As for our future, well, that is something of an
unknown at this point. As social distancing
and quarantine measures get stricter, our
options reduce. We are hoping and planning
that we will be here in Broome for the next six
months, possibly longer. There’s talk that the
WA regional quarantine could be in place for
12 months.
As we move into the dry season and its
associated peak rates, we hope our costs of
staying here do not increase too much, as it
will become extremely expensive on our
limited income. Whatever happens, we will
have to adapt and accept the fact that these
are difficult circumstances for everyone. At
least for now we can call Broome home and
the few locals we’ve talked to seem happy for
us to do so.
TRAVELLING OUTCASTS
Grey nomads have copped a lot of criticism
over the course of the COVID 19 crisis and I
believe much of it was very unfair. No one
could possibly have expected anything like
this to happen, nor the speed with which
events transpired.
The RAC Park Cable Beach has been helpful
of the writer throughout the crisis.
Many, like us, didn’t have homes to go back to
and, if they did, there were question marks
over whether or not they would be allowed to
make their way home.
To travel from, say, Broome to Melbourne is a
4500km trip that could take 10 days to
complete without quarantine restrictions.
There are two state borders to cross,
potentially with 14 day isolation periods at
each. Then there are the quarantine
restrictions between regions.
With caravan parks and campgrounds
closed, there are limited places to stay along
the way. It’s still very hot in much of Australia
this time of year. For many, the safest and
smartest decision is to stay put, but even
that can be difficult, if not impossible, as we
have witnessed.
Fortunately, there have been many people
and organisations who have been
sympathetic to full-time travellers and have
offered sanctuary. Hopefully, by the time this
story is published, all full-timers have found
somewhere safe and comfortable to stay for
the duration of crisis.
At the time of publication, Western Australia
had begun a 'cautious easing' of restrictions;
however, non-essential travel and border
crossings were not allowed.