Greetings From sunny Sheffield
Things are looking up, very soon we can go to a restaurant or pub without having to hope for clement weather.
Very soon we can hug our loved ones.
Last week I was telling you about some street art that struck a chord - "We are all waves in the same sea" - you can read about it here.
While things are getting better here, we have to remember that no-one is safe until we are all safe... We are all in this together.
China
Coco called me to tell me she was finally having the vaccine.. send me pictures I said.. I want to see what the Chinese vaccine experience is like.
She told me the system is very different there, everyone of every age is being vaccinated at the same time. Whole factories or whole apartment blocks are called up the same day. So two coaches came to pick up Coco and her staff, and the workers in the same commercial area to ferry everyone to a purpose built vaccination centre. The second jab will be in 28 days, after which - she tells me with a degree of national pride all of China will be vaccinated.
Indonesia
Ringo in Indonesia called me to say he has had a vaccine. In Bali they are trying to vaccinate everyone as quickly as possible so that the island can be opened to tourists again, presumably vaccinated tourists. Meanwhile I applied for a business visa (via an agent) for Indonesia and I was surprised to actually receive it. It's an e-visa which I present on arrival. If I use it (I'm still waiting for my second jab) I would still need to fly to Jakarta, quarantine there for a week before being allowed to fly onward to Bali. But I'm excited to finally get the chance to go back to Indonesia and ramp up new products. Heaven knows we need them, and the artisans and their families certainly need the work.
India
Chatting with Mr Chatterjee, it is very bad there.. his two sisters contracted covid, but have now fortunately recovered. But many friends and local people he knows have not, the Ganges is nearby and it's true what you hear about dead bodies drifting by.
It was only February last year that Tomas and I were there, we took an early morning ferry with the locals just for the experience.
While we were there we developed quite a few products with Mr Chatterjee. One was trendy cotton mesh bags.. See below.. Stock Indian Cotton bags.. this will really help with work in that town, when the factory can reopen.
Lots of readers and customers are also asking me if they can help with donations, which is really really kind. So I was just chatting with Chatterjee, he says now his family are OK he can focus on helping others. Oxygen is the problem - the hospitals don't have so people buy their own supplies and take them to the wards. Of course those without work cannot afford to pay the market price, a cylinder costs about £200 - and Chatterjee says he has a contact at a factory that can do refills for about £5
I have set up a Go Fund Me page.. Here is the link,
It's bad in India in many places, even Goa where we have a company apartment (bought many years ago), I spoke to my friend Alex who told me the local hospital ran out of oxygen - I have been there it's a modern very well equipped place with top doctors.. and before they were resupplied 75 people had passed away for lack of oxygen.
If India is bad, Nepal it is worse still, and after speaking to my friend there Mr Uphindra - who was the manager of the hotel in downtown Kathmandu where I used to stay.. I was in tears. He and his wife and children are in lockdown, he is also trying to support a hostel with seven kids, where he is the official carer. He only goes out to find food for his family and the kids, and yesterday to get to the market had to step over dead bodies in the street. I sent money to help, but will see what other practical help we can give.
So things are looking up in the UK and most of Europe, but we are not safe until everyone is safe.
I'm sorry to depress you.. it's just what's on my mind right now.
Anyway..
Enjoy your weekend.. but stay safe.
More news next week.