Running habits. Photography. Travel in the time of coronavirus.

Running in the rain this morning. Well, running as the rain mainly stopped. It had been a lot heavier earlier. There are a number of people I have grown used to passing and greeting over the last few years as I run around the village on my regular circuit. One of them almost didn’t recognise me this morning because I had my proper waterproof on. I have a very lightweight supposedly-waterproof running jacket but it really is less than useless. It copes with a little bit of drizzle but faced with anything remotely approaching proper rain it sort of gives in and lets the water through. As I said, less than useless, so I wore my almost as light hiking waterproof, thus confusing my nodding acquaintance walking her dog.

As I run, if I come to a narrow bit of the path and see someone coming towards me I stop and wait. I have always done this to some extent but I am more assiduous now in this time of avoiding breathing in other people’s germs.

So this morning I came to the spot where the path narrows alongside the main millpond as I could see a gentleman about half way along. After a few more steps he stopped and was clearly getting his camera out. Aha! I thought, he’s spotted the heron. I had just disturbed the heron from his fishing spot on the smaller auxiliary pond and was fairly sure that the bird would have landed somewhere on the edge of the main pond. When the photographer eventually reached my safe crossing place we had a distant chat about photographing the heron. He had been trying for a shot with a reflection, he told me, but it is really too dull today and besides the heron was too far away on the other side of the pond. I quite understood and boasted about the shot I got the other day of the bird at the edge of the small pond. In another time, under safer circumstances, I might have shown off my pictures on my phone. No such activity today.

On the radio they have been discussing the difficulty of people actually getting to work. Is a carshare or a lift with a colleague acceptable? After all if people are working together, perhaps sharing an office, maybe they can also travel together. Is it more dangerous than travelling with a lot of strangers on the bus or train.

Buses seem to me to be much more difficult to manage than trams and trains. Back in the days when there was a bus conductor, he or she could have controlled the numbers getting on the bus and policed the social distancing. I don’t see them reinstating bus conductors. Tram stations in the Greater Manchester region often have transport police checking for fare-dodgers so maybe these could police entry and exit from trams. However, there is talk of mothballing the Metrolink service because of lack of revenue with reduced usage. We spoke to our son, who works for Transport for London, yesterday and he told us that the London Underground system has exactly the same problem and seriously need government financial assistance if it is to continue running.

And goodness only knows when all the old dears getting on our local bus to go to the big Tesco on the way into town will be able to resume their off-peak travel. Likewise those of us who hop on the tram to go to central Manchester to be ladies-who-lunch.

As regards travelling abroad, this is the latest I have found regarding going to Spain:-

“The Spanish government has ordered a two-week quarantine for all overseas travellers coming to the country from 15 May in a bid to curb the spreading of coronavirus in the country. The incoming travellers will have to remain indoors and will only be allowed to exit for grocery shopping, to visit health centres and in case of a “situation of need”, an official order published on Tuesday said.
The quarantine has been enforced for all travellers incoming to Spain until at least 24 May, when the state of emergency is due to end. The quarantine order can be extended jointly with possible state of emergency extensions.
Spain has so far extended its restrictions four times since mid-March.
The measures apply to all travellers, including Spanish citizens returning to the country. Only truck drivers, airplane and ship crews, cross-border workers and health staff who are entering Spain to work are exempt from the quarantine.”




So we have no idea when we can go there again - that’s assuming our government lets the 70+ year old go anywhere!

The news has just been announced that the government will extend the furlough scheme until the autumn, but asking employers to pick up some of the bill, rather than the government paying all of it. We’ll have to wait and see how that works.

Life is very much changed and changing. Today on he menu we have rice and prawns, a stir fry dish done in the wok. There will also be salad and fruit, of course.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!