Merry Xmas from Georgia

 

We are trying to turn a new leaf and work on our recycling for 2021. Hence the recycled Christmas card. Either way, it's the thought that counts and we wish you all a far superior 2021 (relative to 2020).

Fortunately Santa checked his list carefully and decided to visit us for Christmas on Rebak Island. As I understand it there has been some serious loosening of the good boy/good girlness required to get on the list this year due to the Covid restrictions. Santa stopped by after our Christmas dinner and dropped off a piece of candy for everybody. Hey, its better than a lump of coal or for that matter most of 2020.

Stay Healthy

Paul and Chris 

Quarantine Freedom

 

 

We've gotten a bit behind on blogging. The pictures above pretty much completely define our second and last week in quarantine. Anxiously awaiting the room doorbell so we could see what what our next meal would be. Except for usually being cold, the chef's at the Grand Millennium certainly tried. Being the picky eater that I am, there were a few days I went hungry. But that just made the next doorbell ring that much more exciting. If we really got bored we could look out the window at the pool. The Grand Millennium is listed as a five star hotel. Let's just say the stars are a little smaller than some five star hotels⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

On the thirteenth day we were escorted down he haul with a bunch of other PUSs (Person Under Surveillance) to a lobby at the end of the hall where we all got RTK tests. These are fast, finger stick tests or Covid. If you tested positive then you got a PCR swab up the nose. We were both negative. In addition to doing the tests, they let us know at quarantine is now 10 days and not 14. A little late for us, our flight out wasn't until the next day.

Next morning we checked out of the hotel with the KKM (health department), the hotel front desk and then the police. We were no longer officially a PUS. We grabbed a cab to the airport and lugged our 4 large bags in. In the picture above I am using the required app, My Sejahtera, to scan the QR code (square barcode) on the sign in front of an airport restaurant. This does three things. First it allows it to look like you are doing something before walking into the store or restaurant. You are also supposed to take your temperature, write it down on the provided sheet and then wash your hands with the alcohol provided. Second it tracks where you go in case a Covid case is later traced to that place and last it lets you quickly look up the risk of the place, eg how many cases have been detected within 1 km in the last 14 day. Remember this is all in a country that has between a fifth and tenth as many Covid19 cases as Washington State per capita.  

We landed in Langkawi and headed to ferry dock for Rebak Island. As you can see, its not a big ferry

After a few days of cleaning up Georgia and tracking down some parts and she was ready to launch.

The view from Georgia in the water - looking back on the TravelLift and the hardstand where she spent the last 7 months.

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Now I bet that our reader thinks that I as going to end this blog with a nice Christmas theme. You'll have to wait till tomorrow for your virtual holiday card. But now, for some important info:

Since there's been a lot of interest in vaccines lately, have you considered the fact that all of the people who had the smallpox vaccine in 1798 are now dead? Just something to think about.

Paul

  

Quarantine, Malaysia Style

 

The night view of Kuala Lumpur from our 18th story hotel room

The cold, morning view from our driveway in Bellingham (actually Ferndale) that we left behind. We rented a car and drove two hours to Seattle to spend the night in a hotel nearby the airport in order to catch our early morning flight. At the hotel I let Google guide me to the best Thai restaurant near our hotel for dinner. So I called Mango's to get some Phad Thai ordered for take out. I asked the lady if I could order beers to go with it. There was a long pause and then a very hesitant response, "We only have .......... Bud Light". It was clear that she knew that that isn't beer and was embarrassed to offer it. She quickly followed this up letting me know that there was a liquor store next door with all types of beer -- problem solved.

Next morning I dropped Chris off at the airport in the early dark with our 4 checked bags plus carry ons and then headed off to drop off the rental car. First hangup was checking into our United Airlines flight (Seattle to San Francisco to Narita to Kuala Lumpur). The check in agent said we had to produce Covid test results and some unknown paperwork. I quickly pushed back and pulled out my stack of official Malaysian stamped paperwork. She just as quickly decided that she didn't want to hassle with it so early in her shift and passed us through. 

We were pretty cautious about trying not to catch Covid and die. That included our KN-95 masks (made and tested in China) plus a clear face shield. The entire 25 hour travel time we felt pretty well socially distanced with perhaps the exception of the shuttle train that you have to take in Seatac airport to the international terminal. There was no apparent attempt to make this safe with the exception of asking for masks.

In San Francisco we were called up to the ANA airlines desk (Japanese) and asked for our Malaysian entry paperwork. They carefully went through it all and seemed to know what was needed. Then after two ANA flights and6 movies we landed in Kuala Lumpur at midnight. We both got PCR tests with deep nostril and throat swabs, filled out paperwork, paid for our quarantine time, got our passport stamped for a 90 day visit and then sat and waited for our Premium Package quarantine driver to show up. You can can choose between a Standard Package and a Quarantine Package. With the standard package the officials place you in a hotel. This is based on which of the quarantine approved hotels has room. Sometimes it will be one of the "5 star" Premium Package hotels. In theory you get a food upgrade with the Premium Package and a nicer room. I'll comment more when we get out of jail. After an hour our driver showed up. We grabbed our bags from the carousel storage area, our escort took us through customs who didn't look up and then onto the pickup area. Here the bags go on the ground and get sprayed down with disinfectant. 

We arrived at the Grand Millenium hotel at 4am. They took us in through a side door to a side lobby and did a very brief check in. They gave us a hotel key card that is only good for one time use --- you can check-in but you can't check-out. Escorted us while in full hazmat dress to a utility elevator and told us to go to our room on the 18th floor.  

Speaking of food, we get 3 deliveries a day like this plate plus a late afternoon tea with cakes. The hungrier I get, the better the food tastes. You aren't allowed knives, alcohol or smoking while being a PUS - Person Under Surveillance. As I understand it the no knives rule is to discourage suicide.

Our "5-star" hotel is a little tired. The toilet didn't flush well, so after a couple of calls to the front desk they sent up the maintenance man. Like everyone we deal with here, he was dressed in a hazmat suit including face shield.

Our days are packed with watching CNN, BBC and a few movie channels -- while eagerly awaiting the next meal. We get up in the morning and after tea and coffee, we carefully make a schedule for the day. So far there hasn't been anything on the schedule yet, but I think the discipline is good for us. We also grab our phones and go into the tracking app for Malaysia and answer a brief, daily health questionnaire. 

In the day view from room (above) you can see the nice rooftop pool on the right. That's all we can do to -- see it.

Paul