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Sunday, May 3, 2020

Essentials for the "New Normal"

This is the third time the Enhanced Community Quarantine or ECQ has been extended in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces. We have named it "Season 3 of ECQ" to make it sound less stressful.

Everyone seems to be calling this "the New Normal," but honestly, I cringe when I hear people mentioning that term. This thing isn't normal at all!  Public transportation has been suspended and since I don't own a car, I have to walk 1.6 miles to get to the supermarket. Walking back home with two heavy bags of groceries is not easy. So I decided to buy myself a trolley.


This is a big help for when I need to go to the wet market for meat, fish and vegetables. The wet market is only half a mile from home, so that's easy peasy for me. For the first few weeks of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, I also used this trolley when I needed to get stuff from the supermarket. However, this trolley can only carry about 55 pounds (25 kilograms), and if I bought items that would weigh more, then I would still have to carry another bag over my shoulders.

Although it has been my family's goal to live frugally during this uncertain time, I took out part of my savings and bought a bike.

Yes, I did. And I named it "Quarantino." I made sure that the bike I bought was sturdy but light weight. It did cost me quite a bit of money, but now, it is easier for me to get the stuff I need, when I need it.


My bike is a Clifton 27.5 rim, alloy frame, Shimano 21 speed mountain bike, and I am glad that I chose this model. I can just shift gears to adjust to the inclination of the road to make pedaling easy. I now can go to the supermarket, get the groceries I need, stuff it in my backpack and ride home. It is good exercise too, so it is a win-win for me.

I also added a bike rack rear carrier if in case my groceries won't fit in my back pack. I just put them in a reusable bag, strap it down, and off I go!


I have no idea if there will be a "Season 4" of this Enhanced Community Quarantine. Hopefully not. But if we do get another extension, I am ready for it.


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