Musings from da Bush!: My home for 14 days

That 1 month of my life.

For unfortunate reasons, I found myself having to make arrangements to travel to NZ smack in the middle of the Covid Pandemic. Being a dual citizen this was possible thank goodness but so surreal the whole experience. I couldn’t help feeling like an actor in a Netflix series of the new world where germs and viruses dictate the way we live…I still cant shake that feeling off yet and worry that there may be some truth in that. So, needing to travel to NZ urgently, the hubby I made the difficult decision for me to go and take our infant daughter. He would stay behind with the older two still in school.

Packing for the trip. How stressful. Knowing we were going into mandatory isolation we were told, bring everything you need for 2 weeks. For a baby that means diapers rash cream, baby Panadol and baby food for 2 weeks! I wanted to ask if we could have a package dropped off or online shopping but there wasn’t really anyone to ask . We took what we could. Leaving Samoa the airport staff and experience was pleasant. The ladies at checkin however took my pram off me despite me asking to keep in inflight as usually the planes from samoa park a loooooonnnggg way away from baggage (why is that?) and I didn’t want to have to carry heavy baby and 2 bags the whole way. “don’t worry” they assured me. “we’ll make sure its outside the gate when you disembark the plane” we always do that they said.

Arrive on the other side. No pram in sight. Disembarking the plane takes an hour as we have to be offloaded in small groups of 5. Everyone is a walking virus until proven otherwise. Even though samoa has no covid. Im frantically trying to hold baby grab my backpack and my bags…and trying to ask an airhostess or person outside about my pram. NO-ONE-CARES….usher me along, don’t know anything about a pram, pick it up at luggage surely. F*@!K. exactly whaa worried about. No one tries to help with my juggling act. I must be conora saturated lol. Anyways, get to baggage HUFFING AND PUFFING> the whole getting out from there was pretty painful just cos I had a baby in tow and the whole hands off thing with this pandemic meant that I was kind of on my own. The aiport is ghost town. We are ushered into a bus, It feels surreal to be ushered into a bus not knowing where we are going. Thankfully its only down the road to sudima hotel (literally 10minutes from hotel ) getting off the bus however is more painful then getting of the plane. Each person has to be offloaded infdividually and an official moh person has to run through all the rules one by one. OMG I can think of so many ways to do that better but I guess it makes sure no one can play dumb after. Far out. We landed at like 7 I think and don’t get into room until after midnight ☹

The next 14 days are summarised by

-too much food

-baby safing a room

-watching sunsets

Watching sunrises

Watching the DHL and postie trucks go by (a lot of trucks go by, we must be in some industrial area)

Watching people in the smoko area of the carpark

Watching that ?tongan family do Tabata everyday

Watching people try to burn off energy going round and round in the carpark

Going round and round in the carpark ourselves

Watching security watch us…

-not allowed to sit in lobby everything is hazard taped off (bar restaurant pool gym etc) basically you must move through the lobby but don’t stop (less you drop off or pick up a germ I guess) there is a small carpark with 3 trees you are allowed to go walk around in. its fenced with security everywhere. There are army people wondering in and out from time to time kinda intimidating but they are nice eye candy so its ok.

We get to register to go for a walk down to a park. I go with baby. By park it was just some grass behind a big shed but no swings or slides or anything I thought might be nice for baby. I sit under a tree and we eat yogurt until some teenagers have done with their game of rugby and we all walk back to the hotel in line formation.

My saving grace is being able to order coffee to the room (barrista coffee) yay.

Baby has fallen so many times in the room. Thank god its carpet but, she has bumped her head (big eggish lump) split her lip (tub in bathroom) and bit her tongue (OMG if cyfs were around lord forbid they take her off me!!) Ive moved all the beds to cover any edges from tables and chairs but it’s a small space for the little one to wonder. Shes only just started standing in the last few days so her exploring skills are on the rise. It breaks her dads heart to hear and see her little steps and advances when we call on messanger. Everyday she seems to learn something new. I till can't believe the year we are in.

We are allowed to order online shopping so I go a bit crazy with fresh.co.nz groceries. I end up taking 90% of the stuff out with me when I leave cos we didn’t really need rice crackers and extra tea coffee milk powder/cereal /twisties/chocolates etc….!

Despite free wifi I don’t really do much Netflix or movie watching. Its hard to look away when theres a baby around. The 2 naps she has (or 3) I use trying to catch up with emails and check on things back home. Never enough time.

We are allowed washing twice a week. Despite it being included (free) we get the bill in the bag when clothes are returned I guess so to feel lucky that we don't have to pay ? (thankyou NZ government pays) WOW $143 NZD for what I would consider half a load. Gosh they mustve had some goddesses of Rome handwash my knickers !!

D-day comes and we couldn’t be more eager to GET OUT OF THERE. Some formalities though.. wait for nurse…fill out form…take to designated official at reception. There isn’t a special person at reception when I leave…see a nurse getting into elevator- “ask reception” see reception – hmm, give it to guard…see guard---uhm leave it at reception. OK guys, seems checkin you’ve got down but check out ?? different story ANYWAY…hip hip horray- poppa has come to get us. THANKYOU LORD for keeping us healthy and sane . no corona virus here faafetai looking forward to seeing mum and having our first KFC!

saying goodbye to dad at airport.

He doesnt want to let go