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Sunday - Swimming in a Deserted Thai Resort by artemislives

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· @artemislives ·
$47.30
Sunday - Swimming in a Deserted Thai Resort
One of the JOYS of Covid and its consequent tourist lockdown for more than 13 months here is the lack of tourists.  That very same energy that has seen us on our knees *devastated financially* for the last year and seen ***more than 80% of businesses in some parts of Thailand permanently closed*** does have it's upside: gloriously empty resorts on hot lazy Sundays.  There's loads less traffic, people have TIME to do things again, and to occasionally take a whole Sunday off.

Many, many resorts and hotels in Thailand have simply closed altogether - the insurance payouts they get back are better than the slim pickings from locals, and once the resorts are officially closed, the government contributes a percentage of the wages for staff who have been laid off. 

Thank the Goddess for people like Steve and Wanchai - the owners of the [Enchanted Garden Bungalows]() here on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.  
[//]:# (!pinmapple 18.816153 lat 99.059837 long Enchanted Gardens Bungalows, San Pu Loei, Chiang Mai - chilled local resort d3scr)
They're scraping along having let out a few rooms to locals by the month, but the resort is 98% empty.  They're using the Covid time to build a BIG new restaurant that will seat close to 500 people, and in between times they chill poolside and we speculate about all things "after Covid". πŸ˜† Thank the Buddha that Steve and Wanchai haven't drained their pool to save money, as so many other resorts have done. *It's getting harder and harder to find places to have a swim!* 

Friday was the end of the Thai school year and it's averaging about 39C most everyday - HOT!!!  So it was a BLESSING, and a serious luxury for this exhausted entrepreneurial mama, when our old American expat friend, Marie, suggested an afternoon by the pool at the Enchanted Garden.  She's 77 years old and recovering from major surgery, and so we help her out with shopping, a bit of cooking and errands.  She has little to give back materially, but she's soooo generous with what she does have.  I'd be too embarrassed to ask if I could bring friends over for a freebie if I knew people were struggling, but she knows Steve and Wanchai better than I do and really enjoyed to be able to give US something today.

![SundaySwim2 (2).jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/artemislives/23xKn7SRqZno5DPTfqQt5swLqLiKL6ppek7KAdMtDDuuY6GRRH2kYJ5f7mSTsQJZBLKj2.jpg)

It was a bit of a win-win really.  We lazed poolside and *chilled* for much of the afternoon; she got a chance to see her old friends and bring them some watermelon, got some gentle water exercise in and then we took her shopping for groceries on the way home. Even my phone battery died, so I really HAD nothing to do except close my eyes and chill.

![SundaySwim1.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/artemislives/Ep7v1kYW9zU3ob52GLpKPpifhJz1ixhTwVFMnCUzfHfqxmdUE5FgAXs9SNfmGjBxrnQ.jpg)

Eternally grateful that white, white skin is considered uber-stylish in Asia πŸ˜† and that tanned skin is considered ugly. πŸ˜†  

The view from my sun lounge, peeking behind my bamboo umbrella? 

![SundaySwim5.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/artemislives/23ywq2qg4BMVTFDk2PuDKuYcisEFNY4CTSRsYSygxZHwS6ZDtuKytuM8XYsLTmx6ydhDE.jpg)

Marie really enjoyed getting out after many months housebound - she lives alone with her cat on the outskirts of town, and doesn't have transport.

![SundaySwim4.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/artemislives/23xVKSfZNT78XGhWtx7rJtLfe8LB8Muj2FSzMyWH7T6VaK9qNHxs7R8tmPcSBqbe84SLC.jpg)

She amazed me at being able to swim a few laps (in between endless cigarettes) despite having almost died just 5 months ago. 

![SundaySwim6.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/artemislives/Ep7sgYHGKCX2aWnVtpRCm5C2iKbg4ooThfrBjscMAQBnVzXkDtyATFtC8RVZLJkyWRJ.jpg)
 
There's something quite calming and magical about the PACE of life in a tourist town having ratcheted back from top gear, to barely first.  Today I found delight and rest and I honestly can't remember anytime this last year that I simply lazed and dozed. The last time I did that would have been in Vietnam, beachside, December 2019. *Far too long between drinks!*

There IS a feeling that Covid and Quarantine is coming to an end here in Thailand, and that borders might start opening soonish.  Strict government quarantine will drop down from its current 15 nights to 10 nights from April 1st (if you are fully vaccinated and from a green light country, with full insurance, a negative Covid test and the Track & Trace app in your phone on arrival).  They are planning to drop that to 7 days in July and to have no quarantine at all by October, ready for the tourist season 2021-2022.  *If you meet all those requirements, esp fully vaccinated.*

I'm glad Steve and Wanchai will have their new restaurant well and truly finished by then, and I plan to be supporting them and helping others to find them - after all, the stayers who are not just peddling up the Covid mountain under their own steam, but EXPANDING & HELPING OTHERS really DO deserve our loyalty and support.

Meanwhile, more swims to help get Marie fitter while we squeeze in her grocery runs, and more encouragement for amazing local businesses and resorts who are holding on and managing to make people's day.

#### How are YOUR local resorts & hotels holding up?
#### Are there businesses YOU want to keep supporting even more after Covid?

#### Tell me about it in the comments!
<br>
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vote details (275)
@kaminchan ·
$0.10
That’s a really nice swimming pool! No other people! You own the pool! 
πŸ‘  , ,
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@artemislives ·
It was AWESOME!  Clean and gorgeous and SO MUCH NEEDED to simply zone out and stare at the banana leaves!  Do you have a great local swimming spot in BKK?  Delighted to report this is also a lovely salt water pool and my hair is not remotely green afterwards. πŸ˜†

Hot enough to swim everyday, no??  

!ENGAGE 15
πŸ‘  
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@kaminchan ·
I wish I could go to the sea or an island to swim all day! Alas, no sitar time these days. Time has been sapped by some time-eater monster! LoL
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@misterengagement ·
<center>  Thank you for your engagement on this post, you have recieved <code>ENGAGE</code> tokens.</center>
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@kaminchan ·
Thanks for the tip!
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@ofsedgeandsalt ·
$0.06
looks lovely!
πŸ‘  , ,
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@artemislives ·
Truly, seriously was.  Just complete downtime.  And silence.  Rejuvenating in the extreme. 

Thanks for stopping by!! 

!ENGAGE 15
πŸ‘  
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@misterengagement ·
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@poshbot ·
https://twitter.com/BreugelMarike/status/1376194699149471748
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