My Quarantine Diary — Day 6
Today I spent quite some time working and re-connecting. One of my old friends contacted me asking about the stay-home-notice procedure and experience, not just because he is curious, but also because his startup is involved in working with Singapore government on covid speed testing project, which could potentially help thousands of travellers to travel with ease and safety, as well as accelerating the recovery of tourism sector for countries like Singapore.
Although many people have already shared their quarantine experience online before, I decided to share my story too.
At Airports in US, Japan, Singapore
So I travelled from SFO to SG, via Narita, Tokyo. 3 days prior to entering Singapore, every traveler need to fill in a health declaration form online.
We were asked for that copy when we checked in at SFO. Then during transiting in Narita, the staff there measured our temperatures one by one before boarding the next plane to SG. It was all very smooth. The plane was about half full.
I arrived in Changi Airport at midnight. When we got off the plane, we were being directed to the immigration right away. I realized now that the bridge was almost the closest one towards immigration. At the immigration, there was no automated gate, everyone has to go through an immigration officer. The officer would basically check your health declaration form and ask some questions for your travel history etc. Then if everything is fine, you will get a sticker and you can go to collect your luggage.
At the carousel, there were some staff waiting there to help, if you have heavy luggage or you have inconvenience. Once you collected your luggage, you will go out from a special exit door, immediately some officers will direct you to a dedicated waiting area, where you and some other people will go board a “mystery bus” that driving towards one of the assigned facility to conduct your 14 day SHN.
About Quarantine facility in SG
Many of my friends asked me how to get an ideal five star hotel with balcony etc. Well, there is no way to tell. It is totally random, not depending on your departing country, or flight, or ticket price. It is all decided by which mystery bus you are taking. So my advice is to lower your expectation, and you may get some surprise. So far from what my peer qurantiners have shared in the FB group, most hotels are clean, nice and take good care of us. Of course, not everyone is going to be in Sentosa.
It took us about 30 min or so to reach the hotel. Again, we stood in one line and being directed to enter the hotel, not via lobby. but via the back door. Think this might be because the hotel also has other normal guests staying, so they are trying to avoid contact as much as possible. Each of us then was assigned a desk to sit, where your room number is pre-assigned on that desk. So again, this is pure random too, unless you have special request. I liked my room number at that time, although I had no idea what kind of room it was. You will need to fill in a form on the table about your information, and leave your credit card number. After all filled in, you can go to choose your catering menu. There are three types: regular, vegetarian, kids. And I was asked if I have any diet preference. I mentioned that I don’t eat spicy food. So I took the regular menu and took the lift.
You all know what happened after. I got into my current room, where I have stayed for 6 days, and where I am typing this diary right now.
What is my experience as a user?
Overall I feel very grateful. The process is productive and clear. Many people helped me along the way too. I have three luggage with a backpack. It was a fellow passenger who helped me get my two heavy 50lb luggage out of the carousel. Then the bus worker helped take all passengers’ luggage to the bus. At the hotel, it was also a hotel staff who helped send my luggage to my room. I did not send or mention any special request for rooms. I know there are rooms in some hotels with balcony. Why is that so important? Because fresh air is something that all quarantiners want.
Yet I also know these rooms are limited. And I know there are people who need these rooms more than me. People with medical conditions, people with young kids, pregnant moms, elderly etc…
So yeah, here is the whole process I have experienced so far. I have not done my swap test, it would be on 11th day.
So…
