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Post by patty on Mar 19, 2020 8:03:19 GMT
they r still in lockdown in Butan, they r not allowed out of their houses and food parcels are delivered every 3 days...who knows what will happen when these folk are allowed out? Presumably they will have crisis over a shortage of midwives in 9 months time...... ah yes..home births and kiddies brought up never to see the great outdoors....methinks theres a plot for a movie here
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 19, 2020 8:16:38 GMT
Presumably they will have crisis over a shortage of midwives in 9 months time...... ....methinks there's a plot for a movie here already made:
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Mar 22, 2020 10:39:13 GMT
The guys in airforce blue rescued me, again, regrettably in a C130 as I feared but I'm back safe. And will now have to stay, I've been put in quarantine!
Dad has it worse, stuck in the Philippines in a city that is totally locked down. He is in one of the very few hotels allowed to still be open, taking no new guests. Not allowed any travel, curfew in force, very forcefully with huge fines and possible imprisonment. Embassy and Foreign & C Office [ my bosses really ] are ineffective, no planes no ferries, no public transport. It will be a month minimum before he can get out. Had him begging again, poor sod, he is too old for this hardship. Had to pay his credit card off. He can't even top up his phone, all shops shut except food and undertakers. All fast food closed down, McDs, Jollibee, KFC, the lot. Bastard rip off exploiters are sucking the money off the tourists stranded as fast as they can. One was selling air tickets for non existent flights to Manila for 3870 Euros! Per seat, one way! Hotel costs are 3 times normal.
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Post by JohnV on Mar 22, 2020 10:42:58 GMT
Bad place, bad time. He's lucky to have you to call on (and you are lucky to be able to help with morale and finance)
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Post by phil70 on Mar 22, 2020 11:44:35 GMT
Oh mate what a shitty time, praying he makes it out. Phil
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Mar 22, 2020 13:51:07 GMT
Thanks for the heartwarming comments guys. There are some nice folk on here after all.
Its out of my hands now, I feel useless. He can't get out. I can't get in to help him. He is at a dangerous age for flu but fortunately very fit.
Just hoping some fast lady doesn't latch on to him, he has what they all desire, short expected life span and a pension.
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Post by patty on Mar 22, 2020 19:42:28 GMT
Thanks for the heartwarming comments guys. There are some nice folk on here after all. Its out of my hands now, I feel useless. He can't get out. I can't get in to help him. He is at a dangerous age for flu but fortunately very fit. Just hoping some fast lady doesn't latch on to him, he has what they all desire, short expected life span and a pension. Very worrying time for you..I hope he gets out soon. Stories like this should make folk realise how lucky they are.
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Apr 18, 2020 12:00:09 GMT
A quick update.
I am out of quarantine but in lockdown at home. Dad is still in Philippines.
He seems to be making the best of it considering. The Department of Tourism have been brilliant. They arranged a medical and chest x-ray for him as it was a requirement for him to travel. They got him and a few others off Negros on a cargo boat to Iloilo on Panay where the airport was manned for essential flights only. They had arranged a mercy flight, in the only Cebu Pacific plane allowed to fly, to Manila providing he had an onward ticket out of the Philippines. I bought him a one way on BA and Cathay Pacific for $3078. On arriving at Manila airport after 38 hours without sleep or proper food he was refused boarding as only Hong Kong residents are allowed into Hong Kong airport! So he was stuck in Manila airport, all the hotels are closed, no other flight out. One snack bar open for staff. Eventually after 3 nights sleeping on steel chairs they found him a room in the Holiday Inn which they were using to clear people out of the airport, he reckoned that there were around 70 trapped there. So there he is in Manila, managing to get food and the lady cleaner in the hotel is in his words "being very obliging" which worries me somewhat. I don't want a new step mother! He is borrowing her phone to email and facetime me, she is a bit of a looker! The old bugger!
Its good to know that he is safe though, I have been worrying. No date for his return but there is not much here for him to return to anyway, at least its warmer there. There is no travelling allowed, by land sea or air. The city is divided into areas called barangays and travel from one to another is banned, there is a curfew too. They seem to have the CV under control for now.
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Post by JohnV on Apr 18, 2020 12:13:32 GMT
I trust he is at least now somewhere where he is not being bled to death by hugely hiked prices (and indirectly you as well )
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Apr 18, 2020 14:20:38 GMT
Prices are a bit academic, there is little to buy! His food is reasonable, there is a small market open certain hours and his "cleaner" gets stuff. [I'm really not sure about this lady!]
The Holiday Inn is on a special rate, its partially closed and low staffed at present, no new guests allowed. He hasn't had to pay yet so its a bit unknown. The exit from Negros to Manila was paid for by the tourist dept, lovely people.
I have found out that his travel insurance is worthless. Staysure will not cover disruption of airlines or extended accommodation costs, only repatriation costs so perhaps his final exit flight will be covered if he has to buy another.
Immigration have said that his visa overstay will be P500 a day, I've told him to tell them to suck it up when he leaves, worst case, they will deport him - free!
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Post by patty on Apr 18, 2020 14:54:50 GMT
Prices are a bit academic, there is little to buy! His food is reasonable, there is a small market open certain hours and his "cleaner" gets stuff. [I 'm really not sure about this lady!] The Holiday Inn is on a special rate, its partially closed and low staffed at present, no new guests allowed. He hasn't had to pay yet so its a bit unknown. The exit from Negros to Manila was paid for by the tourist dept, lovely people. I have found out that his travel insurance is worthless. Staysure will not cover disruption of airlines or extended accommodation costs, only repatriation costs so perhaps his final exit flight will be covered if he has to buy another. Immigration have said that his visa overstay will be P500 a day, I've told him to tell them to suck it up when he leaves, worst case, they will deport him - free! She sounds a lovely obliging individual...I am sure there isn't an ulterior motive ( ? )
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Post by JohnV on Apr 18, 2020 16:14:45 GMT
Immigration have said that his visa overstay will be P500 a day, I've told him to tell them to suck it up when he leaves, worst case, they will deport him - free!
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Post by JohnV on Apr 18, 2020 16:16:20 GMT
Prices are a bit academic, there is little to buy! His food is reasonable, there is a small market open certain hours and his "cleaner" gets stuff. [I 'm really not sure about this lady!] The Holiday Inn is on a special rate, its partially closed and low staffed at present, no new guests allowed. He hasn't had to pay yet so its a bit unknown. The exit from Negros to Manila was paid for by the tourist dept, lovely people. I have found out that his travel insurance is worthless. Staysure will not cover disruption of airlines or extended accommodation costs, only repatriation costs so perhaps his final exit flight will be covered if he has to buy another. Immigration have said that his visa overstay will be P500 a day, I've told him to tell them to suck it up when he leaves, worst case, they will deport him - free! She sounds a lovely obliging individual...I am sure there isn't an ulterior motive ( ? )
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Post by naughtyfox on Apr 18, 2020 17:05:31 GMT
And the British Embassy is helping in what way?
British Embassy Manila 120 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Taguig City Manila 1634 Manila Philippines Telephone+63 2 8 858 2200
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Apr 18, 2020 19:23:42 GMT
And the British Embassy is helping in what way? British Embassy Manila 120 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Hill Taguig City Manila 1634 Manila Philippines Telephone+63 2 8 858 2200 As far as present, it would seem NAFF ALL. Reading the internet pages, you have to be arrested, raped, assaulted or dead before you are in their bailiwick. I tried the Consul, never even got a reply. Annoying really as with folk I know and work for you would think I would have an "in" there but, no, the Embassies are their own domains, their rules.
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