Day 5 The Sun is Shining in Wellington

A brilliant sunrise this morning.

And Sunset

Going Home

We were advised today that we will all be released from the Bay Plaza at 5.30pm on Tuesday 28. I will be picked up by my family but most people need to book flights out of Wellington. I am not counting the days, no point until we have only 3 to go.

Great Service at Bay Plaza

Room service continues to deliver us three meals, served in disposable containers. Afternoon and morning tea snacks also arrive at the door. Last night I had delicious pumpkin soup to which I added the rice. With raw fruit salad and natural ice cream this was perfect food for me.

My laundry arrived back only one hour after they collected my clothes. The service is excellent and always with a smile and a cherry voice.

Exercise hour was great this morning in the sunshine. I walked with Deb, then an Indian couple originally from Fiji. He is a Pastor and she is a teacher. They were the same as me, visiting family in Australia when COVID lockdown arrived.

Also did some laps with Cam, one of our new soldiers. He has been in the army nearly one year and is now in the army team who will be rostered around the hotels in NZ.

Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Christchurch and Wellington have hotels specifically and only for overseas arrivals who all require quarantine.

A room with a view

A Bit of Politics

New National Party announcement today:

National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee has confirmed that National would charge returning New Zealanders $3000 for the cost of their managed isolation or quarantine stay. The fee would apply to everyone, with certain exemptions on compassionate grounds and in cases of financial hardship. Brownlee offered no details of what level of hardship would qualify someone for an exemption, however.
Additional adults in a room if a couple has arrived would be charged an additional $1000. Children under three years would be exempt; those over three would incur a charge of $500.
The policy is broadly the same as signed off this week by Australia’s national cabinet and is in line with policies in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, Brownlee said
“Two-week quarantining looks likely to be with us for a while,” he said. “This is a practical solution to a growing problem.” -Spinoff

Winston Peters reported today

“We’ve used common-sense to hold Labour and the Greens to account. We’ve opposed woke pixie dust. We’ve defended socially conservative values, like the right to believe in God. We’ve focused on the wisdom of sound economics.
“Whilst the rest have been politically correct, we’ve set out to correct politics. We’ve been an accelerator for good ideas and a handbrake for bad ones.- Spinoff