THIS IS HOW YOU PANDEMIC - DAY 01

Day 01 started with a… MEH.

Woke up at 3am, 4am, and 5am due to jetlag. Back and neck pain from the 14 hour flight didn’t help. And at 6:30am I woke up to my first quarantine breakfast -

Day01 quarantine breakfast. Sad face.

Day01 quarantine breakfast. Sad face.

 

I was really looking forward to a Taiwanese breakfast- 蛋餅 (egg crepe?)，蘿蔔糕 (radish cake)，or even some ham sandwich TW style (They’re different than American sandwiches), but I guess I’ll just have a SAUSAGE EGG MCMUFFIN (finger-in-mouth emoji). First world problems.

I do have to mention- accompanying the McMuffin is the McDonald corn soup. This is one of those menu items that I believe is only available in Taiwan (or maybe Asia.) Please note it is corn “soup” and not chowder. And despite it looking like a bleh cup of beige liquid, I low-key really love it. The McD corn soup was a childhood comfort food splurge of mine. I used to get it every weekend at the McD’s by the bus stop when I came home from boarding school to treat myself, so having it brought back a lot of memories. It’s also incredibly high in calories, but all things delicious are.

Speaking of which, I worked off some of that Mcmuffin and soup afterwards, and am on my way to winning some bingo prizes.

One of the “prizes” of quarantine bingo is a meal of any choice. But you have to do 8 days of exercise for that. Who’s keeping track, you ask? I AM. I am the tracker and decider.

One of the “prizes” of quarantine bingo is a meal of any choice. But you have to do 8 days of exercise for that. Who’s keeping track, you ask? I AM. I am the tracker and decider.

 

For lunch, it was sweet and sour pork with fruit and yogurt. I’m starting to really feel like a pig being fattened up for slaughter as there’s not really a whole lot to do in between meals. I’m going to have to look up one of those prison workout routines, or else my dad might not recognize me when I get out of here. And no, not eating all the things is not an option. If you know me, you know why. (It’s because I love eating and TW is food heaven)

That sweet and sour rice bowl (the rice is underneath) is almost the size of my face, and I got a pretty big face.

That sweet and sour rice bowl (the rice is underneath) is almost the size of my face, and I got a pretty big face.

 

Staying with the pig theme, I fell asleep not long after lunch and woke up just in time for- that’s right, DINNER. Luckily, dinner was a bit lighter with Chinese chicken soup, veggies and rice.

Chicken soup with herbs, stewed veggies and rice.

Chicken soup with herbs, stewed veggies and rice.

 

Post dinner, I was informed by the hotel that tomorrow will be one of their special shopping deals or “OFY GO BUY.” It’s where the hotel goes to certain shops/supermarket/bakery in the neighborhood and purchase items you’d like without charging a service fee.

I can see this service becoming very dangerous. Someone can easily over-indulge and take full advantage of it.

I can see this service becoming very dangerous. Someone can easily over-indulge and take full advantage of it.

 

Tomorrow’s shop is “PX Mart”, which is kind of like HEB but better, and though I wanted to order ALL OF THE SNACKS, I summoned my self-control and ordered some fruits and teas instead. I don’t know how long that control can last. Maybe I’ll look up a couple more prison workout videos.

A page from PX Mart’s discount catalogue. There are 24 pages of these…

A page from PX Mart’s discount catalogue. There are 24 pages of these…

Did they really think having only five rows for order items would inhibit someone from ordering more? Also, my Chinese handwriting is getting pretty pretty sloppy.

Did they really think having only five rows for order items would inhibit someone from ordering more? Also, my Chinese handwriting is getting pretty pretty sloppy.

 

And we cap off Day01 with a fun, little surprise earthquake. Taiwan is a volcanic island sitting between multiple fault lines so earthquakes are quite common. That doesn’t mean I’m used to them. On the contrary, having been through the great earthquake of September 21 in 1999 (921大地震）I am quite terrified of them. So when the room started to do a little jig, you bet I almost peed my pants. Luckily it was only a magnitude 2/3, which really doesn’t do much harm except making me change my pants.

So that was Day01. Tomorrow Day02 is a Monday so things will start bustling and I guess I should start to get my shit together on how to make the best of the rest of the quarantine. We shall see!!