Yesterday, I had a long conversation with an associate in Egypt.
I should point out that this person is a recently retired senior police commander, so is well "plugged in" and educated, having specialised in the more international, white-collar aspects of policing.
He describes a part of the world that is 100% normal. Everything is open. There are no restrictions or rules or any such. Apart from wearing masks on public transport and in government buildings, but where many people just ignore this because of the cost of these imported items for the average citizen. (Purchasing a mask effectively increases the cost of travel on the Cairo Metro by around 50%.)
At the beginning, Egypt emulated the hysteria, closed hotels, went into lockdown etc, for no other reason than it was "fashionable". Everybody was doing it and there was lots of peer pressure.
But, a few months into the experiment (and this is, after all, an experiment we are being forced to live through as lab specimens) it became unsustainable so it was just scrapped - as it has been in many poorer countries around the world that cannot afford endless debt because they do not borrow in their own currency.
The result today, as described to me yesterday, is full and complete return to normality, as if nothing had happened. People come and go as they please, do as they please, have big weddings and get married, sit in cafes, go to bars, gyms, beaches, swimming pools, whatever.
And, to emphasise, this is a poorer part of the world that has very basic and defective health care. There is no NHS to save or protect there. And guess what, people are not dropping dead everywhere. Also, the vaccine is unaffordable for the great majority of the population. This will be an option for the rich.
In parts of the world that have returned to normality - mostly out of necessity - that appears to be the prevailing theme: AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. Once you decide to ignore the virus and just treat it as any other disease, it magically disappears from everyday life.
My friend was inviting me to fly out and escape the oppression of Europe.
Yes, this is what we have come to: life in a police state under a military dictatorship is less oppressive than in Europe. Think about that.
Reading in the Mail and elsewhere about the demonising of "influencers" in Dubai and elsewhere, many of whom are rushing to return to the UK; if I was in such a place, especially with my nearest and dearest, I would stay there. Why come back?
I am sorely tempted. The only requirement, that the Egyptians are maintaining really for PR reasons, is a negative PCR test. No quarantine, no self-isolation, nothing. But, the main issue I have is that the paranoia in Europe is so high that if I jump ship to sunnier and happier climes, it may be difficult to return for an unknown time.
The good news, as I say: those parts of the world that can no longer afford this self-inflicted madness are really perfectly normal now. Europe dragged much of the world into this mess, and perhaps the rest of the world will help pull it out.
Funnily enough im going there next month (i used to live and work there for 5 or so years).
They do have mask laws and so on but its ignored as usual.
The town where im going the police did some fundraising last week walking up and down fining people for no masks (50p roughly) but nobody has seen them since.
All the bars and restaurants are open as normal.
I've got a letter saying im going to work and just sorting out flights.
The town where im going the police did some fundraising last week walking up and down fining people for no masks (50p roughly) but nobody has seen them since.
"Fundraising". Yes, that is the right word 😀
"Fundraising". Yes, that is the right word 😀
If you've lived in those countries you'll understand what I mean.
Its literally that.
Good luck driving a car or bike around Bali 2-3 days before payday. By that time the police have spent their monthly salary and looking for a topup before the next batch.
Egypt still remains the only country where ive actually been robbed BY the police INSIDE an airport though!
