Hey Ozbargain,
I don't have a lot to do these days so I'm starting a AMA about the 14 day mandatory quarantine for returning international travelers. Not sure how popular this would be but what else can we do?
Bit of background, I'm in Crown Promenade in Melbourne and I've been in isolation for a week since returning from Europe.
Hey Dealbot!
I'm doing well, hope you are as well.
It was pretty much killing time on social media and TV for the first 3 days. Since then I've managed to get my laptop delivered so I'm currently back to work Monday to Fridays and doing overtime on the weekends.
I try to get some exercise in after work. (50 push ups, 50 squats, 50 situps and 50 tricep dips)
I've also started learning Spanish as of yesterday so that occupies most of my night.
Como estas?
Muy bien, y tu?
@rubenastley: Is it Slovenian? It sounds like it.
@skramit, to je smešno. You answered in French instead of spanish. Bučko :p
Op, are you still in quarantine?
hows the food
can u go outside (pool area say), then say if u wear a mask u can
Breakfast and Lunch is not bad but can get bland as it's always pretty much the same. Dinner varies.
Breakfast
2 boiled eggs
3 croissants
1 yogurt
1 breakfast bar
1 Fruit
1 juice / Water
Lunch
1 Pre-packaged salad
2 Bread rolls with butter
1 Soup
1 Chocolate
1 Water
Dinner
1 catered meal (e.g spaghetti bolognese, curry and rice etc)
1 fruit
1 drink
1 chip packet
1 water/juice
We cannot leave the room at all.
Would love to see photos!
Oh and one more thing, Crown tries to up sell you their food and alcoholic drinks every day.
When I have some time tonight. Photos incoming!
What is your favourite soup?
I think it was some sort of creamy pumpkin soup a few days ago.
Are all meals delivered to your door? Do you have a balcony?
no balcony at crown promenade if i recall correctly
No balcony here.
They deliver 3 meals per day at varying times.
Breakfast is usually 8:30 - 9:30
Lunch 12:00 - 2:00
Dinner 6:00 - 8:00
They leave it in front of the door, knock and run away!
Free laundry service?
Crown tried charging $50 per service, however we received a letter about 3 days later to state it was now free. Must of had a lot of complaints!
blink three times if you're in trouble
Have you tried to communcate with the other prisoners.
If you look at your window, do people know you are in quaratine?
Hhaha, I haven't tried. Some guy was coughing quite a lot a few nights ago, haven't heard a peep since. Maybe he's been transported out?
Are you looking for bargains to post on Ozbargain?
I'm not unfortunately. Arrest me!
Are they actually guards on watch 24/7 to make sure no one escape?
There are guards in the hallway 24/7. One of my high school friends happen to also be in the same situation as myself. He was inside his room (feet in) and used his phone to video the hallway. A few guards came knocking at 10:00pm to threaten him with a $20,000 fine.
He was inside his room (feet in)
Why do people try to push the limits so much?
The truth is that all of him except his feet were outside the room, and he should be fined or jailed.
sounds like a prison but its pretty understandable if they want to stop covid from spreading
What sort of security and stuff is there? Could you just leave if you wanted to? Do they check up regularly etc.?
Once we landed in Melbourne, a border force officer advised us what was going to happen. (we were also given ample instructions via information cards)
It was quite surreal… Imagine black mirror and shawshank redemption. There were police everywhere to ensure we did not escape along the way to the hotel.
Security man the hallways 24/7. A nurse calls me every second day to check if I have symptoms of COVID and to see how I was getting along.
were the police wearing face mask?
Yeah they were. Most of them were N95 grade except a few border force officers with regular masks.
How are you getting Internet? Free Crown wifi? Or being an Ozbargainer, you always carry multiple catch and kogan sims around with you? :P
Free Wifi at crown. I do have some backup sims if it does go down though!
When did you travel out of the country and when did you return?
How much is this quarantine costing you?
should be all free?
free food / hotel / laundry / internet
life is good
Hi Dasher,
Everything is paid for.
I left on the 13th of March and came home early on 31/03
Sorry but I gotta ask, could you order "adult" movies and the States pay for it?
prawnhub premium is free
All movies are free from crown apart from "adult movies"
Thanks. That was a legit question.
where you guys surprise that they chose a 5 star hotel for you guys to stay in?
Has anyone been broken the rules yet?
Has this effected anything in your life like work?
1) I think most people were surprised. I was expecting IBIS budget / 3 start accommodation for everyone. At this stage I've heard it can range between IBIS budget to the Intercontinental.
2) I'm unaware if anyone's broken rules.
3) Work is going well. We are all working remotely, if anything my income has increased as our offshore team (India) have limited staff after lock down. A lot of extra work available at this stage.
How many times did you spank the monkey in your first week?
My Mum's in a similar hotel. I'm receiving updates every few hours. She's going insane. These updates so far have included a picture of a Kit Kat that she was given for lunch with 'Take a break, ha ha' as well as Tv updates 'No Chase today'
She arrived on Sunday afternoon, and was pretty hangry later on because she was given dinner at 10PM in addition to being jetlagged. Have heard this is the norm as Hotels get used to the higher levels of work for their kitchens.
Two times during the two weeks we're allowed to send things through to my Mum. DHHS sends someone to our house and we have to have things in a plastic bag, labelled. Apparently they will disinfect things before delivering to my mum. Non-Perishable foods, clothes, tech stuff can be sent. Haven't sent the first lot yet but soon.
I think it really depends on some people. I've enjoyed it so far to be honest. I think it's a good time to reflect and work on self development. Whether that is learning something new or setting up a consistent exercise schedule. If you get into the habit of just watching TV or scrolling through facebook, you'll get cabin fever real quick.
The experience of food tends to vary between which hotel you stay at. Some hotels even provide room service up to $95 I believe. That particular process you were mentioning was not finalised when I got here. I got my brother to drop off some belongings and the security guard came up and gave it to me.
I think people are doing the same from home too so I understand and relate! She only really had her phone so yeah, can't really do much with an iPhone 5
Taxi came at 5PM to pick up her stuff, it's 6 now and she's already received her goods. Sent her some warm clothes as she came from a warmer climate and is now in cold Melbourne, some vitamins, books, her tablet and charger. I think she'll be watching a lot of Sri Lankan teledramas over the next 2 weeks! Not too sure if everything was disinfected in that time not that we really care, but I think they had looked through everything.
A nurse calls her every morning too.
What were you doing in Europe? Did the lockdown situation over there cause any issues for your visit?
I was supposed to have a quick backpacking trip for a month. I left on the 13th of March when it was stage 3 travel restrictions however restrictions in Europe were still quite relaxed apart from Italy. Within a week of landing it all went haywire and most countries closed their borders. I was on a 2 hour flight from Istanbul to Budapest and they announced the closure of the borders at midnight. In the end I mainly self isolated inside an airbnb in Edinburgh Scotland until I got flight back home. Luckily most of my accommodation/flights within Europe were refunded.
Do you have to pay for any of it or does the government pick up the tab for everything?
When you arrive at the hotel, do you check in like a guest did back in the old days when people used to stay in hotels through choice or are you preallocated a room and escorted to it?
Did you have to show a credit card to cover any damage to the room or use of minibar?
Is there any kind of housekeeping service to clean your room and change your sheets and towels?
What food items did you request to receive from your family?
1) This is all covered by the Government.
2) They checked me in using my passport and then escorted into the lift. I was then free to find my room.
3) No credit card shown. Minibar is all free however restocking would cost money. I assume I would pay at the end of my stay or via the phone
4) They will clean the linen/bedding once during my stay if requested.
5) None. Don't require it as their is ample food.
Do they clean your room?
They will only change the linen/bedding once during my stay. I'm unsure if they just provide the fresh linen or change it themselves.
I don't have a question to ask, but just wanted to comment that you seem to be handling the situation very well. We hear a lot of stories about people whinging, you seem to have approached this whole situation with the correct mindset. Well done and stay well!
Hey mate, hope all is well. What's your daily routine?