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Coronavirus: Teenager home after 59-hour trip from Honduras | Coronavirus: Teenager home after 59-hour trip from Honduras |
(21 days later) | |
A teenager has arrived home from Honduras after a 59-hour trip that featured a personal security detail and private flight to Mexico. | A teenager has arrived home from Honduras after a 59-hour trip that featured a personal security detail and private flight to Mexico. |
Flossy Reeves, from Edinburgh, was a volunteering as an English teacher with Project Trust when she had to leave the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Flossy Reeves, from Edinburgh, was a volunteering as an English teacher with Project Trust when she had to leave the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic. |
The 18-year-old's parents were given real-time updates on her epic journey by the charity. | The 18-year-old's parents were given real-time updates on her epic journey by the charity. |
She is now self-isolating at home for two weeks. | She is now self-isolating at home for two weeks. |
Flossy was initially set to fly back on 16 March but the borders were closed by presidential decree the day before. | Flossy was initially set to fly back on 16 March but the borders were closed by presidential decree the day before. |
Quarantine for two weeks | Quarantine for two weeks |
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime, Flossy said: "We had to go into quarantine for two weeks. | Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime, Flossy said: "We had to go into quarantine for two weeks. |
"It was a bit stressful because we didn't know if we were going to be able to get out." | "It was a bit stressful because we didn't know if we were going to be able to get out." |
Flossy had been living and teaching in the village of Tomala, in the Lempira region of the country, since August. | Flossy had been living and teaching in the village of Tomala, in the Lempira region of the country, since August. |
It is near the border with El Salvador and Guatemala but the lockdown was so strict the teenager was also told she could not leave the house, even for daily exercise. | It is near the border with El Salvador and Guatemala but the lockdown was so strict the teenager was also told she could not leave the house, even for daily exercise. |
Meanwhile, Project Trust, which is based on the Isle of Coll, Argyll and Bute, was pulling out all the stops to get its volunteers home. | Meanwhile, Project Trust, which is based on the Isle of Coll, Argyll and Bute, was pulling out all the stops to get its volunteers home. |
Flossy said: "We got diplomatic papers to allow us to come and go, a private security company to drive us to the capital city and then we managed to get a private plane, which was very fancy, to Mexico and then get British Airways flight back to the UK." | Flossy said: "We got diplomatic papers to allow us to come and go, a private security company to drive us to the capital city and then we managed to get a private plane, which was very fancy, to Mexico and then get British Airways flight back to the UK." |
Along the way, the vehicle was stopped at checkpoints and sprayed with disinfectant. | Along the way, the vehicle was stopped at checkpoints and sprayed with disinfectant. |
The finer detail of the trip, which started at 10:00 GMT on Friday, included an 11-hour drive to the capital, Tegucigalpa. | The finer detail of the trip, which started at 10:00 GMT on Friday, included an 11-hour drive to the capital, Tegucigalpa. |
From there, Flossy and Emily Evans, 18, from Linlithgow, met up with about 30 fellow volunteers for a private flight to Tolucha. | From there, Flossy and Emily Evans, 18, from Linlithgow, met up with about 30 fellow volunteers for a private flight to Tolucha. |
They had a brief stop, after entering Mexican air space, in Tapachula to allow police and sniffer dogs to check that the aircraft was not carrying any illicit substances. | They had a brief stop, after entering Mexican air space, in Tapachula to allow police and sniffer dogs to check that the aircraft was not carrying any illicit substances. |
The final leg saw them fly from Mexico City to London before catching a flight to Glasgow and getting a lift to Edinburgh. | The final leg saw them fly from Mexico City to London before catching a flight to Glasgow and getting a lift to Edinburgh. |
Flossy said: "It is a very strange feeling that I have. It has not hit me yet that I am home. | Flossy said: "It is a very strange feeling that I have. It has not hit me yet that I am home. |
"I came back last night about 10pm and I have not hugged my mum or dad. | "I came back last night about 10pm and I have not hugged my mum or dad. |
"We are keeping two metres distance because I have obviously been travelling internationally." | "We are keeping two metres distance because I have obviously been travelling internationally." |
'Very sad to leave' | 'Very sad to leave' |
Flossy was inspired to travel abroad to teach English in her gap year after sister Imogen, 20, spent hers in Cambodia. | Flossy was inspired to travel abroad to teach English in her gap year after sister Imogen, 20, spent hers in Cambodia. |
The former Portobello High School pupil will start her product design and innovation degree at Strathclyde University in the autumn. | The former Portobello High School pupil will start her product design and innovation degree at Strathclyde University in the autumn. |
But she will always have fond memories of her time in Central America. | |
Flossy said: "It was such a lovely town that I was living in and Honduras as a whole was absolutely amazing. | Flossy said: "It was such a lovely town that I was living in and Honduras as a whole was absolutely amazing. |
"Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I was very sad to leave." | "Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I was very sad to leave." |
Flossy's mother, Rachael Yates, is grateful for the way the charity handled the fast-moving situation with its crisis management partners. | Flossy's mother, Rachael Yates, is grateful for the way the charity handled the fast-moving situation with its crisis management partners. |
She said: "Project Trust were utterly amazing and I cannot praise them enough. | She said: "Project Trust were utterly amazing and I cannot praise them enough. |
"I was in bits when she got back. I was so excited to see her but emotional as well. | "I was in bits when she got back. I was so excited to see her but emotional as well. |
"I don't think it has sunk in how epic her adventure was." | "I don't think it has sunk in how epic her adventure was." |
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