I contacted the U.S. Embassy in Niamey regarding being stranded in Niger since the airport was closed 10 days earlier. They added me to an email list and contacted me when the US State Department hired a plane to fly U.S. citizens back to Dulles Airport, near Washington, D.C. The majority of the passengers on the plane worked at the U.S. Embassy in Niamey and many of them had children.
U.S.A. Ambassador to Niger
Waiting to check-in. Airport was empty.
The plane started in Madagascar, stopped in Tanzania and Ethiopia before arriving in Niger
67 passengers boarded in Niamey
Re-fueling
Quarantine Seating
Flight crew took everybody's temperature
Seats were installed in an old Military Medical Plane
Event: During this time of global response to COVID-19, U.S. Embassy Niamey is prioritizing assistance to American citizens. With the suspension of commercial air service in Niger, U.S. Embassy Niamey is attempting to arrange repatriation flights to the United States. The first of such flights could depart Niamey as early as Sunday evening, March 29, or during the early morning hours of Monday, March 30, probably to Washington, DC. We are evaluating the interest of the American citizen community regarding who wishes to take advantage of this option.
U.S. citizens seeking to depart are required to sign a promissory note value $2,000 per seat and will be billed at a later date by the Department of State in Washington, DC. The U.S. Embassy is awaiting many details about this first flight, including the number of seats available. We are also exploring other flight options.
Please note that no pets will be permitted on the flight and that baggage will be limited. Please let us know today, Saturday, March 28, at NiameyACS@state.gov, if you are interested on leaving on this flight because of an urgent medical need. We will contact you if a flight is arranged and you are confirmed for a seat. Unless you receive an e-mail from the U.S. Embassy in Niamey confirming your flight, please DO NOT come to the Embassy or go to the airport in Niamey.
Passengers will be listed in priority order per State Department guidelines as follow:
1) U.S. citizens at higher risk from the virus – adults 65 and older, and people of any age with underlying health issues that render them more vulnerable to a negative outcome should they contract the COVID-19 virus. Please let us know if you have an urgent medical need.
2) U.S. citizen minors and one (1) escort.
3) Adult U.S. citizens in need of medical assistance who do not fall into a higher priority group.
Other U.S. citizens.
4) Non-U.S. citizen dependents of U.S. citizens.
5) Eligible non-U.S. citizens, such as legal permanent residents (LPRs – “Green card” holders) with priority given to those with underlying health issues or 65 years or older.
Return to US or Not...
Pros
1. Get to spend time w/ Dad and family if “anything” happens.
2. Internet speed is significantly faster in US. Take online classes.
3. Start job search. Potentially there should be new job openings in financial institutions due to economic stress as a result of the pandemic.
4. If the C-19 cases increase in Niamey, I won’t be stuck here. It could get very ugly, very fast!
5. I only understand English; Niger is a French speaking country. I struggle.
Cons
1. Probably safer in Niger (only 18 cases) vs. New Jersey, USA (52 cases). The C-19 situation in the USA is a lot worse than the C-19 situation Africa, in general as of today (3/30/20)
2. I know nobody in Niamey, so social distancing is VERY easy.
3. Currently there are no other scheduled flights out of Niamey, other than the reparation flight currently being offered (email above). Don’t know went the next flight out of Niamey will occur.
4. Stress levels in the USA will mostly be higher. Niamey is not very stressful.
On March 19, 2020 the all airports and borders were closed in Niger. My flight was schedule to depart on 21 March. Eventually the US State Department organized a private reparations flight out of Niger to Dulles, Washington D.C. While waiting waiting for the State Department to organize the flight, I self-isolated in a very secure, gated AirBnB compound with gardens and an menagerie of animals. Only time I left the compound was to grocery shop and jog in the morning along the near by rice patties.
On 25 March 2017, I departed my home in CT to cycle across the southern tier of the USA, which was the beginning of a 3 year travel adventure that came to an abrupt end last week. I was planning on ending in April anyway, but still wasn’t expecting to end so abruptly. The few trips that I had planned for April were canceled (obviously).
I’m still in Niger for a minimum of 14 days at an AirBnB, but probably a lot longer, laying in bed playing on my laptop. Fourteen nights will be the longest that I’ve slept in a single bed (sequentially) in the 3 last years. I moved around a lot. Towards the end, however, moving everyday or every 2nd or 3rd day started to wear. I started making an effort to stay in one place longer or take rest days in-between tours.
While change was guaranteed daily, there was one constant from day-to-day travels: my 3 bags (weight approximately 60 lbs. or 25 kg). They contain all my personal necessities for the 3 years, soon to be diluted by my 2 packed storage rooms of personal possessions back in the US. I’m gonna miss the ultra minimalist life style a lot.
I have mixed feeling as the travels and adventure are coming to an end*. When I travel I’m always greater than 95% happy all the time. However, this COVID-19 self-isolation and social distancing ain’t traveling.
It’s been a great 3 years. I’ve met many amazing people, and seen and experienced a lot. My brain power isn’t sufficiently large enough to quickly recall all the places I’ve visited and experiences, but when I scroll through my pictures, I’m always pleasantly surprised as they quickly bring back lots of great memories.
I tried to find an anniversary cake for the 3 candle celebration, but instead choose 3 mangoes! It’s mango season here! Thank you all for following the adventures! My last adventure; returning to the US!
*previously this sentence read: “I have mixed feeling as it’s all coming to an end.” I changed it! 😅
Twenty years from now when someone asks me where I was during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, I can say in self-isolation in Niamey, Niger, because the President put the country on lockdown on 19 March, two days before my departure date on 21 March. I was not able to change my flight before the lockdown occurred. There are no international flights arriving or departing from Niamey. All Niger land borders are also closed. Flight are tentatively supposed to begin 2 April, however that will be determined at a later date. If necessary, the lockdown could be extended for an additional 2 weeks to 16 April.
On the bright side, as of 19 March nobody in Niger has tested positive to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Niger. There are no food shortages. The community remains calm but on alert. The situation can change very quickly, but for now life continues as usually except for the cancellation of schools, closing the borders, more people are wearing masks, washing/sanitizing their hands, etc. It’s still at a casual level. Conversely, many still shake hands, don’t respect the 2 meter/ 6 feet social distancing, attend the local outdoor market, eat at restaurants, etc. Some have speculated that the lack of positive Coronavirus (COVID-19) test cases is due to the extreme heat, but that is not confirmed.
I rented a private AirBnB bungalow unit in Niamey. I plan to stay here and self-isolate for the next 2 weeks. My contact with the outside would should be very limited, except when visiting the grocery or liquor store, but I plan to wash and sanitize before and after the visits. I'm looking forward to this downtime to reflect and document my last 3 years of travel. 25 March 2020 completes my 3 year of travel. I started traveling on 25 March 2017.
AirBnB Exterior
Bed and Sitting Area
Kitchen
Front window views.
The AirBnB compound is home to a pet menagerie (mostly birds and fowls) but also turtles, dogs, fish pond, etc. and lots of manicured gardens.
The red circles indicate number of detected coronavirus cases in each of the country as of 19 March 2020. Very few cases have been detected in Africa to date, but that does mean they will not be detected in the future.
Nearby, I found a semi-rural area amongst rice patties for my morning run. Sunrising...
