Woman stranded in the Philippines due to coronavirus restrictions makes it home to the Highlands
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A young woman has finally made it home to the Highlands after finding herself stranded in the Philippines due to coronavirus restrictions.
Shenan Davis was reunited with her relieved parents Mark and Denise, who live near Kiltarlity, after flying back to the UK on a near-empty plane after more than two frantic weeks of booking flights which were later cancelled.
The 24-year-old former Charleston Academy pupil was a month into a year-long trip travelling in south east Asia and Oceania when she found herself stuck in the province of Cebu as it went into lockdown against coranvirus.
Miss Davis, who arrived home in the early hours yesterday, said: “It is good to be back but is is also sad because that is the end of my adventure.”
She paid £1700 for her flights from Cebu to Glasgow and noted there were only about 11 passengers on the British Airways flight between Seoul and Heathrow.
“We had about 10 rows each to ourselves,” said Miss Davis who also noticed the other flights were quite empty while there were few people about as she came through the terminal at Heathrow.
Miss Davis, who had spent two years saving for her dream trip, said the severity of the coronavirus epidemic had become apparent in the space of about three days but people found it increasingly difficult to get home as flights were cancelled.
"The more they cancelled, the more flights filled up and the more expensive the seats became," she said.
“Some of my friends are still out there because they can’t afford to get home now.
“There are still about six or seven from Scotland and England living in the hostel where I was.”
Before she left Cebu, she found life was becoming difficult under the lockdown as hostels and hotels started to close along with cafes and shops.
Strict checks were also put in place.
"There were police coming in and out of the hostels to check everything," she said. "Every time you went into a public place such as a shop, your temperature was being checked."
Miss Davis is now self-isolating at home as a precautionary measure.
Her mother, a social care worker, said it was a "complete relief" Shenan was home but could not understand why the flight back to the UK was so empty especially as the government had announced a £75 million rescue package to get stranded Britons home.
"There seems to be no organisation to get people home," said Ms Davis who was glad her daughter was back but also acknowledged it was not the case for everyone.
"The best thing was waking up in the morning and knowing she was here at home rather than switching on the phone and finding another massive issue.
"We tried to get her home for three weeks. When you are not actively working on it, you are still thinking about it."
Related article: Family of Highland woman fearing arrest in Philippines calls on UK to rescue its citizens
