Day 24, Level 1 - Friday 2 July 2020: Photo shoot, Matakana, politics

Well, this blog has turned into a bit of a diary - and it's kinda worked through everything and lived up to its name "Beyond Covid". Here in NZ at least we're doing pretty well, despite some blips. 

However, I hope my blog still serves to inform, amuse and provoke for those continuing to read on - which is the premise under which I started this blog. Posts have weaved all over the show, I've raved a bit, shared a lot and hopefully given a few insights into a few things. 

I'm quite surprised that I have actually manged to post a blog EVERY SINGLE day since just before lockdown i.e. 23rd March. That's over three months of a daily post. During lockdown it wasn't too difficult as I had more time on my hands than normal. But after moving to Levels 2 and then 1, I became busy with quite a lot of things, as normal daily life resumed, so it hasn't been so simple to post daily. But I've done it, come what may - and it's now become a habit. 

This morning I worked on progressing my PTCS - personal travel companion services. I may have said it before, but my goal is that, in time, everyone knows what PTCS stands for!!! A lot of work to do to achieve that. But gotta start somewhere. And I'm almost ready to spread the word. 

Working on it - at a great rate. 

Progress in all areas.

Packed up the car and then headed to Marie's round the corner - for a photo shoot to get some pics for my Facebook page and website and other promo for my travel biz. Marie is so on board with everything, and also very creative. Even though I utterly loathe having photos taken of me, I know it's a necessity for promo - and with Marie it was fun. We laughed and created and had fun. Did it at her house - which is a studio in itself with many photogenic areas. Thanks Marie!

Here are a few ...

  

So then I zapped up to Omaha, traffic was a bit awful getting out of Auckland, but then smooth sailing. I stopped in Matakana to get a few supplies. At 4.50pm on  a Thursday, the place was quiet. It had a real "olden days" feel about it today and felt about as rural as it did 40 years ago!!! Bizarre, as I think Matakana was way more lively during Covid days! 

The Butchery shop shown here was open - one of the last local butcher shops still operating I think. Shame places like this had to close during Covid. Wrong. 

Matakan - Looking east

It was a gorgeous night at Omaha. This is the view from the deck when I arrived. 

Once at Omaha, I set up my laptop and got to work progressing Beyond things - biz card, contracts, admin ...

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:

Politics ...

So today the Health Minister resigned - should have happened some time ago. Suspect he'd given Jacinda a hand-up along the political brick road so sacking earlier a no-go - and she hasn't ruled out bringing him back to a ministerial role if they win the election. The essence of politics ... it's all about how they want to be seen and manufacturing it accordingly. What they don't understand is that the discerning public see way beyond all that shit. OMG how visible it all is. And how eternally shambolic. Sigh.

Lots of changes and ups and downs going on in politics right now - well, it's post Covid and pre election so of course. Good grief it doesn't make it easy for the voter. 

The Racing Industry Bill has received Royal Assent as of 30th June and will come into effect 1st August when the new racing season begins. A long time coming, much needed, and hopefully game changing. We shall see. 

We have the Legalise Cannabis referendum coming - lots of politics and debate around that. 

We watch Trump with horror, Boris with disbelief, and the world with trepidation.

Here in NZ we sit tight, in relative safety and normality. But, like any game of strategy, one wrong move, and you're sliding brutally downwards. Look at Victoria. 

We're not stuck in the woods but we're not out of them yet. 

I think NZers are going to be stuck in NZ for quite some time yet. 

And that's not a bad thing, as it's not a bad country. 

It's just not Europe or the rest of the wonderful world ... (sigh and yearning ...)

NZ's biggest problem is that it's f'n expensive. For everything and everyone - locals and tourists. It always has been and it continues to be. Tourists will be saving millions by not being able to be here, I suspect! Truly! NZ is over-priced and it is just plain wrong. 

Fact - It costs more to spend a week in one small town in NZ than it does to spend a week in an island in the Pacific - which involves airfares. 

Ridiculous. 

NZ - get those prices down so NZers can enjoy their own country. 

There's no reason, no excuse. Only greed.