To be locked in a luxury hotel room for 14 days in order to protect your own country from imported Covid 19 and to complain about the privations is the height of audacity, and the epitome of elevating a first world problem above where it should be. It has, however, been mildly brain sapping to say the least!
We're masters at amusing ourselves, and scoff at those who say they're bored, especially if we have a stash of good books and a room with a window. This time has been rather interesting, as we've discovered that the outside world does factor into our level of satisfaction and happiness a little more than we'd realised! It hasn't helped that Cass has been suffering from a severe bout of sinusitis the entire length of our stay: she's really been suffering. I've discovered that walking for an hour and a half each day between the door and the window can be rather limiting as an exercise, and we both feel like our bodies have atrophied. Also, The Intercontinental isn't running the hotel, the police are, and the dieticians they've employed really like sugar, curries and rock-hard pears A LOT!
Our days go by in a semi-daze of crosswords, trivia quizzes, reading books and watching repeats of home selling and home fixer-upper shows: who knew there could be so many! We delineate the sections of the day by meals delivered by staff who scurry away before the door is opened, extended showers at weird hours, and long stints watching the building progress of the new AMP tower being constructed over the road. Maybe a power nap in the afternoon, then some more reading. We snatch a bit of news, then watch or read some more. Extended weekends mean I can watch seemingly endless games of football of both codes, and footy analysis chat shows extend the viewing. Cass watches a little of this fare, then continues to read or solve or just tries to clear her clogged sinuses!
I've written a type of free verse narrative poem called "The Sliver" for my amusement, so I'll include it here as well. We're being released on Wednesday...hip, hip, hooray!
"The Sliver"
AMP is building a mighty edifice behind their iconic Circular Quay headquarters. We gaze out at the workers on the 21st floor, who are variously tethered with safety cords and cloaked in hi-vis. It's a busy vista, but a fairly dirty and uninspiring one. They're buzzing around operating machinery, or alternatively, heaving beams and materials manually in scenes more reminiscent of workers in the 20s, when the city was in an earlier flush of building frenzy.
However, if you press your forehead against the window of our hotel window and crane your neck towards the north, a magical sliver appears. Suddenly a treasure box of wonder can be glimpsed between the archetypal monument and the sandstone sheathed bulk of the Intercontinental. A tall, thin window to the harbour opens up, the water coruscating and bubbly in the wakes of ferries and cruising boats. The wharves push out from the quay like grasping fingers and the middle span of the Harbour Bridge umbrellas the portrait postcard scene. Luna Park is nestled at the foot of the great northern pylon, its Ferris Wheel still, yet dazzling as the sun catches its steel frame and sears the retinas, while the park's large, laughing, leering face mocks all forbidden to enter due to the pandemic.
Occasionally, people stroll along the street below, aimlessly it seems from our great height. Others brave the pedestrian footpaths on the bustling Cahill Expressway that scythes its way between the city and the harbour. The humans congregated on the decks of the ferries seem most intriguing as they mill and bustle. Where are they going and what will they do?
Are they seeking some sweet relaxation on the waters as the lock-downs ease after months? Do they have a date with friends or family in a socially distanced restaurant or pub? Are they heading home after a night shift cleaning one of the colossal structures overlooking the very ferry that they're on? Is that family going to the newly re-opened zoo? Who are they meeting? What are their plans? Why are they travelling? So many questions...
We're happy to watch the passing parade for now: our time will come when we, too, can be among the people with plans of our own. In the meantime, we will rest and dream.