[As of 27 Aug 2021]
1 year 5 months
That's how long it has been since the first COVID patient was diagnosed in Myanmar (or Burma).
And 7 months is how long the country was in chaos in the military took over.
Undeterred by these situations, we have stuck around at our home.
Come August 2021, Mister's visa was expiring and despite trying to renew multiple times, our efforts were in vain. With the nightly raids by the military, even in the big city like Yangon, we didn't dare to overstay without proper visa and Form C documents. So in the last week of August 2021, we have come to accept the reality that we gotta move country.
Once we have accepted that fact (which was an agonising and slow process - imagine leaving your home in such horrible circumstances, without slightest hint of when you can return),
everything else which came after could only be summarised in one word - hectic.
First step: Buy air tickets (and excess baggage)
Singapore Airlines currently flies twice a week between Yangon and Singapore on Wednesday and Friday. Of course, even the one way ticket cost double that of the return ticket we purchased in 2019, with the same Singapore Airlines. If you consider that it was for one way, the ticket actually cost 4 times the usual, but it came with the flexibility of free date change. Just in case you test positive at the pre-departure PCR test like we did T-T
Second step: Book pre-departure PCR Test appointment
We did our first tests at the Pun Hlaing Siloam Hospital in Hlaing Tharyar. If you go between 9am-12 noon, you can get your results the next morning before 12 noon as well. We do not recommend Pun Hlaing Clinic Taw Win (located in the city), where I went for my second test, considering its more convenient location. I waited over 30 min just to make payment and more than an hour just to get the sample taken. The main hospital in Hlaing Tharyar is more organised and has a dedicated testing area. For all the tests, we requested them to email us the results and printed them ourselves. If you don't receive the email result by 12noon, just call and remind them.
Third step: Fill in ICA arrival cards and pay for on-arrival PCR tests (online)
This really depends on the country you are heading to. For Singapore, we had to fill in ICA arrival cards and pay for on-arrival PCR tests. We did these after we get negative result for the pre-departure PCR.
Fourth step: PACK!
24 Aug morning : sample taken for pre-departure PCR (for Mister)
25 Aug around 10:30am : negative result received (for Mister)
27 Aug 7:30am : Time to leave our home
Can you imagine how crazy those 2 days were? We had approximately 45 hours to
- do PCR test for me (We tested one after another so as not to waste 420,000 MMK if one of us get positive result like we did in the first round of tests)
- move all the plants to my parents' house
- move all the food and cooking ingredients (basically everything in pantry, kitchen cabinets, fridge) to my parents' house
- pack all the things we want to bring with us
- keep everything else we are not bringing in cabinets and boxes
- wash and dry all the bedsheets, pillowcases, cushion covers
- keep pillows, bolsters, blankets, cushions in their cases in the wardrobe
- cling wrap living room shelves, sofa, bed frames including mattress
- leave dehumidifier in all the rooms
- clean fridge
And we were still working all the way till 25 Aug and about 2 hours on 26 Aug. The day we flew was the only day we took full day of leave. We barely slept the night before our flight. Even if we had time, I don't think we would be able to fall asleep.
Of course, we took several photos and videos to capture memories of the 15 months living at our home. Nonetheless, it was tough, leaving the home we have built together. We chose even the kitchen towels, cushion covers piece by piece. We have assembled dining table, Billy shelves and study table ourselves. From killing all the plants, we had progressed to nurturing over 30 of them. This was where we had our first family X'mas tree and handmade Chinese New Year decorations. Mister created several cocktails and I baked chicken pot pie and cookies. This little cozy home has kept us sane throughout Covid and the military coup.
Fifth & Final step: Fly off
In good old days, we can arrive at the airport 1.5 to 2 hours before departure time. But we were not sure about extra checkpoints so we tried to reach the Yangon airport around 815am for the 1030am flight. Apparently, we were the last two to check in as there were only 6 passengers in our entire plane. Other than the extra document check at check-in counter, everything else was similar.
Such emotional rollercoaster left me exhausted and I fell asleep just as the plane was taxiing off. Food and drinks are provided during flight but you must keep your mask on at all times except while eating and drinking.
Upon arrival at the Changi Airport, we were ferried by a bus to an outdoor area where the airport staff conducted temperature check, immigration process, on-arrival antigen test and on-arrival PCR test. We had to wait around 15 minutes to get the antigen test results. After getting the negative result slip, we can pick up our luggage and board the bus which then brought us to our assigned quarantine hotel.
When we arrived at the Orchard Hotel, the staff checked us in one by one and we had to pay for the room in advance. We were issued utensils, antigen test kits, room card (for 1 time entry) and a few instruction documents. Yes, ICA will call you on your WhatsApp and hotel room phone a few times during these 14 days.
If you are wondering what to pack for your quarantine,
here is the guide .
Fortunately for us, our room has a bathtub which allowed us to unwind at the end of each workday. Those 2 weeks were slow-paced, but exactly what we needed as we have been wound so tightly both mentally and emotionally, for the past 7 months.
This is not the end of our moving abroad story though.
Our journey continued in the next few posts.
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