Dr Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, who is no stranger to isolation and confined spaces has given advice on how we can keep our spirits up and make the most of a difficult situation.
She advises us to make ourselves useful and take control of our circumstances, and so I’m sorting through my vinyl collection. I’ve found a long-lost copy of Bob Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay, originally my mum’s, which I am over the moon about. And judging by the news from Discogs, I’m not the only one turning more to music. This week the largest online music database has said thank you to its community for a record week of data base submissions. The last 2 weeks in March were the biggest weeks ever for contributions. When this is all over, I’m going to go out and dance, a lot.
Dr Sharman advises us to make enjoyable use of our free time and appreciate the value of community. At Easter time, for some it’s a tradition to eat fish on Easter Friday and my plan was to visit Swansea Market to buy fish for my parsley oil, coriander, sea bass and clam risotto (I saw it on Master Chef) Alas, the market is now temporarily completely shut. It’s the largest indoor market in Wales and dates back to the 14th century, and this year was crowned Britain’s Best Large Indoor Market – the judges praised the market’s support for local entrepreneurs. When this is all over, I’m going to help build communities by supporting local retailers a whole lot more.
Another piece of advice is to plan something nice to look forward to, and so when this is all over, I’m going to eat out at the Banana Leaf restaurant on St Helen’s Road. Looking so unassuming from the outside, it’s a treasure trove for Indian and Sri-Lankan food. I’ll have the non-vegetable Thali, but there are so many vegetable dishes on the menu, like Dosai (similar to crepes) & idly dishes (steamed rice cakes). These Sri Lankan & South Indian specialities are served with a variety of chutneys and sambars, which are lentil-based stews. Lovely.
More advice from the astronaut is to take time to appreciate nature and enjoy views like beautiful clouds and changes in sunlight, and to smell the fresh air. I am lucky to have Swansea Bay on my doorstep. At 10.4 metres Swansea Bay has the second highest tidal range in the world, and so when I run on the beach for exercise, I can easily comply with the social distancing measures put in place. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever appreciated that eight-kilometre-long beach as much as I do now. When this is all over, I’m going to take up sea swimming.
Last wise words from Dr Sharman, we should prioritise cooperation, respect and tolerance, this will not last forever.