My flight from Heathrow to Dubai with Emirates during Covid

Travel for Peter and I is a simple and easy process. We decide when we want to fly, where and when and book the flight. 

For Peter most of his travel is for work, he gets a taxi to the airport, a taxi on arrival and off to his hotel/meeting. When he arrives in the UK for a visit to family and friends, I've usually travelled ahead of him and I will collect him and return him to the airport.

When I travel I'm visiting family and friends. On arrival in the UK I collect car hire or I'll use public transport to reach our home, just hiring a car for a week or two usually when Peter is in the country. When I travel to visit other family and friends outside the UK, they will pick me up and either lend me their car or drive me around.

Travel during covid has been a completely different experience for us both.

I actually left Dubai on March 24th, I was due to fly at 10am with British Airways, but on the 20th my flight was cancelled, I rebooked for the same day but at 2pm and on arrival at T1 in Dubai I discovered this was actually the last flight out and as mentioned above, the borders closed behind me. Emirates had stopped flying on the 22nd. 

It was a full flight and apart from the social distancing in the airport, there was no noticeable difference to how the flight went. I did have to isolate for 2 weeks on arrival in the UK but there were no forms to fill in or questions asked on my arrival.

My return flight earlier this week was very different. I flew with Emirates. I had a mass of paperwork to complete before I checked in. Health declarations, a negative covid test, permission from the UAE government to return to Dubai as a resident and on arrival had to download a covid tracer app and present another health declaration. I was required to wear a mask from entering the terminal in Heathrow, until getting in Peter's car in Dubai.

My actual flight with Emirates was very different, I've spent 5 months social distancing and only going out for essential shopping. I've also been enjoying social distanced visits with family and friends in the garden and when I've had to go out more often or have had people in my house, I've felt very uncomfortable and completely out of my comfort zone. My anxiety has reached levels where I've just wanted to hide away and tell people to go home and I've walked out of environments such as coffee shops and supermarkets when I've felt unsafe.

All the way from my arrival at an empty T2, where I dropped my car through to the departure gate, I was encouraged to keep a two meter distance from everyone, with areas clearly sign posted.

An empty Terminal, restaurants, bars and most shops closed.

Social distanced seating both inside and outside the terminal

Drop off almost deserted 

The same with boarding the plane

I fly regularly, I have silver status with Emirates, I get to board first in economy. Then 2 people sat behind me, 1 person in front of me and then a man sat in the aisle seat and all of a sudden after 2 months of social distancing, I was surrounded. I felt claustrophobic, I struggled to breathe, I just wanted to get off the plane and walk into open space. I knew I'd be unable to just get up and walk around during the flight as we were requested not to even queue for toilets. We weren't allowed to move seats.

I phoned Peter, he calmed me down and told me to explain how I felt to the cabin crew, by the time I rang the bell, tears were streaming down my face and I just wanted to get off the plane.

The cabin crew were amazing, I can't thank Jaime enough, she took me to an open space and found an empty row at the front of the plane with more space in front of me, checking I was OK during the flight. There was still someone sitting behind me, but I felt less hemmed in and more relaxed and the flight for me, which then proceeded as normal.

The cabin crew were wearing plastic aprons and gloves, we were given a Travel hygiene Kit, which I used during the flight. No menus were given out and the drinks service was limited to wine and beer only with the usual soft drinks and tea/coffee served as normal.

As we were leaving the plane, the Captain requested we maintained a 2 meter distance when disembarking, which I thought was the most ridiculous thing I'd heard in 5 months after spending 7 hours in one of the most claustrophobic environments I'd ever been in.

How anyone can get on a plane to go on a holiday if beyond me, it's not essential travel. I had to return to Dubai to renew my visa and start the process of leaving Dubai by selling my car and closing bank accounts and more importantly to spend time with my husband.

The UK Foreign Office are still advising against all but essential travel. To return to the UK in 3 weeks time I have to have another negative covid test certificate and complete a health declaration and isolate for 2 weeks. However this could all change between now and then so I'm keeping a close eye on the airline and both the UK and UAE government websites.

At least I will be better prepared for my flight home knowing how the flight will operate and therefore I'm not expecting the to have the same high levels of anxiety. 

Social Distanced Visits - My Sunday Photo

I'm rather enjoying the new way of life, getting creative to meet up with family and friends.

I hate shopping and anything that involves me being in side, other than the house, but if I'm honest I'd spend every minute of the day outdoors if I can.

Life in Dubai was lonely and isolating for me and the weather oppressive and I spent most of the time indoors under the air con, so I'm more than happy to be back in the UK, where even when it's raining I can be outside.

Apart from the neighbours and 2 friends who dropped things off for me before I got a car, the first person I met up with when we were allowed to meet one other in a public place was Natalie from @plutoniumsocks.

Next up was door step visits. My nephew and great nephew.

 Door step bacon butties.

Followed by garden visits.

Then meeting up with friends as venues start to re open.

 Bubbling with child 5.

Having other people in your home, but maintaining social distancing. Child 2 and his wife.

Why I'm choosing to go back into isolation

Since mum arrived a few weeks ago, I've been going out more, her shopping needs differ greatly to mine and going out once a fortnight to food shop is now weekly. I don't like it, I don't feel comfortable and my anxiety levels are increasing again. But I'm doing it, I'd just rather not.

This week I went to the chemist to collect her prescription, she'd been asking for me to pick up some cakes next time I shopped and requested new cotton hankies. The pharmacy counter is by the door in Superdrug, so I only need to go just inside. I could look through the window at Greggs and see they were out of fresh cream cakes and when I got to Peacocks, I did my own risk assessment, staff were masked, store was well laid out and there were no customers inside. I walked as far as the till and the assistant fetched the hankies. I wore a mask from entering the chemist until I finished in the final store.

There was no queue to Home Bargains so I decided to go in there and pick up the other bits and pieces I needed that I would normally get from Wilko when I did my next food shop in Waitrose on a Thursday. I entered the store, picked up one or two things from memory as I'd forgotten my list and left without half the stuff I needed, so I'll still have to go to Wilko on Thursday or leave it another week.

At the beginning of lockdown, I didn't have a car and couldn't get online food delivery for myself. Thankfully I managed to get regular slots for mum. So I'd go out with my trolley and try to shop for 7-10 days with some careful meal planning, once I got a car it was to the shop once a fortnight and a top up of milk the alternate week in the corner store. I carefully selected the 2 stores I shopped in, the social distancing was and is still being observed in there and I added Wilko to my list of places I was happy to visit.

I've made a couple of trips to poundland and poundstretcher on my weekly trip out, but used the supermarket nearby and I wasn't happy with the social distancing. I've been to B&M in Worcester when I've driven for a click and collect, justifying that I'm still actually only physically going into one shop that week.

I've been buying a take out coffee from an independent shop happily enough, but went to one of the chains and I felt uncomfortable. I'm slowly making a list of the places I won't be going back into even after this is all over.

Today I sat inside a different independent coffee shop. I wasn't asked for my details, staff didn't distance from one another and they were quite scathing about what they could and couldn't do. I drank my coffee, had my say about them. not asking for my details and I just won't return there.

It's become too easy to just do a bit more each time I go out. I don't like it, I don't want or need to do it, so after my mum returns to her own home in 2 weeks time. I'm going back into isolation and will only shop again once a fortnight, I will continue to take the dog for daily walks and am more than happy to continue my friday night wine dates with my friend, visit my grandchild and other son who live nearby and meet up with others within a 1 hour drive in open space only.

It's the only way I can guarantee I can remain Covid free, as to a lot of people because the shops are open, life is back to normal, just a little bit inconvenienced and the virus appears to have just gone away.

My aim is to keep well enough to travel to Dubai to see my husband in August and I'll have to isolate for 2 weeks when I get back anyway and I won't be able to walk the dog then. So I just need to stay away from too many other people and avoid indoor spaces till then.

Post Comment Love 19th - 21st June 2020 Rejoining the new world.

Last week I moved my mum in with me.

Those of you who know me will think I'm absolutely mad and I probably am. She does read my blog so play nice people.

Anyway she lives in South Wales in a first floor flat, there is some outdoor space, but she's found every time she goes out with her chair, book and a coffee too many people come and join her and the lack of social distancing makes her uncomfortable, so she ends up going back inside or taking a short walk around the block.

Mum misses her garden, but even more so now during lockdown as she can't just wander around town or pop in to see my niece and her great grandchildren.

Lockdown restrictions may be being lifted, but it'll be a long time before we have the freedom to travel again, let alone just spend time with family. My husband and I know the reality is it will be September at the earliest before we can see each other again and with lockdown being tighter in South Wales, I've persuaded my mum to come and stay with me for the foreseeable future. If it doesn't work out, we can go back to two separate households and she will be isolating anyway if she returns too soon.

I've been doing her shopping online and sending weekly treats through the post, but if I'm honest, I'd like a bit of company also. People on their own who aren't in the vulnerable category are just judged to be lucky not to have work and kids to juggle, but we do have our own set of issues which are just as important and real to us. I'm looking forward to someone else doing the washing up and making me a cup of tea.

Although clothes shops and none essential businesses are slowly reopening, there's still social distancing to be observed which I've noticed is lacking now in a lot of places, people can just be so impatient. I live in a lovely part of the UK with the Malvern Hills on my doorstep (as in takes 45 minutes from front door to top of hills on foot). Mum can join me for dog walks, I can drive up and she can read/picnic in the car, she can walk to the local bank and corner store and eventually I can take her to the supermarkets and visit some of the family in their gardens. She's not had to experience how much the world has changed and the adaptations she'll have to make to settle back in to the new one.

After all the virus hasn't gone away.

Stephanie and I would love to hear what you've been up to this week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

One Daily Positive - Week 21 Visiting the family

Most of the comments I get on these posts are about how busy I am, organised and always have something to do. It's the only way I get through the week. I'm on my own 24/7. I've done the parenting raising 5 kids, had a carer, that I may return to one day. But for now and especially during lockdown I need to have a purpose when I get up in the mornings or I just wouldn't get up.

I feel the need to add 'all whilst practising social distancing, I wore gloves to hand over/drop gifts at a distance also'

138 Sunday After a lie in, I mowed the front lawn and weeded the garden and did some more pruning of the fir trees. The garden waste bin is almost full again. I cooked a full roast beef dinner. Foolishly I left the rest of the beef to cool before putting it in the fridge, the cat got to it, I shouted at the cat, she panicked knocking it to the floor and the dog snaffled it up. Sat in the garden writing letters and sorting out birthday gifts.

139 Monday Finished writing letters, dropped a parcel at the post office and chose new carpets to be fitted in the next 2 weeks. I finished off my papier mache chickens and sat and watched TV. After dinner I  met up with Natalie @plutoniumsocks on the common for a beer and a chat, 2ms apart of course. Both our dogs were very well behaved.

140 Tuesday Took Bob up the Malvern Hills again, this time far away from the sheep. Except we bumped into cattle and that scared him even more.Cleaned the windows and did some weeding in the front garden, read a little, watched TV, had a bath and bed.

141 Wednesday I spent the day weeding the front garden, the lawn and re establishing the borders. I had to soak the ground as it was like concrete and lugged rockery stones from the back garden. It took me all day. Checked in with the biscuit tin basher next door as I hadn't seen or even heard her all day, she was fine.

142 Thursday Time for the food shop, drove down to the retail park to do it so I could pick up a few extra bits for 2b, 4b and mums birthdays in June. I went to M&S, I got as far as the meat aisle, joined the queue to pay and left. They had 37 of the 40 allowed people in the store, one woman was queuing with her adult daughter for a mango and a packet of percy pig sweets, everyone else ignored the arrows and seemed to think a silly smile and tip toeing past was ok. In poundstretcher a guy bargred past me, I asked him if he could give me chance to get out the way and he told me I was overreacting and he was wearing a mask and gloves. I asked him not top embarrass himself further and he shut up. Came home, super stressed, did nothing all afternoon, until I decided to walk to the corner shop to buy the rest of the stuff I needed for the week, a very pleasant experience at Londis, always has been. My neighbour and 4 month baby (social distance) came round to the garden for a chat and cheered me up, I then fixed the squeaky gate much to the neighbours delight, put up a new clothes line and raked the remaining pebbles out of the lawn. Biscuit tin basher failed to make an appearance, still no sign of her at 11pm when I went to bed.

143 Friday Woke in the morning to message from biscuit tin basher, slightly annoyed she diodn't think to tell me she was going out, especially as she'd been so grateful I'd checked in on her the night before. I took a long drive to the Forest of Dean to drop some gifts with child 2 and family and see our grandchild, it's been 12 weeks. It's also my great nephews 1st birthday in June so I dropped his present off as they live in the same village. The sat in a friends garden and she made me tea. Drove back via the motorway to give the car a good drive and make sure there are no faults detected as I only have 30 days to identify any.

144 Saturday Up at 4am, cat started shouting for food at 5.30am, she attacked dog at 6am so I got up and fed them. Back to bed and sleep till midday, then spending the rest of the day sorting through Dad's papers, watching TV, blogging and walking Bob.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo: The worlds smallest theatre

Feeling vulnerable

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

One Daily Positive - Week 12 How we're managing in Dubai with the Covid-19 virus

Wasn't sure how this week would pan out with the spread of the Virus. All schools were closed on March 8th for 4 weeks. Over the weekend, all theme parks and cinemas were closed and twitter informed me, that after Tuesday there would be no further visas issued. Malls reduced their opening hours, bars and nightclubs closed, restaurants remain open as do supermarkets. I've never seen Dubai so empty.

The roads at rush hour are empty as people are now encouraged to work from home, I've never seen it so quiet even at 2am on an airport run, there's usually a lot of traffic, I never venture into the Marina or onto the Palm by car outside of 10am- 2pm as it's chaotic and a 15 minute trip can often take over an hour at peak times. As all the tourist spots are closed or closing down, I'm taking our visitors for a drive around Dubai to show them the size of the City and the various building projects that are going on.

Airports are empty and I've been able to park right by the door at the malls. My flight was cancelled but rebooked for the afternoon flight on the same day at no charge. They're condensing flights from 3 to 1 a day, makes sense not to fly half empty planes. All flights into Dubai are now cancelled.

Spirits are high from the people I meet out, but the workers are worried about their jobs if the few remaining places left open were to close and after dinner out on Tuesday we received a text message from the restaurant to say a big Thank you for our custom at this difficult time.

Thankfully we're still in winter so spending a lot of time outside, walking, sitting in the garden and enjoying the peace and quiet, whilst still enjoying the views and maintaining social distancing.

Our son phoned from Australia, his visa expires in April. He's decided to stay put as he's already applied for a new one and his home is there, the shops are advertising for staff to help keep up with the demands for goods and he works were a transport company which will guarantee an income during this time. If the government advise foreign nationals are to leave, he will take this advice.

75 Sunday Stayed in bed till midday then a food shop, no one is panic buying and shelves are fully stocked, hand sanitisers every where for the pubic and workers and not chained down. Home to finish the cleaning and washing ready for Peter's sister and her friends arrival tomorrow morning. The weather is warming up and storms are forecast.

76 Monday An early start to the airport, we went out to the Marina and beach area for coffee, walk and lunch and had a BBQ in the garden in the evening. T1 Dubai.

77 Tuesday Peter with his sister and friend took the Ferry to the Creek, I drove up to meet them as I'd done the trip last week and after lunch on the waterfront we explored the souks. home to change then out to the Souk Madinat for dinner, it was like a ghost town. The Burj Al Arab was lit up green for St Patricks Day but the Irish bar was closed, so no celebrating. I finished the evening with a migraine, probably sun exposure and lack of fluids, I don't normally spend this much time outdoors.

78 Wednesday The medication killed the migraine, but I opted to go to the coffee shop while our visitors spent the morning on the beach, we then went off to Dubai Mall, Peter joined us in the evening for dinner. All our coffee shop and restaurant visits have been outdoors with no other customers.

79 Thursday Was supposed to be visiting the Burj Khalifa today but it's closed until the end of March, so we drove out to the markets in Masafi, Fujeriah and had lunch at the Radisson Blu, home for a quick shower and change then out for dinner on the Palm.

80 Friday Up early to take Peter's sister and her friend to the airport, flight took off on time. I rebooked my flight. Home to sort paperwork, plan for move in May, just in case I can't get back and pack my suitcase. Until these places close, or we develop any symptoms, we will continue to visit, however we are choosing places with outdoor seating, using contactless to pay and if there are too many people were walking away.

81 Saturday Spent the day rearranging the house, deciding what stays in Dubai, what is going to the UK and what we are disposing of. We went to the Marina for a walk outside and chose a coffee shop with outdoor seating that was empty. There is far more work than I thought to sort the house so will be doing downstairs tomorrow.

On the blog this week:

Why is no one applying logic to wearing masks and gloves when out? They're still spreading the virus unless they're changing their gloves as often as we are advised to wash our hands.

How complicated is your life? As an expat it is complicated by it's very nature, the Covid-19 virus has slowed us down and still have no idea if I'll be able to travel to the UK next week or not.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter