Coronavirus and the global shut down

The air in Hong Kong has been exceptionally fresh.  It is incredible how clear the skies have been since China shut down.  Looking out of my window, I can still clearly see the hills in the New Territories.  This is normally something you don't see until an intense tropical storm of typhoon clears the haze out of the city.

When I first arrived in Hong Kong, I found myself still clinging to some of my old habits from Australia.  I was still searching for the same foods, the same activities to continue with.  I also found myself watching Aussie Rules most weekends rather than going out.  It wasn't a great habit, but even now it's nice to be able to watch a game in the same timezone.  My brother often has to wake up in the early hours of the morning if there's a particularly important game he wants to watch.

I started my Sunday like I did many others.  I slept in, then I migrated over to the couch to watch some Aussie Rules.  The first game came and went and then my beloved Hawks came on.  It was the first game of the season, a season which looked to be in danger from the moment it began as travel restrictions and bans on gatherings had started.  The games were already being played in empty stadiums as large gatherings were now considered to be too dangerous.

As halftime approached, the commentators announced that there would be an emergency press conference with the CEO of the AFL at halftime.  The voices of the commentators betrayed what they all thought.  My chat groups all lit up as we all started to discuss what we knew wast coming.  The halftime siren sounded with the Hawks and Lions fighting a close game.  The CEO came onto the screen and announced that the season would be suspended at the end of the round for the next two months.

We all knew this was coming, but we had all been hoping to get a few weeks of games at least.  The rest of the game was strange to watch.  Apparently the players weren't told about this news and they fought out the game.  The Hawks slowly took over and pushed ahead of the Lions.  The Hawks midfield looks better than it has been for years, which makes the end of this season even more tragic. Watching an old player like Shaun Burgoyne continue to display his incredible skills also felt bitter sweet, as I thought about whether or not he would still be be able to play once the league resumed.

The siren sounded to end the game and the Hawks had won.  For me, Australia had now truly shut down.