Corona Virus (COVID-19) is putting cities and soon countries on lock downs. Multiple travel restrictions are in place.
Flights being canceled. Quarantines being introduced and forced in some destinations.
This thread is to post information or just vent and share your experiences about how COVID-19 is affecting KITE LIFE (Travel, competitionn events, gear developoment (all done in China!), gear delivery, ability to go to the beach, etc..
I know, I know, this is a pandemic! And bitching about kitesurfing inconveniences during the pandemic when people's lives are at risk is NOT something of real importance.
So to make clear, I am not in any way trying to minimize or normalize the suffering of all the people who are affected by the COVID-19. I myself live in a high risk country and deal with the situation every day. But it is a kitesurfing forum and this major world wide issue has an additional angle (non essential) to look at from the point of view of it's affect on kitesurfing industry, kitesurfing as a sport and as a hobby.
I think this may be a very long thread by the time it's all OVER.
Let me start the thread...
I am going to Pranburi (Thailand) next weekend for a week of kitesurfing. I live in Hong Kong and Thailand just introduced a mandatory quarantine for a list of countries that are "high risk". with required quarantine of two weeks for visitors from these countries. There is a lot of uncertainty about if they actually enforce it. Some of my friends landed yesterday and despite the fact they were from Hong Kong, they were just "advised" to self quarantine but, they were let go to their final destination. This may change within next few days. I am still debating if I should cancel my trip and just stay home.. Though I desperately need a break.
Airlines also already moved my flights twice.. Canceled both of my flights and re-booked me to a flights departing in much less convenient times.. Oh well. Not the end of the world.
If you traveling to Thailand and coming from any country or via any country that is defined as high risk. you may want to keep and eye on latest updates and see if they really force people into qurantine with people who actually went before you. also official info updates here: https://twitter.com/prdthailand (though if you read here, you will only get an official version and NOT what is really happening at the airport ) also here: https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/eng/index.php