A pair of American newlyweds have been stranded in Sri Lanka for two months after travel advisories went into effect in the middle of thei...
A pair of American newlyweds have been stranded in Sri Lanka for two months after travel advisories went into effect in the middle of their honeymoon — and while they're enjoying their time together, they promise that it's not as glamorous as it sounds.
Michelle and John Senyard from San Francisco got married on March 6, and were off on their honeymoon to Thailand and Sri Lanka on March 8.
But while on the second leg of their trip in Sri Lanka, the pandemic suddenly changed things for the couple: Their flight was canceled, they were stranded in a foreign country, and soon their hotel closed down and kicked them out.
New life: Michelle and John Senyard from San Francisco got married on March 6, and were off on their honeymoon to Thailand and Sri Lanka on March 8
Uh-oh! While in Sri Lanka, their flight home was canceled and the US issued an advisory for American to come home
Something different: They have now been stranded in the country for two months
The newlyweds were enjoying their honeymoon in mid-March, hanging by the beach and drinking cocktails, when things took a turn for the unexpected.
As the pandemic grew worse, their flight home was suddenly canceled, and the US issued the Global Travel Advisory Level 4, urging Americans to return home.
The couple tried to book a new flight home. But, Michelle told BuzzFeed, their options were limited: The only trips they could find involved 40 hours or more of travel with multiple layovers, which would have exposed them to countless people and possibly the virus.
Eventually, they managed to get booked on another flight — but then that was canceled too. The couple realized they were stuck.
The situation continued to evolve. Within a few hours, Sri Lanka announced country-wide road restrictions and a curfew.
Whoops! They set off on their honeymoon before the US's travel advisory went into effect
Michelle said: 'We're stoked to be married, in love, and safe with such a strong support system back at home'
Fun in the sun: The couple has been making the most of their time
Sweet: They get to the beach when they can and like watching sunrises and sunsets together
And suddenly, their hotel shut down, giving them just hours to pack up and find a new place to stay. All of the other hotels and hostels has closed, too, leaving the panicked couple desperate for a place to sleep.
Luckily, they managed to find it in a hostel that had closed down: The Spindrift Hostel offered them a room while they were stuck, even though other guests had left.
Now they're in the swings of things on their 'unconventional honeymoon.'
'There are islandwide curfews, which means that people are not allowed to go outside — even to the grocery store,' Michelle told BuzzFeed. 'The government will tell you pretty last-minute how long they are. They can be one day, three days, or an entire week.'
When they can go grocery shopping, it's an ordeal, with 5:30 a.m. wakeup times and four to five hours of waiting in line.
'I’ll be real, at the end of the day I was definitely in fetal position crying because I was so overwhelmed at the thought of doing it all over again,' she wrote after one of these shopping trips, a month into their stay. 'My husband reminded me that we’re a team now. Small, but mighty.'
But wait! It's not quite so glamorous, since their hotel shut down, along with all of the others in the country — and they struggled to find a place to stay
Restrictions: There is also a curfew, and they're not allowed out for days at a time. When they do go out, they need to wait hours in line for groceries
They are also working remotely — and keeping San Francisco hours. That means working at night and into the early morning.
But being able to work means they have been able to keep paying their bills at home and their expenses in Sri Lanka.
Despite the unusual circumstances, Michelle said there have been positives to the experience.
'Being in a foreign country during a global pandemic is quite the accelerator for our marriage. John and I have to work as a team on everything: staying positive, figuring out how to adjust in Sri Lanka, grocery shopping, cooking, doing laundry, keeping bugs and frogs out of our room, and tracking how much money we spend,' she told BuzzFeed.
They are 'experiencing culture here in ways we wouldn’t have otherwise,' working out together, and learning to cook new things, like dahl curry, coconut honey roti, lentil burgers, and tamarind pad thai.
Bright side: But they've been keeping their heads up, working out together and learning to cook local food
Flipped: They are working remotely on California hours, which has allowed them to pay their rent at home and cover expenses abroad
'Yes, our original plans are gone, but we have only been met with the utmost care by Sri Lankans,' Michelle siad
And they're having some fun, too, when they can get out, 'surfing, waking up bleary-eyed to watch sunrises, chasing sunsets, and reading together by the water'.
'We stay silly and belly-laugh constantly,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I am not one for platitudes, but we truly do not know what tomorrow will look like and it makes each day genuinely feel like a gift.
'Yes, our original plans are gone, but we have only been met with the utmost care by Sri Lankans,' she went on. 'Understandably, there is rising unease around the presence of us tourists, but it has not shaken the true core of Sri Lankan hospitality.
'We also have a local driver, Sampath, who has been our unofficial body guard. He’s special forces trained and made it his personal mission to keep us safe. He’s helped us with every necessity while still encouraging us to enjoy vacation as he works behind the scenes to keep us out of danger. '
"We're stoked to be married, in love, and safe with such a strong support system back at home,' she continued to BuzzFeed. 'That being said, we are not trying to flaunt a luxurious, island lifestyle born from the pandemic but, rather, are making the most of a situation that's truly out of our control.'
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