Stuck down under, but lucky
Graham Nelson, George:
My wife and I are stuck in Australia along with quite a few other South African nationals all over the country.
We were in the middle of a five week campervan trip in Tasmania when the campsites and everything related were closed down. We had no option but to travel to and return our campervan to Apollo campervan rentals in Sydney. We have been told we will not be reimbursed for the remaining two weeks rental! We then had to find alternate accommodation and fortunately found an Airbnb cottage that would allow us stay... we've been living here for almost two months so far.
We've been in Australia since the beginning of March. We were originally booked to fly home to SA with Qantas on the 27th of April. Qantas cancelled that flight and we rebooked with them for the 1st of June...the next flight out. That flight was then also cancelled and they've now said they will resume flights to South Africa on the first of August. We've booked that flight but I recon it'll be cancelled as well.
We need to come home sooner for various reasons as well and the cost of living and holiday accommodation in Australia is extremely expensive.
The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation are putting out self congratulatory messages about how many South Africans they've repatriated... but the fact is (and I can only speak for flights from Australia and New Zealand) Dirco is doing very little besides collecting a database of stranded South Africans. The prices for these repatriation flights on Qatar (the only airline flying to SA from Australia until now) are ridiculous. For my wife and I on a 29 hour one way flight via Doha will cost aproximately R83 000.
I'm not sure how Dirco can congratulate themselves for that. Very few of us South Africans stranded in Australia are willing or able to pay that price. Which means that we're here whether we like it or not, until some other airline offers a reasonably priced flight back to
South Africa.
Besides all of that I think we have been very lucky to be stuck in Aussie. Most retail shops have been open, exercising, running, walking, surfing and fishing have all been legal. We've done some amazing incredibly well maintained hikes through the blue mountains west of Sydney and some great beach walks. All restaurants and pubs were closed... the restaurants are now open and can serve 10 people at a time. They're reviewing that to accommodate larger restaurants with sensibly spaced seating.
All bottle stores have been open throughout the lockdown .... obviously classed as essential services! In spite of the relative freedom we've been allowed in Australia the curve has been flattened!
We need to come home sooner for various reasons and the cost of living and holiday accommodation in Australia is extremely expensive.