Day 15, Level 3: Masks, travel, a lizard and Covid stats

So there are 7 new cases today. And still quite a few question marks ??? around clusters. It's agonising to watch and listen to the daily TV press release and question time. Switching on to listen to it all holds little appeal. But switching off isn't any good either. 

Masks are set to become mandatory on public transport.
But not in taxis or Ubers. The driver must wear a mask but not the passengers.
Excuse me ... What?! Why? 

Passengers may well know each other - but how does this protect the driver? Makes no sense at all. I'm gobsmacked. 

For goodness sake, let's get perspective here. If you go out, have a mask on you. And wear it. 

Some of NZ policies are truly WTF. And without perspective or true eye on consequence. Look in all directions, please. 

Are we  truly destined to forever be an island at the bottom of the world letting no one in or out?
It sadly seems that way. I shake my head.

Sam meanwhile, in London, is heading for Lake Como next weekend, Portugal the week after. Has just spent a long weekend in Dorset having great fun. They can travel, they can live. Word here is that it's a mess over there. 

I think the mess lies on our own doorstep as NZers (supposedly in Covid Utopia) live in fear, can't go anywhere, with just a handful of cases per day. 

It's ridiculous. 

My feeling at this point is - let's let this virus do its thing. So many oldies are fed up with life, living day to day without passion or purpose, costing a fortune for themselves, their families, making retirement villages and rest homes rich. Maybe Covid has come to call and remove the burden. But no one is listening. 

This is likely controversial to the hilt - but the old are mollycoddled to the hilt, yet the young (incl. me and probably you!) are compromised. Why? The old would not want it. When I'm old, I'd be mortified if life for the young was compromised because of me, who has already lived. 

For the youngies the OE has suddenly become a pipedream - going anywhere from NZ is no-go. 

Bottom line - everyone is busy compromising living to combat a virus that is unlikely to attack them. But may kill their grandparents by racing around a rest home. This is NOT living. 

At least Sam can get out and about. He's been paid to not work since March. Lives in a fabulous home with mates, and although he can't experience London as it should be experienced, he's still living. 

Much as I know there are still restrictions, limitations, risks and whatnot - oh how I wish I could transport myself to Europe. Anything is better than being trapped in a land at the end of the Earth! I never thought I'd say that as NZ is my homeland - but I'm also a global soul and I just did say that!

The hideous Mosque shooter got sentenced to life without parole today - good job. The first person in NZ to get such a sentence. Nothing less would have sufficed. Get rid of the evil bastard so we never have to think about him or see him ever again. 

For no particular reason, here's a photo of a lizard in Queensland, Oz.

His look says "Hmm, I'm dubious about everything going on in life these days. Front up and tell me the f'n truth!"

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Snapshot of Covid stats ...

I spent some time today doing an analysis of countries, their population and their Covid stats. 

It's revealing. I haven't had a chance to put it into a table yet, to share. But I will.

Meanwhile, a few quick stats in the interim ... from countries with similar populations to NZ - most would be regarded by NZers as "third world". Take a second look at that mis-perception!

And bear in mind this does not mention the many countries with much larger populations than NZ whose stats are far better than ours! Well, reportedly so!

NZ - 4.9m population - 1695 cases; 22 deaths

Liberia - 4.8m population - 1298 cases; 83 deaths

Georgia - 3.7m population - 1436 cases; 19 deaths

Uruguay - 3.5m population - 1543 cases, 43 deaths

Eritrea - 3.2m population - 315 cases, 0 deaths

Oh, and if you must, because I'm a UK lover - 

UK - 66.6m population - 328,846 cases, 41,465 deaths

All these (apart from UK) are in the lower spectrum of stats - but to be honest, NZ is about half way in the list when it comes to Covid. We are not flash, esp when compared to our population. There are many other countries that come in before NZ with much higher populations and much lower stats than ours - including Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Tanzania, Myanmar and Togo. (not mentioned here as their populations are so much higher than NZ's).

NZ is not all that! The perception we've nailed this virus isn't quite right at all. Reality - we're struggling to remain on top of things. 

No beach photos today - I was all set to take a walk to the beach today many times - but every time I got ready, the weather clagged in. The morning was glorious but I was busy working. And from mid-morning onwards - showers galore. 

So here's one from a few days ago.