'We're not being quarantined. We're being detained.' Americans stuck in Cambodia amid pandemic

[geovalin]

When Ryan Knapp and his wife booked a Viking River cruise along the Mekong Delta, they thought it would be a dream trip – a chance to finally see Angkor Wat, the stunning Buddhist temple complex, and explore other parts of Cambodia.

 

But what began as a long-anticipated vacation on a luxury cruise has become a stress-filled nightmare. 

 

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading like wildfire across the globe, the Illinois couple is now stranded in a foreign country that is housing them in a "filthy," dilapidated hotel, after three other passengers on the vessel tested positive for the virus.

 

read more https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/03/15/coronavirus-us-couple-limbo-after-being-forced-off-viking-cruise/5053446002/

[unsubscribe]

Travelling across the world to go on a cruise during a global pandemic ... what do they expect?

Cambodia is giving them free room and board, secured windows, aircon, and they have internet access.

Be thankful and stop making us americans look bad.

[tonray]

"As seasoned world travelers, they were not worried about going, even as the coronavirus spread to the U.S. and outbreaks emerged in new hotspots."

 

"Now, they've been confined to a dirty room with a leaking toilet, a barred window, and a door that doesn't lock.

"There are dead bugs everywhere – and also live bugs," said Gordon-Knapp, 60. "Ants, flying insects, little lizards." 

 

I guess their seasoned world traveler status only was tested at luxury hotels...welcome to SE Asia...

[WalkingOrders]

Well, it's kind of a sad story, I guess for this couple. Yet, there is really no one to cry to is there? It will make a great story for them to tell, how they went to Cambodia and were forced to live like Cambodians for a couple of weeks.

Edited March 16, 2020 by WalkingOrders
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[Nyezhov]

23 minutes ago, geovalin said:

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading like wildfire across the globe, the Illinois couple is now stranded in a foreign country that is housing them in a "filthy," dilapidated hotel, after three other passengers on the vessel tested positive for the virus.

Ive paid to stay in worse. Euros would view that as five stars. I cant stand it when American wimpout and whine about hotel rooms in Third World Countries, what do you think Ryan and W, that you are in Kansas? You earn in a day what your maid at the hotel earns in a month. You are in a place where there are no such things as building codes, zoning laws, consumer protection and health and saftey laws unless its made up on the spot.

.

Get a grip. Never would have won WW2 with this type of whinging.

 

[BritManToo]

No photos of the hotel or room available then?

Can't be that bad.

[Puchaiyank]

Order a 4-hands massage...will cheer up you two lovebirds...

[Nyezhov]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No photos of the hotel or room available then?

Can't be that bad.

Its on their Facebook page. They need to come here to Siem to see what a Third world guesthouse is like. Better than the single rooms at the GVGH.

[tonray]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No photos of the hotel or room available then?

Can't be that bad.

Didn't you read....there are lizards...ha ha ha ha

[donnacha]

Quote

Knapp's wife, Theresa Gordon-Knapp, said she asked her doctor, before leaving the U.S., if it was safe to go on the trip. Yes, he told her.

Utter morons.
 

[gargamon]

42 minutes ago, tonray said:

There are dead bugs everywhere – and also live bugs," said Gordon-Knapp, 60. "Ants, flying insects, little lizards." 

 

At least they won't go hungry...

[Saltire]

OMG 'unmatched linen'!!!

 

How will they survive? Someone call the Gucci Support Line!

 

Honestly you should read her Facebook Page, especially the comments from a whole bunch of precious friends all offering help from their 'connections'. Seems to me they were lucky the authorities found the carriers before they got infected, this itself amazing in Vietnam/Cambodia with them on a boat on the Mekong. Should be appreciative of the authorities efforts.

 

They are in Kampong Cham, I know it from my 5 years in Cambodia. It's well outside any tourist town. The room may not be 5 star but believe me I have seen and slept in much worse. It's beter than around 80% of the country has on a daily basis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sheryl]

They apparently are not in an actual hotel but an abandoned building that was a hotel in the past and no longer is.

 

Cut them some slack, conditions may actually be pretty bad.

[CLW]

2 hours ago, tonray said:

Didn't you read....there are lizards...ha ha ha ha

 

[drbeach]

3 hours ago, unsubscribe said:

Travelling across the world to go on a cruise during a global pandemic ... what do they expect?

Cambodia is giving them free room and board, secured windows, aircon, and they have internet access.

Be thankful and stop making us americans look bad.

Thankful to be locked up in a 1-star rat infested guesthouse? I don't think so...but as long as they are being given food, no forced medicines and left to wait it out, it should be manageable. Certainly an experience to tell their friends back home.

 

You're right though...who goes on a cruise now? You'd have to be nuts.

[rvaviator]

If its dirty ... Just get a bucket of water and clean it up yourself ... Special times requires special measures ...

[JimmyTheMook]

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Quote

 

Knapp's wife, Theresa Gordon-Knapp, said she asked her doctor, before leaving the U.S., if it was safe to go on the trip. Yes, he told her.

....

They arrived in Vietnam on March 1, did some sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh, and got on the boat on March 4, Knapp said.

 

 

I have sympathy and empathy for the couple and all others similarly situated... But really....

 

1. They need to find a different/better U.S. doctor.  Epic fail on that person's part.

 

2. As veteran travelers and he as a retired health company worker, they should have known better and seen what was coming, especially in backward parts of the world.  By February and certainly by early March, the path of CV was pretty clear.

 

Now and then certainly was not the time to be engaging in voluntary international travel for tourism purposes.

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Sheryl]

35 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Thankful to be locked up in a 1-star rat infested guesthouse? I don't think so...but as long as they are being given food, no forced medicines and left to wait it out, it should be manageable. Certainly an experience to tell their friends back home.

 

You're right though...who goes on a cruise now? You'd have to be nuts.

 

Not even that. They are being held in an abandoned building.

 

As for food they are appatently being brought it not by Cambodian officials but by the cruise line staff. 

[Russell17au]

yes and being where they are is probably the best quarantine there is because of the lack of other people around to either pass the virus on to them or for them to pass the virus on to your friends.

[spiekerjozef]

You took the boat trip and knew the risks.

Stop moaning and man up.

[from the home of CC]

59 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

They apparently are not in an actual hotel but an abandoned building that was a hotel in the past and no longer is.

 

Cut them some slack, conditions may actually be pretty bad.

they boarded a cruise Mar. 4! That alone speaks volumes..

[Nyezhov]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

 

 

As for food they are appatently being brought it not by Cambodian officials but by the cruise line staff. 

That's like being in a Cambodian hospital. I've got my maid on call to help take care of me if I am in the hospital.

[JCauto]

5 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Ive paid to stay in worse. Euros would view that as five stars. I cant stand it when American wimpout and whine about hotel rooms in Third World Countries, what do you think Ryan and W, that you are in Kansas? You earn in a day what your maid at the hotel earns in a month. You are in a place where there are no such things as building codes, zoning laws, consumer protection and health and saftey laws unless its made up on the spot.

.

Get a grip. Never would have won WW2 with this type of whinging.

 

Always find it interesting when our opinions coincide. But I am curious as to when you've come around to appreciate things such as building codes, zoning laws, consumer protection and health and safety laws? As one of the more ardent conservatives on the board (and one of the few able to make cogent arguments, whether wrong or right), how do you square this with your rabid support for the current administration and their absolute destruction of these policies? We're observing the direct result of the stripping of the USA's pandemic response capabilities and their inability to respond in a timely manner for example.

[soalbundy]

Always look on the bright side of life la la la la lalalala la. When you get home write a book full of exaggerations about it (no starbucks, electricity wasn't on for the complete day, no ice cream, and nobody said thank you for your service)

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Always look on the bright side of life la la la la lalalala la. When you get home write a book full of exaggerations about it (no starbucks, electricity wasn't on for the complete day, no ice cream, and nobody said thank you for your service)

I did note from their one photo that they had air-con in the room ...... so it wasn't all that bad.

[natway09]

Beware the little lizards, they eat mosquitos

[UbonThani]

Great story to tell. Cruise yawn

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, JCauto said:

Always find it interesting when our opinions coincide. But I am curious as to when you've come around to appreciate things such as building codes, zoning laws, consumer protection and health and safety laws? As one of the more ardent conservatives on the board (and one of the few able to make cogent arguments, whether wrong or right), how do you square this with your rabid support for the current administration and their absolute destruction of these policies? We're observing the direct result of the stripping of the USA's pandemic response capabilities and their inability to respond in a timely manner for example.

Dude does everything have to be a political screech? Rabid supporter? Ardent conservative? Wow dude, you have no idea.

 

But hey the USA will be fine.

[CharlieH]

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