Stuck in Auckland
Saturday March 21 – Emergency bus meeting called. Our Stray tour leader ‘Lego’ admits all the bricks have fallen apart and our trip will be cancelled several days before the scheduled finish. New Zealand has stopped non essential travel and our tour will end tomorrow morning in Christchurch, rather than as intended back to Auckland. The hot pools at Hanmer Springs is operating a one in one out policy!
After a late night dip we return to the lodges and I head straight for the fridge. I have been nursing my Pimms for the best part of three weeks. No more! I take out the four cans and sink them during the evening. The sipping is over.
Sunday March 22 – An early start as we depart for Christchurch at 6am for our final group journey. My hastily booked flight to Auckland is not until the evening so we spend the day wandering around the city. The sun is extremely strong today and it feels like the hottest day abroad so far. Having forgotten my cap, I think outside the box by using my umbrella as a sun protector. The return of the ‘wally with the brolly’. Our flight is delayed by 90 minutes and we do not arrive in Auckland until midnight.
Monday March 23 – My attempt the previous evening to access the international terminal failed. I decide to have another crack, taking the airport shuttle from my hotel. I arrive to see queues of 60 to 70 people outside the terminal. But just like yesterday, no-one is allowed into the building without a flight that day. It is carnage and my hopes of speaking to Emirates to bring forward my Thursday flight fall flat.
Taking the bus into central Auckland I organise short term accommodation. Cancelling my Airbnb for later in the week, I get a helpful call from the owner telling me to watch the news and get the hell out of New Zealand asap. PM Jacinda Arden has announced the country will go into level four lockdown by the end of Wednesday.
I check into my Emirates app and my Auckland to Dubai flight no longer exists. Emirates announce a suspension of flights. What am I going to do? To round off a miserable day my chair collapses while I'm eating lunch. The world is falling apart in front of my very eyes.
Panicking, I head to Flight Centre but the staff are shutting the office as I arrive. They tell me there are only four routes to London due to the ever increasing transit closures. I walk down the road and burst into tears. I feel incredibly alone and desperately wish for my own bed. Even in lockdown back in Watford, I would feel much more secure than in an unfamiliar country on the other side of the world.
This is the moment of realisation I will not be leaving on Thursday. Who knows when I will depart? For now, there is no escape and just complete uncertainty.
Tuesday March 24 - After the initial shock of the situation has sunk in, my mood lifts by video chats with family and friends. This is the new order of communication, whether stuck indoors in Auckland or Watford. It is strange it has taken a global health crisis to come to this but perhaps, in a bizarre way, it may make us more sociable...from a distance.
The search goes on for accommodation and I secure an extended deal in a central hotel. It will be a relief to stick to one place rather than having to stress over checking out and securing a new room to stay in. Five tour members also trapped are already at the hotel and this helped convince me to move there.
Back in my room I settle down to watch Netflix for the first time since I reached New Zealand. Thank goodness for bringing my laptop to New Zealand. The work may have dried up but at least I can make inroads on some box sets.
Wednesday, March 25
I start the morning by chatting to two women from Bristol, after checking out of my apartment, that have also been unable to return home. After wishing each other luck with efforts to get back, I make the short walk down the road to my new home for the foreseeable future - The President Hotel. It may not be Trump Towers but it is very reasonable central accommodation situated just two doors down from Countdown supermarket.
After settling into my room, I make a lunchtime trip next door to the supermarket. It takes 25 minutes queuing to get inside but once through everything is calm and controlled with plenty of space to shop safely. Armed with only a microwave in my new home, food shopping is not going to be a cakewalk. I decide to sprinkle my 'diet' with some much-needed Vitamin C tablets. Shopping is not cheap over here and I manage to spend about £20 without even coming close to buying anything for dinner.
In the afternoon, I am reunited with the five members of the tour group, two couples from Belgium and an English guy. We take a stroll up the hill to Albert Park in warm sunshine and to my surprise all the statues are adorned with bike helmets. I'm all for health and safety with face masks in these troubled times, but surely this is going a bit far?
We randomly bump into three stranded German women from our trip. Despite leaving the tour early, their efforts to return home have not been successful and they tell me their 5,000 Euro first class flight with Emirates was cancelled. Their compensation; credit to be used within 12 months. Of course this pandemic has crippled industries globally but airlines have shafted so many people with seemingly scant regard for the customers.
My first night's sleep in the hotel is disrupted by the overnight noise of extensive deliveries at the back of the supermarket as New Zealand enters into level four lockdown.
Thursday, March 26
My background as a journalist means I'm comfortable asking the questions. Not so much when the shoe's on the other foot. But that's the scenario as a couple of local reporters speak to me back home including one from my old workplace, The Watford Observer. I'm happy to tell my story and increase the level of publicity for the thousands stuck overseas.
Watford's new MP Dean Russell calls me this morning to discuss my situation. He is very supportive and wants me to update him on the concerns facing us over here. It is an encouraging conversation and I appreciate his willingness to get in touch at a time when his job description is never ending in these exceptional circumstances.
With plenty of time on my hands, I decide to follow advice from family and friends by launching this blog. I find writing my day's activities, or lack of them, therapeutic and it is a chance to get any frustrations or anxieties off my chest. Although I am a writer, this is still out of my comfort zone due to my heavy bias towards sport. With no competitive action on the table, this will have to suffice for now. The Premier League cannot return quickly enough...
With my room proving quite claustrophobic and the overnight noise distracting, I head to reception to ask about a potential switch. The staff are extremely helpful and allow me to move across the first floor corridor to a bigger room with less noise.
My ambitious target of eating an ice cream a day has faltered in recent weeks. After a promising start, my dairy consumption has stuttered disappointingly. Craving a Hokey Pokey tub, New Zealand's finest flavour, I head to the local Metro store. The shop is shutting down for four weeks and no cash is allowed but I am very grateful to the staff for giving away their hot food, as a selection of pies and sausage rolls provide a fattening dinner.
Friday, March 27
After the announcement Qatar Airways are to put on more flights to get people home I spend the early hours of the morning, with the help of my parents, trying to book a ticket. Their website is hopeless and cannot handle the demand with error messages stopping our progress. At 2am I call it a night and hope for better luck in the day.
Attempts to book online in the morning are again unsuccessful but an unexpected phone call from a local travel agent offers hope. I am offered a ticket via Doha on Monday, April 6 and I quickly confirm the ticket. Ten days from now seems a long time, with the pandemic seemingly worsening significantly by the day, but the flight is at least booked. Should I get home on the 7th, it will be on my mum's 70th birthday so here's hoping everything goes to plan.
Feeling upbeat after this breakthrough, I decide to freshen up with my first shower in the new room. Grappling to push the shower head to a suitable position above my 6ft 4in frame, I apply too much force and it comes off the wall. They say it never rains but it pours.
The hotel quickly come to the rescue with their handyman, armed with mask and gloves, fixing my shower.
I try to get my head around the new self employed government offer in the UK but remain none the wiser. Working two casual PAYE jobs and several freelance roles makes it extremely complicated. To say it's taxing my brain is putting it mildly.
I decide to sample the hotel's room service offerings. Lasagne is on the menu and as one of my favourite meals looks the ideal choice. What arrived was more than I bargained for as two bread-crumbed square lasagnes were delivered. I have seen this in the supermarket during my trip but did not envisage the hotel would follow suit. Give me the European version any day of the week.
Saturday, March 28
I originally booked two extra nights after my tour to enable me to enjoy some sightseeing around Auckland. After the last week, it feels as if I have spent far too much time cooped up in a hotel room.
In desperate need for some exercise, although not keen for a six hour Tongariro-eque hike, I set off for Auckland Domain. Leaving the city centre, even in today's lockdown climate, is a refreshing change as I head to the parkland.
Sitting by the duck pond, I try to take a moment's break from social media and the unrelenting misery of the global news. Briefly, you almost forget the unprecedented situation facing the world. For a few minutes at least, concerns over travel, jobs and above all else health are put to the back of my mind.
Dogs meander through the park without a care in the world and seeing them lifts my mood. Being away has made me evaluate life and provided plenty of time for reflection. Before I came out here, I was enjoying spending time looking after dogs through a popular website (not internet dating). Who knows when this crisis will ease but one day I hope to be in a position to get my own dog.
After spending the afternoon away from the empty metropolis, I return for some supermarket shopping. As I understand it, some deliveries are still open back home. No such luck over here though and virtually all of my food is coming from the supermarket.
Friends will know I am a staunch advocate for the Chicken Korma appreciation society and I remain loyal to this sweet treat. But desperate times call for desperate measures and I am forced to branch out with Chicken Tikka Masala. My tongue handles the zesty sensations of this curry with relative ease. Butter Chicken is next on the menu but Chicken Korma, whilst currently gone, is never forgotten.
Sunday, March 29
Although being confined to our rooms is a massive restriction on our freedom, the lockdown has sparked a huge surge in the amount of video calls. Rather than message friends, being unable to meet up has led to regular group chats.
This is one of the few positive things to come out of the situation and we're fortunate to have the plethora of social media and communication devices available to us. Imagine if this had occurred 20 years ago. We'd still be staring at Ceefax.
It has come to our attention one of our friends has been hoarding food and for some inexplicable reason stocked up with 20 cans of sweetcorn. I enjoy this vegetable as much as any on the supermarket shelves but would still have an almighty job incorporating this level of sweetcorn into my diet. The offender in question is adamant he stocked up heavily at the start of the year, well before the food shortages started, but their antics suggest they have bitten off more than they can physically chew.
During our chat, I was challenged to bake a cake in the microwave. When I told them I had never bought any eggs in my life this caused absolute astonishment. Their brains were scrambled by this revelation and the discussion threatened to boil over. I did not realise purchasing eggs was deemed an essential requirement for everyday existence. At least shoppers back home don't need to worry about me poaching all the eggs.
Monday, March 30
My morning starts frustratingly as hopes of playing in a poker 'home game' with friends is scuppered by Pokerstars. I will explain my understanding as a layman; due my laptop being overseas it triggers concerns related to account security and stops me accessing the games.
My friend recommends a network service called TunnelBear to secure a VPN (virtual private network) and I pay for a month's subscription. This particular bear digs a hole, buries its paws in the sand and fails to resolve my problem. My account remains suspended and my poker face is more of a grimace.
My lunches have gone back to basics over here and I am enjoying munching on an old classic. Growing up, I loved eating peanut butter and jam sandwiches but for some reason I stopped eating this on a regular basis.
I don't know why I have it in my head it's a children's meal. That's probably not correct but even if it is, for someone who loves a Kid's Combo in the cinema, there's nothing wrong with this delicacy. I'd forgotten how tasty it is and this staple combination is here to stay.
After mislaying my mini bottle of Jack Daniels, from the flight out to Auckland, my alcohol reserves are in serious need of replenishment. If I was a keen beer drinker, it would be much easier to pick something up but my focus on sweet cider makes the search significantly tougher. I manage to track down a boysenberry cider and this national fruit, which is a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry, does the job as a nightcap.
Tuesday, March 31
I start my morning with a video chat to my aunt and grandma in Scotland. It is nice to see them both and Harley (their lovable dog snoozing on the floor) with my summer trip north of the border looking in doubt.
It has been difficult to contact my other grandma in Watford because her approach to technology makes me look like Mark Zuckerberg. I briefly chatted via the loudspeaker on my parents' phone earlier in the week but look forward to speaking to her in more depth when I return to England.
The lockdown has inspired some outstanding creative efforts from musicians and Jamiroquai's Jay Kay has produced this entertaining song to the tune of David Bowie's Let's Dance. It brightens up my morning and provides a lighter side to this depressing situation.
I visit Victoria Park this afternoon and find a comfortable seat in the shade. To my right, a woman is practising some form of quasi-yoga-aerobics with her body in the most ridiculous positions. It's no wonder I realised yoga wasn't for me after being banned from downward facing dog at my first class.
Everyone's world has been turned upside down since the outbreak and all the normal rules no longer apply. People are adapting to their new lifestyle and thinking on their feet. One golfer was taking advantage of the green space in the park by practising his pitching. I hope he shouted FORE after any errant chips.
Wednesday, April 1
Yes it's April Fool's Day but somehow it feels like we should tread carefully before planning an elaborate wind up. After the year everyone's had so far there may not be much room for April Fool's Day jokes. Especially when it comes to Covid-19, this is just no go territory.
I remember when I was working at the Watford Observer, we ran a story saying the town was going to build a Hollywood-style sign. It's normally a fun day to be working in the media but 2020 does not feel like a vintage year for April Fool's Day japes.
I set off an extended walk along the harbour towards Mission Bay. An older man starts talking to me about the deserted freight services at the port. We walk together, from a distance, for a little while chatting about the state of the world. Craig, a local who has lived in Auckland for more than 20 years, claims the pandemic will spark positive changes in the way we live.
It is hard to envisage this presently but we may look back at this in a decade and see it as a defining moment, when the way we work and exist is dramatically altered. I say goodbye to Craig at the junction and he goes in for a handshake. I stand my ground and he understands with normal conventions of politeness going out the window.
On my way back along the waterfront, I come across a sign claiming 'Lost in Time' is open. I am convinced this is not the case but it sparks thoughts about the current timeline. We have just started British summertime back in the UK and soon the middle of the year will be upon us.
The lockdown is no quick fix and there is every chance this way of life will go on for many months. Never mind the summer, I cannot keep track of what day of the week it is. Every day seems to mould into the next and it feels like we are all taking part in our own Groundhog Day.
Thursday, April 2
My daily routine involves checking messages, emails and the latest news updates online. As I scroll through Twitter, I come across a prophetic video, from more than a year ago, of Alan Partridge's guide to washing hands and personal hygiene. Norwich's finest export appears to have mastered the art of cleanliness but it's not been a problem for me.
Washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds has been a major body of the advice to protect yourself from the virus. This comes naturally to me though and down the years I have been targeted for my overzealous approach to hygiene. I do not suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder but the amount of times I wash my hands seems excessive to many people.
I remember colleagues used to eat unwrapped food off the desk at the office and I refused to participate in this reckless behaviour. As far as I'm concerned anyone that refuses to wash their hands, especially after using the toilet, is a scoundrel and deserves to be ostracised. North Norfolk Digital's finest certainly wouldn't stand for this sort of antisocial behaviour.
I have enjoyed most of the food during my time abroad although I wouldn't say New Zealand is laced with original cuisine. One of the most popular items you can buy, either in takeaway shops, service stations or supermarkets are pies. You name it you can get it; anything from satay chicken to bacon and egg. There is great variety in the pies you can eat and some of them have been exceedingly good (thanks Mr Kipling).
I decide to tuck into my six pack of steak and cheese pies. Big Ben's pies come with a slogan of 'Feed a Hungry Crowd'. I'm not sure whether strictly speaking I count although I am expanding by the day. Perhaps a crowd's a slight stretch but it doesn't deter me. What's the saying: Go big or go home. I've tweaked that slightly and I'm aspiring to 'Go big and go home'.
Friday, April 3
Another busy day on the media front with a journalist from an agency getting in touch with me. After speaking to a second reporter at the Watford Observer last night, the story is briefly trending as most read on the website. You can tell it's a quiet sports week (or spring).
I mention to the journalist my conversation the previous evening with the local reporter. I was asked where I was flying via to get back to London and I reply Doha. After telling him, the journalist says: "So just to check, you're flying back via Dover?" I quickly correct him to avoid unnecessary red faces. I'm not convinced the new route via Kent is worth pursuing until it has become an established path home.
I head up to Albert Park for some much-needed fresh air but my walk is curtailed by a police officer. It is by no means teeming with people but there are small groups sunbathing throughout the park. The officer asks the public to disperse unless they are exercising. I watch from a bench, where I'm catching my breath, after climbing the steep hill to the entrance. Although I'm only taking a short break, I decide to move on although I think there should be some leeway for people to have a breather if they are doing exercise. Not everyone's a super fit physical specimen after all.
I settle down to watch an episode of Black Mirror in the evening with the plot revolving around a dating app where users are restricted to a specific time period, ranging from one day to five years, in their allocated relationship. It makes me think about dating in the lockdown era. My history is one of countless short-term dates but relatively few relationships of any significant length.
The move to virtual dating is one which I'm not yet comfortable with. Restrictions placed on meeting new people are unavoidable and necessary but it does not fill me with optimism on a personal note. I've read people are going on virtual Netflix dates where they watch the programme at the same time. I must be missing something. Why don't they just view it in their own time and then chat about it later?
Video dating is the new trend and may well outlive the lockdown once normality returns. I have yet to enter this brave new world and remain reluctant to embrace it. Some people are naturals in front of the camera. I will freely admit I'm not and it could be some time before I give it a go. One positive of home dating; no longer do we need to have an awkward conversation about going for a pizza on the first date.
Saturday, April 4
The countdown is on and with only two full days remaining I decide to head to Mount Eden. The walk to the summit of the volcano is a decent workout especially with the sun beating down. I don't know how the runners and cyclists manage to scale to the top so easily and I am happy to go at my own pace.
Only a few groups are blindly ignoring the isolation rules but there are plenty of people here, although probably still well down on a typical Saturday afternoon. I stare out at the vistas back across Auckland and the Sky Tower where I started my walk. As I make my way back I reward myself with an ice cream and the Kapiti vanilla and chocolate sundae is a pleasant surprise. Eight out of ten.
Back at the room, I am anxious to check in with reports of airlines still overbooking flights. After several unsuccessful attempts, I check in via my phone's app and I'm one step closer to leaving these shores. It is a stunning country but the holiday has long since felt over and living out of a hotel room during a lockdown has tested my patience.
I finish the day by watching the first episode of Stranger Things. There has been so much hype about this show but I'm impressed with the opener. It seems to have taken successful elements from the likes of The Goonies, Ghostbusters, ET and The X Files. Definitely enough to keep me coming back for more. An extra hour in bed, with the clocks going back over here, is always welcome too. Winter is coming.
Sunday, April 5
A busy Sunday morning starts with a Saturday night 'house party' back home. Straight after waking up, I hook up with few friends and former colleagues in a video chat. It is nice to catch up and we intersperse it with a few games including a very toned down version of Cards against Humanity and Pictionary.
After calling it a morning with them, I speak to two of my globetrotting friends. One is in lockdown in Bordeaux while the other is putting on elaborate buffets for crew on a yacht in Florida. Both of them take great delight in hearing the abuse aimed at me on the messages posted below the Watford Observer article. I've never understood the moronic mentality of keyboard warriors and it's open season now during the lockdown. Maybe they should take up pottery or gardening to occupy their time and stop them from talking nonsense online?
After buying a year's supply of sweets and chocolates (no understatement - there's nothing else open), I head back to where my trip all started. My first night in New Zealand was Saturday, February 29. Not only was this day famous for Watford's extraordinary 3-0 win against unbeaten Liverpool, but it was also my arrival in Auckland.
I ate my first dinner in Princes Wharf and will not forget this meal in a hurry because after returning from the toilet, having ordered my food, I discovered a couple had taken my table. There's a first for everything!
For my final afternoon in Auckland, I return to the scene of this fiasco. Only it is very different this time with no sign of activity except for the odd couple walking around. It is still unbelievable to grasp the change to life for everyone in little more than a month. So much has happened during this time and no-one has any idea when normality can feasibly return.
Monday, April 6
Today is my departure date and I finish off my packing before heading downstairs to speak to the hotel manager. All of the staff at the accommodation have been brilliant throughout the lockdown and I convey my appreciation of them to the manager.
I take a Super Shuttle to the airport and it is full with passengers. A TV monitor in the vehicle provides updates on world news and I see that Kyle Walker has been a naughty boy. We arrive at the international terminal and a big queue has already started with the check-in desk not opening until after 11am.
It's only after I receive my boarding passes I can start to relax a little. After getting on the plane, we take off at 2.45pm and a journey time of more than 17 hours to Doha begins.
I read a chapter of Tyson Fury's autobiography and it reminds me of his brilliant win over Deontay Wilder just before I travelled abroad. I miss live sport so much and it will be a delight when everything returns once it is safe to do so.
The boxing gets me in the mood and I watch Creed II. It's a decent watch, if a little predictable, but much better than the next film; Terminator: Dark Fate.
I tuck into my lunch/dinner/breakfast and get to the fruit salad. Somewhat alarmed, I notice sweetcorn inside the salad bowl. This leaves me perplexed as to whether it should be eaten pre-hot food or afterwards. I opt for the latter and discover sweetcorn isn't actually a dreadful accompaniment to fruit after all.
Tuesday, April 7
After arriving at Doha in the early hours of the morning, I have a couple of hours before the second flight to Heathrow. Needing a drink, with the water fountains out of action, I splash out on the most expensive bagel I've ever seen and a bottle of water.
The flight to London arrives almost half an hour early and I meet the taxi driver just before 9am. The opinionated cabbie keeps me entertained on the swift journey home. He starts off by bringing up conspiracy theories and is adamant no-one is going to stop him from working despite being 77 years old.
After getting back to my flat, I speak to my parents and wish my mum a happy 70th birthday. It feels strange being back and knowing I won't be able to physically celebrate together with my family. My parents have been busy working tirelessly and helping stock up my home with food for my arrival. I'm lucky to have incredible support from my parents and all the goodwill from family and friends is greatly appreciated.
After my first meal back at home, I settle down for some essential viewing; highlights of Watford's 3-0 win over Liverpool. It truly was one-sided and arguably flattered the league leaders. Who knows when football will return? I can't see it happening for at least several months but hopefully it can brighten up our summer if given the go-ahead.
Looking back to the start of my trip, I would never have imagined it would end the way it did. I have no regrets though and glad I got the opportunity to visit New Zealand. It truly is a beautiful country and I was fortunate to see virtually all of the places on the itinerary across the north and south islands.
I also met some lovely people on our tour and hopefully will stay in touch with some of them. We have enjoyed great experiences ranging from hiking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, performing a haka to an overnight cruise in Doubtful Sound and a helicopter ride at Mount Cook.
I am glad most of our group have now made it back home and hopefully the last few members still in New Zealand will soon be able to travel to their country too.
Travelling to new places is one of the great pleasures in life and I've been lucky to have visited some far-flung destinations. That shouldn't be taken for granted and for now it will be on hold for some time. I hope some day soon it will be safe enough for people to go abroad and enjoy the beauty of sampling other cultures. Kia Ora.
