COVID-19 Update April 12, 2020

Clearly we are several months behind on updating this blog, but rest assured, we have kept a good journal and plan to catch up someday.  Our problem is choosing from all the thousands of beautiful pictures.

In the meantime, I wanted to post a quick update for anyone with whom we’re not in regular contact.  We are still in New Zealand and are in full lockdown in Papamoa, on the Bay of Plenty, on the North Island. The beach cottage we had rented for the week has turned into an indefinite stay through the kindness and unbelievable good will shown to us by our host.  We have been treated like whānau (extended family) by a family we have only spoken to on the phone.  We’ll never forget their embodiment of the national directive of “Be Kind” that so many New Zealanders are practicing in these challenging times.

We feel extremely fortunate not only to be in this home, across the street from a beautiful beach and experiencing sunrises and sunsets every day to brighten our spirits, but also to be in this country during this pandemic.  The leadership shown by the Prime Minister, government and the public health officials has been, and continues to be, outstanding.  That combined with New Zealanders’ community spirit and trust in science have put us in a position to truly beat COVID-19 here. With the numbers of infections on the decrease, we are cautiously optimistic while still mourning the deaths here and all around the world.

What’s next for us?  We have no idea – either for the immediate post-lockdown future or for when our NZ visas expire later this year.  We’re learning to live with that open-endedness and will keep you updated.  For now, join us in enjoying the unedited sunscapes below.