Stranded teen in Peru to mum and dad: "Calm down, I'll be back at some point"
31 March 2020, 16:41
Coronavirus: Stranded teen tells mum and dad "calm down, I'll be back at some point"
Ned has been stranded in the Peruvian countryside after he separated from his friends while travelling.
The 18 year old Brit told Tom Swarbrick that he was delighted to take in some travelling on his gap year before the coronavirus lockdown took hold. He mentioned that some of his friends in the UK haven't had the same luxury.
Ned told Tom that he has tried to contact the embassy in the past but because he was worried about his phone tariff he stopped trying.
He explained that his dad got through to the embassy which resulted in him getting what he thought was a permit to travel to Lima, but found out soon after that the document wouldn't get him far as it didn't even have his name on it.
The backpacker told Tom that he hitch hiked down the Amazon on a cargo ship to the remote town of Chachapoyas after his friends refused to join him. Upon arriving, he got the news that Peru was shutting its borders and going into lockdown, and his friends were in Lima on their way back to London.
Worried, Ned tried to get to Lima with just passport so he could be brought back to the UK but he was told he'd be stopped at first checkpoint.
Tom wanted to know if Ned was scared during this time, to which he nearly laughed off the suggestion.
Ned told Tom that out of the 23 people he shares a hostel with, only one person has left so far. He claimed that he isn't confident he will be brought home any time soon, and assures that he is in a safe place.
The teen said that the biggest worry within his camp in the remote Pervian countryside was when there were rumours of an alcohol ban.
Ned acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and claimed he should be doing much more to help his family.
"It's not me it's affecting the most, it's my parents and loved ones" he claimed. "My parents and friends are doing more work to get me home than I am."
Ned sent a message to his parents through LBC to calm down and believe that he is safe where he is. "There are more coronavirus cases in my borough than in the whole of this country so in that sense I'll be fine" he claimed.
You can listen to Ned's full conversation with Tom Swarbrick above.
