People travel to Oklahoma for eclipse from as far as Australia and India
IDABEL, Okla. (KSLA/Gray News) — People from all parts of the globe came to the southeast Oklahoma town of Idabel to experience the Great American Eclipse’s path of totality.
Retired science teacher and eclipse expert Glenn Hughes, of Sydney, Australia, was originally planning to watch from Dallas, but came to Idabel at the last minute due to the fog.
“It’s going to be mind blowing. It’s like someone goes, ‘Bang!’, and the lights turn off. The cars will have to turn their headlights on, streetlights are going to come on, and if it’s cloudy, it’s going to be even darker than usual,” Hughes, who’s seen eight eclipses in his lifetime, said before Monday’s event.
He’s been interested in eclipses since he was 8 years old in Australia.
“You have to wait to see it if you’ve never seen one. It’s just amazing how the lights go out,” Hughes added.
Hughes’ grandsons, Freddy and Zack Beck, also of Sydney, Australia, were with him.
“A long journey. There was quite a bit of panic in the car from Dallas, where we were visiting our grandparents,” Freddy Beck said.
“I’m looking forward to when it’s totality,” Zach Beck said.
One man came to Idabel from India, via San Diego and Dallas.
“I’m from a farmer’s family, and the ranches and the houses are so beautiful here,” he remarked. “My daughter was asking me to purchase something!”
He said he has seen both solar and lunar eclipses throughout his lifetime.
“The total atmosphere is totally enchanted by this eclipse. So many cars, and families and small children. And there are very big binoculars and machinery they’re using to cover the eclipse,” he said. “This is very encouraging to me, also. I have taken a few clips and I’m going to show the eclipse to my friends so that they can also get encouragement.”
Malin, another visitor from India, landed in Dallas on Sunday, but wound up in Idabel. He’s seen many eclipses across the world and gathered information on this one for eight years.
“I am expecting people literally cheering. They go crazy,” Malin said.
“The temperature drops at least 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. I have seen it. It drops. Birds start chirping, going back to the nest, something like that.”
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