Quarantine 1

 

April 19^th, 10:15am

Room 2339, Fairmont Hotel

Singapore

 

It’s now over 60 hours since I have been in this room, as part of the StayHomeNotice COVID19 quarantine SOP. M suggested that I record my experiences and so here goes.

 

I am at the writing desk which overlooks the junction of North Bridge Road and Stamford Road, where the Capitol Kempinski Hotel is, along with the office of its owner, Perennial Capital. Further down the road Peninsula Plaza and Funan IT Mall (owned by the state-owned Capitaland), and then across the road the St Andrew’s Cathedral. So, in this junction stands private, public and spiritual assets.

 

Speaking of spiritual, the last time I spent some time like this is at an Opus Dei Silent Meditation Closed Retreat nearly seven years ago. Back then the setting couldn’t be any more different than where I am now. In Ulu Tiram in Johor, I was meditating in a class where:

“there is a wooden door that opens into the courtyard which features a flowing fountain, out of a jar. The sounds of flowing water is one of the most soothing to me. The windows overlook a three tiered plain lawn garden lined at the side by simple shubs and at the perimeter by fir trees (or Christmas trees as we call them here). A garden which I had covered end to end in my afternoon walk yesterday.

So, this is the perfect location for this epiphany to come together: pleasant familiar sight, soothing sounds, appropriate imagery and most importantly, the right message.”

The weekend passed uneventfully. I guessed I have spent many days and evenings alone for so many years when travelling for work in all parts of the world that being in a hotel room, doing work at the writing desk, dining and drinking alone, or watching TV until I fall asleep. That D has thoughtfully supplied me with snacks (including M’s home baked banana brownies) as well as yoga mats and free weights meant I had something to fuel me as I work and watch and then some equipment to burn off the calories I will inevitably put on.

 

So, all in all, the set-up is right. The big challenge is the duration of time I have to spend in here. While I have packed the days with calls, I also have to deal with eating packed food everyday and at some point, Netflix & Spotify will cease to entertain. Right now, it’s Day 3 and I have 3 times more the duration to go. Will keep you all updated!