Tag Archives: corona virus

omicron

29 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in coronavirus, covid, sevilla, travel

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omicron

Well fuck. Though I guess nobody should really be surprised by this latest even more contagious Covid variant since we keep on not sending vaccines to less developed nations, preferring to make anti-vaxxing a political football at home. I mean seriously, just send the damn vaccines to the people who really want them. And so the latest variant omicron has left its “birthplace” of South Africa and is now rapidly travelling around the world, just as Delta (India) and Alpha (UK) did before it. Of course by the time we are notified of it even existing, by the time we are told it is a “variant of concern”, it is already spreading everywhere. And so now what?

For the most part this wouldn’t affect me in the sense that my life wouldn’t change that much. EXCEPT that this week I had made plans to take a couple of research trips (for another Decanter article) to Cádiz province, first to Arcos de la Frontera and then to Cádiz city and El Puerto de Santa María. Now I just want to stay at home. I mean, if these trips had been last week I wouldn’t have been as worried as I am now, even though the reality of the situation probably wasn’t much different last week, we just didn’t know about it yet.

And so… fuck it, I am going. Today to Arcos on a day trip with my friend Tania in her car. We’ll be visiting two bodegas and then coming home in the afternoon. And tomorrow I’ll be going to Cádiz by train with Peter, stopping off first in El Puerto to visit another bodega, then overnighting in Cádiz city, and coming back on Wednesday. I had originally planned on staying two nights in Cádiz but have decided to just stay for one and cut back on exposure risks.

Last Friday my health centre told me I could have my booster shot today (!!!) but as I won’t be here I have to go back and rebook it after I return. In any case, the booster wouldn’t have “taken effect” in time to make any difference for this trip. But guys… THIS IS MY FIRST TIME OUT OF SEVILLA SINCE MARCH 2020. I’m a bit terrified.

lockdown day 66

18 Monday May 2020

Posted by in coronavirus, home, lockdown, lockdown sevilla

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People keep asking me how I am holding up during lockdown, am I bored, going stir crazy, am I making plans, making sourdough etc etc.

To be honest I think for the first month I was in a bit of a daze. I didn’t know what was going on and neither did anybody else. And that part actually hasn’t changed. But what has changed, at least for me, is that I feel less of a need to try and do anything about, well, anything. Instead I am observing. Watching and waiting. Because honestly, why waste my energy?

Meanwhile, I do seriously wonder how the hell I ever held down a full time job. Especially as, being freelance, my job was actually 7 days a week. Yeah, not every day all day, but I was pretty much always working, or at least “on call”. And yet I always found time to work, get all the chores done, see friends, do the shopping, keep up with an exercise routine.

But now? It takes me half the day to organise taking out the rubbish and maybe slipping in a quick supermarket run (and this only happens about every ten days or so). And when I am expecting a delivery, that also seems to take up half my day. Can I do a rooftop walk? What if I miss them? Should I time that with hanging up my laundry? I am suddenly overwhelmed.

For example today. I can’t believe it’s already 16.00. ALL I did today was get up, have coffee and breakfast, then did some cleaning up, changed the cat sand. After that my rooftop walk (approx 1 hour). Then I hung up some laundry (big evening activity coming up – changing the bed sheets!)

Meanwhile I will eat my late lunch soon (my one meal of the day), while watching something on Netflix, then possibly have a short accidental siesta in my chair. In between now and bedtime there will be some Instagramming and chatting with friends on Whatsapp, maybe a snack. Then suddenly it will be 23.00 and I’ll wonder where the hell the day went.

Have to say that all during this lockdown time I’ve been frustrated, sad, scared, worried, and have also had times of enjoyment and optimism, meanwhile not sleeping much…  but I haven’t once felt bored. How about you?

lockdown day 55

07 Thursday May 2020

Posted by in casa azahar, coronavirus, home

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The other day I read this article by Madrid No Frills about her experience meeting two people inside their migrant safe house in Lavapiés, and it brought home to me how much of my social media CORONAVIRUS stuff comes from people who are actually doing just fine. Well, other than not being able to go out much. They are healthy and either still have jobs or have their own resources to live on. So on Twitter and Instagram there’s a lot about sourdough and banana bread, seemingly endless garden bbq’s with home deliveries from top end food and wine suppliers. And that’s totally fine, and I really do enjoy seeing all that. BUT…

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today’s rooftop blue

05 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in casa azahar, coronavirus, sevilla, spain

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This makes the (almost) daily “hamster wheel” rooftop walks bearable. That and my music – the antique ipod is still holding up. Though I realised today that my wifi also reaches up here, so I could really listen to anything online. Bonus! Also burning up between 950-1000 calories! Wish I’d have started doing this from day one. And in a couple of weeks I may EVEN start going for walks IN THE STREET.