AT 403A GALLON. WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A DREAM VACATION FOR AN ORLANDO COUPLE TURNED INTO A FIGHT TO GET HOME FROM THE MIDDLE EAST. WESH 2 NEWS SUNRISE ANCHOR JASON GUY TALKED WITH A COUPLE ABOUT THE LESSONS THEY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW. SAREDA MAHARAJ LEFT ORLANDO FOR WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. THAILAND AND SINGAPORE PLUS TIME WITH FAMILY. NO, THAT’S FOUR OF THEM. BUT THEIR FIRST LEG A STOPOVER IN DOHA, QATAR, TURNED INTO A WEEKS LONG SCARY ORDEAL. WE GOT AN ALERT SAYING, YOU KNOW, SHELTER IN PLACE FOR AMERICANS IN QATAR, AND THEY WERE TRAVELING WITH THEIR PARENTS. THE SIX OF THEM WERE GOING TO MEET OTHER LOVED ONES, BUT THEY COULDN’T GET OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST AS WAR BROKE OUT. OH MY GOD, THEY’RE FLYING UP THERE. THEIR VACATION TURNED INTO A FIGHT TO STAY SAFE AND GET EVERYONE BACK TO ORLANDO. BOTH OF OUR PARENTS ARE ELDERLY. THEY HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES, DIFFERENT HEALTH ISSUES, AND WE HAD TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM. THEY SAY FOR ABOUT TEN DAYS THEY STAYED ON HIGH ALERT INSIDE THEIR HOTEL. EVEN SPEAKING WITH ME BY ZOOM WHILE THEY WERE STUCK IN DOHA. AND IT’S BEEN CONTINUOUS SINCE EVER SINCE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH. THEY HAD TO GO BAGS PACKED WITH THEIR PASSPORTS, MEDICINE, FOOD AND WATER. YOU JUST ALWAYS WANT TO BE WEARING SNEAKERS, BEING PREPARED TO GO, READY TO JUMP OFF YOUR BED AND JUST BE ABLE TO RUN IF NEEDED. THEY SAY AIRSTRIKES OVER THEIR HOTEL LIKE YOU SEE IN THIS VIDEO THEY SHARED WITH US, COULD COME AT ANY TIME. SO THEY DIDN’T GET MUCH SLEEP. WE BARELY SLEPT. I WOULD SAY WE SLEPT. EVERYONE PRETTY MUCH LEFT 1 TO 2 HOURS PER NIGHT. MY GOSH, IT’S THEY’RE THERE, THE COUPLE SPENT HOURS CALLING AIRLINES, EMBASSY LAWMAKERS AND ANYONE WHO MIGHT HELP. ABOUT TEN DAYS AFTER LANDING, THEY FINALLY GOT A U.S. ARRANGED CHARTERED FLIGHT OUT OF DOHA TO ATHENS, GREECE. SO WE FLEW OUT OF THE MAIN AIRPORT. BUT IT WAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ONCE WE GOT TO THE AIRPORT, THE ROADS WERE BLOCKADES. THEY STAYED THERE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS UNTIL THEY COULD GET FLIGHTS FROM ATHENS TO ORLANDO. NOW BACK HOME, THEY’RE TRYING TO RETURN TO THEIR NORMAL ROUTINES, REST AND RELAX THEIR NERVES. THIS THUNDER SOUND LIKE BOMBS EXPLODING AND MISSILES BEFORE. WE’VE NEVER NOTICED THAT PRIOR, BUT NOW WHEN WE CAME BACK AND THERE WERE SOME STORMS, WE’RE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOUNDS LIKE THAT THEY MADE IT THROUGH BY WORKING TOGETHER. WE KEEP SAYING IF WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH A WAR, WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH ANYTHING. THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY IS TO PREPARE BEFORE YOU EVER LEAVE THE COUNTRY. SIGNING UP THROUGH STUFF YOU CAN IS THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO FOR ANYONE TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF THE US. STEP IS THE STATE DEPARTMENT’S SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM. THEY ALSO SAY KEEP YOUR PASSPORTS, MEDICATION AND ANYTHING YOU NEED IN AN EMERGENCY NEARBY BECAUSE THEY FOUND OUT A TRIP OUT OF THE US CAN CHANGE IN AN INSTANT. JASON GUY WESH TWO NEWS. THE COUPLE SAYS THEY ALSO LEARNED STANDARD TRAVEL INSURANCE AND EVEN SOME CREDIT CARD TRAVEL PROTECTIONS USUALLY
Orlando couple shares harrowing experience of being stranded in Middle East during war
Updated: 5:52 PM EDT Apr 9, 2026
Sarita and Devesh Maharaj’s dream vacation to Thailand and Singapore turned into a weekslong ordeal when conflict broke out during their stopover in Doha, Qatar, leaving them stranded with their parents. “So we got an alert saying, you know, shelter in place for Americans in Qatar,” Sarita said. The couple, traveling with their elderly parents who have mobility and health issues, faced the challenge of keeping everyone safe while navigating the uncertainty of war. “Both of our parents are elderly. They have mobility issues, different health issues, and we had to make sure we were able to assist them,” Devesh said. For about 10 days, the family stayed on high alert inside their hotel in Doha, packing go-bags with passports, medicine, food and water. “You just always want to be wearing sneakers, being prepared to go, ready to jump off your bed and just be able to run if needed,” Sarita said. Airstrikes near their hotel added to the tension, and sleep was scarce. “Yeah, we barely slept. I would say we slept– everyone pretty much slept one to two hours per night,” Sarita said. The couple spent hours contacting airlines, the U.S. embassy, lawmakers, and anyone who might help. After 10 days, they secured a U.S.-arranged charter flight out of Doha to Athens. “So we flew out of the main airport, but it was completely shut down. Once we got to the airport, the roads were blockaded,” Sarita said. After spending a couple of days in Athens, they finally managed to book flights back to Orlando. Now home, the couple is working to return to their normal routines and recover from the ordeal. “Does thunder sound like bombs exploding and missiles before? We’ve never noticed that prior, but now when we came back, and there were some storms, we’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that sounds like that,'” Sarita said. Reflecting on their experience, Devesh said, “We keep saying, if we can make it through a war, we can make it through anything.” The couple emphasized the importance of preparation for international travel. “Signing up through STEP is the number one thing I would do for anyone traveling outside of the U.S.,” Sarita said, referring to the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. They also advised travelers to keep passports, medications, and emergency essentials nearby, as situations can change in an instant. The couple also learned that standard travel insurance and some credit card travel protections often do not cover losses or cancellations related to civil unrest or war.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Sarita and Devesh Maharaj’s dream vacation to Thailand and Singapore turned into a weekslong ordeal when conflict broke out during their stopover in Doha, Qatar, leaving them stranded with their parents.
“So we got an alert saying, you know, shelter in place for Americans in Qatar,” Sarita said.
The couple, traveling with their elderly parents who have mobility and health issues, faced the challenge of keeping everyone safe while navigating the uncertainty of war.
“Both of our parents are elderly. They have mobility issues, different health issues, and we had to make sure we were able to assist them,” Devesh said.
For about 10 days, the family stayed on high alert inside their hotel in Doha, packing go-bags with passports, medicine, food and water.
“You just always want to be wearing sneakers, being prepared to go, ready to jump off your bed and just be able to run if needed,” Sarita said.
Airstrikes near their hotel added to the tension, and sleep was scarce.
“Yeah, we barely slept. I would say we slept– everyone pretty much slept one to two hours per night,” Sarita said.
The couple spent hours contacting airlines, the U.S. embassy, lawmakers, and anyone who might help. After 10 days, they secured a U.S.-arranged charter flight out of Doha to Athens.
“So we flew out of the main airport, but it was completely shut down. Once we got to the airport, the roads were blockaded,” Sarita said.
After spending a couple of days in Athens, they finally managed to book flights back to Orlando. Now home, the couple is working to return to their normal routines and recover from the ordeal.
“Does thunder sound like bombs exploding and missiles before? We’ve never noticed that prior, but now when we came back, and there were some storms, we’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, that sounds like that,'” Sarita said.
Reflecting on their experience, Devesh said, “We keep saying, if we can make it through a war, we can make it through anything.”
The couple emphasized the importance of preparation for international travel.
“Signing up through STEP is the number one thing I would do for anyone traveling outside of the U.S.,” Sarita said, referring to the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
They also advised travelers to keep passports, medications, and emergency essentials nearby, as situations can change in an instant.
The couple also learned that standard travel insurance and some credit card travel protections often do not cover losses or cancellations related to civil unrest or war.