On hearing that more and more countries were closing their borders to all but their own citizens we realised we needed to get home before it became impossible.
The previous blog told how we were left standing in a long queue waiting for a coach to take us to the airport. There were only 4 coaches and each return trip took 90mins. We were fortunate that our departure time was as late as 23:50 so we had no concern that we would miss it. Sadly, a few people who were taken to the airport only to find that they had arrived too late for their flights and had to return to the ship.
The ship was able to restock and refuel in Buenos Aires before sailing out of the port with about 250 passengers and 800 crew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. By the time that they arrived there had been a dozen cases of Covid-19 with 3 deaths. We were very glad to be of the ship before that.
We ourselves had to wait in the airport until we were called to board at 23:15 and we left on time. While waiting there we watched the information board to see one flight after another being cancelled and people panicking and trying to get another flight. A lot of money was clinking through air ticket booking lines as some airlines actually increased their prices. This had already started when people were changing bookings while still on board the ship. One British couple had to pay nearly $2000 (R30 000) more but they were desperate.
Example of one of the information boards in the morning
We arrived in São Paulo at 02:20 and had an 18 hour wait for our next flight to Paris at 23:45. Fortunately they had nice ablution facilities so we were able to wash and change in the early evening in preparation for our flight. The airport was extremely busy as São Paulo is a central international hub in South America. People were sleeping on the floor, planes were taking off and landing and every one of the very few ph chargers was in use. Some airports are well supplied with electronic charging facilities and others which have extremely few. It can be extremely frustrating. Outside, the scenery was beautiful. The airport is surrounded by mountains. Once on board in the Premium Economy section, we had spoilt ourselves, with just a few passengers around us we were suddenly invaded by 10 young travellers who were so excited that, not only had they managed to get on to a flight, but they were not in Economy.
The airport name board
The mountains surrounding the airport
Start of the building of a new runway
It was a surprise that on arrival at Charles de Gaulle airport at 11:30 the next day there was no screening or any other form of checking us, not even a questionnaire about our movements of the past 14 days to complete. Agreed that we were in transit but were waved through to the International Departures area. Walking through the airport was quite eerie. EVERYTHING was closed to the point of chains on the locks and once again we had a long wait for our flight to Johannesburg which was another late night flight. Those 12 hours were very long being able to get only coffee and biscuits from a vending machine. By early evening there were 9 flights listed on the departures board but only 3 had not been cancelled and we were so grateful that ours was not one of the cancelled ones but it would be the last to leave. We watched people board a flight to Cameroon and another to Ethiopia before ours was finally called.
The silence of the airport
2 planes out of service and no other activity
We had just got ourselves settled when one of the crew came and said that there were only 2 people in Business Class and 6 of us in Premium Economy we were invited to move into Business Class. Something good happened on this long trip home!! It was so good to be able to lie down properly and sleep well. In addition, there were 28 passengers and 24 crew and this was because the plane would be taking a full load of French citizens on its return journey the following day. After a night of being treated with unbelievable care and courteousy, we arrived safely in Johannesburg at mid-morning where we had to wait nearly 5 hours for the final leg of our journey to Durban.
The arrival queues at OR Tambo, Johannesburg
Our luggage carousel
80 hours after leaving Buenos Aires on Thursday 19 March we unlocked our front door at 6pm on Sunday 22 March. The following day our President announced a complete lockdown with effect from 26 March. What an answer to prayer.
