How coronavirus left me stranded...

Graffiti in Hosier Lane, Melbourne 

The beginning

Since graduating I was lucky enough to work for a company that has been close to my heart since my childhood. Little did I know the company would provide me with the amazing opportunity to work all the way on the other side of the world in Australia! Unfortunately as you can probably tell from the title, the Covid-19 pandemic put a sudden stop to both my career and travel plans in Australia. So here I am, and here's my story... 

Before I even applied for the job, travelling to Australia had been something that I never thought I would have the confidence or money to do. I didn't dream of ever being on the opposite side of the world in a different time zone to all of my support networks. Travelling to Australia by myself was a story in itself, as I had never done more than one long haul flight. So many questions filled my head with worry. Who would I contact if something went wrong? What should I do if I get in to trouble? What if I don't settle in to the lifestyle? Little did I know I would have bigger problems to worry about.

Work, work, work 

Obviously the purpose of me being in the country was to work. To make the most of my travel experience before the end of my contract, I spent 6 days in Melbourne to get over my jet lag. My time in Melbourne may have been short, however the experiences I had were definitely the most memorable out of my short time in the country! 

I arrived mid January, and it probably took me a month to adjust to the climate and lifestyle of my job. I wasn't used to the summer heat, living in a tent, and especially not having a car. At this point I remember Covid-19 being a news story that only affected those in China and on cruise ships. We would have discussions with teachers about the crisis, and kids would make jokes about the virus whilst making TikTok videos. There honestly was no thought about it.    

Stranded.  

My final shift was on Friday, March 15th. At the time I didn't know that this would be my last shift. The spread of the virus had become severe. Being in Australia I had no idea on the impact the virus had at home. The only news I knew was that the state of Victoria was considering closing schools and stopping large gatherings - which ironically is practically the definition of my job.

Monday had come, and the number of guest bookings we had dropped. My shift was removed as I was no longer needed for that day. Here's where the hard hitting news comes in... An emergency meeting was called for all staff. Obviously this was not good news. We officially were laid off and given a week to vacate the premises and find something else. I can't describe the atmosphere in the room, literally everyone went silent. It was a shock.  

None of us knew what to do. We questioned whether it would be best to stay in Australia or return home. If we stayed we had the potential to be stranded without a job or accommodation to see us through the near future. Yet if we returned home, all of our hard work and money would simply go to waste. The best option was to enjoy each other's company whilst we could, and sleep on the difficult decision. 

Spontaneous choices

After sleeping on my decision and contacting home, I decided it would be best to return to the UK. I suppose it was more the fear of the unknown that drove my decision, as even now nobody knows how long the coronavirus pandemic will last. 

The next step in my struggles was finding a way home. Unsurprisingly, being on the other side of the world had its difficulties. Usually you would log on to any travel website, click book flight and off you go. But things had become a lot more difficult. Many airlines were beginning to ground flights over fears of spreading the virus, and ticket prices were rocketing to ridiculous standards. There also wasn't many options available for flight routes home as countries that would be a changeover hub had shut their borders. It was at this point I knew I had to get home ASAP. 

A group of us searched Skyscanner for hours, and eventually we found flights. Thai Airways were offering return flights stopping over at Bangkok which was perfect, but the booking was only available through a small travel company on a third party website. Usually I would NEVER recommend using these sites, but desperate times called for desperate measures that ended up being our best lifeline. 

So it was done. Despite risking handing our money over to a fraudulent website, the flights were paid for. The spontaneous outcome meant that the flights were in fact for that same evening and we would be leaving the country in less than 12 hours. Thankfully all the details of the booking were genuine, and we managed return home safely. 

A final thought

To this day I still question if I made the right choice. I paid so much to get myself out there and didn't even get to experience the culture. However I have my health, and despite my working visa expiring in January, returning to Australia is at the top of my future travel list. 

Stay home, stay safe, and protect the NHS. 

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