Arriving in Australia

It's hard to explain what this journey has been like. From the moment I got the call from my mum telling me I needed to get home, through the application for an exemption process, booking a flight and travelling to Canada and back, it has been a never ending series of paperwork and anxiety. In the lead up to my trip I spent a lot of time in various Facebook groups for people in similar positions. It was helpful in many ways - a source of information and advice which gave me the knowledge I needed to navigate the process, and preparing me for what was to come. But it also heightened my anxiety, hearing story after story of people stranded overseas due to flight cancellations and other complications. When the day finally came and I received my boarding pass for my flight from LAX back to SYD I burst into tears and the check in counter because for the first time in 2 months the fear of not getting home lifted off my shoulders.

Late Tuesday night, myself and 12 other passengers left a crowded terminal at LAX and boarded our flight to Australia. With only 13 passengers and 13 crew, it was the most comfortable flight I have ever taken. The staff were kind and caring and I thoroughly enjoyed the 14 rows I had to myself. Fifteen and a half hours later, just before 7am, we arrived in Australia.

I remember how eerie my departure had felt flying out of Sydney a few weeks earlier. The terminal was nearly empty, with only 2 coffee shops and a chemist open, and a small number of passengers and police about. Even that experience didn't prepare me for the dystopian feeling of international arrivals. 

We were met by a welcoming committee of federal police, Australian defense force and and medical staff with what felt like a never ending series checkpoints. We were met first by a health team with questions about both our physical and mental health. We had our temperature taken and were given information on the quarantine process. From there we cleared customs and immigration collected our bags, and were escorted through an otherwise empty terminal. We were then escorted onto a large bus by the ADF, destined for an unknown destination.

It's worth saying that everyone we came in contact with was friendly and helpful, and despite being a little unsettling, the entire process was efficient. It was less than on hour from when we arrived until we were leaving the website on our bus, trailed by a police escort.

Once on the bus, my anxiety quickly turned to where I might be headed. I had read varying accounts of people being quarantined in accommodations ranging from five-star hotels to dated and dirty basic accommodation and all things in between. It was such a relief when the bus finally pulled up at the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park. A quick search of the 14 days hotel quarantine Facebook group told me I had hit the hotel quarantine jackpot.

As I was the only solo traveler on my flight, I was the only passenger to check into to the Sheraton. After leaving me and my luggage in the hands of the NSW police, the remaining travelers were taken to accommodation more suited for families.

Check in was brisk and friendly, and included stops with both the hotel staff and the police, Instead of a room key I was given a stack of paperwork outlining the rules and regulations for my stay. I was then escorted to my room by 3 lovely ADF personnel who let me into my room, and wished me well for my 15 day stay. As the door closed behind me my anxiety was quickly replaced by relief as I explored my new surroundings. More on that shortly.