Travel restrictions caused by the Coronavirus And How This Could Affect You

We get flu at this time of year worldwide. I and friend in London, England, and Singapore have had flu.



Flag of China

The symptoms of this coronavirus are similar. The Coronavirus is a family of viruses including the common cold, SARS and MERS.

Coronaviruses are so named because when seen under a microscope they have spikes like a crown. At first China was apparently arresting people for spreading fake and alarmist news about this coronavirus.

Then the cases multiplied. Videos appeared showing bodies in the street and crowds of people wearing masks at a Wuhan hospital.

 Wuhan is the capital of a province (a large area like a US state) called Hubei in central China. Wuhan has a population of eleven million. Larger than London, England which has a population of 9.9 million.



Any Good News?
Yes. Decisive action by the Chinese government. No ifs no buts. No travel within or to and from the centre of the contagious virus in Wuhan.

Contagious means touch. Infections means airborne, so somebody sneezing nearby can pass it on.

You can check at airports to see if somebody has a high fever. However,
1 They might not develop symptoms until several days later.
2 They might not be suffering any symptoms but could still pass it on to you.


More Good news at the end.





Challenges
What is the coronavirus?
Coronavirus is a blanket name, like flu. SARS was a coronavirus. The latest one in 2020 started in December 2019 in Wuhan, a city in China. But it really hit the news in late January 2020. On Friday 24th, the eve of Chinese New Year, I read that China was closing:
travel out of the city of Wuhan, including guards at railway stations.
Closing down the Great Wall.
Closing the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Closing several chinese cities.
Closing McDonalds in Wuhan.
Building a hospital with the timeline of a week.

Where Did It Start
apparently in a market selling foods including snakes, bats, koalas and more.

You cannot in many cities celebrate Chinese New Year. You cannot travel to meet your family, greet incoming overseas visitors, and so you cannot exchange red packets containing money.

Any Solutions Or Good News?

Traditionally you would be meeting up with family to give the unmarried youngsters red packets, red for good luck, containing money.



Red Packets
The latest thing is sending money through your phone. Works well now that those in China are restricted from travelling.

I looked up the Chinese restaurant we used to visit near Watford in North West London. They seem to be closed for Chinese New Year. We would go there because parking was easy and they were so large you could usually get a table.

Imperial China, Elton Way, Watford WD25 8HA, tel +44 1923 238888. (Reviews on tripadvisor.)

Chinese food, fast food, or pricier restaurants, is available all over Singapore. Most food courts serve a plate of chicken rice at a moderate price. You often get a bowl of chicken soup. In the centre of the city in big shopping malls you will pay more than out in the suburbs. Open air food courts, with fans overhead, are usually cheaper than the indoor air conditioned places.

Useful Websites
UK
https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Restaurant_Review-g187058-d2186297-Reviews-or180-Imperial_China-Watford_Hertfordshire_England.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/symptoms.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51245680#
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7927975/Coronavirus-spreads-Australia-Four-confirmed-cases.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed

Useful Travel Websites

singaporeair.com

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Singapore

About The Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Please share this link
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/collect-red-packets-for-chinese-new-year.html 

Orange trees and discussions on red packets containing gifts of money for Chinese New Year

Orange tree at the entrance to the ground floor restaurant at  Sheraton Towers Hotel, near Newton MRT station, Singapore.

I chose red packets as my theme when I was topics master at a Toastmasters International speakers club, Eminent. I forwarded on WhatsApp on my mobile phone several pictures of red packets so that the President could display them. That way and I did not have to travel carrying a heavy laptop or even a thumb drive.

Red packet for Chinese New Year with illustrations of oranges.

The first red packets I chose to display showed red packets with pictures of oranges.

In addition to red packets, people give oranges, at least two, or trees with orange fruit and red ribbons.

I asked everybody: 'What do you know about Chinese New Year And Red Packets? Is there anybody Chinese in the audience?'


Chinese flag

Red Packets And Chinese Families
My friend Mrs Lim immediately volunteered herself. She told us:


Singapore Flag

'Like in China, in Singapore red packets, for Chinese New Year, as well as other festivals, are traditionally given by the married and well-paid, employed elders to their younger children and nephews and nieces, children, friends' children, and younger relatives who are not married and not yet earning money. Some families give red packets to those who are earning a living and not yet married.  And low-paid employees. We used to do this.

'Children are very excited to receive red packets. But our youngsters are well-paid and don't need the money. So we told them, we won't give you any money and we don't expect any from you. We will just give you our good wishes. And our time.

'Everybody was happy with that. But that's just our family, and how we celebrate Chinese New Year, with a get together.'

Oranges and Orange Blossoms
In Singapore my family has on the living room balcony a small 'orange tree' (identified by a local garden centre as a miniature lime tree). Just in time for Chinese New Year 2020, the oranges, I mean limes, started turning orange, and a small white flower came out. We have made orange-lime marmalade. I water and watch our tree daily, and encourage the rest of the family to take turns. Could I rely on my family and the neighbours and visitors to keep the orange tree alive when I am not there. We had one which died in early 2019. This one is thriving - under my constant care. But I worry about whether it will survive when I am away in England. On the screen at the meeting I had red packets showing oranges.

I asked the members of Toastmasters International who were at the meeting, 'What can you tell us about oranges or orange trees and why do you and other people like them?'

'The answer from S... was:
'Flowering trees are beautiful. I was in Melbourne, Australia, in spring and they had flowering trees given by the Japanese people. Wonderful. A carpet of flower petals. A cloud of flowers. A sea of colours. It makes your heart sing. It makes you happy. Orange trees have the same effect. The fruit and the flowers. Spring time, colour and fruit and growing, a time of hope.'

My other questions were about the designs of different red packets:


Red packet for Chinese New Year with fish design.

I asked:
'Who would like a red packet with the design of fish and water?'

Fish and water
Fish is the sign of Pisces, meaning fish, in the Western zodiac. The speaker said:
You see fish a lot in Singapore outside big buildings such as shopping centres, malls, blocks of flats and offices. Fish are thought to be soothing. They bring good luck. Watching fish is very restful.'

A heckler shouted, 'Eating fish is even better!'
'What if you are vegetarian? What would a fish say to that?'
 'Fish would agree with me. Fish like eating fish, too.'

Children And Gifts
I said: 'Children receive red packets with joy. Why would you like a red packet with a picture of children?'
The respondent, P, said: 'I don't have children. Where children are concerned, I have my boundaries.  But I like entertaining my nephews and nieces. They like my visits. So long as there's a finite time.'
Hecklers shouted various time limits, such as:
'Two hours.'
'Two minutes.'

The speaker continued, 'What I like about children is their enthusiasm. And their honesty. They tell the truth. If they don't like something they tell you. If they like something, they show it.'

Useful Websites

singaporeair.com

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Singapore

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is British and a Singapore Permanent Resident. She is a travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Please share links to your favourite posts.
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/collect-red-packets-for-chinese-new-year.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/more-orange-trees-and-discussions-on.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/what-is-inside-chinese-red-packets.html

Hard Rock Hotels in Malaysia and In A Complex of Attractions on Sentosa island, Singapore

Hard Rock Hotel, Desaru, Malaysia. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

After visiting Hard Rock cafe in Melaka, and another in Desaru, Malaysia, we decided to look at Hard Rock in Singapore. Where is it? On the island of Sentosa.




Sentosa is where American President Trump met North Korean leader, hidden away at the Capella resort.


The complex on Sentosa

I saw that the Hard Rock Hotel on Sentosa, off Singapore, was the venue for a three day event on book writing and author publishing in January 2020.



Hard Rock Hotel exterior

Hard Rock Hotel is part of a large complex of attractions and four hotels and a conference centre.

Hard Rock Hotel interior


In the same complex is the Michael Hotel. It is not named after Michael Jackson but after the architect Michael Graves.

Michael Graves designed several modern buildings including the Portland building in Portland , Oregon.

Portland Building, Portland, Oregon, designed by Michael Graves.

Michael Hotel, Sentosa, Singapore



Wikipedia explains:
Resorts World Sentosa (Abbreviation: RWS) is an integrated resort on the island of Sentosa, off the southern coast of Singapore. The key attractions include one of Singapore's two casinos, a Universal Studios theme park, Adventure Cove Water Park, and S.E.A. Aquarium, which includes the world's second largest oceanarium (after Chimelong Ocean Kingdom).

So far, so good.

 How do you get to the island of Sentosa?

If you are a tourist or newcomer to Singapore it may be worthwhile spending, allocating, some of your holiday money on the overhead cable car.

However, if you want to visit by public transport, you want a cheaper form of travel, and a cheaper entry fee.

Now that the book writing event has passed, what is worth seeing on Sentosa?

1 Hard Rock Hotel
2 The Trick Eye Museum - on of a kind, top of my list

Choices
Take the MRT to Harbourfront. Walk to the Vivo City modern multi-storey shopping mall.
Catch the shuttle across from Vivo City upper floor to Sentosa, for a small charge.

Entry to Sentosa varies from free for walkers and tiny tots to about two dollars for locals and local senior citizens, up to four or six dollars for a taxi or car.

If you are a regular visitor, and want to see a lot of the attractions, it's worth investing 25 Sing dollars on the pass which gives you a twenty dollar voucher on your birthday and other  discounts and offers throughout the year.

Singapore flag

Singapore flag

Useful Websites
Singapore Airlines
singaporeair.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resorts_World_Sentosa

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Singapore

Directions
https://www.google.com/maps/
Hotel Offers
https://www.hardrockhotels.com/specials?&campaign=
Reviews
https://www.oyster.com/singapore/hotels/hotel-michael/

About the Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Easy Languages? Simply Spelling? Phonetic? What you see is what you say?

English spelling used to be random. At St Albans Cathedral you can read old documents where a man is called Jon at one point and John at another. Other words are spelled equally randomly. Reading is very tough going.


Advantages and Disadvantages of English
Spelling was not standard in England until the first dictionary was compiled.


Webster in the USA made all the words shorter and simpler for the benefit of immigrants.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

Noah Webster
Noah Webster in an 1833 portrait by James Herring
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office 1800; 1802 – 1807
Personal details
Born	Noah Webster Jr. October 16, 1758 Western Reserve of Hartford,[1][2] Connecticut Colony, British America
Died	May 28, 1843 (aged 84) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Resting place	Grove Street Cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut
Political party	Federalist
Spouse(s)	Rebecca Greenleaf Webster (m. 1789)
Children	8
Residence	Hartford, Connecticut New York City New Haven, Connecticut
Alma mater	Yale University
Occupation	Lexicographer Author Connecticut state representative
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	Connecticut Militia
Battles/wars	American Revolutionary War

Noah Webster painted by Samuel F. B. Morse

Webster's New Haven home, where he wrote An American Dictionary of the English Language. Now relocated to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.

Noah Webster Jr. (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843) was an American lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and prolific author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". His "Blue-backed Speller" books taught five generations of American children how to spell and read. Webster's name has become synonymous with "dictionary" in the United States, especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language.

Chinese Writing Simplified
The Chinese did the same and simplified their picture writing.


Esperanto Advantages
Esperanto is completely phonetic and with simplified grammar. If you want a simple language, which belongs to no country so nobody feels annoyed or excluded, learn Esperanto.


Advantages of Malay
What you see is what you say.

Problem - Service With Smiles
The server might be surly. The server might by smiling but inept.

When you order four different coffees for four friends at a food court, the server often gets the order wrong. The server won't write it down. management does not give them pens nor allow them to waste time. Solution, write down the order and show it to them. Can they write and read, or are they illiterate?

I read: 'According to UNESCO, Malaysia has an adult literacy rate of 93.12%. The male literacy rate is 95.43%, for females it is 90.75%.

So nine our of ten waiters can read and write. (No. Maybe a high proportion of those who cannot read and write instead of having office jobs will work in a food court.) In addition, some of them are not Malay. The food stalls are run by nationals serving their own food. So if you order a Vietnamese dish, chances are the server won't speak good Malay.

Before leaving home, you can look up the food court which is half way to your destination and check out the food choices.

We visited Malaysia from Singapore, where the four major languages include English, Malay, and Chinese (Mandarin).


Singapore flag




Flag of China

Chinese
No past or future tenses.
Sentences are like telegrams. How are you is ni how - literally 'you good?'
The question is not indicated.


Flag of Italy

Italian and Latin
Like Latin, the word I is shown by the changed ver ending, or suffix, fixed on the end.

Which Are The Useful Language Learning Websites?
Duolingo is great for Spanish and Esperanto.
I did not find it good for Chinese.
I used Chineasy flashcards and books.

Visit
Webster's New Haven home, where he wrote An American Dictionary of the English Language. Now relocated to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.

Useful Websites
https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/148049
duolingo.com



About the Author
Angela Lansbury, teacher of English writing, creative writing and public speaking. Teacher of English language and get started in other languages.

What Is Inside Chinese Red Packets?

Red packets. Singapore. 2020. Photo by Angela Lansbury.


Did you think it was always paper note money? I did. People queue up (Americans say line up) to get crisp new note money to go inside red packets.

But not always note money. I was wrong.

Red packets can contain other symbolic lucky gifts. For example rice, symbolic of plentiful food.

Or small coins, symbolic of wealth. this works well for children. so long as the coins are not five to tots under three years old who might swallow the money.

Ideally, however, coins should be gold (or chocolates covered in gold foil) symbolising money.

How do you know what is inside a sealed red packet? Feel it. Feel the shape and weight.

You are not supposed to open it in the presence of the giver.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. I have several posts on Singapore and other destinations.
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/collect-red-packets-for-chinese-new-year.html
Please share links to your favourite posts.

Have You Booked Your Holiday? How To beat Procrastination And Setbacks And Keep Smiling

I have a dream, a dream destination for a holiday. Have you booked your holiday?

As soon as I hear the other person's answer, I can start surmising the whole life of the person who replies.

'Yes, I booked it last week.'
Judger. (Myers Briggs personality typing.) He or she will arrive early.

Another type will reply: 'Not yet.'

I ask: 'Why not?'

The answer: 'Still looking around.'

ADVANCE PLANNING
You can plan your year ahead. My family did this for a wedding and honeymoon. When is the wedding? June. Which countries have good weather in those months?
Read about destination in Wikipedia, Wikivoyage and Wikitravel.

Pay by credit card of a means which allows you to recover if the company goes bust.
Make a list of places to see.

Safety and Insurance
Check safety warnings on Wikivoyage, UK Foreign Office, and US state advisory. Check insurance. If government warnings are in place probably your insurance won't cover you. Also your company will advise you not to go or will not fund the business trip.

Make a list
Check passport (s). Visas.
Check flights.
check weather.
Check hotel prices.
Check activities.
Book first and last night events.
Know alternative exits if you have to leave suddenly lose your flight.
Check insurance exclusions.

Driving License
Take copies of driving licenses even if you do not intend to drive. Why? If another driver is too young or old or does not have an international license you might need documentation.

If your driver is to drunk, tired or ill you might want to share driving. If your driver is held by a hospital or police you might need to drive. If the chauffeur driven car is not available and you are offered self-drive this could be a better option than a bus when you are racing for a flight.

PROCRASTINATION Procrastinator. He or she will book late. And arrive late. Forget to check dates. Lose their passport. Miss the meeting.

JUDGERS & DECISION MAKERS Judgers like to take decisions. Clear the desk. Do tasks in order. Make a list. Work through the list. Don't interrupt me.

That's my husband.!

I wish I could be like him. I am trying.

TRY

Oops. I gave myself away with that sentence.

I've heard trainers say, 'Don't try to do it. Do it!'

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Churchill walking through the ruins of Coventry Cathedral in 1941.

Never, ever, ever give up.
Winston Churchill WWII 1939-1945

Find an ally to give you physical and mental encouragement.


Churchill and Roosevelt. Statue in Bond Street, London, England.

Find an ally.

Six years of war. Better than the hundred years war!

Finally - the war is over.

My parents lived through two world wars, born during the first word war, lived through the second world war. My mother lost her first husband. She married again, to my father, and had me. I asked my father, 'Did anything good come out of the second world war?'

He replied, 'Yes. Me!'

SETBACKS
What's beyond? You don't know.

Make a list.

Too many choices.


When I tell my husband, 'I have a problem,' he replies: 'It is not a problem. it is a task.'

Let's look at the sayings which can encourage you to change or proceed with your plans, to face setbacks, to share success.

OPEN DOORS
Closed And Open Doors One door closes, another door opens.

I put up a positive statement about a door on Facebook. 'If a door shuts, open it again. It's a door. That's now they work.'

Somebody replied, What if ... what if... what if ...

I replied:
True. But the whole point of an aphorism is to lift people who are easily swayed by a single sentence. Just give them something to hang onto.

Like showing a balloon or a musical mobile to distract a crying child.


ENFP - MYERS BRIGGS PERSONALITY TYPE If you are ENFP on Myers Briggs you are dwelling on the past and future and doubts. The purpose of the aphorism is to add a weight to the positive side of the see-saw to restore balance.

The encouragement gets you going. Gives you a boost.

If you have already started and you stop halfway, the encouraging word or idea or saying sustains you. Like chocolate for mountain climbers.

Yes, chocolate is bad for the teeth in the long run. Also the lift feeling wears off. But it gets you going

Similarly, I eat a chocolate biscuit or cake or a chocolate bar in the break before going speak on stage at a Toastmasters or other meeting. The sugar and caffeine lifts you up - only for 15 minutes, But I find that boost and time is enough to get me bouncing onto stage and beaming. (I also use wearing a red colour, making a noise to get attention wakes the audience and myself, interacting with the audience wakes them and keeps me alert.)

What about sharing the success, affecting their life, making a call to action, or using the written or spoken text to promote your message? End with a message.

The person who wrote to me on Facebook ended with a promotion. I replied and took their cue to end with a promotion: I wrote: This post is promoted by Braddell Heights Advanced Speakers in Singapore. Next meeting in 2020 is Wed Feb 5 evening 7 pm at BH CC and next Speechcraft Saturday afternoon Feb 15 at 2 pm.

What to say to yourself when you are travelling and waiting, or suffer a temporary setback.
Here are some positive sayings in English

TO GET STARTED
Procrastinators are other people. Procrastination is what you used to do. Positive action is what you are starting to take now.
Angela Lansbury

To beat indecision and self-doubt:
You have to be in it to win it

You don't have to see the whole staircase to start climbing.
Martin Luther King Jnr

Do It Now.
Just do it.
Nike.

A journey begins with a single step.
Attributed to Confucius (and others).


AT THE DESTINATION
Always have a plan B. I have arrived in a city for a long weekend and all the restaurants and shops and museums were closed on Monday.

AFTER SEEING A SETBACK, TO PROCEED POSITIVELY
You don't plan to fail. You fail to plan. Start your plan. Plan your next hour, day, week, month, year, 5 years, whole life goals.
One door closes, another door opens.

TO PROCEED WHEN TIRED
Keep right on to the end of the road ... (WWI song)

TO ASK FOR HELP
If you don't want to burden your family and friends and teachers and colleagues, ask a stranger.

If you don't want to risk involvement with a stranger, who might follow you, and ask for money, ask an official who is anchored to the help desk at the airport for a map with a list of restaurants.

Check out a restaurant list before you go, using the internet. Print it and put it in your pocket.

To save paper, keep it in your mobile phone. In case you lose your phone or use a different one, email yourself and pick up the email later on a new phone.

If you don't want to use a phone in a public place, write a blog post and ask a hotel concierge or friendly official to log into the website, read the suggestions, and draw the location on the hotel map. Then you will see how to get to the nearest good restaurant, and equally importantly, how to get back to your hotel.

If you are in a country or destination such as Hong Kong, where taxi drivers do not speak English, ask your hotel concierge to write the name of the restaurant on the back of the hotel card.

What do you want when you meet somebody else on your journey? To find the way? To the airport or restaurant? To get a recommendation for a restaurant? Or Supermarket? You will need that question written down in the local language. Either start learning the local language. Or write down the most needed words in that language with the translation and keep that piece of paper handy in the right hand pocket of your jacket.

CALL TO ACTION
If not now, THEN WHEN?
If not you, THEN WHO?
If not here, THEN WHERE?

TO SHARE SUCCESS
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.
Nothing succeeds like success.

To encourage others
Call to action.

Travel Inspiration
visitbritain.com
visitlondon.com
Churchill and Roosevelt statue, Bond Street, London, England.

Churchill statue, Parliament Square, London, England.

Coventry Cathedral


Churchill bust. Israel.

Useful Websites
https://www.amazon.com/Essentials-Myers-Briggs-Type-Indicator-Assessment/dp/0470343907
visitbritain.com
wikivoyage
wikitravel
tripadvisor

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, Author and Speaker. Please share your favourite posts