Tommy’s return from Malaysia is just in time
MILLSTREET teacher Tommy Buckley and his travelling companion made it back from Malaysia just in time - had they delayed a day longer they would have had to pay more than double airfares to escape a military lockdown in the south east Asian country.
Now back in his family home on the Drishane Road, Tommy, 26, with his girlfriend, Sarah Sheridan from Westport in Mayo, also a teacher, are in quarantine and using just three rooms in the house until Monday when the quarantine ends.
“We set off on February 17 and while we were aware of COVID-19, we brought masks and hand santiser, it didn’t really become an issue until around St Patrick’s Day.,” said Tommy.
The couple moved from a hostel they had been staying in to an Air B&B apartment but quickly realised that the COVID 19 situation was escalating rapidly and made arrangements to fly home. They booked their flights to Dublin from Penang and it cost €600 each. “That wasn’t too bad,” said Tommy. “We checked the price the next day - it had gone up to €1300!”
The trip had been in the planning for some time and they had orginally thought they would be gone for six months.
“Our plan was to do that and return and then we wanted to tour South America also,” he said.
“We wanted to travel when we were young and free to do so,” he remarked.
During their trip, Tommy uploaded videos of their adventures in South East Asia to You Tube, videos which included some of his own musical compositions as a soundtrack. The couple hope to travel again after COVID-19 runs its course.
“I’m just looking forward to the end of the quarantine and seeing the kitchen again!”