• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
Get our Newsletter

Lifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living HomepageLifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living

Moving to Singapore and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Singapore.

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Property
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Work & Finance
        • White Room photography studio in SingaporePortrait photography in Singapore: the best studios in town
        • stamp duty investing in property5 Reasons to Invest in Property in Sunny Spain!
        • Costa Rhu: Jyoti’s spacious & central Tanjong Rhu condo
        • Shop dress shoes for men in SingaporeDress shoes for men – finding the perfect pair in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • solo exhibition in singaporeAmazing 3D-style artwork by Zhuang Hong Yi
        • VIP Glamourous Giving Sep 2023What’s on this week and beyond
        • Sailing Yacht Charter in SingaporeLuxury yacht rentals in Singapore
        • Where to watch the F1 2023 and party!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • White Room photography studio in SingaporePortrait photography in Singapore: the best studios in town
        • Nexus International School Singapore digital learning and managementCoding languages starts early at this school
        • early learning centre on holland roadSJI International opens a new preschool on Holland Road
        • Centre Stage performing arts and drama classes in SingaporeTop ballet, dance and drama classes in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Furniture & Décor
      • Real Homes
        • solo exhibition in singaporeAmazing 3D-style artwork by Zhuang Hong Yi
        • Looking for the best outdoor furniture in Singapore?
        • Where to buy antiques or vintage furniture – Reviews
        • Modern interior design with a touch of tradition!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Australasia
      • Rest Of The World
        • stamp duty investing in property5 Reasons to Invest in Property in Sunny Spain!
        • Indonesia travel - where to stay in BaliIndonesia travel – Where to stay in Bali & island resorts
        • Sailing Yacht Charter in SingaporeLuxury yacht rentals in Singapore
        • Beach Villas Wakatobi Indonesian island resort6 Reasons to Book These Beach Villas!
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • Oktoberfest 2023 singapore - the places for food and beerHow to celebrate Oktoberfest 2023 in Singapore
        • Deviate wine bar in Dempsey Hill - we chat to owner Joe Keats of Petersons WinesThis Dempsey bar is a best-kept secret!
        • Crossroads cafe at Orchard - where to eat in Orchard Road - alfresco dining SingaporeTry alfresco dining & happy hour at this café at Orchard Road
        • The best birthday cakes in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • anti-frizz hair treatmentFrizzy hair treatments – from keratin to hair botox!
        • hairdressers in singaporeBest Hair Salons in Singapore for Haircut, Colour & De-frizz!
        • sensitive skin moisturiser skincare steps productsTried & Tested: Sensitive skin moisturisers, serums & more!
        • Shop dress shoes for men in SingaporeDress shoes for men – finding the perfect pair in Singapore
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • allergic rhinitis, allergy medication and insuranceFast facts about allergies, their symptoms and insurance
        • art therapy depression treatmentNavigating depression with Experiential Therapy
        • The best personal trainers and personal training gyms in SingaporeWhere to go for personal trainers in Singapore
        • Sport clubs in SingaporeWant to join a sports team?
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • Close

Quarantine in Singapore by Julia Maywald

9th November 2021 by Expat Living 2 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/quarantine-in-singapore-living-in-the-in-between/

There is nothing charming about serving hotel quarantine in Singapore for the third time. No elite club membership, no perks or bonus miles, no fanfare. The privilege is simply in getting off the island, whereas others have not.

I call these two weeks “Living in the In Between”. It is the pause between a whirlwind time back home and resumption of our lives here in Singapore. The pace slows. There is plenty of time for working, reading, napping, binge-watching, exercising and catching up with friends.

Daily and weekly activities mark where we are in our 14 days of SHN (Stay-Home Notice).

Quarantine in Singapore

Daily:

  • Record temperature morning, noon and evening
  • Answer a phone call from a government official asking the exact same questions as the previous day
  • Wait for the doorbell to ring with meal delivery
  • Select the next day’s meal from two choices, Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian

Weekly:

  • Administer self-COVID test on days 3, 7 and 11
  • Change towels every third day and sheets at the halfway point
  • And, the most anticipated, leave the room for a PCR test the day before checkout – a reason to bathe!

What was different the third time?

Well, for starters, my husband and I quarantined together for the first time. It went better than I thought, but then again we only had plastic cutlery, so weapons were limited. I was able to reserve a small suite. No balcony, no stunning view, but there was a door that closed between the bedroom and living room. This meant my husband could be on a conference call without risking a photo bomb of his pyjama-clad wife walking by.

We became savvier about what would make the stay more comfortable. A friend sent items from our condo: coffee maker, yoga mat, throw blanket, computer monitor. Delivery services ensured a supply of snacks and meals, when we grew tired of the hotel bento box rotation. Friends dropped off Happy Hour fixings. We lacked for nothing, except fresh air.

We also rented a stationary exercise bike from a company called Happy SHN (no joke). Someone was bound to capitalise on our captivity. It was a game changer. Unfortunately for my beloved, my favourite exercise playlist was Disco Essentials. The cycling sessions unleashed my inner dancing queen, and the Brothers Gibb delivered.

While my husband spent his time working, I punctuated my days rocking to “Staying Alive”, listening to Friends of the Museums lectures, and chatting with friends. We both read. I finished the latest novel for my book club and participated in our online discussion. My husband worked his way through Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew’s memoir. We played Scrabble and cribbage. We watched Ted Lasso and tennis. On one lazy Sunday afternoon, we imagined we were holed up in a cabin in the woods, minus the great outdoors.

A friend poetically called this our “liminal” space, a gentle word for being neither here nor there, as in location or states of being. A lovely way to reframe SHN. I like that.

Read more of Julia’s writing at oursingaporeblog.com.

Tell us a tale and receive $200

Here’s your chance to get published – and make some money at the same time. We’re looking for 500-word written contributions on any funny, poignant, practical or even controversial topic that touches on expat life in Singapore. Simply email your stories in a Word document to contribute@expatliving.sg and we’ll consider them for inclusion in an upcoming issue.

This article first appeared in the November 2021 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!

Categories: Living in Singapore Rest Of The World Travel Tags: Parting Shot

Expat Living

Expat Living has everything to help you make the most of living in Singapore! We've got information on neighbourhoods, things to do and see, dining, entertainment, schools, travel, fashion, furniture, finance, health and beauty. And more!

You May Also Like

stamp duty investing in property

5 Reasons to Invest in Property in Sunny Spain!

Costa Rhu: Jyoti’s spacious & central Tanjong Rhu condo

living in singapore demographics expat living reader survey

EXPAT LIVING READER SURVEY 2023

Primary Sidebar

  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2023 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.