Diary of an Isolate

14 Days in Quarantine

Day 3

Isolation must precede true society.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The dogs did not come today and the birds remained inside the surrounding trees and bushes. There were a few butterflies that I saw fluttering around. They were small and yellow in colour and came and went and then came and went again and I had no interest in them.

The sun remained hidden behind the clouds and the sea was unusually silent in the morning.

Then at 10am, the sky suddenly turned dark and wind speed increased and before long I noticed drops of rain on the table in the garden.

The animals would have known that the weather was going to change and they would have remained in their hideouts — for sure.

Dogs and cows and several other animals have this unique ability to sense the change in barometric pressure that brings rains. Rodents can predict earthquakes and sinking ships.

In 373 BC, its is said that all animals — rats, snakes, and even worms and beetles — left the Greek city of Helice five days before the earthquake stuck and destroyed the city.

We think animals are stupid? Used effectively they could replace our expensive metrological equipment and we could save a lot of money. You think I am joking? Look at the performance of the met department yourself!!!

Someone asked me about food in quarantine. Well all I can say that it is served very frequently ( breakfast, lunch, evening snack and dinner) and in large quantities. There is a limited choice in the menu though — which keeps changing but the Chef will accommodate special requests as long as these are not outrageous and made in advance.

Why fuss over food, however, when you can take this once-in-a-life opportunity to do some genuine detoxification. It would do a lot of good. I’d like to petition the government that every citizens should be sent into solitary confinement for two weeks a year — to detoxify body, mind and soul.

By the way the Mauritius Duty Free on arrival is closed and therefore you cannot buy alcohol — which is prohibited during the quarantine period anyway.

I suggest eating lots of fruits and salads and the hotel will be happy to provide them in abundance.

I will not write about the garden lizard and the wasps and the broken pipe. They pose unnecessary distraction. It was a busy day for me. There were numerous calls and emails to deal with.

One more day has passed. The urge to step out is creeping in. But I must look the other way — the way into the night and a day beginning in the morning tomorrow.