One Last Roadie Before they Let the Tourists Back in…

[Dave Hansford]

Hi from Aotearoa-New Zealand. We just drove Moutere-Hokitika. Overtook exactly two vehicles - both trucks, which had already pulled over for us. Drove, at one point, 20 mins without seeing another vehicle. More time on cruise control than not.

These are the South Island-Te Wai Pounamu roads I remember from my youth, when everyone waved, ‘cos they hadn’t seen a soul all morning…

Only weeks now ‘til New Zealand opens its borders again. The tourism operators have been dying here (for many businesses, it’ll come too late) so I’m glad for them, but man, it’s been absolute bliss to have our island to ourselves for two years.

 

[ateday]

Nothing wrong with personal space and solitude.
As long as you are just alone but NOT lonely.

 

[Dave Hansford]

Just realised that some of our Australian friends probably drive for an hour or more without seeing another car on any weekday!

 

[ateday]

Only when we are lucky.......

 

[ABFoz]

These are the South Island-Te Wai Pounamu roads I remember from my youth, when everyone waved, ‘cos they hadn’t seen a soul all morning…

That's what it was like outside Auckland around 15 years ago. Well, I think everyone's friendlier outside of Auckland, haha!

but man, it’s been absolute bliss to have our island to ourselves for two years.

True. In many places there, one can forget about COVID. Here, it was and it still is everywhere. The whole city had been isolated for quite a while last year.