Honestly, these are dark times...there's so much going on in the world, it can be hard to think straight. We have been travelling for just around three weeks and have already made plans for our journey home. Unfortunately, we cannot make the route until our fourteen-day Stay at Home Notice is over.
Unlike the restrictions back in the UK, we cannot even leave our hostel - that means no walks, no supermarkets and no sunlight or fresh air. It's strict, but it's working. Singapore have really got this outbreak under control. We ended up choosing to stay in a Pod hotel for the two weeks inside - which is exactly what it sounds like. Your bedroom is a pod, with essentials - a little stand for your laptop, ambient lighting, air conditioning, a mirror and a plug socket. There are shared bathrooms and a shared kitchen and dining area, so you do not have to spend all your time in the 'pod'.
Although this isn't what we expected when we set out travelling, we have tried to make the most out of a pretty claustrophobic situation. So, if you're looking for a little help during these tough, isolated times, I'll try my best to offer it:
Work out...as best you can
I never thought I'd miss the gym, but being inside has made me reminisce about the times I could use dumbbells. Every morning here I have woken up with the desire to exercise. I made up routines in my head, considered jogging around the hostel and even started downloading apps trying to encourage me to do something. It took me five days to finally open up the GymShark app and try their free home workouts (they're so good, today I'm aching everywhere). Sometimes, it just takes time to get into the mentality, especially if you're just sat around all day. Just go easy on yourself and work out when you feel like it. I also used both a shampoo and a conditioner bottle for weights, so don't be afraid to improvise where you can.
Start something you have always wanted to
I vowed to start a travel blog the minute I set foot in Japan. I created a dedicated travel Instagram page, documented my journeys in my journal and took as many photos as I could so I wouldn't forget anything. However, it took me two days in isolation to finally start writing my first post on Tokyo! I could never find the time to write. Now's your chance to do something you've always been considering - start writing your book, embrace your ambition of being a make-up artist or sign up for an online course. Time waits for no-one...except those on a two week stay at home notice.
Download your favourite game
As we would be saving a lot of money during the fourteen days, I decided to download the Sims 4 - shout out to Origin who have put the game on sale - I repeat, on sale! Rejoice my fellow Sims addicts! I also treated myself to two of the extension packs - Cats and Dogs and Jungle Adventure. It has amused me for hours, especially as my Sim equivalent drowned in the pool and I had to restart everything again. Also, I need to confess...I've developed an addiction to Scrabble Go. Whatever your vice is, download and play it! Try and find games that your friends are playing too, so you're not alone!
Embrace your weirdness
If like me, your stuck with your partner (is 'stuck' the right word to use?), then you're about to go through a whole new journey together. It's like a two week holiday, where you cannot go out, eat out, drink out, see the outside world, or sunbathe...but that doesn't mean you can't have fun, right?
It's time to embrace the little things, even if they are super weird. Ben and I have started saying, "should we get dressed for dinner then?" This process evolves changing out of pyjamas, into new ones, then going to sit at a table outside and order takeaway. We say "should be go watch the telly?", which is an eighteen-inch screen laptop that we put on the fold out table in our pod. We've deemed communal cheese biscuits as an 'emergency' treat and ask each other the weirdest questions that one of us has to end up googling. For example, 'How much Pocky do you think I could eat before I died?'
I even consider the most mundane things a treat. I saved plucking my eyebrows for two days, so I would have something to do on the Monday after painting my nails on the Sunday. Honestly, just embrace your weirdness, because it can't get any stranger than this.
Keep strong
Although this is a frightening time for everyone, stay strong. Know that dark clouds always pass and that bad times are never forever. It's okay to have at least five existential crises, question your life and stare at a wall for two hours. Keep getting dressed, talking to your friends and family and looking for things to do. And remember a Sim is for life, not just for a fourteen day self-isolation period.