Underground Russia (#4)

Survivor: Hiking 100km over the Australian Alps

October 18, 2020 Comments (8) Backyard, Experiences

Life in Lockdown

Cycled through the empty CBD

Airline tickets booked. Kayaking and canoeing trips confirmed. Engagement parties conceptualised. Family dinners planned.

Then the world was rocked by a creature so small, it takes 400 of them to stretch across a single hair.

Qantas surprised neither of us when they snuffed out our last glowing ember of hope by cancelling our flights.

Instead of a trip to Canada, we got Melbourne’s 6 months (and counting) of lockdowns. Lockdowns which I hadn’t realised, until chatting with a mate in New York City, are some of the strictest and longest in the world: For most of this period we’ve only been allowed to leave the house for 1-2 hrs per day, within 5km, often with a curfew, for ‘necessary’ supplies and exercise. Masks are mandatory everywhere outside your house.

I compare it to living in a really nice prison. And one that, even if you tried to run from, would be a wasted effort. The city is ringed by police checkpoints, our state borders are closed, and beyond them so are our national ones.

Yes, you heard correctly – we aren’t allowed to leave the country. After 142 years, Australia has returned in boomerang-like fashion to its roots as a giant prison. Politicians intend to keep it that way for possibly another full year.

But the tragedies unfolding around the world extend to far deeper depths than our foiled travel plans, and inconvenienced daily lives. This post isn’t to complain about “woe is me!” problems, or accuse our Premier of being a dictator.

I’m actually just here to share photos from the alternative to an exciting trip with my lovable fiancée across the majesty of Canada. That is, life in lockdown in Melbourne.

Here’s a little compilation about how we’ve been staying (almost) sane.

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(Tip: you can click the photos to go full-screen, then use the arrow-keys to navigate):

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Now for a bonus! Anna’s workplace asked her to make a 30s video of how she spent lockdown. Here’s her answer: “Dancing, and Learning New Things”.

8 Responses to Life in Lockdown

  1. Cal says:

    Glad you’ve kept busy and entertained. Love the love. Stay classy Melbourne.

  2. Gily says:

    Hey Mike….absolutely loved this !!!!!! it’s amazing how we can still find a lot of things to do while being “locked down” ..keep going, we will all get there soon! :-)

    • mike says:

      Awww, thanks Gily! I’m glad you liked it. It’s not the ‘high production quality’ photos I usually share here… hope you’ve been holding out during this too :)

  3. Lucy Ridsdale says:

    Loved reading about and seeing your lockdown adventures and yay for venturing further from today on. Love from Freo <3

    • mike says:

      Thanks Lucy! Though it’s been pretty crap I’m doing my best to be positive and productive. (Not featured was a photo of me juggling – I’ve finally learned how!). Glad you guys were spared over there. Geographic isolation has it’s benefits!

  4. Trudy verboom says:

    Great pictures Micheal!
    We have a niece living in Melbourne, she told us the same thing, they are pretty strict there, but it seems to work, not a lot of new cases……!

    Hopefully you can travel soon again!
    Stay safe!

    • mike says:

      Trudy I hope your niece hasn’t been too affected. Yes, lockdowns certainly work. We actually began this recent lockdown with very similar daily case numbers to the UK. Now we’re in single digits per day, and they’re in the 5-digits per day.

      Gov’t here says no travel until the end of 2021, most likely. Oh well…

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