COVID-19, Canberra and impending confinement.

Travel during a global pandemic was always going to be interesting and different. We had no way of knowing when we booked how strange it was going to get…

I had bought Super Saké Boy a Japanese woodworking short course for Christmas last year. The only person in Australia that I could find offering such a course was Hiroshi Yamaguchi…. a furniture maker from Osaka who had done his apprenticeship in beautiful Takayama, a place in which Super Saké Boy and I had ogled a lot of Japanese wood craftsmanship products. Hiroshi-san has a studio in Oaks Estate, in Canberra. I booked and then the COVID-19 lockdown completely cancelled our plan, along with our plan to go to Japan for some much needed “time-out”… we have four teenagers between us and life is busy and stressful at times.

So, when the curve was steadily flattened and Hiroshi re-opened his course, we booked a trip. Super Saké Boy needed a break from work and I was happy to have some down time. We arranged for my mum and step-dad to stay with our kids, and booked four nights in Canberra. We could not have imagined that by the time we left, two and a half weeks later, 12 Melbourne suburbs would be in lockdown, COVID-19 cases would be soaring and things would only get more weird as the weekend progressed…

Tullamarine Airport is usually a bustling place. It was almost deserted. The car park is so empty, the airport is offering free long term parking in the short term car park. There are no shops open, save a newsagent and a pharmacy and everyone looks nervous, uncomfortable and guilty. We certainly felt a little weird. The situation had changed so much since we had decided to go. We did, however, continue with our plan.

After checking our bag, we went through security (no queue at all) which included having our photo ID checked (for suburb- as 12 postcodes in Melbourne had already been locked down), sanitising our hands and having our temperature taken. The flight itself had socially distanced seating and almost everyone was wearing a mask (us included). There was no in-flight entertainment and a small water and small snack was the only available refreshments. I will point out that I think this was my first ever flight as an adult (and I do fly reasonably frequently) without champagne… it was very strange. The flight was super short, and when we arrived everyone had to exit the plane row by row, to maintain distancing. To be honest, I firmly believe this should be how flights should disembark all the time. No pushing, no impatience, just orderly exiting. After everyone was out of the plane, and lined up, 1.5 metres away from each other, we were screened by ACT Health. This included having our photo ID photographed, address checked, again and a list of questions answered. The process was reasonably fast, however some people seemed unsure of what was happening and there was a definite police presence to ensure no one skipped through the procedure.

Our time in Canberra was lovely. Melbourne had been wet and dreary for days, and Canberra was cold but sunny. The restaurant scene in Canberra has really improved over the years and we had some of the best meals we have eaten in ages while there. We ate at Blackfire, which is Spanish, Vincent, modern Australian, Morning Glory, a twist of Asian and the very best bacon I have ever eaten, Raku, a very sophisticated Japanese restaurant, with potentially the best Japanese we have had, in or outside of Japan and an excellent sake list to compliment… Maple and Clove, whole food breakfast, Mezzalira, a Canberra institution, that was unexplainably delicious, really, and then High Road by ONA, a funky space, with excellent coffee and an interesting menu. Oh, and social distancing, but far less rigorous than Victoria. We also visited the War Memorial and the NGA (National Gallery of Art). Everywhere was distanced and people seemed very aware, but less nervous than in Melbourne.

As the weekend progressed, the situation in Melbourne became progressively worse. Firstly, the numbers of confirmed cases were increasing at an alarming rate. We were reticent to tell people we were from Melbourne… Then the suggestion of further lockdowns was looking increasingly more likely. As other states started shutting the borders to Victoria, our flights were cancelled and adjusted. By Sunday night we were trying to figure out how we were going to transit at Kingsford-Smith, in Sydney, in -40 minutes. Our flight from Canberra to Sydney was 18:10-19:30 and then Sydney to Melbourne leaving at 18:30???? In the end we cancelled both the flights and booked a new one, as, by Monday afternoon, I was starting to get a little anxious. Mum and Ted had to leave Melbourne, and we were worried we would be stuck.

Having sorted the flights, we spent the rest of our time enjoying the sunshine, meandering around and being “relaxed”. A lovely couples massage was just the thing we needed, followed by a restful nights sleep. By Tuesday lunchtime it became apparent that Dan Andrews, our Premier, would make an announcement in regards to further lockdowns in Melbourne. We grabbed a glass of wine and some tapas, and sat watching the live coverage of the press conference. We would be returning to Stage 3 lockdowns, effective the following day. This will, of course, impact my work, the kids’ school, many of our friends’ businesses, many peoples’ mental health, and a myriad of other things that will emerge over the time. Six weeks, to begin with, possibly longer, if it is deemed necessary.

I am grateful that we had the opportunity to get away when we did. We are both healthy and we are also very aware and compliant with regulations, health advice and public health measures. I hope our current lockdown, which started at midnight, last night, is effective in combatting our COVID-19 outbreak and we do not end up in the dire situation that many people in other places find themselves. Take care, everyone, and stay safe.