The COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai has confined a couple to their RV in the Dongping National Forest Park on the city's Chongming Island for nearly two months. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The latest COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai has confined most people to their homes, but for a couple who happened to be on a trip to Chongming Island before the lockdown, the confinement has been one amid nature.
It has been nearly two months since a man surnamed Lin and his wife, surnamed Tian, drove a recreational vehicle to the Dongping National Forest Park in Chongming district on March 25.The park is a popular short-trip destination for many Shanghai residents. The couple's original plan was to spend the weekend there before returning to the city on the morning of March 28, a Monday. But the phased lockdown of Shanghai starting on the eve of their return, and it changed everything.
The staff at the park reported the couple's situation to the local administration, and the district police told them to stay put because the bridge tunnel connecting the island to the city was already blocked. With the help of the staff members, the couple managed to move their RV to a designated camping site in the park.
"At first, the notice said the lockdown would be for four days, so we were fine," says Lin. "But after four days, the control measures were not lifted, and we started to get upset."
Wild deer have been known to visit the campsite. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Tian, who studied psychology in college, says she decided to embrace the beautiful surroundings instead of getting stressed out by the situation. Tian points out that the area was especially scenic as the park had been planning a flower contest, and that they saw many gardens planted with different flowers. The couple even encountered wild deer at the campsite.
But being stranded in nature also came with its own set of challenges. Food shortage was the first problem they encountered as the couple brought only enough rations to last three days. With the help of the park's management, Lin received free supplies from an employee canteen there every three to five days.
They also had to deal with a shortage of fuel, which the RV required to generate heat at night. To solve this problem, Lu Qi, one of the police officers at Jianshe township, drove the couple to the nearest gas station. Lu also gave the couple antigen test kits and took them to the nucleic acid testing sites.
"The past two months have been very special, and we have many people to thank, especially the park staff and local police," says the couple, who finally returned home on May 20. "We will definitely come to visit Chongming again in the future."
