Tuesday, June 15th 2021
I awake on what is my last day in Australia. My time here came and went so fast.
Two and a half weeks I had in Australia but only granted four days of it with my loved ones. But just remember this is all for public health and all about . . .
I am still working on trying to dump my last work trip that would mean I could see out the week in Australia, unfortunately, my colleague keeps screwing me over so it looks like I have to fly out tomorrow. My better half returns (using that loosely) to his "work from home" tasks and I go and see the Dentist for the first time in 16 months.
Fortunately, it ended up just being a clean and some updated X-Rays. The receptionist and dentist were fascinated by what I had to tell them about the US. It's not about being heartless it's simply the fact that the majority of Americans know someone who had COVID (or had it themselves) and survived. If they knew someone who passed away it was usually an elderly relative. They knew that they had to go back to work and this is now an endemic, not a pandemic. Why can't Australians simply understand this, it's not the Doomsday Virus. As I leave I get a "safe travels and thank you for your insights."
This wasn't the first time I have received this response during my days here. I could imagine I'll never be allowed to return as I'm classified now as an "enemy of the state" for doing nothing more than lifting the veil that is over Aussies right now.
My mother has a lunch date with her friends that she doesn't want to blow off, I consider that more a case of her wanting to boast that I had flown all this way to see them for just a couple of days and how impressive a feat that is. Therefore, I take my old man out for a good meat pie and a few cinnamon doughnuts. My source of meat pies in Seattle does hit the spot but is nothing compared to a Pie in Australia.
Considering it is my plan to return to Australia in just three months we all opt to still take the "f*ck the authorities" approach. Because who knows when, if I'll ever be back sooner rather than later because of the paranoia in the Hermit Kingdom. As such it's a Roast Dinner at home with my parents and boyfriend. Following dinner, it's time to say farewell to my folks. Like on my arrival the hug from both my mother and father is emotionally touching without it having to be. Quite simply it's a case of us never wanting to let go. This is the real tragedy of this pandemic. Loved ones can't be with each other for the human connections that are required in life. The government/s have opted to eliminate all of this and bugger the costs.
A colleague in the US had their 98-year-old grandfather die in the US due to COVID. Where is his anger? Is it like in Australia and targeted at the conspiracy theorists, anti-maskers, freedom protesters or anti-vaxers? No, it's targetted at Government authorities that prevented his family from being able to say their final farewells and as such his grandfather died alone.
The biggest casualty in this "pandemic" is the loss of humanity and human connection. This can't continue Australia!
Tears are shed as those last hugs take place and I leave for the night. It is hard to shake the thoughts of when I will ever see them again. Australia and my loved ones are no longer a plane ride away. They're now a maybe a plane ride away and two-week quarantine, no exceptions.
Yet people wonder why I want the border open. It's not about letting in the virus, it's about letting your own citizens back whenever they want. They can be vaccinated or subjected to multiple testing, but passenger caps, quarantines etc. are policies that are over a year old. So wake the F up Australia! Your humanity as a nation depends on it!