Lockdown.

Here we go. Coronavirus has spread around the globe in a short time. and most borders are closed. I’m a person who normally makes a living from taking people around the globe. So how do I handle this situation?

The Coronavirus has become a pandemic. And wisely enough, we have some restrictions right now, in order to save lives. The temporary lockdown, which I think is ok, is very expensive though.

And it has hit my finances as well. I have had all my work contracts put on standby. So the pay check I receive on April 1st, might be the last one I receive in the near future.

How do I deal with that?

I was in Vietnam when the lockdown started. And I seriously thought about staying in Vietnam. I had a valid visa for several months. and the cost of living in Vietnam is low. Vietnam also has the virus a lot more under control than in my native Denmark.

But the Danish government rolled out a package that is aimed at helping those who lose income because of the virus. So I am now in Copenhagen in order to apply for compensation. Not sure if I will qualify. But I will try.

Going back to the basics.

I have been living high life for the past decade. 2-3 cafe visits a day has been the norm. My job has paid me between 300 and 500 restaurant means a year. But when I was young and broke I used to survive on very little money in order to travel. And it’s back to that lifestyle for a few weeks now, until we get past this virus mess.

And getting back to the basics is maybe not that bad. While I really enjoy my high living lifestyle in luxury hotels and airports around the globe, This has also taken a toll on my body. I am at times sleep deprived. I am also putting on too much weight sometimes, when I eat out of restaurants for weeks in a row. And during my days off, I am often enjoying some nice craft beer in bars around the globe. I do not want to stop that lifestyle. Not at all. But taking a break from it sometimes is good. So now that I am stuck in a lockdown, I might as well use that as a good reason to detox and eat healthy.

My daily routine during the lockdown.

I am right now sitting in an apartment in Copenhagen that I have borrowed from a good friend, who is abroad anyway. It’s in the suburbs of Copenhagen. A part of Copenhagen that I do not know very well. So every morning I sit down and look at google maps of the area. And I pick a place in the Copenhagen suburbs that I have never seen before. And then I take an early morning walk to that place, before the supermarkets open.

Once my local supermarket opens at 08:00 I will do my daily shopping, where I have a maximum of 100kr to spend (roughly 14€). I can live on that easily. And most days I spend less. This comes from a guy who just one week ago spend an average of 14€ a day on coffee alone. Being that budget conscious, means that I will not get out of this with huge dept. Even if the government end up giving my no support package. I also benefit from never having taken out mortgage, big bank loans, or anything else that forces me to have a big monthly income.

Time to explore the Copenhagen suburbs.

After breakfast, I usually sit and work for a while on my computer. I do all these little chores that I have been telling myself to get done over the past few years. But never did, cause i was too busy. I also take my time to write some friends that I have not been in touch with for a while. All in all, I’m actually quite productive, even if I’m stranded and unemployed.

I’m used to going out of my comfort zone.

This Coronavirus lockdown is really a mess for my life. But in the midst of all this mess, I try to make the best out of it. As a traveler, I am used to going out of my comfort zone and living a lifestyle that is unpredictable.  And while I am never gonna say that this situation is good, then it might have reminded me that it’s actually possible for me to slow life down a little from time to time. Might just slow down a bit more in the future. Virus or not.

Having an online drinking session with a group of friends who are also locked down.

If you do not know me and wonder how I make a living as a freelancer in tourism. then you can read more about it on this link