Staying in a nice hotel for two weeks sounds like a holiday, right? But when you can’t leave your room, it gets old – and very small – very quickly.
That’s what happened when I relocated to Singapore earlier this year. I was faced with a hotel quarantine, dubbed “Stay Home Notice” (SHN). But be assured: “home” is different. I wrote a blog about that experience, Five Days of the Condo. That was seven months ago.
I left Singapore in June to tend to some in-person meetings in Zurich. I had hoped that by the time I got back to Singapore, the pandemic situation would have normalized somewhat.
Wishful thinking.
I am informed that I have to serve another 14-days SHN upon arrival in Singapore. A small concession in my favor: instead of serving the SHN in an allotted hotel room (if you are lucky, one with a view), I am allowed to spend this “Stay Home Notice” in my actual home – my very own apartment.
Of course, they don’t want me to get too comfortable. To ensure compliance, an electronic monitor is strapped to my wrist. If I leave my apartment, it will alarm the authorities. Just writing this, I feel a little sorry for myself. But I certainly like the situation right now much better than when I was stuck in a hotel room with no kitchen, no refrigerator, no table or chairs, and no fresh food.