Just a quick update at the end of a busy to week to let you know that we are alive and well and doing considerably better than the US team in the Prada Cup. Although they deserve much credit for plugging the hole and rising to the occasion.
The Americans (American Magic) need to beat the Italians (Luna Rossa), then they need to beat the British (Ineos Team UK) to earn the right to challenge Team New Zealand. All with a quickly repaired boat after a disastrous capsize about 10 days ago. So far American Magic is zero for 2 in a best of seven with two more races tomorrow. Current odds suggest a tight final series in March between Team UK and Team New Zealand for the Americas Cup. All the while, Auckland is running out of superyacht berths, with some 75 superyachts already docked.
The NZ Covid-19 scare seems to have abated. There have been no new cases in the community. Three people quarantining in Auckland appear to have tested positive post-quarantine (from exposure in quarantine toward the end of their 14 day quarantine period). One has recovered, the other 2 are back in quarantine. Contact tracing is an art here. “Over the past seven days, there have been about 38,000 tests, which Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said helped provide “invaluable information” to rule out community transmission.” (New Zealand Herald) The protocols have now been adjusted to isolate returnees at the end of their quarantine period to ensure that they cannot catch the virus from newer entrants. We feel so fortunate about our experience.
My walk around the loop this week has come at the end of the day, when US clients are bedded and dreaming about the tremendous consumer insights that they gleaned from the focus groups that they watched. The good thing about working from NZ is that the groups are over at 2:30 pm. The bad thing: having to get up at 2 am to check email and then again at 5 am to get ready for the day. But hey, I get to see the sunrise.
We took one last walk around the loop this evening. We were treated to the bridge being opened twice as masted boats went underneath. We noticed a family BMX (dirt bike) track, which kids of all ages were enjoying. The new play structure by the river, that we have observed being built, was open tonight. Lovely to see it mobbed with families. Our pukeko and heron were there to acknowledge us. We’re really feeling quite a part of Whangarei.
We move on tomorrow and are readying the little house so that the owners give us a good rating on VRBO. Actually, there is a NZ tradition that you leave a place as you found it – dishes washed, floors cleaned, fridge empty, furniture back where it was. Jim is Boy Scout trained, so leave no trace is part of his DNA!
We head to Auckland to visit some friends and then on to Taupo – more about that in the next post. We need to plot our route through Auckland to miss the America’s Cup traffic.
Meanwhile, we are reminded that interesting things are happening in other parts of the world too. The camera on our own driveway reveals not one but two foxes during a wintery night. Now isn’t that something!
A view of the moon wishing you well on our last night in Whangarei.
