‘My lifelong dream was vaporised by a volcano’

My husband and I were in our 70s when we met online. We had both lost our partners after many years of marriage and our children were all adults. Lonely and trying to move on in our lives we had learned to handle a computer and, encouraged by our families, we had signed up for a lonely hearts type of program. I was so nervous when we arranged our first meeting that my granddaughter drove me and agreed to stay in the car for a while in case I changed my mind, but I need not have worried as Clarrie and I hit it off instantly!

Within a few days we felt as if we had known each other all our lives. We courted for a couple of years and finally decided we would marry! Our families were delighted. Being in our 70s, we thought it was silly to waste time. I wanted my family in United Kingdom to meet the ‘new’ man in my life. It just so happened that my first novel The Planting was on display at a writers festival in Earl’s Court, London and I had been invited to sign copies, so Clarrie and I booked flights. Taking our first steps into a new life despite our ages. We’d plan our wedding once we had returned to Australia. Excited and feeling more like teenagers, we felt ready for our big adventure.

Arriving at the airport on April 14, 2010, we were asked if we would change our flight to the next day as they were overbooked. Clarrie and I agreed and were given a voucher for a snack while they sorted things out. Everyone had boarded the flight to Gatwick, London when they finally told us we would be on that flight and they would give us a business class seat as a thank you for our time.

Two hours from London the pilot announced we were on our way back to Dubai! The reason? A volcano in Iceland was spewing out ash all over UK and Europe. All airports were closed! It was a shock! We were captives and could only sit there and wait for more news. Finally, arriving back in Dubai we were informed we would be sent to hotels, all luggage baggage had been loaded onto coaches. Vouchers for three meals and two nights were given to every passenger.

Clarrie and I found ourselves at the Millennium Hotel Sharjah. It was magnificent and luxurious. The food was out of this world and the staff could not be faulted in any way. They were courteous and helpful every way they could be. Despite some passengers becoming quite irate about the situation, the staff never lost their cool.

Emerging the following morning for breakfast, we discovered the extent of the chaos. The volcano could cause disruption for days. The panic began.

One man was travelling with his 90-year-old mother and only had enough medication for her to last the original trip. He was having a lot of trouble getting the same medication in Dubai. They were gone the next day.

A heavily pregnant woman was rightfully concerned about the delay, as were a number of mothers who had small children travelling with them. One went so far as to request another room at the hotel as where she had been placed with her family was right outside a mosque and the three times daily prayers were becoming an issue.

I comforted a woman in tears because she was on her way to her daughter’s wedding. The daughter wanted her father to give her away, but now it looked as though they wouldn’t even make the ceremony.

A lady by the name of Sue was from Western Australia and she became our unofficial spokesperson. She demanded our passports be returned and maintained that we had been hijacked. She was a character and very likeable.

My dream too was being vaporised by the volcano. It was unlikely I’d make my book signing at the fair at Earl’s Court. I was devastated and shed my tears privately in our hotel room.

When we finally heard from the airline, it was to summon us to the hotel foyer. Our passports and tickets were returned. They would continue to honour our stay and meals for 24 hours, which provided some relief to passengers.

My granddaughter was also able to cancel our hotel booking in London and stepped in as my representative at the book signing, but it did not take away the pain at not being able to attend myself.

There had been a further volcanic eruption and news reported that flights were being diverted to France, but we would have to find our own way to the UK. Travel right across Europe had ground to a halt and a number of travellers were stranded in out of the way locations. Clarrie and I agreed that contemplating any further journey under the circumstances wouldn’t be worth it at our ages.

We amused ourselves by finding a supermarket and internet cafe close to the hotel. It was an opportunity to purchase essentials — tea and coffee, especially — and update our loved ones on the goings-on.

It was also coincidental that a longtime friend was staying in Dubai during all of this, and she made her way to find me. Carolyn and her husband, Steve, made a point of taking us around to see some of the sights of Dubai. We were wined and dined. Their generosity made the experience just that much more bearable, and I will be forever grateful to them.

No doubt it was a challenging time for the airlines too. I couldn’t fault them for looking after us, but it was stressful not knowing how long we might be stranded and when that help would be withdrawn. Panic increased and there were many confrontations as people’s tolerance evaporated.

On the day of the book fair, April 19, I spent the day close to tears. My heart was broken not being able to attend the book fair.

Clarrie and I were offered a flight to Nice, France, but following that we would be on our own. We would have tofind our own way into the UK or make arrangements to return home to Australia. We declined the offer.

We were then advised that we would be required to make arrangements within 24 hours, be it staying in the hotel and paying our own way or arranging to return home. Many of our fellow travellers were choosing to go home, unable to afford the additional expenses.

The following day we were advised that returning to Australia would also mean forfeiting our return flights from the UK, which had been booked until the end of May. I felt this was especially difficult as a couple of pensioners, but feeling unwell and wanting to be in familiar surroundings, we agreed. We were on our way home.

The return home was nothing short of disappointing. There was no compassion shown to any of the passengers who had been caught up in this natural disaster. When my passport and boarding pass were checked in Singapore, I asked if there was any way I could be seated up the front as I suffer claustrophobia. The man made a sarcastic comment about being in with the pilot and advised I’d be given the “best seat in the plane”, which turned out to be as far back as we could get.

It was a few more years before Clarrie and I married, but we could not be happier now! We were able to travel to the UK the following year and everything was as perfect as it could be for us. We’re in our 80s now and look forward to many more wonderful years together.

Go in the draw to win some great prizes with Travel at 60. Simply sign up as a contributor and submit your stories to Travel at 60. You can also join the Travel at 60 Travel Lovers Club on Facebook to talk to other travellers in the Travel at 60 community.