Place Notes

Limbo Friday / 13th March 2020

Strange times.

When I’m not off exploring places, with a camera, on a Friday, I’m usually to be found plotting and planning future trips.  And rather unusually the planning this year has gone rather further into the future than has been my habit recently.  I had got into the pattern of planning from month to month - so it came as a major shock to find that I have been booking trips 6 or 8 months into the future this year (in addition to the usual ‘what am I going to do next month’ planning).

Then Coronavirus.  Which is pretty much throwing everything up in the air.  So much for forward planning.

I’ve spent much of the week expecting to be told to go and work offsite - or to find that I need to self-isolate.  Neither have happened (yet).  It’s not clear if international trips planned for May (or indeed, July or September) will go ahead.  It’s even less clear if UK trips later this month can - or should - go ahead.

I’m pretty unconvinced by the (UK) Government assertion that we should (effectively) keep calm and carry on (or is it closer to an extension of “we won, suck it up”).  Seems bizarre that pretty much every European country adopts the same approach but the rampantly contrarian UK Government does the opposite just because.

I’m angry that this is happening at all - I’ve got my plans, stop messing them up. I’m not sure who exactly I’m shouting this at.

I’m frustrated at the uncertainly.  

Do I just carry on as normal, and what does that mean? 

I’m sitting typing this in my local independent coffee bar - does this qualify as reckless behaviour these days?  

Is it a good idea to head to an airport next week?  I’ve got concert tickets for next week too - that doesn’t seem too clever at this point.  

I’m torn between the desire just to carry on and the realisation that avoiding other people might be a good idea.



In the meantime, I'm planning to try to Keep Calm and Drink Coffee. And to Wash My Hands. Again.

No comments:

Post a Comment