Today marks the first day of my 14+7 quarantine in Shanghai before I can return to Beijing. Unlike last year’s 4 star hotel, I didn’t strike lucky on the hotel jackpot this time, so I’m just focusing on what is good:
- the room is clean
- no carpet (so no icky marks, hairs and other debris)
- nice view
- Airconditioning
- kettle (and I brought tea)
- wifi works
- I have electricity
- nice shower with good stream and hot water
- no food orders (I need to lose some broken ankle induced weight)
- I brought my new crochet rainbow blanket project – so I’ll have plenty of time to do that
- my neighbour wakes up at 4.30am and has a very loud voice so I get an early start to the day
- I have noise cancelling headphones (Chopin ballads are very soothing right now)
- I don’t need to wear shoes for 2 weeks
- I don’t need to wear a mask for 2 weeks except for my testing on days 1, 4, 7, 14
- I have more than enough to read and enough work
View from window 
bed with crochet project 
Working space
With Beijing now at 7 cases (out of a population of 20.8 million people – so please don’t be concerned about me living there), I may need to do a further 7 days of home quarantine before returning to work.
So you arrive at the airport, go through your first set of covid tests and forms and checks, pick up your luggage and then get herded into holding pens. They take your passport and fill in your details and once the holding pen has a bus-load full of people you get put on a bus for a magical mystery bus ride that ends up at a random hotel.
If you’re going into quarantine any time soon, a few things I’d suggest packing include Vitamin D (no sunlight for 14 days); your own plate, bowl, knife, fork, spoon, mug, lots of tea, extension cord, nice toiletries/shampoo etc, noise cancelling headphones & earplugs; perhaps food depending on how fond you are of Chinese quarantine “cuisine” – this time I just brought some anchovies in tins (helps the flavour of bland white rice) and bag of quinoa and “risotto de céréales” that I can “cook” in hot water.
Now I’m off to make my to-do list for the day – thanks to noisy neighbour I’ve unpacked and sorted everything and given the room a good wipe down with disinfectant wipes.
Informative Flights - Musings of a Teacher Librarian 
Two things you forgot to mention in your list of things to bring, Nadine: pounds of patience and your traveling irony (sense of). You have both.
May the time go quickly and smoothly, hope all goes well for you.
John
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Nadine – How are you handling exercise while in 14+7 quarantine? Is your broken ankle fully healed? I broke a bone in my foot this summer, so for the past five weeks I’ve been doing “injured foot” chair aerobics and cardio exercises (found on YouTube, with the best taught by Caroline Jordan). Well worth doing, 2-3X/day to keep you physically and emotionally fit, as well as help put a structure in your day. Take care and time will pass faster than you expect! Sabina
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Luckily during my stay in Switzerland I could continue my twice weekly physio sessions, albeit just 30 minutes a time, and by the end I was walking fine for up to 10km up hills at a fairly normal pace. I’m still hobbling when I get out of bed first thing so I need to warm up and stretch. I’m pacing and doing some squats and pushups – can’t do anything jumping / running! I”ll have a look at the youtube video you recommended, thanks!
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