close to Mall of Asia and we have a nice view of Manila Bay and coincidently very close to Golden Phoenix Hotel. Our temperature is taken every time we enter and we need to hand sanitize.
 
     
 
The next day the PH government announces the closure of all domestic travel starting midnight the next day; phew we got out just in time. Some of Irish’s relatives are stuck in Port Lamon because they are unable to travel.
The PH government also announces a lockdown in Manila for all but essential services and of course social distancing.
So we can go out to shop and eat but basically we are confined to our Air BnB; yeah good practice for us I hear you say; but ScoMo has yet to announce home isolation for inbound Aussies.
No sign of disruptions to international flights, but we are getting nervous.
The first day of the Manila lockdown is not taken seriously by the population with jeepney’s still overflowing, they really squeeze in their passengers.
So PH government announces even more stringent lockdowns and with more enforcement. Nothing on international flight disruptions but we are really nervous now.
ScoMo announces don’t travel overseas unless necessary and home isolation for inbound Aussies. We feel the net is closing in on us.
 
Next day is our flight day, we are nervous about transport to the airport and long queues, but it was was a breeze. At check-in we are advised of the home isolation for 14 days.
So we catch our flight home via Singapore (there was talk of closing for transits and since our travels and now SIN is closed for transits). Everything went as planned which was a great relief to us. Singapore had temperature checks and hand sanitizer everywhere. At departure we are reminded that we have to home isolate for 14 days.
 
 
We are actually flying into Sydney and expecting delays with immigration due to the new home isolation for inbound Aussies. Deplaning is delayed whilst a border force officer hands out a fact sheet on home isolation for 14 days. Prior to immigration there are no temperature checks, no sanitizer and the toilet has run out of soap, seems we are miles behind both Singapore and Manila. No queues at Sydney immigration, what a nice surprise. We are again reminded to home isolate for 14 days, which does not actually start until we reach our home. So our domestic flight and any taxi travel is OK. So we check-in at the international transfer counter, reminded to home isolate for 14 days, catch a bus to domestic, go to lounge and wait for our flight. So all this contact with other people, but we wear a mask just to do the right thing, but have to be removed for coffee and lunch. The home isolation seems a little bizarre as if we had left 2 days earlier we would have avoided it. 
 
We catch a uber to my daughters apartment at Hamilton, pickup our car and drive to Caloundra. I joke to Irish we could stay in Brisbane or drive around for a couple of days as home isolation does not start until you actually reach home. But after all the stress we just want to get home.
 
We were so pleased to reach home and seems we missed the worst of it. And now non-citizens cannot enter Australia so that would have prevented Irish from coming home.
 
Hope to see you all soon and thanks for all the offers of help; but why the caveat about not asking for toilet paper; as observed from afar it seems a nonsense that toilet paper has caused such hysteria.
 
Kindest regards Mark & Irish