Quarantine Diary 1.1
(Arrival in Adelaide)
8 September 2020
The flight from Singapore to Adelaide was a mere 7 hours.
A mercy after the long haul from London to Singapore (13 hours) and an epic transit at Changi Airport (17 hours).
Flying in over Adelaide, I snapped this picture which Hello Internet listeners may appreciate (for the Mighty Black Stump) and Unmade Podcast listeners (for the Festival Theatre).
The city’s much-loved Adelaide Oval is the foreground stadium.
But here things get serious.
At the best of times, Australia guards its borders with a zeal that has often intrigued me.
Usually this zeal is turned toward pests and nasties which may affect the environment, wildlife, and agriculture.
But COVID-19 has presented a new challenge which Australia’s leaders and border authorities have taken with gusto.
The country has fared “well” during the pandemic when compared with other nations - with the notable exception of the state of Victoria which is currently enduring a serious outbreak.
My state, South Australia, has been spared the worst. At the time of writing, there is just one active case in the population of 1.7 million.
Four people have died in South Australia thus far and I hope the numbers remain comparatively low.
SA has imposed a quota on how many people may enter the state each week (I believe about 500 people).
But here’s the kicker - overseas entrants must spend 14 days in strict quarantine.
This isn’t a self-monitored exile like that required in the UK, but is spent locked in a state-appointed hotel, complete with security guards and police.
Leaving the room is strictly forbidden (more on that in future blog entries).
It’s also a cost borne by the passenger - a compulsory and quite hefty $A3000 (including meals).
That’s about $US2160 or £1670.
Arrivals at Adelaide Airport certainly received a more Chernobyl-like treatment, with heavily-protected medical staff taking temperatures, issuing fresh masks, requiring hand sanitisation, etc.
That said, the arrival process was mercifully quick because so few people were processed.
After a bearable wait, passengers were herded onto coaches (20 people at a time) and driven to a city centre hotel.
Here the hotel and authorities were a well-oiled machine, banishing us to our rooms with friendly efficiency. I was quite impressed by their organisation.
I’m fortunate to have what seems like a spacious corner room (or cell?), with a small balcony affording lovely views of my home city.
I will describe more about the hotel experience (including stuff about food and cleaning) in future blog entries. I also intend to make a few videos in the room!
I’ve quickly learned people have many questions, so feel free to ask more on social media, etc. I will try to answer some.
A few hours after arrival I was visited for the first of my Covid-19 tests - a nose and throat swab.
If it’s negative (🤞) a second test will be conducted before check-out.
My first day/night ended on a bright note, with my Unmade co-host Tim Hein and his family paying a “visit” and waving from a distance.
BTW, we also just published the Unmade episode I was editing on the flight. It was recorded a few days before I left the UK.