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The “Road from Copenhagen to Darwin” By Ken Rohrs, Play class of ‘63

June 28^th to September 1^st

I departed the US on October 10^th, 1968. In the past 53 years I have taught school in the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Denmark. I have never experienced as difficult a move, as this summer’s move from Copenhagen to Darwin, NT, Australia. I am retired, but my wife had accepted a position of Deputy Principal (Deputy Head of School in American terminology) in Darwin.

We never expected that once we arrived in Australia, that as a resident Ken would not be able to freely leave or unable also to visit friends and relatives in Australia. Interstate quarantines and lock downs restrict our internal movement inside Australia, and residents could not leave Australia without a travel exemption.

Our journey is sort of a mix of Murphey's Law and Franz Kafka's views on reality "having a nightmarishly complex, bizarre, or illogical quality".

Interstate quarantines and lock downs restricted our internal movement inside Australia.

Stage 1:

In March, we began the process of moving to Australia by purchasing tickets on KLM from CPH-AMS-SIN-SYD. Then 8-days later KLM cancelled our confirmed fully paid booking. After 10-days of trying to get another booking, we finally got one via CPH-AMS-SIN-SYD that required a 15-hour connection in Singapore.

On March 17th, Ken applied for an Australian “spousal residence visa”. Anxiety increased until the visa’s 6-days before our scheduled departure.

Stage 2

Although we were fully vaccinated before departing Copenhagen, we needed valid negative Covid PCR (down the throat and up the nose). Since a test is only valid for 72 hours, we had three PCR tests done on June 26th, June 27th, and June 28^th to cover our transits in route and arrival in Sydney.

Stage 3

At Sydney we were escorted from customs by NSW Police and ADF (Australian Defence Force) personnel to a designated bus, to our quarantine hotel, and finally into our room. We had no key to re-enter our room. Being outside the room was subject to an expensive fine and possible jail time.

Delivered food was left on a chair outside the door. We opened the door only to retrieve food, put out rubbish, and change linens on day 8. We were billed AUD$4,500 (US$3,315.00) for our quarantine experience.

Stage 4

Australia had been doing very well compared internationally to contain Covid-19 with lockdowns. For the 19-months from February 2020 through July 1, 2021, Australia had nationwide total of only 30,321 cases and 910 deaths.

AstraZeneca is manufactured at a facility in Australia and available to any Australian who wishes it. However, the negative publicity about AstraZeneca and the success of the lock downs and quarantines, did not generate sense an urgency to get vaccinated.

With the arrival of the Delta variant, between July 1^st and mid-August 14th new cases have risen to 800+ new case/day.  In the past 9-weeks the number of deaths nationwide has risen from a total of 910 to 950 deaths. The Delta variant has strained Australia’s extensive track and tracing system. Therefore, more drastic lock downs, quarantines, and penalties have been imposed.  

After quarantine, we moved to our sister-in-law’s. Under Sydney’s covid lockdown, movement was limited to a 5 km (3-mile), facemasks required outside the front door, and limited to 1-person per household per day to enter the grocery store, etc.

As part of NSW’s massive contact tracing, we had to scan a “QR” code when entering or exiting “public” and commercial buildings. Widespread Covid testing is also done.

Australia is a full-blown democracy, and many do not like the limitations of quarantines and lock downs. Rule breakers are subject to arrest, fines, and jail time. I can’t imagine how rights rather than communal responsible advocates in America would react to being traced, fined, and potentially imprisoned for ignoring quarantine and lockdown regulations.

Stage 5

We needed an exemption to enter the Northern Territory and enter a second 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

We booked an August 10^th Qantas flight to Darwin on Tuesday, August 17th. Our exemption was granted on Wednesday, August 11^th. QANTAS cancelled confirmed flight on August 13^th. Fortunately, QANTAS rebooked us on an August 18^th flight. We were so excited to enter another 14-days of quarantine!!! Here are links to three descriptive articles about our Howard Springs quarantine “accommodation”.  Article 1 - The Guardian ,  Article 2 - Washington Post , and Article 3 - NYTimes

Stage 6

When we re-emerge from 14-days of quarantine, we then can begin to look for a place to live and where to store our container of household possessions. We hope to be able to settle in by Christmas, 6 months after departing Copenhagen.

Darwin is at the “top end of Australia, only 12.46 degrees latitude from the Equator,and a 2 ½ hour flight from Bali (when travel is possible)

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The Kakadu, the land of the saltwater crocodiles

(FYI-Honolulu is 21.18 degrees from the Equator, and Havana is 23.12 degrees)

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