On the road again, escape from Victoria

 I've been planning to visit Em, my daughter in Sydney once restrictions eased.  We'd planned it for a time when she was not too busy with work.  We'd planned an overnight stay on the Hawkesbury and I was quite excited about it.  And then, Monday morning Dan Andrews gives a press conference, the borders with NSW will be closed from Midnight on Tuesday.  And all of Greater Melbourne is declared a hotspot.  Despite the Mornington Peninsula being over 100 kilometres from Melbourne, despite having no new cases there for weeks, suddenly I was in a hotspot.  

Don't get me wrong, I fully support what the Victorian Government is doing.  The numbers are so high, it is important to get on top of that and strong restrictions are needed to do it.  I consulted with the family and got messages like just get in the car and go.

I have been isolating anyway pretty much, not going out, had a couple of solo visitors to my place, but with physical distancing.  Biggest event for me was a visit from Beci and Raph and a walk along the beach with them. I tried to get a Covid test at our local respiratory clinic but was told because I had no symptoms, the answer was no.  So I chucked what I needed in the car,  booked a dog friendly motel in Albury and hit the road.  Unusually for me I did not stop, one short roadside stop for Jack to have a pee and short walk and that was it.  I wanted to make sure I could cross that border.  Friends and family were watching this unfold via Facebook messages. I did feel a bit like a fugitive with images of police cars with flashing lights chasing me down the highway. 

Arrived just before sunset, no police cars in sight, no cries of shock when I told the manager I was from Melbourne.  The  Classic Motor Inn was quite comfortable and welcoming with a manager who was so helpful with tips about takeaway food and where to walk Jac.  Recommend it although it was full with travellers so just a bit noisy, and apparently most of the other guests were last minute bookings mainly from Victoria.   Took Jac for a walk in the dark then went back to organise dinner. She sulks a bit when we first start travelling and won't eat the food that I so painstakingly cook for her and this time was no exception.  Then I received this text message:

I did feel like the CV Monster was following me.  Luckily on arrival in Sydney I was able to book in for a test straight away.  Still awaiting results and being sensible about what I do while I am here until I get the results although I have no reason to believe I could have contracted the virus given I've been pretty much living like a hermit.

Was a foggy foggy morning in Albury but took Jac for a good walk in the fog, something quite peaceful about walking in a misty landscape.  Rang a friend to arrange to meet her in Canberra but she was leaving for Ballarat so we met for a coffee at Jugiong which felt just a bit adventurous.  I love Jugiong, Jugiong Motor Inn is a great place to stay if you have a dog, one of those delightful old fashioned motels that still has the hole in the wall for breakfast deliveries, which, alas, they don't do anymore.  But they do have a courtyard with lights where you can sit with your evening meal and a glass of wine.  Then there is the Pantry and the St George Hotel, which also does coffee and has a delightful green courtyard.  

Didn't stay at Jugiong, instead headed for Suttons Forest where I stayed at Hillview Heritage Hotel. It was a rambly old place wth rather rustic cottages, I had one with my own spacious courtyard so Jac was very happy and she ate her food (miracle). It's government owned but leased out, apparently was the Vice Regal retreat whatever that means, and is a huge property with some amazing sculptures dotted around the place, reminded me a bit of Heide Gallery in Melbourne. Sat on one of the hills to get a glimpse of the sunset with a glass of Prosecco, as you do, while Jac sniffed furiously around because there were rabbit holes (and poo) everywhere. Luckily, given her propensity to kill them, none were around. I was careful to explain to people when I booked that I was travelling from Melbourne so they had a chance to say we don't want you with all your germs but no-one seemed to mind and apparently staying in a hotel is a low risk to both the stayer and the hotel.

 

It's been hard though watching events unfold in Melbourne.  I wait anxiously each day for the figures to be released and despair at the way in which people are so willing to pan the State Government for the actions they have taken.  It does seem something went wrong with hotel quarantine, but they had only 24 hours to organise it and contracting security firms is also a way of providing employment which is pretty important in these times.  Since being here I have realised that NSW also used security guards in the hotels, something you would not be aware of if you only saw the Victorian media or listened to the carping from the LNP opposition.   The lockdown of the towers was not handled well from a communication perspective, or from getting appropriate support in immediately, but it appears was entirely necessary to protect the residents and stop the spread of the virus.  It also appears the Govt did listen to the criticism and brought in the appropriate community agencies after the first days, but the distress for those people in the towers must have been significant, surrounded by police, not being allowed out, no access to fresh air as there are no balconies, how could they have been built that way?  The hope is that this will cause us all to look at the conditions in the high-rise towers and work to get rid of them.   Whatever way you look at it, dealing with the pandemic is a mammoth task and we must expect that the response will not always be perfect just as we must expect there will continue to be outbreaks until we have a vaccine.  However to get on my political soapbox, what Dan Andrews and his team have done is accept responsibility, institute an independent inquiry and admit they made mistakes.  

It's been good to get here and see Em and all the Newton Family including the doggos.  Em has been feeding magpies, seems like a bit of a family trait, Beci does whenever she gets the chance,  I also do at home and her father Ross, feeds King Parrots in his bush hideaway.  

It is strange to be here without Sean, his presence is everywhere, which I guess is good and bad.  Good because he is still celebrated and he lives on in some way but it's also a constant reminder of the loss and the gap he has left behind for everybody, but especially for Em.  

Elfi and Ferdi have settled down over the years, so there is not quite the constant sense of excitement there used to be when we arrived. The dogs now just circle quietly around each other and Jac is still eating,  no more hunger strikes so far this time, what a relief.  Have decided to get into the Victorian spirit and wear a mask when I go shopping after reading all the advice on it.  It does appear that it offers some protection no matter how badly you do it. It is amusing and slightly despairing to see people wearing masks under their chin or not covering their nose, seems a bit useless. 

Final note, test came back negative, less than 24 hours turnaround, so I will now allow myself to indulge in a coffee while I am out walking Jac and have planned a trip to Armidale to see a friend next week, which will also give Em a break from me so we don't end up getting aggravated with each other.