Escaping from India during COVID-19

Series produced by World Footprints LLC

Caption: Anietra and Ian attempting to leave India without being noticed, Credit: Anietra Hamper
Image by: Anietra Hamper 
Anietra and Ian attempting to leave India without being noticed 

What was meant to be a four-week writing assignment to Nepal and India for veteran journalist Anietra Hamper, turned out to be an absolute nightmare for her and her traveling companion, Ian Henderson.

What was meant to be a four-week writing assignment to Nepal and India for veteran journalist Anietra Hamper, turned out to be an absolute nightmare for her and her traveling companion, Ian Henderson.

In March 2020, Anietra and Ian set out in search of the goonch--a very rare catfish also know as the giant devil catfish. Anietra was hired by a prominent fishing magazine to write about the elusive goonch and Ian was her fishing guide. The goonch is found in the Indian subcontinent so Anietra and Ian were traveling between very remote fishing camps in search of the elusive catfish.

Instead of catching the goonch, Anietra and Ian found themselves caught between the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s subsequent lockdown and law enforcement during their attempts to leave the country. Their ordeal resembled scenes from the action thriller The Fugitive.
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What was meant to be a four-week writing assignment to Nepal and India for veteran journalist Anietra Hamper, turned out to be an absolute nightmare for her and her traveling companion, Ian Henderson. In March 2020, Anietra and Ian set out in search of the goonch--a very rare catfish also know as the giant devil catfish. Anietra was hired by a prominent fishing magazine to write about the elusive goonch and Ian was her fishing guide. The goonch is found in the Indian subcontinent so Anietra and Ian were traveling between very remote fishing camps in search of the elusive catfish. Instead of catching the goonch, Anietra and Ian found themselves caught between the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s subsequent lockdown and law enforcement during their attempts to leave the... Show full description


3 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Night of April 10/11 catching the last evac flight out of India. , Credit: Anietra Hamper
The conclusion of Escape from India during COVID-19 continues with Anietra sharing more of the roller coaster ordeal that took her and Ian from hop...

  • Added: Jul 18, 2020
  • Length: 23:16
Caption: Ian Henderson fishing on the Mahakali — in Champawat., Credit: Anietra Hamper
"All we want to do is leave." Anietra and Ian basically went into survival mode to find a way out of India. As the first episode mirrored a scen...

  • Added: Jul 09, 2020
  • Length: 24:00
Caption: View from the fishing camp tucked between wheat terraces at the foothills of the Himilayan mountains with Nepal across the river. — in Champawat ., Credit: Anietra Hamper
This episode is the first part of a three-part series about Anietra’s harrowing escape from India.

  • Added: Jul 02, 2020
  • Length: 20:11