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| Self-Isolation (or maybe just star gazing) |
Comparing numbers as
at May 9, 2020:
We found these numbers interesting. I’ve ranked them by
deaths/1M pop, starting with the lowest. I cannot attest to the veracity of the numbers, but do think they tell a story.
For current information on all countries, click here.
Here’s what happened since the last update.
May 7 – Phuket News announced that “Phuket
beaches remain closed”. Sigh. But golf courses are open. Phuket News also provided a very long list of the places that must
remain closed until further notice. Massage shops are closed, but pet shops are
allowed to open. All the other openings and closures seem to make sense.
May 10 – We are
getting our second lunch delivered by a Thai friend who has started her own
business making Thai dishes from the northern part of the country. Affordable, tasty, and convenient. And a little bit spicy! We’ll
be happy for her when she can get back to her regular job, but we’ll miss the
lunches!
May 15 – Below is a catchy Facebook posting by the Thai government. They warned
that the virus can live up to nine days on a bank note. They also informed the
public that banks must hold deposited bank notes for 14 days before releasing
them to the public again.
May 17 – This is the date of the second phase of easing
restrictions in Thailand. Yes! We were given a list
of what will be open, such as restaurants, museums, and shopping centers. Pubs,
bowling alleys, massage parlors and cinemas are among the places still closed.
We will cope.
The morning headline in Thaiger News is a bit disappointing
for some, I’m sure. "Fortress
Phuket remains sealed off from the mainland". Our island’s airport and bridge are closed
until further notice, with exceptions for goods, medical supplies,
construction material, etc.
It’s pouring rain today. Restrictions are eased, but we want
to stay dry. Another day at home.
Saw the following on Facebook (Thanks Linda):
Snippets from friends:
Thank you to everyone
for sharing your stories. The following excerpts show how all of us are
experiencing “strangeness” in our lives right now.
Still waiting for our flights to Europe to be
cancelled so we can get cash refunds.
We are beginning to open up in Oregon but I am very cautious. No grocery
stores etc. for us.
[Hubby] has been saying “he needs a cruise” however I think that will be
a dream for the foreseeable future. Travel will not be the same. We too were
trying to see the world, while we are able.
We aren’t venturing out much yet. We did play golf yesterday.
[Hubby] has joined the ranks of the
'unemployed.'
Kids have been home FOREVER! It is unlikely
that [the schools] will reopen their doors before Sept. Everyone is hoping that
the weather will take a turn for the better and all the kiddos can go outside.
Currently it is 3 degrees and snowing.
This was supposed to be our year to visit
Phuket. We were so looking forward to it. The kids and I were planning to be
there for the summer.
My mom lives in Assisted Living, this has been hardest
on her, as they don’t allow anyone to visit or residents to leave.
We have not really seen much of eastern or northern
Canada, so I could be very happy exploring my own country.
Our
son in Denmark and his wife were both very ill with assumed COVID, but both
recovered and are back at work.
[Hubby] has become an excellent
cookie baker!
We are saddest at the prospect of
losing our big adventure this summer in your homeland [Canada]. We were
scheduled to cruise the Northwest Passage from Greenland to Nome, Alaska.
I feel certain it will be cancelled, as it poses too much danger to the First
Nations folks up there.
We live a mile up a gravel road
surrounded by forest. It is the perfect spot to do social isolation.
Whether we like it or not, we have been communing with nature.
Masks
are not mandated yet but many people are wearing them. I will do so when I go
to the grocery store once a week.
We are
still not allowed to travel more than 2 km from where we are anchored – that is
unless we are a super-yacht. They appear to be moving around at will.
We went
shopping last Tuesday. It was the first time in 7-1/2 weeks so we may have left
some drool over the fresh produce.
This
whole virus thing started in the USA near us, in Washington, near Seattle. The
Governor wisely shut down the state and he is now in the process of relaxing
the rules. We are not in a rush to go out! We do plan to go cruising again ... when the virus is under control.
Yesterday
I finally had a haircut and that felt so good. The hairdresser really had a go
at it. She must have missed her job.
That’s
it for now. We hope you all find something to celebrate. Loretta & Darrel.
