Towards the end of 2020 I had to travel overseas on short notice to attend to the passing of a close family member in Hong Kong. The year had been huge for me, I made a big step forward in my personal growth to switch gears and got into front end development. The last thing I had expected was travelling --- least of all, the quarantining.
In total I spent four weeks in "confinement": two weeks in-home at Hong Kong, and two weeks at Park Royal Hotel Melbourne Airport on the homestretch. Both had its quirks (i.e GPS tags in Hong Kong) but here are some of the things that I wish I knew if I was new to the experience.
Keep a schedule
Time ran both fast and slow whilst in quarantine. I found it really helpful to block out time pomodoro-style with tasks and short breaks. I'll finish each day with an easy list of things I've achieved - be it washing clothes, changing bedsheets, doing exercises, reading blogs, learning code. And the key thing is keeping consistent with the schedule every day.
2. The (un)common suspects
Household goods are the last thing one normally would pack for travel where every spare inch in that suitcase is prime real-estate. Until quarantine comes along. Our return trip back to Australia was packed to the rafters with gear solely for surviving through quarantine. These are our greatest hits from our time at Park Royal:
Slippers: To keep the rest of the hotel room from your feet for the two weeks.
Clothesline: Doing your own laundry while in quarantine is not only a cost-saver, but gives you one additional task to complete to your day. If packing allows, a small amount of washing powder can be safely stowed in airtight packaging in stowed luggage.
Pegs: Goes hand in hand with the clothesline. But they were so helpful to keep uneaten food, rubbish bags sealed and tidy. When you're stuck inside a room with ducted air, fumes are a manageable hazard.
Cleansers: Having your own preferred brands of soaps and haircare can bring a small sense of homeliness.
You'll thank me later :-)
3. Entertainment
I found the most uncomfortable aspect to quarantine is not the enclosure or confined space, but the knowledge that you are not able to leave or change the present circumstances. Keeping my mind active and stable was at times a struggle, but having entertainment at hand helped to keep nagging thoughts at bay. A good novel, painting exercises, spotify, or even netflix can really help speed up the passing of time.
4. Snacks and rehydratable light meals
Dehyrated soup was our saviour. It was easy to snack on soup that is ready in seconds with hot water. And it weighed next to nothing in the luggage. We purchased dozens of MUJI rehydratable soup but any rehydratable food would be a lifesaver in quarantine.
And certainly, the two (or four) weeks of quarantine could be a chance to regroup and meditate on events past and the next step. A sustained period of zero interruptions is a luxury in today's hustle-driven culture so take the quarantine as a chance to reconsolidate!