Back to China again …
Wednesday, August 16th, 2023On June 16th, 2021 we returned to China. We had been planning to return almost since the day we left.
We were in Wuhan in 2020, and had been there since October 2017. In December, when we first heard word of a mystery flu there was concern, but not panic. Flu happens. Then an event was canceled and it seemed more serious, but then it seemed confined. We went on holiday to Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. We had a great time. Visited sites, saw friends … in some form of order.
On January 21st, we headed home to Wuhan. Wuhan was our home. It was where my oldest son and I worked, and where our family lived. Adryan had not joined us on our trip as he wanted to chill in his apartment.
We took the train home. Now at this point more news was highlighting the virus, now simply known as COVID. Not sure when the 19 was first applied. As we sat in the train station, we saw more masks than was usual for cold and flu season. We were all tired, but still on a high from a really enjoyable trip. Masks had not become part of our personal reality at that point. A few hours, after the fast train had sped us home. We got home and crashed until the next morning. Emily and Wyatt were both feeling various symptoms of flu, so we trooped off to our local doctor. He has on office near the various shops where we would buy groceries, fruit, and vegetables.
The doctor examined Emily and Wyatt, and gave me the once over. He told us not to worry. Flu happens. It wasn’t anything serious, and would pass soon. He prescribed some antibiotics. We had learned to trust him as he had helped us over the previous year. Wyatt had caught an awful flu, as had a number of students in the school. After a few treatments and some rest, Wyatt was on the mend. We had recommended our doctor to friends and colleagues who were equally happy with his work.
Then we headed off to the market to stock up on tofu, fish, some meat, vegetables, and fruit. We planned to do a bigger shop later in the week.
We woke to a different world. On the 23rd of January 2020, at 3:00am, Wuhan went into lock-down. More than flu had happened. lock-down meant no leaving the city, no taxis, trains, trams, motorcycles or private cars. But, we didn’t know that when we ventured out that morning to gather a few essentials. We walked out onto a street devoid of people. An eerie quiet place. Then we turned a corner.
To avoid repeating myself, I’ve posted a couple of links
Wayne