Self-isolation tips from a 21st century hermit in ‘ghost’ village in the Alps, where for 14 years he has been the only resident
- ‘Things haven’t changed for me … I’m free to go out whenever I want,’ says Italian who’s the lone resident of a remote village in coronavirus-hit Lombardy
- He says people in lockdown with only themselves for company should use the time to consider their actions, and how they can improve their existence
While more than half the world is in partial or total lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, with streets deserted and people forced to self-isolate at home, there’s one man whose life hasn’t changed at all. And he has a few survival tips to share with people who are having trouble coping with endless days and nights spent under the same roof.
Mottalini is a lucky man. As the sole resident of this hamlet, frozen in time, where even weekend tourists are a rare sight, there’s no risk of him bumping into anyone. He’s free to go out for long treks, where he can gaze across green valleys of sun-kissed meadows where cattle graze, framed by snow-capped mountain peaks.
“Things haven’t changed for me,” he says. “I keep doing the same stuff each day: I wake up early, cut wood for the fire, look after the orchard and greenhouse, and then go out hiking and rock climbing, shooting pictures of nature, flowers and the beautiful scenery. I come back at sunset and prepare dinner. I’m free to go out whenever I want.”
He regrets not being able to visit his daughters, who live further down the valley, because of government restrictions on movement, but he realises it’s vital to stick to the rules.