paranoia

 

quiet streets of La Paz

At the supermarket there's a member of staff in a face mask who stands by the

the local sex shop prepares for Covid-19

entrance and squirts anti-bacterial gel onto my hands.  She then sprays the trolley handle and wipes it down with a paper wipe.   I'm doubtful as to whether this will protect me from contracting Covid-19 but at least the trolley handle is clean.   At some point in my shopping I discover that I'm pushing the wrong trolley.  Some idiot has taken mine and walked off with it.   Oh, hang on a minute,  I'm the idiot who walked off with someone else's.  I hurry back to swap them over before anyone discovers the mistake.  In the tinned beans aisle a woman starts coughing.  She makes no attempt to cover her mouth.  I do an emergency u-turn and move into another aisle.  But the woman is following me.  And she's still coughing.  At the checkout there are stickers on the floor to indicate where each shopper should stand in line, 2 metres apart.  An old man with only three items asks if he can jump ahead, and I nod yes.  Now he's stood in the no man's land between me and the woman at the till.  He twists his head to read the words on the sticker on the floor "Sana distancia".  Healthy distance. He looks around, bemused.

Gayle has met a friendly American in the supermarket.  She is with her husband and daughter on their sailing boat, moored in a marina and awaiting some navigational equipment that had to be sent to the US for repair.  She has texted to ask if we would like to meet for coffee at the marina, socially-distanced, of course.  

an infusion of hibiscus leaves, known as 'jamaica' in Mexico

We ride out to the end of the bay.  The marina is part of a hotel/beach/golf course complex.  There's a gated entrance.  We can get take-away drinks at the cafe and sit apart and chat with Joanne and her English husband Paul.  We don't talk too much about the virus but more about our respective journeys.  They have sailed down from Washington.  We have a really enjoyable chat, interrupted by a young couple from California with children who tell us they came down to Los Cabos for a wedding and have decided to stay on, since California is now under lockdown.  And it will be here too, soon, we say.  Oh, but we'll still be able to do what we want here, the wife replies. It'll only affect the locals.  Even her husband looks askance at her. 

Anna and Adrien have returned from their boat-buying trip.  Without the boat. The deal is off. They are staying with Tuly again.  Anna is learning to play the charango and Adrien is practsing his accordion.  They come over for a visit after first checking on our isolation status.  Are we isolating self-isolating or just self-isolating?  It appears there are different levels of isolation. 

isolating self-isolating or just self-isolating?

Marie and Juan have had a visit from an American couple who they met cycling in Alaska back in September.  Jake and Linden have just arrived and are paying a visit before moving into a rented appartment for a month with their dog.  Having just arrived they seem to be unaware of just what a shitshow is about to befall us.  Or are they still in denial, hoping optimistically that all will pass quickly and they will be able to continue on to Argentina?  Linden's parting comment "Now we've all met we can get together and hang out"  leads us to ask Juan and Marie, are we isolating self-isolating or just isolating? 

Each time I read some detail about the virus I begin to identify possible symptoms.  Last night before going to sleep I had a dry tickly cough.  (We had the air-conditioner on to cool the room down a bit but it also dries the air out.)  However, in the night I woke in a sweat.  (At this point the air-conditioner was off, the windows still closed and the room was stuffy.) This morning I fetch a refill of our 19 litre water bottle from the water purifcation place.  (It's only a five block walk but I have to carry the full bottle using both arms to balance it on my shoulder.)  And now I feel a bit weak in all my limbs.  

(thinking about) updating the blog

 
Apart from the risks of physical illness is The Virus impacting my mental health?