Quarantine in Auckland

Two weeks of quarantine were just long and boring. We had two conjoined rooms in the hotel in central Auckland. Only after our ‘day 0’ negative covid tests we were allowed to leave this room and go for a 45 minutes walk on the hotel’s car park every other day! The car park was surrounded by barriers and we had to walk one direction in circle, making sure we keep the adequate distance between each other. It really felt like a prison, but overall I thought it was a mild inconvenience. We were trying to exercise every day in the room. However, it still felt like impossible to keep in any shape or form.

A bit of a freedom in Auckland

Eventually, after two weeks, every day health checks and multiple covid tests we were cleared to go. Mrs Sting made some internet contacts with Polish couple living in Auckland who picked us up from the hotel and drove to the airport. Before that, they managed to take us for a short walk around the Auckland’s marina. That felt like a freedom, finally! The temperature was really high so we were boiling! Anyway, it felt good and the kids immediately started collecting shells on the small sandy area.

Off to Dunedin

Eventually, we had to go to the airport. Still, had to go through a lot of checks at the airport. Finally, we could sit in the plane to Dunedin. It was fairly bumpy flight! Short however in comparison to what we have experienced fortnight before. The flight took only one and a half hours. Upon landing in Dunedin, Konrad was very disappointed and loudly asked ‘Where is the airport?’. I must agree, that it felt like a landing in the middle of the field! Once on the airport, we collected our bags and took the pre-booked taxi to a New Hometown.

A new Hometown!

The next thing we have noticed how hilly Dunedin is. I have never seen anything like it, constantly up and down ride through the town. Eventually, we arrived, left the bags in the house and went for a quick shopping. Next, tired but excited we celebrated our journey with the glass of wine. Following morning, we experienced an absolutely stunning view of a rising sun. The first, of hopefully, many to come, the hills and the harbour! Absolutely beautiful and peaceful. Somehow, felt like Scottish. Even our Hurricane made a comment that one of the hills looked like a Pap of Glencoe. It was hard to disagree. Our new chapter has just began…

To read the first part of our journey to New Zealand during covid pandemic please click here.