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On irresponsibility and fear… And quarantine again…

While I was traveling at the start of the covid-19 mess, I was well aware of a few things.

It might be better to stay in one place and hunker down
I still wanted to see the part of the world I was in so I thought of what I needed to do to stay away from people
Since the rest of the world wasn’t concerned, I played it safe and planned to move closer to China to re-enter when it was safe. I kept waiting for a full travel ban world wide but it didn’t happen.
When you know more you do better. I had thought through a lot but not everything. We needed to learn more about the virus to determine the precautions to take. I didn’t wear a mask at the beginning and forgot about all the little things you touch and especially your face. The more I thought, the more actions I took.
I tried not to take long flights.
At times I felt I was irresponsible but also knew I could take measures to protect myself and others.
Then I was in quarantine. Being in my apartment was great.
I was appalled by the lack of care and concern in most countries as I was traveling. I was glad not to go back to the US. There was total lack of concern at the top.

Since then I’ve thought about discrimination of Chinese when I was in Australia in February. I also heard it was going on elsewhere. Fear makes people do stupid things. I made sure to visit Chinese restaurants and also talk to those I met when I was traveling.

Now that more cases are coming in from overseas, international people are subjected to discrimination here in China. There is a smaller number of cases in the international community than there are in Chinese students returning from overseas. However we are now refused service in restaurants and other establishments. We have had people step out of their way to get further away from us. And though this is unsettling I do understand their fear. And it is not everyone. I have had Chinese nationals stop to talk to me and let me pet their dogs! I’ve been pretty good at not going many places. I don’t want people to be uneasy, restaurants to not be patronized because I was there, etc. And the discrimination is not as bad as those who are African American or South African are experiencing.

I’ve eaten at a total of 4 places since leaving quarantine. The last one was an international restaurant on Monday. The day after I went there, it was learned that there was a potential positive Covid-19 person who had been there a few days before I went. They contacted everyone that has been there since. The original person tested negative (if rumours are correct). However, a server tested positive.

What does that mean? I’m now going to government quarantine. I have no choice. Right now I’m waiting in my apartment to get picked up. It is concerning because I could have been exposed. I’m a little worried as I haven’t been tested yet but will know in a day or two.

If the original person they were tracking was not positive then where did the server get it? She is Chinese. And therein lies what I don’t know. International people have been tested like crazy but we don’t know how Chinese nationals are handled. I would hope it is equal. The server has been quarantined and I would hope everyone else is as well.

So the lesson is:

When other countries go back to normal, unless you have a way to track people, test them, and isolate them, you will have continual outbreaks. And isolating them does not mean telling them to go home and social distance unless you put a video monitor or alarm on their door, etc.

The restaurant I went to takes your temp, has you write down your contact info, your temp, etc. From there, the CDC now has ways of going backwards to find people. All restaurants here are required to do the same. If I test positive, there will be more inquiries into other places I have been and who I have been in contact with.

I had originally planned a much more informative post but my mind is racing a bit at the moment. I’m thinking of what else I need to pack in my bag to take with me. I will update when I can, when I have information, and especially reliable wifi.

On a lighter mood, some pictures I took of my cats and walking around Guangzhou in my free time.

Singapore botanic garden and the official Singapore Sling!

I needed to go for a really long walk after days of little activity. The botanic garden is beautiful.

Swan lake

Ginger garden

In the center of the garden.

Evolution garden focused on how plants shaped the world for animals. Plants have been around much longer and or histories are wound together.

I went back for a swim to cool down and to do some more work. Later I went out to find the legendary Raffles hotel and the Long Bar to drink their original Singapore sling. This drink was made for women as they were not allowed to drink in 1915 in public. The bartender made a drink that looked like fruit punch but with alcohol so they could!

This hotel costs $700 Singapore dollars a night. Looking at the cars, I can see that. The people who work there are dressed in turn off the century uniforms.

Inside the Raffles Long Bar.

This machine will shake 6 Singapore slings at the same time (including my drink in the bar!!!!)

I spent 3 hours there talking to the gentleman beside me. He is from Ohio and a professor that worked in Guangzhou (near where I live might I add) and then on Macao. He was here for a job interview. It was nice talking to him. We had a lot of similar experiences and life histories except he is younger.

Many of the places had sings about having symptoms or having been in countries of concern should not visit tourist spots. I did not go inside out of respect. I have no symptoms but have been in those countries.

Coming to Singapore and leaving Singapore to Thailand I have had the most extensive screening due to my US passport and China visa. I am now set to leave for Bangkok and my appointment before moving back to China. As the coronavirus numbers have declined dramatically there but are increasing around the world, it is looking safer there.

Singapore

I had scheduled an appointment at a hospital in Bangkok and it was easier to come to Singapore first rather than the layovers traveling from Malaysia. Over three days I took a few breaks from online grading mostly to find food but one night light tour.

Singapore has it together. It is a beautiful city and amazing. Its response to coronavirus is to temperature sensor everyone everywhere. Hand sanitizer was available everywhere too.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. While I was in Singapore I was temperature checked everywhere I went including breakfast.

Walking down towards the marina.

Down at the marina. Behind me is the marina sands hotel and casino.

The center has an infinity swimming pool looking over Singapore.

Down by the arts complex a band was warming up for the nights show.

On the way back I walked through the esplanade park. This is front of the Asia museum.

Night light tour.

In the mask attached to the marina sands you can take a boat. Crazy.

Last days Langkawi

After Koh Adang, Thailand I came back to Langkawi. I could stay here forever. It is beautiful and laid back. I swam in the pool between working online. I did not spend much time in the sun after some unfortunate kayaking which left my shins incredibly burnt. I used the time to plan even further ahead in my classes.

I will come back here. It is worth the stay and maybe next time I won’t be teaching online.

Dusky leaf with baby. At breakfast one young monkey scaled the patio and while I was fending him off my fruit with my fork, he stole my croissant! Not this one, but same type.

My favourite lunch at the Berjaya resort. Veggie wrap. They include mango in the wrap and it is delicious. Yes, at the swim up bar where I could cool of my sunburnt legs while I ate.

Sunset the night before as I went to dinner with a new friend, Olga. She is from Holland and delightful.

At the airport I ate breakfast. French toast with kaya spread. It is coconut and egg whipped together in a spread. Delicious!

Koh Adang, Thailand

While at Langkawi I found that there is some good snorkeling at Koh Lipe/Koh Adang. These are islands just a ferry ride away.

Actually, it is a ferry to Koh Lipe then a bike taxi ride across the island then a long tail boat ride to Koh Adang.

A long tail boat is a long thin boat that has a pole with the motor at the top and fans at the base. It can lift the fans out of the water which is good as coral is not too far below the surface. Also, the pole is used as a rudder to steer.

Koh Adang is bigger but less developed. You can camp here and there is one small resort. No stores and a nice restaurant in the resort that takes care of you. The Adang resort is amazing. The best part is I went barefoot most of the time.

There is only a few activities here. They play a movie on a large screen at night. The kitchen is only open from 8 am to 9 pm. This is a place purely for relaxation. It was a little as I had some if the best sleep I’ve had in months. Of course I did a lot of online school work.

Snorkeling was fun even though the coral was right below the surface of the water. I did find Nemo and his friend. They were very photogenic. I also found a giant purple clam.

Hiking on some trails through the jungle was fun. I never made it to the waterfall as a large tree blocked the path near the end and uprooted much of the ground.

Food here is amazing. My favourite is Pad Thai which I had twice. I also had this amazing sea bass in a lime sauce. Very light and flavorful.

Kayaking is not my favourite activity especially if it is long. I thought I could make it around the island but I couldn’t and ran out of water and received a nasty sunburn. But it was gorgeous and snapped at least one picture.

I saw this crab on one of the beaches I stopped at.

There day I left I took these sunrise pictures.

Klim mangrove tour

There only tour I took was through the mangrove with Dev tours.

it is low tide and you can see the roots of the mangrove trees. These will be covered at high tide.

First stop at a bat cave. We were greeted by monkeys. The youngster was friendly. The old one is a thief.

Bats. These eat insects and use echolocation. Because of it their snouts are a bit flat and they would be called ugly bats.

You can see the oxidation in the exposed area where the bat nail left a mark in the rock.

Roots of trees allow water to follow along the root. The minerals in the water made the stalactite.

Water monitor lizard

Mangrove tree is a master at adaptation and filters salt in roots

White belly sea eagle

We stopped to swim along a beautiful beach then went to a floating restaurant that is also a fish farm. The soup was insanely hot. I used it to flavour three river and fished the shrimp and veggies out of it

Macaque gang

I’ve seen the macaques in the resort but they had yet to visit my balcony. While I was working I heard quite the commotion at the front door. They try to open doors!

I took some fruit out with me and they saw it. As tried handing s pice to thee young macaque in front of me, a large macaque ran up and took the whole container. There was a lot of them so I scattered the pieces about for the others to get.

Some went to the back balcony.

Later I saw the group walking through the resort, looking in trash receptacles…

Night walk Langkawi

I went on a short walk with a naturalist to view some of the wildlife.

Dusky leaf monkey. They can eat poisonous leaves as there digestion is very different from the macaque.

Bismarck palm

Colugl which is a Flying lemur. They are difficult to spot. The male is the one with brown coloured fur. I actually saw one flying but could not catch it yet on video.

Spider lily

Frangipani

Langkawi, monkeys, and the Geo park

I was actually glad to leave Kuala Lumpur. It’s beautiful but I have been having asthma issues with a long flight and whatever is provoking my allergies. In the mess of being a nomad teacher I have run out of my maintenance inhaler and they don’t make it anymore either. I’ve been seeing how I do without it and have used a rescue inhaler way too much. My plan is to get to Bangkok and be evaluated at the hospital there.

Langkawi is beautiful. I have a bungalow in the rainforest where I have a good place to work. I do have monkey visitors on my balcony. I started with three hours of work then went to check the pool at the resort. Beautiful.

After the first night, my asthma is much improved.

I still wake up at an ungodly hour and after 4 hours of work took a walk on the beach just after sunrise.

I went back for more work and finish uploading the screencasts I created. My break from working the next day was a short walk to the skycab to go up the mountain to the overlook of the Geo park. I did need to go for a walk and get some lunch.

There monkeys I saw along the way kept their distance until you started talking to them. I did turn off the video just as they were climbing on my backpack and pulling on my dress. They really wanted food.