How scary it feels to be outside during the full lockdown?

This is a follow up on our previous story, where we share our full lockdown impressions as a traveler.

Street journey during the quarantine

As I couldn't get an Uber, I had to walk to the bank. It was only one kilometer to get there and I decided to take the longer path along the ocean. It made me feel a bit safer.

But the outside world during full lockdown seemed strange. It felt like in those action movies when the boss tells you not to go out on a mission and you still go. We were also a bit anxious the night before as I would go out and I didn't want to use a new sim card only for 3 hours. So I had no Internet, which gives us all some sort of anxiety nowadays, right?

I did encounter the army again - they were on the main road stopping all cars to check their permits in order to check if they fully adhere to the full lockdown measures.

It was a beautiful morning though, the sun was shining and birds chirping. It was quiet so the way to the bank felt more like a meditation, a time to introspect. I thought about how lucky I felt to be here, to be healthy, and to be with my other half - who was probably snoring at that time.

At the bank

I had to be at the bank at 8:45 at the latest as it would open at 9 and the landlady warned me that there would be a queue. Actually two queues - one for the payments and one for client services. Quarantine and COVID can change some things, right? Once I got there I didn't see any sign in order to figure out which queue is which. I saw a man who just got there before me so I went to him and asked 'Cajas?' I knew that was the line I had to be in as cajas means cashiers. He said si, so I waited in line. There were already about 15 people there. 

At 9 am sharp, the bank opened and they would only let a number of people inside at a time. When I got in, there was one lady who sprayed alcohol gel on my hand. Another one gave me a ticket so that I knew when it was my turn.

Will 3 hours be enough?

was the question running through my head while I was checking the time to see if I had enough left for both the bank and the supermarket.

I finished at 9:45 at the bank and walked one block to get to the supermarket. During the full lockdown, you have to move fast in order to stay in the 3 hours period.

Supermarket during a full lockdown

And I made it. Mission accomplished. I went to the bank and supermarket and got back before the 3 hours ended.There were 3 people in line waiting to go inside and one military guy with one of those big machine guns who would check their permits. He looked scary from afar but when my turn came he kindly asked about my permit for the full lockdown and I showed him mine on my phone. Then he asked about my cedula, which I had no idea what that was but finally said 'su pasaporte?' and I got the point. Luckily, I had my passport as I thought they would require it at the bank. Never would I have thought I would be asked for my passport at the supermarket - well, except for Argentina, but that's another story.

Last night we found out that the government is extending the full lockdown here in Iquique until the 5th of June. So, another week to spend in the house. How does that feel? Well, I'll leave that story for another time:)

Have you read our first story on how this pandemic affects our travels? Read it here.