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Pipes and bubbles
Apr. 6th, 2021 11:45 pmAfter having our hot water cylinder break down on Sunday, when everything reopened today after the long Easter weekend we managed to snaffle a repair guy who performed magic with thermostats and gave us our hot water back. Aaaah. We seem to be pretty unlucky with the plumbing on long weekends as last Labour weekend we had a massive flood under the deck and had to shut the water off altogether for several days until we could get a plumber. Oh well, nothing like an interruption to the water supply to remind you how fantastically lucky you are to live in a rich country and normally be showering under a lovely warm rain head intead of, you know, actual rain.
Then this afternoon we finally got the long-delayed announcement of a transTasman bubble with Australia. From April 19, Australians visiting here, and Kiwis visiting Oz and returning home, won't have to pass through MIQ. The bubble has kept appearing and disappearing over the last several months, as every time we think we're getting near being able to do it, Australia (and occasionally NZ) gets slapped with more Covid and we slam the borders shut again.
This is fantastic news for our tourist industry, and Australia's, too. In normal times 1.5 million of us a year go across the ditch for a visit, and half a million of them come here. Having said that, hmm. Gotta say it makes me a bit scared. We're kinda used to our little Covid-free archipelago and there's no doubt that mo' visitors equals mo' risk. Considering that our vaccine programme is way behind other countries' (I don't expect to get the double jab until the second half of this year), it's a bit alarming.
It'll be interesting to see what happens. Will we really get a lot of tourism-industry-boosting holidaymakers? My bet is that most of the Australians and/or Kiwis living in Australia who are looking to come here ASAP actually have family here they'll be staying with rather than tripping around NZ. I certainly won't be lining up to make the trip, as love visiting Australia though I do, if Covid hit while I was away I'd be up for thousands of dollars in MIQ fees to get back home. And of course that's assuming the bubble actually gets off the ground. It will only take a bit more Covid popping up in Oz to derail it again. If there's another delay, I can't say I'd be sorry.
Then this afternoon we finally got the long-delayed announcement of a transTasman bubble with Australia. From April 19, Australians visiting here, and Kiwis visiting Oz and returning home, won't have to pass through MIQ. The bubble has kept appearing and disappearing over the last several months, as every time we think we're getting near being able to do it, Australia (and occasionally NZ) gets slapped with more Covid and we slam the borders shut again.
This is fantastic news for our tourist industry, and Australia's, too. In normal times 1.5 million of us a year go across the ditch for a visit, and half a million of them come here. Having said that, hmm. Gotta say it makes me a bit scared. We're kinda used to our little Covid-free archipelago and there's no doubt that mo' visitors equals mo' risk. Considering that our vaccine programme is way behind other countries' (I don't expect to get the double jab until the second half of this year), it's a bit alarming.
It'll be interesting to see what happens. Will we really get a lot of tourism-industry-boosting holidaymakers? My bet is that most of the Australians and/or Kiwis living in Australia who are looking to come here ASAP actually have family here they'll be staying with rather than tripping around NZ. I certainly won't be lining up to make the trip, as love visiting Australia though I do, if Covid hit while I was away I'd be up for thousands of dollars in MIQ fees to get back home. And of course that's assuming the bubble actually gets off the ground. It will only take a bit more Covid popping up in Oz to derail it again. If there's another delay, I can't say I'd be sorry.
