After I posted on Tuesday night, I receved an email from the US Embassy in Liberia. I had written them earlier when all the flights out of Liberia were canceled and it appeared that we would be in Liberia for some time - at least until April 15th when Brussels airlines was to resume service ( as we now know that is not going to happen). We were all packed and ready to move out to the "Kumeh Compound" in Bardnersville on Wednesday to await word on our return.
Back to the email. The Embassy wanted all our information: Name, Passport #, Address in Liberia, address in the US, phone numbers, and emergency notification information. I completed all that and returned it immediately. I also registered us with the Department of State Foreign Travel Service.
Wednesday morning, I went upstairs to have breakfast and Timothy remained in our hotel room catching a few more winks before we would leave to go out to Bardnersville. About 9:30 am he came up the stairs carrying his phone saying that the Embassy had called. I called them back and was told they would be having an medical evacuation plane leaving for the US that night. Did we have any medical issues and/or were we over the age of 60? When I told them our ages, we were informed that we qualified for the flight. Were our bags packed? We could only 2 two each and one very small purse/bag for carryon as there would not be room for anything larger. Answer: Yes. We were to be at the Embassy promptly at 11:00 am to complete additional paperwork and sign a promisary note for the cost of our flight. We were to be at the airport promtly at 8:00 pm and the plane should fly out about midnight. While individuals with the virus and another critically ill person without the virus would be on board they would be in isolation.
I immediately called Jeff to come and get us and take us to the Embassy. By this time it was 10 am and he said that he would leave immediately. We would be cutting it close but could make it on time. However, about 10:30, Jeff called to tell us he was caught up in traffic and would not make it.
I told him we would call a taxi and leave our luggage at the hotel. He could pick it up and then meet us at the Embassy when we were finished. At least that was the plan.
The hotel clerk called a friend of his who did transport and he arrived about 10:50. My anxiety level was climbing as we attempted to tell him where we were going - the Main Entrance of the US Embassy. Well....he took the long way around, got lost twice around the Embassy and finally when I told him across from the Masonic Temple he was able to get us there. This was about 11:15. He was really upset with us and took all the Liberian money we had. I think it was nearly $10 USD.
We went to the door and dutifully washed our hands only to be told that we must wait outside and only one could enter at a time. OK - no choice but to wait. Several others arrived with appointments as well. When it came our turn, a lady tried to move in front of us because she was only 1 and we were two. However, the guard said that since we were together we could enter.
Security check: no phone, no camera, no keys, no knitting needles, no coins, nothing metal, etc. etc. I asked if they just wanted to take my bag but they didn't have room for that. I proceeded to empty my bag and put everything in a locker and carry the empty bag into the Embassy. We went through 2 more security checks and then were give more paperwork to complete with the same information that we had given earlier. We weren't able to give them phone numbers because our phones were locked up when we entered. We were told "No problem". With the papers completed and a promisary note in the amount of $1400 each, we were able to leave with the knowledge we had a place on the flight and again to be at the airport promptly at 8:00 pm. We were to take something to eat and water because nothing would be available on the flight. (All this in a small bag. Uh huh!)
As we were leaving a family was at the security desk with the information that one of them was old and infirm and needed someone to accompany him on the flight. He had his son, daughter in law, and two grandchildren he wanted to take with him. Later, we did not see him at the airport so apparently he was not able to take all the family.
Jeff was waiting for us as we left and we headed out the Bardnersville. Once there we had to explain to the children and grandchildren that we would not be staying after all and would be leaving by 6 pm to get to the airport on time. The balance of the afternoon was spent sorting out things I wanted to leave and giving them to the proper people. We had promised 2 of our grands our phones but we would need to keep them until we knew for sure we were flying. I made us a couple of masks for some protection. There was an incredible gas shortage and I gave Jeff $100 to fill up the jeep with gas to make the trip. He ended up having to go three different places to get enough gas to make the trip. He finally got back about 5:30. With final tears and goodbys we were off.
It was amazing to see all the traffic and the lines at the gas stations we lined up for at least a half a mile down the street in each direction. Some people had just parked their cars and left them. Others were gathered with gas cans to get in lines for them as well. While we were under a directive for no large groups and practicing distancing, people congregated in clusters to discuss what was going on.
We were finally out on the highway and making our way to the airport. It seemed to take forever and I passed the time looking for landmarks and seeing with amazement all the new construction that has taken place.
As darkness fell, we finally reached the airport. We were stopped at the gate, got out, washed our hands, and presented our passports to be examined by personnel and recorded. The airport was dark as we entered and only Jeff, Timothy and myself could enter the airport proper. The others in the car had to wait out in the entrance parking lot. Security personnel told us "Yes, the plane was coming, No, they didn't know when. Go park in the inside parking lot." So - we did. Other cars were coming and soon we saw the lights of a little bar/cafe in one of the auxilary terminals. Jeff went over and bought us soft drinks. By 10 pm the main terminal was still dark and I was getting hungry. We were able to go in and get some food.
About 11 pm the lights came on and we made our way to the main terminal. By this time I was so worried about Jackie, Jeff's wife O.Z. and daughter being alone in the outer lot that I told Jeff to go on home. We gave him our cell phones and waited in line. Embassy personnel told us that if anyone had not signed paperwork at the Embassy earlier in the day, to leave the line and go home, for they would not be on the flight. There were several who stepped out of the line but also several who remained in the line telling the Embassy personnel they had cause to be on the flight regardless if they had signed paperwork or not.
We were then called by name to identify ourselves and asked to form another line to go through security before entering the airport. At the same time we were admonished for standing too close together and to be at least 6 feet apart. It was interesting to watch the people. Most were Liberians who had American citizenship. They felt a sense of entitlement and would push and shove their way forward in the lines. I puzzled at the size of the bags they carried filled with all sorts of things including food, water, pillows, blankets, etc. Timothy and I hung back just to watch and be safe.
Later, we were called to enter and our bags scanned and passports checked at the entrance to the terminal. Then a maze to enter to move from place to place again having passports checked, paperwork checked, yellow fever cards checked, visas checked and stamped, and final immigration check. Our handheld items were examined and finally we were allowed to go upstairs to the waiting lounge. All this was done keeping everyone at a safe distance apart.
When we got upstairs to a large room we were directed where to sit. At this point there was only one other white American with us. I found out that he was a Baptist minister from Arkansas and had been there teaching Baptist pastors how to preach. Later we were joined by US AID families who were also on the plane. They had been kept separated from us and even given a separate place in the terminal. We first heard the flight was to be at midnight, then 3 am and finally at 5 am we heard that it had just left the airport and was on its way to us. That flight would be about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
While I was walking around to stretch my legs I talked with some of the US AID personnel. Most of them were working in healthcare either training or monitoring. Most of them had their families with them and the children really weren't aware of what was happening. The children were still bright eyed and bushy tailed at that hour in the morning just due to the nervous energy. Their laughter and playing helped to relieve some of the tension.
Finally the plane arrived and once again we lined up and passports were checked. Having been separated during our wait, we were then loaded on a bus to go out to the plane. It was a cargo place and huge. We were greeted by medical personnel outfitted in isolation suits with fitted headgear and a battery pack air filtration unit on their backs. Tempertures were taken and recorded on a wrist band along with our seat assignment. There was heavy black plastic taped up everywhere in the rear of the plane along with three toilets. Two of which we could use and the other for the people isolation group.
Hand sanitizer and paper towels were the order of the day. They were to be used before and after each trip to the toilet. Farther into the plane were the seats which had been added. I chuckled because they were so old they still had ashtrays built into the armrests from days long ago. There was a large boxy unit with its own air filtration unit in front of us (presumably for the medical staff for storage) and beyond that was more black plastic. It appeared that all this took up about half the space on the plane. I have no idea where the virus patients or the critically ill patient were located.
For more information about the plane you can follow this link to the company who does the evacuation: The inside of the aircraft is specially modified designed to transport highly contagious patients. The technology was created by Phoenix Air out of Georgia, at the request of federal agencies during the height of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa six years ago.
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Our flight took us to Lisbon where the flight crew would change and we would pick up some more Americans. That portion of the flight would be 4 hours. From there we would travel to Dulles Airport. We would arrive at approximately 8:30 pm US time or 11:30 pm Liberian time. We had been given a cold meal consisting of french fries and a turkey sandwich. There was also plenty of water in coolers along the sides of the planes. When we left Lisbon we were served a hot meal of beef, rice, bread, cheese, and a chocolate mousse. Later we received a danish. We did not go hungry.
Sleep, reading (I read an entire 2 story paperback), knitting and stetching our legs was the order of the day. The medical personnel were upbeat and encouraging as we traveled. We even played a couple of games of silent bingo where the numbers were written on large pieces of paper. Prizes of candy were awarded and at the end each of us received an minature Hershey bar as a treat.
Upon landing at Dulles our temperatures were taken and recorded on our wristbands. After being transported to the terminal we went through a immigration/customs/CDC processing and told we were to be in home isolation for 14 days. The airport was empty as we gathered our luggage and Timothy and I decided to find a motel and spend the night and deal with getting to Indiana the next day.
We chose an Embassy Suites because the cost was about 75% less than their usual price and I knew we would be pampered. They did not have a courtesy bus so we had to get a taxi. Our driver would not take us anyplace until I had an actual address of the hotel. My patience was running thin at this point but I managed to find it. When we arrived the hotel was empty and the clerk on duty said they didn't have enough business to even pay the electric bill for the month.
After a hot shower, I made plane reservations to get us back to Indianapolis. A good night's sleep and a sack breakfast the next morning we were ready to tackle the day. Since we were flying out of Reagan airport I made arrangements with Uber to do the transport. They didn't show up and I didn't even have the reservation on my phone. So I made another one. This time they made it and we were off to the airport. We really didn't need to be there early since the airport again was deserted and we checked through very quickly.
We grabbed some lunch and the flight personnel told us we could even take it on the plane with us if we wanted. We chose not to. When we left the airport there were only about 10 people on the plane. It wasn't long before we touched down in Indianapolis. We stopped to go to the restroom and by the time we reached the baggage claim, the only luggage left was ours.
Alan was waiting in the cell phone lot and it wasn't long before he arrived to carry us home. He had stopped at the grocery for a few items I had requested and had those in a cooler in the back of the car.
Off to Russiaville we went and arrived about 7 pm. After a snack of popcorn and cold water we were off to bed.
It was quite the adventure, but we were well cared for during the entire trip. We thank God that we arrived safely and in good health. Our isolation will end on Easter Sunday and we have been blessed to have groceries delivered and even a special delivery of Popcorn Cafe popcorn. Thank you all for your prayers. Stay in and stay safe.
