Couple back home after 'bucket list' cruise turned into a fight for life

Chris and Carrie Clough saw their round the world trip turn sour last month – with their voyage hit by a disease outbreak, the coronavirus pandemic and a medical emergency in the Indian Ocean.

But the pair have now arrived safely back home.

The couple set off on their 99 night P&O cruise from Southampton in January to mark 20 years of marriage and two milestone birthdays.

Mr Clough said everything went well on the first leg of their trip to San Francisco.

However, a measles outbreak in the South Pacific and the looming covid-19 pandemic meant diversions to Australia and South Africa with ports closed.

Carrie, who needs a wheelchair to get around, then suffered a potentially deadly pulmonary embolism miles from dry land in the Indian Ocean.

Mr Clough, who is a councillor for the Billingham West ward, said: “Had it not been for the excellent medical department on board, she may well have died.”

Limbo outside Durban, in South Africa, saw the ship at anchor for days on end as Mrs Clough’s medical supplies ran low.

But a breakthrough was reached late last month when the 8,000 tonne MV Arcadia was allowed to restock before a long trip to Tenerife.

Mr Clough said Carrie’s condition improved as the journey wore on before they finally reached the English south coast at the weekend.

“We were greeted by deserted roads and cars treating motorways like F1 tracks,” he added.

“It was a bit of a shock to the system – at one stage on the M3 there was a car I clocked in the far distance in my mirrors.

“A couple of seconds later it was past me.

“It must have been doing 125-130mph.”

The independent councillor said he was happy to be home but admitted the lockdown conditions had been a shock to the system.

Mr Clough added: “Even though there was social distancing on the ship, you could still talk to other people and we were having a more or less normal existence.

“Now you get people crossing the road to avoid you.

“But it’s nice to be home even though we have the lockdown.”

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