Okanagan travellers are still stuck in South America

Photo: Robert Gaspari

Military personnel check people's temperatures in Uyuni, Bolivia.

As the Canadian government urges travellers to come home, locals are still stuck around the world, with no foreseeable way home.

Robert Gaspari is confined to his hostel in Bolivia, after the military effectively locked down the small city he's in  on Tuesday.

The Kelowna man left the Okanagan on his motorcycle last fall, riding thousands of kilometres to the southern tip of South America – Ushuaia, Argentina.

Now on his way home, Gaspari has found himself stuck in Uyuni, Bolivia, after the country closed its borders to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The countries bordering Bolivia have all closed their borders as well.

And while the federal government has announced they'll be sending three flights to bring home Canadians from Lima, Peru, that's of little help to Gaspari, who can't get through the border

Even for a West Kelowna couple who are currently in Peru, they're still a 22-hour drive from Lima.

“We are not able to get out on the planes the government are sending down,” said Susan Allen. “Unless the Embassy sends transportation there is nothing running here. You have to have special permission to be on the road. The Embassy sent us an email a couple of days ago telling us they were arranging things but we have heard nothing since then.

“There are hundreds of more people down here with no way home.”

Gaspari, meanwhile, says when he left his hostel Tuesday morning to get groceries, several military personnel told him he needed to go back inside. He's hoping he'll be able to get groceries Wednesday though.

“There are military personnel on almost every corner,” he said. “They've completely shut the city down ... today was a little stressful, it's a little tough.”

Gaspari has been stopped five times over the past week to have his temperature tested by authorities, who are looking for those showing signs of the virus. Gaspari says he has shown no signs at so far.

Bolivia has declared a “total quarantine” until April 6, and Gaspari doesn't believe he'll be able to get out until at least then.

Until then, he says he's been practising his Spanish and reading lots of books.

“There's not much else to do,” he said.