So we just landed in New Zealand. Temperature checks and symptoms screening on landing. Now taken on a bus to a quarantine hotel for two weeks in Auckland. This is how you properly manage a border in the age of #COVID19 
We are staying at the Sudima hotel. This was breakfast the first day. Little adorable meat pies and porridge. The meat pies were good. I chomped one before thinking to take the photo.
This is the booklet we got when we checked in. Published by the New Zealand Government @ChiefSciAdvisor It’s 20 pages long. It covers all the questions you might have about quarantine including what might happen if you test #Covid19 positive.
This is the Table of Contents. I’m so impressed. There’s even a section about looking after your mental health and wellbeing.
Day #1 lunch. Fish. @TJMitchellWS dumps it on his only pair of jeans and partially on the floor.
This is a problem in that we can’t have housekeeping in & they only allow us laundry twice a week and I really don’t want our room to smell like fish. There’s some cleanser in the bathroom though so after a few spritzes of that and a spot clean for the jeans I think we are OK.
Our first New Zealand rainbow! Girls taking a time lapse.
Here it is! So cool.
Posted outside of the hotel on the area where the nurses hang out.
Quarantine Day2 I woke up at 4:30AM because I’m a morning person & that means it’s 9:30AM YESTERDAY on the West Coast of the U.S. Time to catch up on e mails. This international date line thing is whacky but I love it.
Moving. Got a job. Temporary essential worker for 12 months with the possibility of permanent employment. In Wellington Hospital. I’m the new forensic pathologist starting August 1.
We went for a walk outside. There’s a bee hive box behind the hotel. We now have to wear our masks outside too. Last night @TJMitchellWS saw a woman in the hotel sauntering through the lobby with no mask. Had to be reminded to by the nurses. He didn’t want to get into the lift.
So he waited for the next one. Today we saw a truck pull up in back and secure the fences. Guessing it was because of the guy who escaped quarantine yesterday. I’m happy that the NZ government learns from each of these SNAFUs and responds accordingly.
Today we had a hike for an hour at a park that was enclosed with barbed wire and was touted as some sort of water management system. You could hear the dogs in the kennel nearby barking. There were Pukeko!
It was pretty and bright out but not exactly scenic. We had to keep our masks on. One daughter climbed a tree.
Afternoon jasmine tea with honey from the Hotel Sudima “rescue bees.” This is really good honey. I’m going to have to thank the bees (and the general manager). 🐝🍯
So it looks like we made the paper. @nzherald nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/articl…
Day 3 Breakfast of Champions! #Weet-Bix with Sudima bees honey. The supermarket delivery came last night. Today I start on the gastronomic adventure of becoming a Kiwi...
Ask Ifti the General Manager. We haven’t met him yet (because we are isolating, of course) but he’s in charge.
This is how we are warming our milk. Cleaned out yogurt cup inserted in mug surrounded by hot water. Yes it’s 5:30 AM. I’ve been up since 3 because of jet lag. It’s 10:30 AM yesterday in San Francisco! 🤪
So I just tried these #Gingernuts with my coffee. T.J. says that they remind him of cookies he had in Ireland. He prefers his ginger snaps not as sweet and “eyewateringly ginger” but they are perfect for me. Makes us think of the @timminchin song “Prejudice” 🤣
If you have never seen Prejudice you must.
All I knew about Pukeko was that a good friend once worked for a film company names after the bird. I asked him what the name meant and he said it was a “flightless bird like a Kiwi” but I saw them fly yesterday so that’s not exactly right.
Just tried this fruity drink. Feijoa. T.J.: oooo it’s delightful! Me: Smells funny. Tastes good. Reminds me of fruits we tasted in Thailand on our honeymoon. Rose Apple I think.
Today’s rainbow! ❤️🌈
