Brisbane (Australia)
03 NOVEMBER - 17 NOVEMBER 2020
Relocating to Brisbane from a state that was 'ravaged' by COVID automatically handed us a mandatory 2-week quarantine period on arrival. This was the punishment we were required to endure and the consequence of coming from a dirty state to one that was clean.
There was no circumventing the process. Mentally we made our own preparations and came to terms with the requirement of spending 1,209,600 seconds in a room of approximately 30m2. They were the rules of the contest. For those that haven't contemplated what quarantine is like, here's a look back on our stay at the 5-star Brisbane Marriott Hotel.
Initial novelty
03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
After a lengthy process at the airport, being herded through the terminal like a bunch of lepers, driven to the hotel and formally signed in, gaining access to your place of residence for the next 14 days was somewhat satisfying.
In those first hours it felt like the start of any other holiday. A typical hotel room, a nice view and the opportunity to relax. Our view out over the Brisbane river to the Story Bridge was most certainly a highlight, something we all made use of.
03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
It's all rainbows and cheetoh's at this point. You know in yourself that there will be days when the monotony is going to drive you insane but for right now, it was all toast.
03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
The Story Bridge - a heritage listed cantilever bridge spanning the Brisbane River. It occupied our days, nights and sometimes even our dreams. Many times I looked out to the bars and restaurants on the north bank on the river and wondered what it would be like to be one of those people, sitting there, looking up at these buildings and not having the slightest care in the world regarding COVID or the need to quarantine. We wanted to be those people. We wanted to be the type of people that could drive over the bridge via the Bradfield Highway and not turn back, just keep on driving down to the Gold Coast where our new abode was waiting for us.
03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Inga suggested that I bring a couple bottles of wine for our stay - Inga is very smart woman!
03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
As night fell along the river the bridge would light up in accordance with the mood of the day. Ever changing and ever impressive, our window out on the world held it in centre frame.
03 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 1 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Aiden running riot prior to bath time.
Check out the view
04 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 2 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
This was the view from my office.
Signing on then positioning myself so I could have this view for the day was fantastic. For me being occupied during the day made the whole quarantine experience relatively easy. For Inga & Aiden on the other hand, moments passed by far more slowly.
04 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 2 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Pretty in green, just a standard Wednesday night for the Story Bridge.
Fresh air breaks
07 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 5 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
One of the small allowances we had.
'Fresh air breaks' were offered to all quarantine guests but needed to be booked in advance. Early on in the piece the wait time was literally minutes but as more and more rooms became occupied the wait to get out increased in associated.
We were only allowed to move around the pool and terrace area which occupied a space on Level 4 of the hotel. For most people on their breaks this was their opportunity to exercise. It didn't take long for the 'walkers' to figure our a small loop around the pool, up the length of the terrace and back. In all honesty, the site of masked people doing loops on a 40mtr tracked looked a little mental.
07 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 5 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
What confounded me slightly is that there was no monitoring or policing of social distancing on the terrace. Every other interaction within the quarantine framework operated at the expected level of social distancing, but, out on the terrace somehow interactions between guests and also the police monitoring numbers on a break and their duration, fell apart.
07 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 5 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
We felt it was important for Aiden to get out as much as possible. Early on in the piece we were able to get him outside (3) times per day but as the numbers in the hotel swelled this became twice a day. Inga would take him out in the morning and I'd take him out after my working day.
08 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 6 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Not sure of the reason but there was a welcome fireworks display at the end of our first weekend.
08 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 6 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
I can only assume that for an active toddler needing to occupy your time in one room with limited option for play was fairly brutal.
08 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 6 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Thankfully we had access to the ABC Kids channel, so The Wiggles, Sesame Street, Thomas the Tank Engine, GoJetters, in fact anything that moderately resembled a cartoon was right in our wheelhouse for producing an engaged and calm boy.
I can do everything you can
09 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 7 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Aiden was proving a point, pretty much showing me that he could 'do it all'. Here he is getting started on my morning emails, watching Bananas in Pyjamas and acting like a toddler boss.
We're still alive
10 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 8 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Sending greetings out into the world.
I think this is the point where we see our own 'turn' in the acceptance of what quarantine is doing to us. Once you start sending messages out into the World and creating tasks that are not common place in the everyday is the exact point in time when the four walls around you start to win the contest.
11 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 9 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Policy was that on Day 10 everyone staying in quarantine was required to have a COVID test, post test however it was a requirement that the remaining time spent was all indoors, no fresh air breaks at all. In preparation for that we took to turning our room inside out and created fun 'rollie' things to do.....😂
11 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 9 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
You got a bed...then you got a ramp
If you have a ramp then the sky is the limit to the amount of fun you can have (apparently).
When your mental fragility is displayed for all to see
13 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 11 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
This is our first full day of lockdown...in quarantine lockdown
What else are you going to do with a box from Dan Murphy's?
What now?
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
I think this may have been our most difficult day.
You're entirely confined to the small space, you're not able to step outside for any fresh air, you're still a couple of days away from freedom and time ticks buy in a painfully slow way.
Our bed ramp was set up for Aiden to get his 'roll on', or to 'jump on' or burrow through. So here's what our room looked like for a large part of that afternoon.
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Bed ramp, cartoons and tent in the corner. It looks more like a child care centre than anything else.
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Two whole days from freedom...C'mon! Lets just get there!
Aiden was the last to crack
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
When your son starts walking around with the waste paper basket as protective armour, well then you know that quarantine had well and truly cracked us all.
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Instigating a ramp roll with Aiden's pal, the Lion
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Ramp roll in motion - both Aiden and the Lion are holding on for dear life
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Once the bed roll became less amusing then it was into tunnel crawling. I'm sure Aiden was thinking why I was completing the tunnel circuit so slowly.
14 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 12 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Waste paper bin carnage
15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Bubbles for days, a great way to occupy 15 mins during the morning
15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
Bubbles...bubbles...and more of the same
15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
15 November 2020 - Quarantine Day 13 - Brisbane Marriott Hotel - Queensland - Australia
The view never got old but our time in the one room certainly caused some frustration.
With all of that, let me say thank you to the Marriott, they were always willing to assist, were impeccable with delivery of meals and the room was exactly as expected.
A necessary state, not particularly enjoyable but it was comfortable and I guess that's all you can ask for when you're in quarantine.
