About Pandemic Prowling: In this series, Pandemic Prowling, I share stories about my travels across 4 continents (Asia, N. America, S. America, Africa) amidst the outbreak of Covid19.
(September 2020)
Touch Base and Go
Being back in the states was nice and all seeing family. But the heart of a world traveler cannot be stopped by some government restrictions. It takes a lot more to keep a free spirit grounded. So having spent some time in one place during a brief down period after seeing some of Latin America, it was time to plan the next leg of the Global Odyssey.
Even before all this Covid restriction that limited movement, I had already had my mind set on where I wanted to go months prior, Africa. The reason being (the long and short of it anyways) was that Africa was the continent with the world’s fastest booming population and with that a high demand for resources such as food, medicine, infrastructure, etc. Basically everything a civilization needs but on overdrive with the booming population.
At this point of time the African continent would be the most radically different from all of my other experiences. A scary prospect going there by myself? A little. I’ve never heard of an Asian American going to Africa by himself without any organization backing him. But screw it.
Travel of course was not so easy nowadays, restrictions made matter a bit convoluted at times as could be seen by all the misadventures I’ve had up to this point. But with misadventures came experience, I more or less knew what I was dong. Originally, I had planned to go to Rwanda as my first country as the ease of starting business was best on the continent. But while looking at the US Embassy for Rwanda, one of the restrictions was quarintine upon entrance as well as a covid test.
I didn’t want to deal with the hassle, so I looked around, did some research and picked a country that was relatively free of these restrictions.
Tanzania
From what I could tell with the information on the US Embassy website, entry into Tanzania was similar to pre covid times. Visa on arrival, no additional restrictions.
Still I wanted to be safe, so I booked an appointment to get a Covid test while I was still in the US (San Francisco).
“Why not?” I thought to myself
It’s free anyways (paid for by insurance).
During the day test, the doctor that administered my test was very curious about my life.
“How many countries have you gone to?“
“Why are you still travelling”
“You must have a very interesting life, what’s your website?”
The questions seemed endless, she even began poking though my website during my brief time window with her. And while administering the test with a Q-tip up my nose, she was still asking me questions as my eyes watered from the discomfort of being penetrated.
The test actually wasn’t that bad, it did leave me a bit amused by how curious people are about my life. But that aside, I was ready to go with my covid test in hand.
And for the record, 6 countries in (so far) during my travels during this era and my test came back negative.
Onward to Tanzania!
Kingston S. Lim 
Pls stay safe, the second wave is already up in India.
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