It’s been three days since Brandon Olson, Mackenzie Peslova and their 14-month-old daughter Eden were told their flights had been canceled, followed by the temporary closure of Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali.
Speaking to the family from their hotel room on Tuesday, KelownaNow learned that the earliest possible flight home won’t be available until early December.
While it was frustrating to deal with the lack of support from Philippine Airlines, the couple say their little girl Eden makes them smile.
Photo credit: Gina Petrovich “src =” https://www.kamloopsbcnow.com/files/files/images/ginabeach.JPG “/>
Gina Petrovich, from Kelowna, was exploring the island of Bali when she learned Tuesday that her flight had been canceled. Petrovich has not received a new departure date either.
After reading KelownaNow’s story about Olson and Peslova on Monday, Petrovich tracked down the Kelowna family and they are now meeting on Wednesday to plan an alternative route off the island.
“I feel relieved that you are here – not because of your situation, but because we have the same ultimate destination and beautiful place that we call our home, to which we can work together to return. I can understand their struggle and their stress. ”“ Petrovich said to KelownaNow.
Photo credit: Wikipedia Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. “Src =” https://www.kamloopsbcnow.com/files/files/images/Lombok_International_Airport.jpg “/>
Another option that both Petrovich and the family will explore is a 12- to 15-hour bus ride to Surabaya.
“The fact that people are paying three to four times what they should be now has become Titanic,” said Olson.
While his partner Peslova laughed at the Titanic’s dramatic example, she was also quick to admit that tens of thousands of tourists trying to leave the island definitely created an economic opportunity for locals.
Photo credit: Gina Petrovich Gina Petrovich explores Bali. “Src =” https://www.kamloopsbcnow.com/files/files/images/gina.JPG “/>
“Probably not a very realistic option, and the buses are very congested and it could take days to get a seat,” she said.
While Petrovich enjoyed exploring the island, she is ready to come home.
“This was a very nice travel experience for me, but every experience was crowned by volcano worries. The first eruption was a few hours after I arrived in Bali,” said Petrovich.
