Things have loosened up just a little now we are at Alert Level 3 here in New Zealand. Although most retail shops remain closed, those that can operate with zero public contact, and observe social distancing regulations between staff, are trading. I’ve been a bit short of things to read during my time under Corona house arrest, so I was excited to see a local bookshop was accepting online orders that could be picked up at the store. I found…
New Zealand and I have made it to the final day of Alert Level 4 lockdown, and it’s a bloody relief I can tell you. At 11.59pm tonight we downgrade to Level 3, and although control measures will remain strict, it still feels like a threshold moment. Most Kiwis have been taking the virus threat seriously; dutifully adhering to the government mandated restrictions. Take former Mayor of Auckland Sir Dove-Myer Robinson for example. Despite being dead for over 30 years,…
‘We’ve travelled to the other side of the world to spend our entire holiday in a fucking hotel room.’ Things were clearly not working out as expected for the English couple I passed on my walk yesterday. I felt it prudent not to call out to them that I knew how they felt, having come all the way from Australia. Still, I doubt anyone in NZ, Kiwi or otherwise, could have imagined how the first half of 2020 was going…
I must admit I wasn’t particularly inspired to leave the flat yesterday. With limited exercise options due to the corona lockdown my daily walks through the empty Auckland streets have become a bit ho-hum. On top of that it was a grey, drizzly day. However I knew it would do me good so off I went, climbing the hilly street and heading south. I found myself walking down a street of inner-city suburban shops; the standard mix of funky clothes…
Kiwis and corona refugees like me are in the last week of the Alert Level 4 lockdown here in NZ. Although Jacinda made it clear that Level 4 may be extended, the whisper ’round the hangi is that we might be moving to Alert Level 3. Under Alert Level 3, everyone is still instructed to stay home unless travel (local only) is essential. However your ‘bubble’ (the people who share your household) can be extended a little to include close…
Each day of the lockdown I’ve been using my permitted exercise time to get out on the hoof and explore the harbour city of Auckland. I’m starting to get a real feel for the place, at least in a post-apocalyptic kind of way. The northern end of Auckland’s CBD is on the edge of the harbour, with the working port to the east. Walking west along the waterfront you pass the main ferry terminal, then enter a hotel, entertainment and…
‘…you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…’ Back before corona interrupted life’s simple pleasures, I went for a short walk to Waireinga/Bridal Veil Falls near Raglan. The falls are a little natural gem in a district largely cleared for agriculture. A gentle path through the forest leads to viewing platforms, then a steep staircase descends to the base of the falls. Now as I while away the days under Alert Level 4 house arrest, I can only dream…
A few weeks ago, before NZ went into lockdown, I pulled into a supermarket carpark in a small regional town. The store was surrounded by tape, and there was a security guard at the door. The place looked like a crime scene, and to be honest it was all a bit confronting. I had been out camping and was a little behind the times. The world had definitely changed, and inside the store there was a palpable feeling of unease….
Jacinda lets us leave our lockdown site for some exercise each day, and it’s been good for my sanity to get out and roam the Auckland streets. A few signs have caught my eye whilst I’ve been out and about. Presumably it’s a hard time to market a new product line. At least they used ‘new’ instead of ‘novel’. A little Monty Python inspired gallows humour. I assume the following sign was not written by the University of Auckland Linguistics…
‘Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of Auckland…’ It’s been a couple of days here in my Auckland panic room and I’ve been dutifully staying put as per Alert Level 4 stipulations. However I have been taking advantage of my daily exercise leave pass to get out for a little air. My apartment is just on the edge of the CBD, and after a couple of minutes walk I’m right in the city…