Why Fiona and myself feel rather lucky coping with the COVID-19 Virus!!!
We flew out of Melbourne early January this year, travelling to Selva in Northern Italy for two weeks of great skiing and the company of our son Tim, his partner Emily and our granddaughter, Lucy. We then spent two weeks in a motor home touring Southern Italy. Not so good, as being winter there, we only found two camping parks open and most places deserted. Spent the nights parked on streets, railway station car parks, one night by a sewerage treatment works where we were not disturbed, but the night outside a cemetery was busy in the evening and early morning with the Italians grieving intensity.
We arrived back in Rome and discovered that our Cruise Company , Norwegian Cruise Lines had cancelled our hotel booking, as the cruise itinerary had changed with the Ship not finished refitting. We arranged a hotel and spent 5 days in Rome before departing mid February. Several ports were cancelled for the cruise, but our primary aims of seeing Petra in Jordan and traversing the Suez Canal were achieved. Loved the military presence along the canal, maned guardhouses at least every 500m, pontoons at the ready to cross the canal, camps and armory in situ.
The cruise went into “Pirate Watch” ( no lights at night and curtains drawn) around Yemen and Somalia coasts and the departure of a chaperoning warship suggested we were safe!
We started hearing of a “virus” , but made it through the Straits of Hormuz, where Iran hijacked a ship last year, and then to stay in Dubai where Dhows, loaded with supplies to trade across the Persian Gulf with Iran where plentiful. No customs, or bio-security measures involved!!
We were so glad to fly back to Australia and home and so feel very lucky with our timing.
Skiing in Northern Italy and touring southern Italy before the virus arrived, avoiding Pirates on our cruise, avoiding the virus on our cruise and close to the hot spot of Iran!
Whilst the requirements by Australia for quarantine isolation for two weeks didn’t come in till mid March, we went into semi self quarantine. Hence, it is the first Rotary Art and Craft Show we have missed since being in Numurkah. Fortunately, after no illness for two weeks, we went to visit my eldest brother who was in hospital with side effects of chemotherapy for Mesothelioma which was diagnosed with whilst we were overseas.
We have not caught up with visiting our grandsons, Anneliese and Stu since arriving home, as the virus scare with its’ risks and travel in Australia has been restrictive.
On a happier note, we have shifted into our new retirement/nursing home compatible home in March!!! Hooray! With the “lock down” we have plenty to do staying at home. Whilst we walk most mornings, we also do some “weights”, shifting barrow loads of soil in landscaping.
Trust you are coping with the changed world (not as a result of the “Climate Catastrophe” predicted by many). When will we all fly again? We have two Expedition cruises booked next year, not with the Norwegian Cruise Line!
Stay Well.
Philip and Fiona
Also to get out, have been going out to the orchard to offer “advice” and doing some tractor driving. Last week after the rain we went out Kinnards swamp wetlands and did the big loop and found out where all the swans that were on the lake had gone. Anyway have to go now as I have a lot on at the moment, don’t what it is but I will think of something.
