I have quite a few things to blog about, and I will (delayed posts), but for now there is really only one thing to write about.... I write, because I want to remember this when, hopefully, it all becomes a distant memory.
Two weeks ago Nathan had flown off to London in the night, and I was at work. Around 1pm we started getting the first text messages that something was going on, that the US had bombed Iran. At first we didn't think much about it, I guess we didn't realize what it all meant; but very quickly it became clear that this was SERIOUS.
Kathleen and I had to go out to her car to fetch her reading glasses she had left behind, and while outside we heard three LOUD bangs. We didn't see anything, and everyone was acting normally, like it was building noise or something. Probably most people weren't aware at this time. We hurried back inside, and the situation quickly became rather unsettled. We were told that if we were uncomfortable we could go home. So we left around 4pm, and I felt much calmer once I arrived back at home.
From then on messages kept coming in fast, we all checked in on each other in the neighbourhood, and we all just kind of hunkered down as no one quite knew what was going on. Nathan of course, was stuck where he was, as the air space had closed completely. There was a flood of messages and concerns as well from overseas, and I tried to respond as well as I could to calm people down - that I was ok.
Schools directly went to online school, and Spring Break was even moved forward a week.
I packed a go-bag, and talked through evacuation plans together with the Turners, if it would come to that. A surreal feeling walking around in your home, trying to think about what the most precious things would be that I just couldn't leave behind...
We started getting very loud Emergency Alerts on our phones each time there was a new threat incoming. It really gave some serious Covid flashbacks (from the curfew alerts)... especially as Sunday was rather heavy on the threats. There was one in the morning before I went over to Will and Tash for morning coffee, and in the afternoon there was one lasting for nearly two hours. Not fun. Sunday evening I was invited back to Turners for dinner. Nice to not be alone, and it felt safe to go as I can get to their place through the parking garage in the basement. The alerts tell us to seek shelter, basically go inside, and stay away from windows. Throughout the night there was another very long session lasting between 1.30 and 4am, some booms were so loud that the windows shuttered. Not much sleep that night...
We were quickly told that the loud booms we kept hearing were "good" noises, meaning that the incoming missiles gets intercepted. I really didn't think that I was going to become an expert in missile noises, and be able to differentiate between launch sounds, interceptions and impacts... but here we are.
It has been bizarre. At the same time as many people were scrambling to evacuate, most via Muscat, some via Saudi, and some of our neighbours would run down and camp out in the basement at every alert; life has been going on as normal. People have been spending time on the beach or at the playground, everything from supermarkets and cafés to the theme parks and the museums have stayed open - business as usual.
We have now had daily attacks for two weeks.
The first week I didn't go to work. Instead Tash and I checked with each other every day, with morning coffee at my place or hers. We gathered for dinner at theirs, at mine and at Matt's. I went for walks around the neighbourhood, close to being able to shelter if need be. Tried to keep busy by doing puzzles, reading and watching a lot of TV.
Friday afternoon I crashed out, and had to put myself to bed. It was like every system in me completely stopped working. I guess consistently feeling on high alert finally took its toll, I was completely drained.
Saturday morning I felt better, and was going to work. Kathleen picked me up, but we only made it to the traffic light before we got an alert and had to u-turn. We could see the interceptions overhead, so we sheltered in the Waitrose car park, and waited for the Safe Alert before we could drive off.
Work has been very quiet. Not many visitors at all, but we are there anyway to cover the daily tours on offer. As it is still Ramadan, at least the work day is not very long, and the extra free time we get is welcomed for studying and research.
Saturday night I didn't sleep much again as there was three alerts in the evening, and Nathan was supposed to fly out of London at around 1am my time. I followed him on FlightRadar and he did make it back all good, and home before I had to go to work. In the evening we had Will, Tash, Matt, Ashley and Browny over at our for a pizza night, good to be all together.
I am so grateful for our friends, they have been gold through all of this.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I have been at work as well. Some days we had alerts in the morning, some days in the middle of the work day (good thing our offices down in the basement are some of the safest places in the whole museum!) and some in the evening. The other night was the first time in a week when they came throughout the night as well, but they are less and less.
The airspace has slowly opened up, allowing a few selected flights to operate through what they call safe air corridors. All air traffic is coordinated between civil aviation and defense and constantly monitored, all aircraft depart using pre-approved routes that are cleared using military radar data.
Life continues. As normal as it can be. We are in a situation where we are safe. The interceptions are loud but successful, and we are provided alerts before they happen. We are grateful that the defense system is working so well. We have water, food, power and WiFi; but, there is of course still a lot of uncertainty.
We are safe, but feeling safe and settled are two different things.
