TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
A long-awaited holiday in the South Island for yours truly in early March was not just a highly memorable experience, it was also a total eye-opener on the impact our closed borders have had on local tourist-geared businesses. Queenstown especially had a completely different vibe to previous visits, with the absence of international tourists resulting in little foot traffic and closed or near-empty pubs, restaurants, cafés and retail stores. Behind our N95 masks my wife and I felt sad, somewhat privileged, and yes, a little guilty all at the same time. It was obvious that business owners and operators were doing it tough, yet it was bitter-sweet to experience the hospitality and stunning scenery without the traditional hordes of people everywhere. Let’s hope this Covid disruption is a once-in-a-lifetime event. However, to…