Slowly Getting Out

I keep hearing the news about many countries slowly starting to open back up. Phuket was 7 days CV-19 case free until today when 4 new cases were confirmed, yet most places here remain closed. Outdoor seating only in restaurants which is not great since we have entered rainy season. Beaches, pools and my beloved coffee shop remain closed and most places are still ghost towns.

Airports /flights are still discontinued and if you want to cross the bridge off the island you need to make an appointment and get a health approval from a clinic prior to exiting. The good news is I don’t need to check in with immigration until July 31 as they are trying to limit the amount of people at the government bureaus. (My 90 day check in would have been May 28)

Although nothing is yet open, Mean Mia is able to cruise the roads without the restrictions of past district road blocks. We took a roundabout way back to Kathu and went up to Rang Hill to see if it was open to the public, wanting to sit in the sun or enjoy the view. What I found instead was that this area was now taken over by the monkeys that I never have seen here before.

Today Jason and I decided to go on a morning hike up to the Big Buddha. He lives very close to this monument. I thought we were going to take a trail up from his house, but instead I followed him on my scooter half way up the main road to the Big Buddha and then we parked and walked the rest of the way up. Was good exercise nonetheless. And scenic too.

At first I was a little bit disappointed that the sunny days are now limited as we head into the rainy season, but I am reminded of my time with Traci when she visited me in Phuket. That feeling of just accepting the rain and it being one of the best feelings! When it’s warm, a little rain feels refreshing and so natural. Embracing the rain is something in The States that we rarely do. Reminds me of the simple days when I was a kid. I no longer have to go to any job or place where looking like a drowned rat will be disapproved of here, so I plan to embrace this season full force! A new approach to what would normally keep me down.