Gisborne, on the central east coast, is the timber capital of New Zealand and has been suffering since the timber trade with China was severely impacted by China’s shutdown. The beach-strewn coast here lies on Poverty Bay (named by Captain Cook because he was unsuccessful collecting food here, despite its abundance.) It is located just south of the East Cape, which is a very rural part of NZ jutting out into the Pacific to form the bottom arm of the Bay of Plenty (our next destination.)
Wainui Beach itself is a small settlement of about 1500 people just north of Gisborne and is well-known as a surfing mecca.
Monday – Move Day
Up too early in Raetihi, I reworked our budget to evaluate the impact of a full 12 months here, but only in a sloppy way to see if it is at all feasible before we submit our visa extension request. It is, so we decided we will pay the fee and submit. Hopefully we’ll be granted until October 2020 based on the “haven’t finished sightseeing” clause. (Have I mentioned that I love this country?)
Packing, cleaning, and then a long drive day. The route was beautiful, with the first three hours on extremely rural roads, winding through sheep and cattle stations in the high country.
We reached the coast at Napier and decided to do our shopping for the week there. More accurately, Hale did the shopping since we were keeping me isolated on the very off chance that my cold was in fact COVID. It doesn’t harm us one bit for me not to shop, but it could harm others. So I lucked out with a long beach walk along the promenade while Hale dealt with busy PaknSave.
Once in Gisborne, we had to drive to our hosts’ home to pick up the keys (first time we’ve ever had to do this) and then arrived at our little bach for the week. About a five minute walk from long and pretty Wainui Beach, it is a lovingly restored traditional Kiwi cottage, complete with corrugated tin roof.
The new rules went into effect today in NZ for arrivals (strict self-isolation for 14 days) and there are reports of backpackers openly flouting them. Hopefully stricter measures and stronger communication can curb this. Also reports of a couple new cases, including an Australian man who flew in from Sydney while awaiting his test results after just returning to Australia from France. What? Now his family wants everyone to feel sorry for him.
8 cases now in NZ.
Tuesday
Cyclone Greta made for a windy and rainy day. I was up early and out for a walk along the full length of Wainui Beach. It was mostly empty, except for a couple of dog walkers, flying foam and, sadly, a dead horse. Later, I read about the mass stranding of 59 sperm whales here exactly 50 years ago and cannot imagine the horror.
Late breakfast, then calls with multiple family members, final submission of our 12 month visa request and suddenly it was late afternoon. Of course, we spent loads of time checking news as the stock market plummeted and simultaneously Jacinda released NZ’s well-received economic plan. The wage subsidy plan will keep people attached to their jobs, off unemployment and much more confident about their futures.
Word of backpackers who are flouting self-isolation being picked up by police for deportment is encouraging, but more cases are emerging here from other travelers so we fear it won’t be long before community transmission is found.
Hale and I went for a shorter walk – even windier now and the ocean surf was mostly white as it neared shore. Not a day for Hale to kite or surf, so back home after exploring a little around the immediate area.
I reworked our budget to reflect staying here through early October and am pleased with the results. We’re living relatively frugally in this high cost country, while still maintaining a high standard and doing most everything we want within reason.
This new plan is shaping up to be less expensive than our existing plan to go from here to Fiji to US (for campaigning and to see family) then on to Europe. So while not inexpensive, twelve months here isn’t entirely incompatible with our new (based on the markets) financial reality.
12 cases now in NZ.
Wednesday
Still blustery. My morning beach walk was a little calmer and fine enough to go to the top of the Makorori headland for great views over Wainui and Makorori beaches. I paid a somber visit to the sperm whale grave memorial. And enjoyed another morning watching the foam flying across the beach.
After brunch, we spent another day mostly inside. I was still fighting my cold – now in my sinuses – and Hale wasn’t top notch today either. He did taxes, despite hearing mid-day that they can be delayed for three months. I continued climate zone planning for extra six months here. No doubt about it – it will be cold and rainy, but we still think this is the best place to be.
I took an afternoon stroll to the local dairy and an evening walk to the sunset. But mostly, another day watching the stock markets tank, realizing the impact to the economy and listening/watching to news about how coronavirus is impacting the world as we know it.
20 cases now in NZ.
Thursday
The Dow Jones was in circuit breaker when I got up, smack in the middle of another plummet. This chilly and sunny morning provided a beautiful beach walk with lots of wanna be surfers gazing down on the still too churned up water from the parking areas. I found my own surfer dude doing the same from the beach just as I was nearing the path up to our cottage.
Brunch, laundry for me, shopping for Hale and then a drive to check out Sponge Beach (pretty but closed due to erosion) and the main Gisborne town beach where we spent a couple of hours – me walking and Hale surfing. Every session is his best one at this point in the learning curve, so he was a happy guy.
Once home, we watched the live press briefing of Jacinda closing the borders as of tonight. Our self-centered, privileged questions are numerous. How will this impact us? Will they let us stay? Will they grant our extension? AHHHH!
We walked down to see the sunset and met neighbors who were more worried about whether we were living in the freedom camper van parked on the street than whether we were from America. (We had been worrying that backpackers flouting the isolation rules will turn everyone suspicious of those of us with accents, but of course that was a false fear.) Hopefully this country will continue to open their arms and hearts to us like these kind ladies who ended up inviting us to stop by for a drink.
28 cases now in NZ.
Friday
Morning walk at Wainui enjoying another beautiful day. At noon, Jacinda addressed the nation and introduced COVID Alert Levels, starting us out at Level 2. Things are certainly changing fast and this brings home the seriousness of it. Absolutely wonderful to see such strong leadership and planning in the face of it.
Afternoon is another surf session for Hale at Town Beach while I enjoyed a long walk there.
39 cases now in NZ.
Saturday
Morning walk at Wainui for me and morning surf for Hale at Town Beach. Then we drove south to the start of the East Cape for a beautiful afternoon at Tolaga Bay with its cliffs and mile long (actually 660 meters) wharf before doing the Captain Cook coastal walk. Loads of adorable sheep, great views, rock formations and peaceful bush.
We focused on enjoying it on the way out and left the inevitable “AH – what should we do” discussions for the way back.
First up we evaluated if we should return to the US. Borders are closing all over the world and nations are urging citizens who want to return to do so NOW before there are no more flights. This option takes the whole walk and then an additional stroll on the beach. Medical systems. Governments. Families. Possible sickness and death, here or there. Being apart from family and potentially being alone. Painful possibilities we would prefer to ignore.
Ultimately we decided that we should do our part as global citizens by not flying halfway around the world when what is needed is to flatten the curve. Our families can feel confident and safe in us being here and there are enough of them there that we don’t have to worry about them being alone. In the back of my mind, I hold onto the hope that if the worst happened, I would find a way back.
52 cases now in NZ.
Sunday
Morning walk at Wainui for me and morning surf for Hale at Town Beach. We spent the afternoon exploring local beaches south of Wainui, including Marikopa.
More talking, talking, talking about what we should do. We decided to rearrange our travel to stay places for a month at a time, both to reduce movement and to have a long term stay in case level 4 comes into play. Plenty of examination of what we want in those places in case we are stuck there and stuck mostly inside. We decided to start this plan after our next week in Papamoa Beach. (Editors note: Ha! What’s that saying about those who think they are in control of their own lives?)
66 cases now in NZ.
Wrap
Honestly, these Gisborne days are a blur – U.S. stock markets plummeting, COVID soaring, NZ becoming more and more impacted, our plans completely uncertain. I was not panicked, but it is fair to say that I was stressed to make the best decisions.
What is ironic is that each night I thought I had spent the day making those decisions, and then they were all washed away with the tide of new news the next day. There are lessons in here, but everything was moving too fast for me to absorb them while in Wainui.
A Study In Tumbleweeds
Maybe these Wainui beauties blowing about in the wind and riding the tides are the embodiment of those lessons?
Week 22 of our journey