What an April Fool’s Day this is, huh? We just passed one week of the 4 week (minimum) lockdown. Everybody hunkered down within a designated “bubble” of people you could contact. No one can mingle outside their bubbles (except children in shared custody). We had a bubble of 6 people: our hosts and two other travelers all staying here at this compound. We had all had contact with each other before the lockdown, and geographically close, so it did not make sense to isolate from each other and 6 is a manageable number. The other couple (a musician and his wife from Harlem, the Netherlands), really wanted to try to get home and they left a couple days ago. They have 3 stops: LA, Chicago and London before finally getting home. We wish them safe travels. A “safe travels” greeting has a whole new meaning now.
Covid Woes
I am practicing a habit of spending one hour per day wallowing in virus fears: checking statistics, listening to news, checking facebook, etc. Then cut it off. So I will do the same with my letter and try to find 90% of the letter about something else.You all have access to the same statistics, real news and fake, so I don’t need to add to the information. New Zealanders are still pretty safe compared to the rest of the world. Entrants to the country must be few because there are few planes and this is a pretty remote 2 island country. Travelers alight (English word for “disembark”) the plane 10 people at a time. Authorities check for symptoms and examine each’s self-isolation plan. Those not passing those tests are quarantined in a government facility. Sounds like jail and may be, we have not seen a picture of it. Those healthy and able to demonstrate an acceptable plan are escorted by police to their self-isolation location. Ferries and plane travel between the islands are locked down to “essential workers” too. People are not supposed to do anything potentially dangerous: like swimming or boating, to free emergency workers. Parks are all closed. The fantastic public toilets shut.
That is a secret I have been meaning to pass on. Both Australia and New Zealand have the best public toilets in the world. So embarrassing: US public restrooms (no one anywhere else calls them that). In Europe WC’s are nicer than ours, but they are not free. Any free bathroom you could find, would be as gross as ours. But everywhere in Australia and New Zealand, every park, beach, scenic overlook, and every single little town has a free public restroom. Always stocked with TP, soap and either a hand dryer or towels, clean and no trash.
Christchurch Recent History
I should tell you about Christchurch. You may recall a major earthquake hit this New Zealand city in 2010 and a major, more damaging, aftershock in 2011. The City is still badly damaged with a lot of vacant buildings and a lot of open space where demolished buildings once stood. The city is undergoing a slow period of renewal. There is a river that goes through the center of the city. Previously buildings were built up to its banks, so the river was not noticed or used. Now, they have a promenade on both sides. Strolling walks with pocket parks other points of interest all along. They are attempting to bring youth back into the city center (most cities are trying to get theirs out) with some creative temporary uses. Skateboard and BMX tracks have been constructed on some of the open space. Popup markets and food venues made out of shipping containers dot the area. And my favorite, a pop up dance floor. It is a movable wood dance floor like big hotels have, surrounded by speakers and tethered by the speakers, a disco ball floats over the top of the floor. Adjacent is an old washing machine that has been turned into a vending machine for connection to the speakers. You put in your $2 NZ (about $1.25) and you get 30 minutes of connectivity. Plug in your phone to a jack under the washing machine lid and play your choice of music.
One collapsed building filled up with water and an endangered native bird discovered it for nesting. Guess what, that wreck is going to stay (picture attached).
There is a lot to this little country tucked down under everything. And there still are more places we want to visit here. For such a little country they grow way more than their share of wine. In addition to my personal favorite: Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlbourgh (Merle-bur) region, there are several more regions. I’ll tell you more next letter.
Stay calm at home.
Love Vagabonds in limbo.