Namaste everyone.
My name is Satya Shrestha.
I currently live in Sydney Australia.
This travel diary documentary video, is about current Pandemic, COVID-19 (Corona Virus).
I was in Nepal, in early March 2020 for an emergency situation.
I have tried to capture the travel details about my home coming from Nepal to Australia, as the COVID-19 crisis unfolded.
When I went to Nepal in the first week of March 2020 COVID-19 wasn't a Pandemic.
the COVID-19 infection cases in Australia was very low, countable in fingers.
Within one week of my visit to Nepal, WHO announced COVID-19 as a Pandemic in March 12, 2020.
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many of the countries in the world, including Nepal went on lockdown mode Because of that, I had to cut short my visit During my home coming to Australia, I've attempted to capture some moments as my travel diary.
I hope you guys will like it Please stay safe with your family Follow all the directives given by your government bodies appropriately I hope everyone will be safe during this crisis and I also hope we'll get vaccine for this COVID-19 virus very soon so that we all can go back to our normal, regular life.
That's exactly what my good wish is for everyone.
I just finished my Security Check here at the airport I'm waiting for the Silk Air flight now It's not here yet.
At the back you can see Qatar Airways Usually this International Airport (TIA) is very busy However, it's looking light today You can see most of the travellers today are foreigners because of this COVID-19 situation, this International airport has very less people It's 8:30 PM Nepali time I am still waiting for Singapore Airlines/Silk Air I am still here at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) As recommended by WHO, I'm trying to keep distance from people here, and Implement Social Distancing.
You can see many other passengers here.
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I think they are also doing the same thing There are many people behind me One person per chair maintaining a healthy distance to avoid COVID-19 infection We are all being responsible citizens The bad news is that, our Silk Air flight has been CANCELLED! They are saying it's due to some immigration reason It could be potentially, there is someone with CORONA infection in there.
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I don't know.
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So.
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these guys will be bringing all of us to Hotel Radisson And they will bring us all here tomorrow morning for the same flight at 2 PM Nepali time that's what the Silk Air Officials are telling us Interesting Times.
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It's the first time I've experienced cancelled flights in Nepal now the airlines is transferring us to Radisson Hotel We're going to Radisson Hotel.
then tomorrow we'll be back here again.
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back to the same place, from Hotel Radisson.
We are now in Radisson Hotel and it's 10:08 PM because of this cancelled flight, Silk Air brought us here looks like they are bringing all the passengers here in multiple buses They have provided us dinner in Radisson Hotel so you can see all the people here, from the same flight Finally I'm here in my room.
So this is courtesy of Silk Air.
because they have cancelled flight now.
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we got a good dinner.
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and then this bed and we also breakfast in the morning tomorrow.
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Good morning everyone.
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It's March 22, 2020 today and I just woke up.
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It's 6:30 am I'm still in Hotel Radisson.
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I think we'll leave from here around 10:00 am and we have 11:00 am checkin at the airport I'm at the reception of Hotel Radisson I had bought some Nepalese books for my kids but I forgot to bring it yesterday So my big brother and uncle is bringing it here for me so in a way.
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this cancelled flight worked out well for me.
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now I can bring those books back home for my kids My brother has arrived here, with the kids books.
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Now we are waiting for bus to Airport All the people here from cancelled flight are waiting for the bus Luggages are also ready to be loaded.
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Everyone seems to be eager to board the Silk Air flight The buses will be arriving at 10:30 am after that, we'll be going to the airport Now.
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people are loading their luggages in the bus There's another bus getting loaded I saw four buses here today so you can see here.
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there are few more buses out there all the passengers have boarded the buses so we're just waiting for this bus to start the bus is now leaving from Radisson.
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so.
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bye bye Nepal see you soon.
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Yesterday I heard in the news even people who came to Kathmandu from villages are also starting to get back to their villages so as per the news, around 300, 000 – 400, 000 people have already left the Kathmandu Valley yesterday We're now just in front of Narayan Hiti Royal Palace so in the background, you can see Narayan Hiti Palace Tribhuvan International Airport has been closed off from today However as our flight was cancelled yesterday our flight will go ahead.
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My luggage is out This is my second attempt to go back to Sydney on Silk Air via Singapore just collected all of my luggages You can see all of these passengers are from yesterday's Silk Air flight Though the TIA airport is closed today our cancelled flight is allowed to take off today I am now here in Silk Air check in counter Waited almost 1 hour It's taking a lot longer than I expected.
quite a lot of people here Everyone is patiently waiting.
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so lots and lots of people.
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It seems, our current Silk Air flight.
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is going to be fully packed.
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Finally I've completed my Check In Now we'll be boarding shortly.
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Though it was late, I'm Checked In now Now I'm waiting for the Boarding at the Airport Tribhuvan International Airport is almost empty not that many people inside Finally our Silk Air boarding has started now we're heading to Gate No 3 so the boarding has started.
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It's 3:30pm Nepali Time For some reason, this plane is still grounded here for a long time.
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It's just about to take off now.
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We have just landed to Singapore It's 10:41 pm Singapore time Many people here are in transit.
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It's 10:45 pm now I have connecting flight to Sydney SQ231 will be boarding at 11:45 pm so I'm going to Terminal 3 I'm now waiting for train that goes to T1 Terminal So we have to board train here and go to Terminal 1 to board the flight to Sydney So I'm still implementing Social Distancing So while Social Distancing, we are told to avoid crowded place So I'm just trying to avoid the crowd People have started to board They usually board Business Class and First Class passengers first and then people from back row in Economy Class so the people in the queue right now are back row Economy passengers Finally I'm going to board so.
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now.
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it's my turn Alright.
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Plane has touched down We just landed It's 11 am here in Sydney and today it's March 23, 2020 Time to get out Sydney Airport Officials have given Self Isolation form You can see people filling Self Isolation forms That means we all need to self isolate at our homes for next 14 days airport is almost deserted not many people here Finally, I've reached Sydney airport.
Just went through Custom declaration and checked out my luggages.
Normally, this place would be filled with people.
But as you can see, there are not many people here, Due to Covid-19 Pandemic Most of the flights are cancelled or international travellers are not allowed.
That's why the airport is almost empty.
It's like a ghost town or ghost airport, not many people.
Okay everyone, stay safe.
I've made it through to Sydney.
There was some interesting stuff on the way, but overall it was a good journey.
I'm going through express pickup right now.
My wife is coming to pick me up.
The place is supposed to be very busy, but as you can see, not may cars around.
I'm waiting for my wife.
There she comes.
She's wearing mask and gloves.
Look at that.
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What's going on? Mask and gloves, what's going on here? This is like a surgery ward or something? Okay, Great to see you, Finally landed in Sydney.
And my wife has come to pick me up.
Look at her, she's in her surgery gears.
Completely prepared.
Completely prepared to avoid the Corona Virus.
This is how Corona is effecting everyone and all of us.
It's good to actually take precaution.
Australian Government is saying that we should treat as if everyone has corona.
And try to avoid it as much as possible.
So we just need to follow the best practice.
I'm half way through to our house.
And I will be self isolating myself in my house for another 14 days.
It's gonna be hard but, we'll have to live with it.
This is how the Covid -19 has changed everyone's life here and around the world.
We're almost home now little busy though.
It's 1:15 PM Australian Time March 23, 2020.
It's 1:15 PM.
Now I need to take out these luggages and we're good.
So overall.
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Though I had few problems with my flight being cancelled, the overall trip was not bad.
Two of my flights were cancelled in due course, but interesting to see how Covid -19 is unfolding.
So everyone, stay safe, take care of each other, wash your hands And follow all the best practices that your government in your country is directing you to do.
I've put this luggage in the garage.
According to WHO, COVID-19 virus can live up to 48 hours in a surface of an object.
So, I'm going to leave it here for another 48 – 60 hours And then, we'll bring it inside the house.
Now, I'm going to wash all my clothes that I wore during my travel.
I'm going to use hot water for wash.
If there are any viruses, they will get destroyed.
I'm just trying to put all the things I have been wearing during the transit.
and wash straightaway Hello daddy! You are not allowed to kiss daddy.
How's it going girls? I'm good.
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You can't touch me.
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You can't come close to me.
I know.
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How have you been? Good.
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So.
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you can't sit where I'm sitting right now.
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This is mine.
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No.
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No.
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It's mine.
Daddy can't touch your computer! I can't touch anything.
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You can't touch my computer.
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And you can't touch the TV.
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And you can't touch the remote.
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Can't choose the movies.
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come on wash your hands.
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Today is Friday, April 10, 2020.
It's good Friday here.
I went through 14 days of self isolation after I got here.
Since I had travelled to Nepal, it was mandatory as per the government rules, that I self isolate myself at home.
There were fines enforced for breaking rules.
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Since I live with family me and my two kids and my wife we went on mandatory lock down and sort of self isolation for the whole family for 14 days It was fun.
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We all as a family, had fun and good time.
How it was in Nepal how it was in Singapore and Sydney the situation at the airports and travellers anxiety and mood and how things were at various places I hope you guys enjoyed what I showed you in the video Everyone please stay safe Please listen to your government's instructions We all as a human race, right.
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We will survive this There's no doubt about it We just need to be united.
We just need to work together.
and as a good Citizens, please stay safe obey all governments rules, and all these frontliners great people like Nurses, Doctors, and many essential professionals like retailers.
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and so many good human beings at work day and night and providing essential services to citizens like us please help all of these wonderful heroes.
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obviously support each other where possible.
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I wish you all the best guys and.
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I'm sure we will survive this COVID-19 and we'll come to the other end, very very soon.
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