Breakfast was bustling in the dining room today, and I have no idea what that means. Are people continuing to travel, or are they stranded here and looking for a soft place to hide out until some of this passes?
The restaurant hostess asks again if I need a taxi. Her husband drives a cab, and she has asked every single day if I wanted or needed transportation. While I am sympathetic, I find it a little disconcerting that she does this when her employer also offers transportation.
As for me, I finally succumbed to the sales tactics of the driver outside of the hotel who has asked faithfully, three times a day since my arrival. He dropped his airport price slightly…still making a healthy profit and I get to spend the day here poolside instead of arriving at the airport 11 hours early.
The guests I’ve spoken with are leaving, or trying to leave. I feel for the French couple who were quoted 4000 euros for an early flight home. My young neighbours next door leave for Australia on Saturday and have graciously agreed to share their balcony (and toilet) after I check out.
I haven’t seen Steve from New Zealand in a day or so. A strange dude. He was obviously upset and wanting to talk about losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the markets, about his ex-partner who was running guns to Papua New Guinea behind his back, about a second business venture that failed. There was a vague suggestion about losing a family along the way, but he didn’t elaborate.
The guy from Finland who now lives and works in Moscow arrived three days ago and is now facing the grim prospect of having to spend two of his three weeks of vacation back home in isolation. I don’t know why he left in the first place, given what’s happened in the last week, but I thought it best not to ask.
There is a new sign at reception asking guests to keep their distance. The friendliest people in the world are pulling back.
