Medellín-London

Mon 0726 At gate at airport in Medellin. All OK so far, "taxi" was unmarked black car but I checked and it was 80k and while I wish I'd had a chance to snap the reg plate it was fine.

There was a small kiosk selling misc stuff with a printing service sign, so I asked and as it was only 2k I e-mailed my Bogota-London boarding pass to their address and after some technical glitches got it printed, so that's one less thing to worry about. Woman at kiosk asked if I *could* go home as president had banned entry and exit. Reassuring! However, there are a feew international flights from here and they were not showing as cancelled earlier. Also some interviews (driver seemed to have TV built into car) I heard in taxi about foreigners leaving. The TV news said *entry* of foreigners was being banned for 14 days but nothing about exit. All I can do is hope, even if my flight is cancelled I am probably better off in Bogota for a day or two as that's the only place with direct flights to London (Medellin has direct flights to Madrid but AIUI nowhere else in Europe), and if it turns out I *am* stranded here I can always make my way back to Medellin once that becomes clear.

Suddenly feeling a bit headachey but generally not feeling too bad, throat slightly sore but not too bad, hardly coughing. Guzzled water and had some fruit biscuit things landside before coming through security.

I used self-service check in kiosk here and it printed me a boarding pass, so fingers crossed there are no longer any e-ticket worries.

Worth noting that while I'm a bit worried about not being allowed on flight, a) I don't feel too stressed b) there isn't an atmosphere of panic or fear here in the domestic terminal, despite what paying too much attention to news might lead you to believe. I won't be too surprised if there's a mild sense of urgency and panic at the international terminal in Bogota, but it will probably be relatively calm there too if I had to guess.

0826 On plane (A321). Couldn't hear boarding announcements properly (not clear enough to even get to point of language problems) but after a minor false start I got in queue and got on OK. Bit headachey but prob just stress. Hardly been coughing today but feel super paranoid about doing it on flight. Chap next to me wiped round his seat with a wipe. I have aisle seat as picked at checkin. Quite a few people wearing masks but not loads. Have taken a paracetamol jic.

1021 At Bogota airport. All OK so far. Asked at information, they couldn't tell me if my flight was going to fly but AIUI there are no government-imposed restrictions, it is just an operational question for the airline. I see there are some flights (with tiny delays) inbound from Madrid and Amsterdam so that looks fairly promising.

Feeling better than I did before as far as health goes.

1039 A woman from the airline just came over as I was in ticket purchase queue (since it seemed most Avianca-ish place to ask, except check in desks) and she is checking the flight status for me, though *probably* she will just be looking at the same information as on that website.

OK, the flight is fine now. I asked about govt restrictions and she also asked me some stuff about nationality and when I arrived in Colombia and apparently I am fine but at midnight there will be a ban on leaving, so this is absolutely the last possible flight. I may have misunderstood - since I had spoken to her in Spanish she continued in it but she did briefly switch to English and correct herself and switched back to Spanish and I went with it. But I think I understood perfectly, and in any case she definitely said it was OK at the moment.

1319 Having extragrande Americano at Juan Valdez (6.4k). Had tinto (1.9k; used most of my loose change for that) earlier at Typykos, which looks cheap and good and may eat there in a bit but had packet of nuts/corn/etc earlier so not that hungry yet. Toyed with getting a beer but cheapest I can find is 9.7k (by the time you have a time) for a smallish (*maybe* 330ml) can of Andina and that feels a bit OTT.

Going to be stuck with a big wodge of pesos but can't be helped. Just have to hope there isn't too much inflation over next year. It would be mildly sickening to have the pound massively higher against the peso by the time I come back, though really the benefits would outweigh the loss on the (rough estimate) 250ish quids' worth I have. I am of course spending cash exclusively now.

Trying to treat long time at airport as a minor tourist attraction, walking round a bit (partly for exercise), snapping the odd photo, allowing myself to mildly over-indulge in purchases despite the fact it's fairly pricey.

For example, I did sort of want to try Juan Valdez coffee having heard a bit about it, so doing that here. It's OK but I'm not enough of a connosieur to really say if it's good or not (I did get the 400-peso extra single origin coffee without being asked).

Distinct lack of free phone charging at least landside. Maybe airside there will be something. One cafe has sockets but don't know if will go there or not, depends how keen I am to top up. Been charging Priv a bit in pocket from powerbank as I walk round, and would prob charge powerbank not phone in cafe.

Feel a bit sad there's so much I haven't done, but as I said yday I can and will return, I have "budget" left over as a result of this short trip (tho am out of pocket £100 for the excess on this flight - touch wood insurance will pay out no problem - and a debatable amount due to no longer amortising the flight cost over such a long time and a little bit for losses sustained holding 250ish quid of pesos). Of course health situation and markets may have some short term impact but I will be back in relatively near future. Of course I prob wouldn't have done all sorts of cool tourist stuff because I'd prob have studied Spanish, but that's cool too and it's all about making choices etc.

1420 Spotted a public charging point and topping up powerbank now. USB outlets don't seem to work and 120V outlet v wobbly but have managed to get my adapter to hold in. Every little helps.

Got claim form e-mail through from travel insurance, some shit on there about "trying to claim from airline or travel agency first" so I don't know if I have to get in touch with Air Europa even though it would seem this has fuck all to do with them. But not a huge problem and I can deal with this once I'm home.

1503 On a random note, I had a shot (which I sipped) of Aguardiente Antioqueña (the "with sugar" version, as it happens, I think) at Onda's on Saturday night - I said to Dave at the time that way I'd at least have tried it if I had to leave sharpish.

Not tempted to try Banda Paisa (or whatever that typical regional food is) here at airport; apart from fact I'm a bit dubious about some of the items it features, seems best to try it first time somewhere "good" and I wasn't particularly desperate to try it anyway.

1517 Feeling oddly jittery, I think out of a fear someone will steal my bag while I'm distracted even though I have my leg through the strap and my ankles crossed. Also feeling rushed re getting food, even though there's hours until the flight and I'm not even hungry. I am trying to hang on here until I get the powerbank fully topped up then I'll go eat.

1537 Powerbank full, going to try to top off the phone battery for a bit from the mains before going for food.

1549 Did I already say that as far as health goes I feel pretty good? Hardly coughing at all, throat not obviously sore, no real headache. Fingers crossed, but I'd hope I am at least not going to run into any health complications with getting onto this flight.

For all the fact there is no danger here which doesn't equally exist at home - it isn't as if I'm fleeing civil war or anything - I do have this "it will be a relief when I'm on the plane and it has taken off" feeling (cf ending of Argo ;-) ). I think this is because I *have* tried to leave; if I had already been overtaken by events and simply could not even try that might be scary and/or exciting but I think it would be a little different.

Touch wood it will be OK, if things go wrong I will try to get a room at that little hotel near airport I stayed at when I came into country and hang on for a day or two waiting for things to clear up. If it's obvious I cannot get out I will probably go back to Medellin. But obviously have to play it by ear if this happens. Fingers crossed.

1602 Sod it, I'm going for food.

1653 Had food, not bad really (carne de res encebollado with beans and rice and a tiny bit of plantain and an unfortunate dollop of contaminating guacamole in middle of plate, at Typykos). Been for a brief walk (not first) outside terminal for variety/bit off fresh air. Flight is now showing on departure boards and it says on time; obviously lots could change but this is still reassuring.

1721 Don't know if this makes sense, but as thought has crossed my mind: this a bit weird, I am fleeing the country, but all I'm actually fleeing is not being able to flee.

Back topping phone and powerbank up. Might indulge in a second meal in an hour or so and will then go through security/passport control. Don't want to leave it til last moment lest there be some horrible problem but also don't want to be "trapped" airside for ages.

Been farting like a bastard all day. No really obvious reason why.

1803 Flight still showing on time.

1955 Airside, at Amazonia Cafe having an expensive (10k) large americano - but I guess I'm a captive audience now.

No real trouble with passport control or security, though my backpack was put back through scanner a second time for some reason but nothing said about it.

Am near but not at gate. Monitor in here shows flights but doesn't go far enough in future to show mine.

About 1830 got e-mail from Patrick, must admit his half-joking description of situation back in UK put the wind up me and I had to call parents (despite having talked to them regularly all day and of course discussed situation at length) for a bit of reassurance I'm not returning to some kind of zombie apocalypse.

I felt a bit better and exchanged an e-mail with Patrick and also went outside for a few minutes in fresh air before coming airside.

Feel OKish right now. There is/was a slight temptation to have a beer but *regardless* of price I want to be completely alert now. Once I'm on the flight I hope I can have a beer and ideally go to sleep fairly early.

Haven't eaten since carne encebollada, not hungry and I have nut/corn/dried fruit mix thing and half a pack of those fruit biscuit things in the unlikely event I feel ravenous before I get home *and* the airline food is totally inedible.

Obviously I am counting my chickens a little here. I'm not on the flight yet, but fingers crossed we are getting close. Just take it a step at a time. I definitely have enough food to cook *something* when I get home without going out to shops and depending how I feel and what the situation is I may order a pizza delivery if that's possible.

2009 Got to say that looking round the restaurant zone, which is pretty busy, I don't get a panic vibe. Even though I suspect virtually all of these people are foreign non-residents returning home before flights are all cancelled.

TBH I feel OKish now. As I said above, just take it a step at a time. It was really just 15-30 mins of mild panic after getting Patrick's e-mail.

I hope my boiler's OK when I get back and there are no other nasty surprises, but I *do* have a service contract, I can survive without a boiler for a couple of weeks if I must and the post has  been redirected to parents and neighbours have phone number and I have a security camera so fingers crossed shouldn't be anything too horrific waiting for me.

2013 Just done Duolingo. How dedicated am I? :-)

There was a huge moth on floor when I went out for some air before going through security. Tried to take some photos but they may not come out. It was twitching occasionally but not really moving. A cleaner waited for me to move aside and then poked at it with his brush as sweeping up, hope he didn't just kill it but I deliberately didn't watch. I moved over to the next external door for a bit more fresh air.

Just shoved a 2k tip in the tips box. I wouldn't normally tip for "go to counter to get served" service but it is late, even though it feels gougingly overpriced (to be fair it is 473ml, the extra grande at JV was IIRC 330ml-ish) I suspect staff not paid a lot and I am fleeing the country so what's 2k?

I really do feel OK - I'm not just writing this to convince myself - but I also need to remember there's no point in panicking, it just makes things worse. Need to avoid sensationalist and/or continuous news reports, as I said to Patrick, check the official advice/status once a day, "do my part" with things like social distancing (which also helps me personally, of course) and otherwise try to just get on with life. Being an introvert comes in handy here, I don't entirely relish never really leaving flat (if that is how things work out) but I can get on with some personal projects and maybe have some Spanish lessons etc. Anyway, let's got home and then take it from there.

2109 At gate (49).

2127 Kept wanting to cough and felt super paranoid about it. Been and splurged 7k on a bottle of water and taken a paracetamol and having a bit of a walk. I think this is just nerves etc, I wasn't coughing much earlier, also FWIW NHS 7 day isolation guidelines (*not* that I ever had a fever etc) say a cough alone doesn't require continued isolation. I just hope no one has a go at me on the plane.

While it's a bit garish, I have to admire the colourfulness of El Market Colombia shop here in airport. Snapped a photo of it earlier.

2200 Been wandering to see if can see anywhere selling masks but I can't. Not for my protection, for peace of mind for others. Can't be helped. TBH it's not *that* hard to not cough and I will just have to manage. If anyone *offers* me a mask I will take it. I suspect in part I am a little dehydrated, I don't want to neck all of my bottle of water now (only 600ml), hopefully some more liquids and maybe a beer on flight will help too.

2237 On plane (B787). Not coughing is not actually proving a huge challenge, did cough on walk down airbridge and guy in front looked round but once in a while is fine. Fingers crossed I'm at least vigorously towelling myself off.

Flight looks like it is probably full, hardly surprising.

Tue 0028 Feeling pretty good actually. Surprisingly decent beef for "dinner" , even undressed salad. Got a small can of Club Colombia Dorada. Watching Argo, couldn't resist when saw it was on. Also tho don't feel sleepy if I do miss end due to sleeping not such a big deal as seen it before.

Oddly we had to have blankets behind our backs (or maybe in seat pocket?) during takeoff, which was slightly uncomfortable. Much weird engine and other stuff testing noises before takeoff, but since the tests passed all good.

Hardly want to cough at all really.

In-flight entertainment system seems remarkably smooth and un-laggy. (Incidentally the short flight to Bogota this morning also had IFE, which is unusual, though I didn't bother with it given how short flight was.)

0721 Watched Moneyball (better than I expected, though as I know *nothing* about baseball it only made sense because I'd read the book, and large chunks of the book were meaningless but I sort of enjoyed it anyway), super tired towards end but forced myself to stay awake.

Drifted into fitful sleep not too long after (just lay back with eyes shut). Woke up maybe 15ish mins ago; I was half awake and feeling terribly headachey and wondering if was ill while telling myself I *always* feel shit after sleeping on planes and forcing myself to open eyes as breakfast served (not too bad scrambled eggs, sweetcorn and ham with a bread roll+butter and small fruit salad, got coffee and water) and have now eaten breakfast and drunk coffee and feeling 80-90% though still mildly headachey.

Last night was feeling hot and wondered if was fever but I don't think so, I just felt hot but didn't like to take fleece off for security and I feel good as far as temperature goes now.

About an hour to London. Bit disturbing as I woke up to remember I'm on an "emergency" flight back home and there's *some* level of crisis back home too. But right now I'm not feeling too worried. We have a 57mph tail wind so just maybe get there a bit early, who knows? I don't know if there will be delays/extra processing due to coronavirus at Heathrow but the sooner I can get onto the tube the better, ideally I'll be able to get home before rush hour.

Coughing a little (and not feeling *too* paranoid about it) but I think this is just due to waking up etc.

No time to watch a film, will put some HMHB on and that should help boost my actually relatively positive mood even further. (I'm guessing gig I'm due to go to in May is likely to be postponed or cancelled, but there you go.)

"Paul's just phoned, the war's postponed"

Fingers crossed. :-)

Tue 1442 On tube, pretty quiet, FWIW I am prob 2m from nearest person so far. No hassles at Heathrow, hardly anyone at immigration and automatic passport gate worked (I took my glasses off this time, remembering problem last time) and no one stopped me in nothing to declare lane at customs. Journey feels interminable, shame Crossrail has massively overrun but hey, it's only taxpayers' money, who cares? I shouldn't bitch, really things have been going pretty swimmingly.

We landed at 1340, but obviously it was probably 5-10 mins later when we got off plane.

1458 Earl's Court. Getting slightly busier. No face masks yet, though I think NHS advice is against them for general use and maybe that's different than in Colombia.

1544 Home, been back about 5 mins, maybe a tad longer. All seems OK so far.

1916 Checked FCO website, Colombia's land and sea borders are now closed but airports are still open (with irrelevant-to-me restrictions on arriving by air). So I wasn't in fact quite as close to the wire as I supposed - I could have sworn that staff woman at airport told me otherwise, but maybe I got confused or maybe she was talking about land/sea boders (but why would she?) or maybe she didn't realise airports were a bit different or maybe the rules got changed last minute. Avianca's website shows AV120 flight still scheduled for today anyway (and it shows my flight as arrived, of course).

Wed 0051 Had WA from German woman (Sabine) met at Onda's a week or so ago. She is stuck in Medellin! She has a job to go back to (she was on a 3-ish week vacation) so in a much worse situation than I would have been. I have been poking on expedia at flights just on the stray chance she could e.g. fly back via London and hasn't considered this, but it looks like the Avianca direct flight I took is now clocking in at £3295! This isn't exactly to say I did well getting out when I did - I could probably have booked one of these later flights (taking a chance on airports closing) for £1.3k-ish on Sunday night, given I could do so for the Monday flight when booking on Sunday night - but still, these are scary prices. (The first "cheap" Avianca direct flight is Sunday, at £1383.)

0320 Let's post this before I lose it in a freak accident. I can always make further posts with "what could have been" comments on situation in Colombia/UK-entry re coronavirus, and in due course I'll do a kind of trip post-mortem too.