NZ Lockdown

Lockdown

Denver airport is quiet. No queues in security - just move through - of course at a social distance from everyone, but still with mask on until security asks - 'please pull your mask down'.

I’m asked to go back through - must be looking specious i guess and then patted down as well. But then released to continue the process of picking up the red bag and green ski race helmet and briefcase. And then to the gate

The plane duly pulls up and a scattering of people get off.  So far it looks like we will not have a lot going over to LA. But the numbers slowly build as I sit in the window - mask on - back to everyone  A engineer pulls up with clip board and goes under the plane  - hmmm  - perhaps jut routine but he is there a while, and then n announcement.
‘Due to some maintenance issues our departure will be slightly delayed’

After a while he disappears and it's sometime before he comes back with a ‘motherboard’ in hand and disappears under the plane to emerge in just a minute or two. At the same time we get a boarding announcement.  Now we are 1hr 30mins late and the connection for me in LAX is going to be tight - but not much I can do about that

I though that I would get a row to myself or at least an empty seat but that is not the case and I sit the entire journey with my nose against the window - looking for clean air through my face mask.

Of course i’m near the back and yet I have to sit patiently while the whole plane gets of 15 by 15

So now with at least two terminals to cross to get to Air New Zealand in Tom Bradley I need to run / hustle my way.  Some where during this hustle I realise that one wheel on my red trolley is not actually working and i’m dragging weed on one side. Damm - nothing to do but put my head down and keep the momentum going - glad i have merino on as soon i develop a sweat and this will help keep the odour down to a manageable level

Finally - be assured it’s a long way (felt like 2kms - but probably only 1.5kms) I turn into the wing, but of course ANZ gate is the very last one so it’s not quite over.

Just a scattering of people at the end so I think that loading is just about done - but I’m reassured by one guy that they have only called babes and grannies.   ‘Watch the bag for a minute will you, I need to go to the loo’  ’No problem’

Jacket and shirt off and i wander back leisurely to the loo and begin the cool down process.  I return - mutter thanks and we board. I’m still rather hot so once i get close to the seat I put the red 1/2 wheel trolley in the rack and put my briefcase on the seat two up from the allocated seat.  A steward comes pass and “don’t worry I will take my seat - just cooling down after a long run between terminal’s He turns and goes back down the cabin and returns a few seconds later with a bottle of water  - thats Air New Zealand service  from a senior flight attendant

Actually the all seem like senior staff, as I am approached a short while later by another staff member - Mr Hunt ‘ Wold you like to join us up Front’   Well no that is not what she said - just what I was dreaming she would say.
“Your bag - we can’t find it right now”  ‘Don’t worry about - I won’t need it for two weeks’ but we are somewhat delayed departing and I think it is my bag that is the problem. (it made it on the flight)

‘Doors are shut’ - great - now I can occupy a empty row without fear of a late walk up.

A couple glasses of wine and a movie and a half and before you know it we are in NZ


Arrival NZ July 15th
Pick up the ski bag and  a normal departure but soon things change. Prior to the passport control we are meet by airport security and they direct one at a time through a temp screening - push that thing into my ear and - yep - you seem fine. Are you sick? Have you been with anyone who is sick? Are you feeling ok?
Actually the same questions get asked every day.

Passport control and out too met by armed police and directed to the bus line. Yes Mr Hunt - we have your name here. You will be going to the Mecure Grand (sounds fancy)  Please go out and board you bus. “Rear entry only please - we will load your bags”

Off we go into town and park up outside.  Hotel staff clear the foot path and swing the barriers against the nose and tail of the bus so we cannot get away, and by being at the front I depart first into the carport where we pass through two stations, our names are checked off again, and a key issued. “What would you like for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next two days ?”- a quick scan of a standard ‘isolation printed menu’ make the choices, then the next station and  and temp taken with more questions about health Are you ok, how are you feeling, do you have any underlying sickness. We have doctors and nurses in the hotel if you need u.  .

Finally I am released,  bags delivered into elevator and up to the 11th floor. Drag that ski bag into the room - push it under a bench near the window and just sit for a moment before scouting the room, calling Brandi and having a shower and change of clothes.

Now - how do I get a flat white?  Breakfast and coffee duly arrive and day one in isolation begins


First things first - need to get that bike delivered Yep - Megan is onto it and says she will have it here Thursday morning. Perfect
Cycling shorts - which are still hanging in Steamboat.  Search the net and find that Tinelli - a NZ brand out of Nelson seem like the best option. After ordering I call to make sure.

They arrive the next morning with a nice little  note from Tinelli
Welcome back to New Zealand Geoff.  Enjoy your stay in Auckland and let ius know if you need any more cycling kit to get you through.  Team Tinelli

Wednesday passes quickly . A round of calls to family, some TV scouting and soon it’s time for bed.  I had resisted all day lying done but had nodded off a couple time s reading a book


Saturday already
Tour de frances stage 20 - which yr not sure but second yr that Froome won / BC News and breakfast. Curried eggs and Croissant -and a flat white ordered prior
Back to the story writing  / diary

 
 
Well a couple coffee’s each day / busy with real estate agent calls and emails selling Brighton, which involves going down to the front desk “could you print this please” and then bring the paper work up and sign it and then down again and “please scan this back to my email address’ and then I send it on to the agent.

But had to do a couple pages again as we discovered a line in Clause 9.1.b where there was a 15 instead of a 5 - so repeat the process with the front desk.
They have been very nice about it.

I was told on arrival that I could go for a walk each second day as long as I sign up - so Thursday I’m in - 10.30. but it’s raining and blowing (flooding up north) but away we go.  1 allowed at once. Gather in the drive-thru - suitably distant and then onto the bus. I try to be apart but of course a family chooses to sit right behind me - ahhh.

A short drive around the block - happened by the road blockages and diversions / building projects in downtown Auckland and onto Queens Wharf - which is actually just spitting distance behind the hotel.  We are escorted out of the bus onto the wharf - in the wind and rain and allocated 100meters of wharf. High barbed wire fence ne side and the Waitimata in the other. (well there was not actually any barbs - but it wasa 8-10foot high security fence)

‘How long do we have?” “45mins”    Ok - so I don’t need the exercise that I am going to get walking up and down 100meters so to the end and stand on the spot - looking this way and that at the scene. Into the wind and then with my back to it. (I am of course going to get a hour on the bike inside later)  The others - half of them at least , pound their way up and down, getting some forced air in their lungs.

A family with three small kids take it easy with the little ones plying splash in the puddles.

45 mins later - our guard who has been standing in a sheltered guard box lashed to the fence - waves - time up, and we return to the bus (passing other prisoners locked in their own 100 meter space)

Wet and blown back to the room to change clothes / check the email and see what is on the big screen

The door bell rings  - ahh - it lunch time. Vege lasagne. Not too bad - probably the best so far.

So Thursday disappears. Not with out calling my beautiful wife still in Colorado (6hrs ahead and a day behind)









Friday Highlights
Confirmation of the house sale in Brighton
Another 50 mins on the bike
News of Atlanta Major and Governor fighting over the use of masks
More Covid in Victoria with Queensland shutting the borders
And a call from Airbnb confirming they will help with two Australian clients booked into my apartment in September. They help with cancelling the clients (by our mutual agreement) and this frees up my house for Kiwi bookings through Sept.
Live rugby on TV while i’m on the bike which helps pass the time (heavy hill climbing section during half time break gave me a good work out - mangled to push over 250 watts for about 20secs, before winding back down to 180, then 150 which is my standard wattage during the ride.  Did that a couple times so tired when i got off the bike











While I was talking on the phone to Brandi, I received a call from the front desk (thought it was groceries I ordered so excuse my self and went down to pick it up)  After security inspection I am allowed to take the package.
Strange - Countdown have put the groceries in a box, but to my surprise when i get upstairs and open the box it’s fill of flowers and a little rabbit
My lovely wife in Colorado has sent me flowers - it’s amazing. Now - how do I put them in water - a rubbish bin lined in plastic - mmm - thats not going to work - so the jug sitting in the shelf has now become a vase holder and I have this fantastic bouquet of flowers - tulips, roses, snap dragons and ferns sitting on the desk  Thanks darling Brandi
Got two books with me and just about finished one before I got here but now struggle for a few pages at night before tiredness sets in. Perhaps the two books and one magazine might be enough ??  We will see.

Saturday passes
It’s only Monday and i have no idea what happened on Saturday.
Watched some rugby later in the day
Got tested for Covid -19 - probably the most important part of the day
They called just as I had received my coffee, so I asked that I could come down when i finished rather than right now. Fine So drink kt eh coffee and report downstairs - whoops forgot my passport and pen

Check in at the first desk. Yep that’s you  Fine - just wait around the corner. There are three no four others there so I socially distance myself from them (remember I’m still good at that having just come from the US.

A nurse runs in and out getting names and lining us up. Mine you we are the last of the batch so no one behind us.
‘Geoff please’  The room is a ex small conference room. Three fully PPE equipped nurses - one seated with paper work and two testing.
Sit down here please - now we would like you to just look straight ahead and hold still
The nurse is standing to the side and she reaches and inserts a long testing ‘swab’ ‘stick’ down my right nostril - almost into my throat - and then counts to ten as she turns the swab around.
Thanks your done.
I get up and leave but pause to take a photo (they agreed ad turned their backs)

What happened to the rest of the day - god knows, but a knock on my door reminds me that I got my temp checked again (as they do every day around 1000 or so (handheld device against the forehead.

Sunday
Sleep in - till 0730 at least - not waking up so early. Had decided that I would have a relaxing day and not do to much work - newsletter writing etc
Saturday had been a day of getting the June newsletter out ( I know - it’s July but better late than never

So a Coconut Porridge breakfast / coffee / a chapter or two of the second book and then a couple hours later a ride for a solid hour at a steady 130 increasing to 150 watts (23 odd kms) lunch, another chapter, and a highlight
- a smoke on the smoking deck Level Two - well of course I don’t smoke but standing in the sun and wind for twenty minutes looking down on the ‘free people’

Brandi points out what some of the ’cycling mates’ are doing in Steamboat. A ride that Brandi and I had talked about. I did the second half p to Lynx Pass soon after rI got my Salsa gravel bike. A bit jealous.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3782171705

Monday
Tax’s day

Spent all day working on taking the numbers from the bank feed / figuring out the spend / allocating it / and then  ……. . .. . .  well didn’t get to that point

Did enjoy a period outside on Queens Wharf for a walk - well stand in the sun and then back to work

didn’t get to ride until  4.30 and spent a hour or so riding and watch the Dirty Kanza - two versions of it

Dinner - tv and bed

Tuesday
Flowers smell good on my desk this morning