When a psychologist asked Toe Zaw Latt how he was coping with hotel quarantine in Adelaide, he laughed.
For the Australian citizen covering the brutal fallout from Myanmar's military coup, being confined to a hotel room is the most relaxed he's been in months.
"To be frank, [I'm] really relieved. I was about 80 days under complete military rule inside Burma," he told the ABC.
But getting out of the country safely was no easy feat.
Australian couple Christa Avery and Matthew O'Kane were initially detained and kept under house arrest when they tried to leave the country in March. They were released about two weeks later.
Sean Turnell, an Australian citizen and an economics advisor to deposed de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in detention.
He is reportedly being held in Insein prison, although Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has not confirmed that.
More than 755 people have been killed by the junta and more than 3,400 have been arrested, charged or sentenced as almost daily protests rock the South-East Asian nation, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
There are 450 Australians in Myanmar who have registered with DFAT, and about 160 want to return to Australia.
"We all know how brutal the army is, they even use snipers [and] heavy weapons to crack down," Zaw Latt said.
Journalists have also been targeted. Dozens have been arrested since the February 1 coup, including three from Zaw Latt's organisation, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB).
"Finally I decided, OK, this is the time I must leave. So I had to make a very difficult decision, and then take a risk," he said.
Escape from Myanmar
Zaw Latt was determined to get out for the sake of his two Australian-born children, who live in Melbourne.
"If I get through, I will be able to see my kids — that is one of the major driving forces," he said.
"They knew what is going on in Burma … they always keep telling me, 'Stay alive'."
He said he had two options – flee to the border with Thailand, or risk getting on a plane.
Zaw Latt had ongoing talks with the Australian Embassy in Yangon, who regarded his as a "dangerous situation", he said.
He said officials provided him with a list of lawyers he could consult for legal assistance.
"I tried to reach all the lawyers, and they are all in hiding. Fortunately, I reached one lawyer … what he [said was], 'There is no law left'."
He said Australian consulate officials were "very helpful" and that one accompanied him to the airport to observe if he was able to leave safely.
The time between boarding the plane and take-off was especially tense for Zaw Latt's children and his wife, Carol Ransley. The pair are separated, but remain close.
"[It was] extremely nerve-wracking," Ms Ransley said.
"In fact, the night before he left, he had had conversations with both kids and myself as if it was his last conversations with us before getting arrested.
"He would not have been able to leave without the level of consular support provided. So we're very grateful for that."
In a statement, DFAT said it was pleased to assist Zaw Latt with his departure, but could not comment further on the situations of him or Professor Turnell due to privacy obligations.
'Risking your life to get internet access'
Zaw Latt said he had been sleeping between four different safe houses to avoid the nightly raids being carried out by the Tatmadaw.
"You have to decide, where are you going to sleep to survive?" he said.
"At the same time, some safe houses don't have internet access. And if you need to report, you have to decide … whether you want to go out … risking your life to get internet access."
In the past few days, one of his colleagues was taken away for interrogation. Others are on wanted lists and in hiding.
In March, DVB and several other independent media outlets were stripped of their licences, and some, like Myanmar Now, also had their offices raided.
He said he was proud that journalists had committed to reporting the news, despite the volatile climate and the frequent internet shutdowns.
"Many journalists decided to take risks. Until now, there is no single day that there is no news from Burma. They take the risk to report what is going on on the ground," he said.
Gen Z won't give up
Generation Z, who are at the forefront of the protests, have had their lives turned upside down, Zaw Latt said.
"They feel like their future is snatched away, their future is gone," he said.
"There is no way that this young generation are going to give up.
He said what is happening now is different from previous coups, and that the country is united against the military like never before.
More of the population is now concentrated in urban areas, and many of the Tatmadaw's actions, including the killing of children, are taking place in broad daylight.
It's "brutality in the big cities", Zaw Latt said, and he sees a long fight ahead.
"In general, people [are] no longer scared of the army … At the same time, we know the army – there is no return. I mean, they [have gone] too far," he said.
"It is like a time bomb that can explode anytime."
Fears for those still stuck in Myanmar
Ms Ransley said the escalating situation in Myanmar is "absolutely horrible".
"Toe Zaw Latt is one person out of our network of friends and family, and we remain gravely concerned for those that remain behind," she said.
DFAT said in a statement that Professor Turnell has been detained with limited consular access for over two months.
"The Australian government continues to consider this to be arbitrary detention," DFAT said.
"Australia continues to seek his immediate release and official information about the reasons for his detention both in Myanmar and through the embassy in Australia.
"We call on the military regime to allow Professor Turnell to return to his family in Australia."
The Australian embassy updated its travel advice at the start of this month, "due to ongoing civil unrest and armed conflict" , and advised Australians in Myanmar to "shelter-in-place".
"There has been a significant increase in the level of violence with many deaths, injuries and arrests," the advice reads.
"Australians may be at risk of arbitrary detention. If it's safe to do so, leave Myanmar by commercial means on one of the limited international flights departing Yangon."
