Two South Kalimantan residents are now being stranded under Nepal lockdown for the last 31 days and keep struggling to return to the homeland.
From Nepal, Thursday afternoon, Adi Murdani, Banjarmasin resident, and Teddy Herianto, Banjarbaru resident, contacted Antara, hoping to get help from various related parties, so they could go home immediately.
Adi acknowledged that he had tried to contact the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) to be facilitated, but until now they had not yet received good news and certainty.
They took various ways to get home, including taking a paid evacuation plane from the Japanese government, when there was a direct flights from Tokyo to Jakarta. But these efforts were not successful.
He hoped the government of Indonesia would pay attention to their fate by providing evacuation aircraft, either from state funds or paying for themselves.
"The longer we stay here, the more living expenses we pay, plus the psychological condition that continue to deteriorate," he said.
The story began on March 7, 2020, when Adi, Teddy and Fauzan, resident of Banjarmasin, went from Banjarmasin to Nepal to climb.
Initially their journey was quite smooth. Once in Nepal, they went to Poon Hiil. After climbing, on March 15 Fauzan returned to homeland. But Adi and Teddy continued their trip to Annapurna Circuit. Until finally on March 19 they received news that Nepal would implement lockdown.
"On March 19, I heard that Nepal would be lockdown, I on the same day decided to stop climbing and looked for a jeep to depart the next day, to get down to the lower altitude at the starting point," he told.
On March 20, they both took a jeep for 8 hours ride. Then continued for four hours by microbus to Pokhara City. Adi and his friend immediately looking for a ticket, but all online booking status was no flight.
On March 21 they went to Kathmandu for eight hours ride by bus. From Park Pada, they went to the airport. "But all the airlines offices were closed. Likewise in the city. We got no ticket," he said.
March 22 and 23 were still semi lockdown, there was only curfew restriction. Then on March 24 became totally lockdown.
"Supposedly, on March 26 I had returned to Indonesia, but until now I am still being stranded here, no certainty when I will get home," he said.
Editor : Mahdani
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