The New Zealand Government has only been allowing New Zealanders and those who have residency to enter the country, since 19 March.
The decision to stay in London rather than return to New Zealand was made as we hadn't finished our travels and we wanted to do more. Besides, summer was on its way. Both of us wanted to enjoy the warmth and sunshine that had been lacking over the winter months. New Zealand was heading into autumn and I certainly didn't want to have two winters in a row.
Who would have thought London would have been in lockdown for so long? Then travel was heavily restricted and it is only recently some borders opened. Still, we are discouraged from using public transport unless absolutely essential. Very easy to say if you have a car to take you on holiday or collect the fortnightly shopping!
There is a month of supposedly 'true' summer left to us. Rashly, I've booked us to the Lake District for three nights, on the Eurostar down to friends in France for five nights and looking now at booking the Eurostar through to Brussels, Bruges and Ghent very shortly. I'm stocking up on masks as we speak.
I'm nervous about leaving the village bubble but at the same time, I feel the need to live, taking the necessary precautions of wearing a mask, washing my hands often and carrying hand sanitiser - touching as little as possible while out and about.
Or should we just return home to New Zealand now and be done with it? Life there is completely back to normal. Friends, family, the coming summer and a Christmas BBQ beckon. Then low and behold, thrown into the mix is the news we are to become grandparents - in Australia! Aargh. How are we going to get in there? What do we do now?
There was talk of a New Zealand/Australia 'bubble' being created. Hurray! That would work. We could return to New Zealand, do the 14 days in isolation then fly to Adelaide for the birth of our grandchild in early December. Stay a couple of months; have Christmas with the extended family there and still have some summer in New Zealand after that. Yes, that would work. Then Melbourne went into lockdown once more. That blew our plans out of the water as Australia tightened up again and any chance of a trans-Tasman bubble being created, were dashed. It could be March 2021 before any Australian border opens. Our grandchild will be four months old by then! I can't wait that long to hold the baby in my arms. Meanwhile, I'm furiously knitting.
Should we just stay here in London, instead and wait till Australia opens? Will restrictions ease further? Will we actually feel safe going travelling? Such a dilemma. And now, the Government is looking to charge NZ$4000 per couple to help pay for our isolation. Dear me.
Should I stay or should I go? Great lyrics by The Clash.
I'll let you know .... if we ever make a decision!
