Before leaving Japan in January I had explained to some friends in Europe my plans to get rid of everything I own except for a backpack and a small case with electronics and computer equipment. They seemed very excited at my strive for “minimalism“. My goal was to never have to be in countries on visas, except for tourism, never own a motorcycle or a car again, relying strictly on public transportation, and not ever accumulating stuff.
On March 24, when I was in Thailand to dive with my godson Dennis, the second generation of our bubbles dive team, the country shut down and I was “stuck“ in Thailand. In order to stay I was required to first extend my stay here for another month to the middle of May. But when May rolled around and I found the Thai government shutting me out of provinces on lockdown into a province with open hotels every foreigner here found themselves under a general amnesty for the COVID-19 crisis so we didn’t have to do anything with immigration, just stay in place and wait.
I made my way eventually to an island near Cambodia called Koh Chang. But since I decided going back to Japan was not an option and certainly entering the US would be a very bad decision since I really don’t want to be there and the Covid situation is very bad, my only option was to either escape Thailand to Europe or to stay here. But then Europe went back into lockdown and they gave me only one option, to try to get a retirement visa (one year) for Thailand, i went with the flow. That was successful.
In order to stave off boredom and to enable moving around my best bet was to rent a motorcycle, A 125 cc scooter. But since I expected my retirement visa to be approved the 3,000 baht a month rental for the scooter seem to be an expensive option. It was more economical for me to buy a used motorcycle and then sell it when I leave. So I did that, further imploding my “ minimalism“.
Sometimes I like buying food on the street or getting some things in the store, mixing them together and making my own food with my own herbs and spices that are specifically beneficial to my health. So I decided to ask for someone selling a used microwave. I found one for 500 baht. (30 Baht=US$1). And of course with a microwave, cooking at home, I needed plates, some cooking container, some refrigeration containers and some utensils. Minimalism Imploding more.
What to do when the sun is very bright and shining down on your head out of the water and in the water? The best solution outside of sun cream which is only partially effective is to have hats, long sleeve shirts (very cool ones) and long trousers (again cool ones). All are very bright and colorful, a slap in the face at conventionalism and “anti minimalism”.
So I am now a resident of Thailand and back to living longer-term, The opposite of my goals I stated at the beginning of this diatribe. Don’t misunderstand me. I have no problems being happy on the beach and being in generally beautiful, warm weather. But at least for now my goal of detaching from governments, personal transportation equipment and things has been postponed.