Category Archives: New Zealand

The Great Walks of New Zealand are ten formally recognized and managed, multi-day adventures through different aspects of the country's mesmerizing landscape. There are three options on the North Island (one of which is actually a paddle) and seven on the South Island. These safe, fun and reasonably accessible walks feature well-maintained campsites and huts to help support the journey (advanced bookings required).

This 28.6-mile, point-to-point trek takes a recommended 3 to 4 days to complete. During that time, the trail predominantly follows the shoreline of the titular lake, all while exploring the largest native forest on the North Island and the traditional home of the Ngai Tuhoe people (Maori). Misty valleys, lush rainforests, spiritual waterfalls, and pleasing bird calls elevate this walk further.

Though grouped in the Great Walks, this journey actually requires a canoe or kayak to complete. There is a full 90-mile, 5-day paddle option or a truncated alternative of 54-miles/3-days. The Whanganui River offers a peaceful atmosphere, punctuated by the excitement of some manageable rapids and the sight of shoreline waterfalls and caves. Alongside the river, there is also a 22-mile mountain biking adventure (or short walking break option for paddlers), appropriately and mysteriously named the "Bridge to Nowhere."

One of the many "Lord of the Rings" movie sites on this list, Tongariro circles the most specific and iconic feature of all, Mount Doom (i.e., Mount Ngauruhoe). This active volcano not only capped off Frodo's arduous journey but it also makes for a great side-trip summit for keen hikers who want to peer into a smoking crater. Tongariro National Park looks desolate and otherworldly and at the same time, exceedingly pretty due to the contrast of the emerald lakes peppered throughout the area. The whole circuit is a 3 to 4 day, 26.8-mile adventure.

This sandy, tropical, inspiring trek is a 37.3-mile, point-to-point undertaking of about 3 to 5 days. During that time, the gorgeous Northwest coastline of the South Island will dazzle all who enjoy walking along golden beaches and through lush forests alongside glittering bays. Just note, the rewarding landscape is not without its demands. Hikers must pre-plan based on the tides and the return shuttle and be well-equipped for the voracious sand-flies that can swarm the campsites at day's end.

The newest addition to the Great Walks list is a 34.2-mile, 2 to 3 day, point-to-point hike along the central West Coast of the South Island. Alpine-hungry trekkers will be greatly rewarded as they traverse the Paparoa Range, taking in giant and sheer limestone cliffs and ample sub-tropical rainforest along the way. This route is also open to mountain bikers - an advanced undertaking (Grade Four) of typically 1 to 2 days. Severe storms are known to rock this region, so warm, waterproof clothing is a must.

The Heaphy Track is another marvelous adventure through the West Coast region. At just shy of 49-miles and a 4 to 6 day duration, this route ranks as the longest hike on the list. Southbound hikers will begin inland and take the point-to-point, ancient Maori trail through various diverse ecosystems on their way to the Tasman Sea. The Heaphy Track is also periodically open to mountain bikers who are comfortable on advanced terrain.

The Routeburn is the first of two mountainous treks in the Southwest/Queensland region. This 20-mile, 3-day, point-to-point adventure shows off the quintessence of New Zealand's Mountains - linking Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park. New Zealand's mountain treks are unique in that their lack of native mammals mean no need for safety concerns regarding bears or other predators. Also, due to low population densities of both humans and other animals, the alpine water sources are generally clean to drink.

The Kepler Track is an excellent complement to the Routeburn. It is another mountainous trek through Fiordland National Park, within shouting distance of the base town of Queensland. This 37.3-mile circuit is typically completed in 3 to 4 days. It showcases long, wind-swept, grassy ridges, snowy peaks on the horizon, glacier-carved valleys, and a range of other snapshots of the South Island's scenery, which was the goal when the Kepler was established in 1988. The mountain huts in this region give hikers a cozy place to cook their meals, enjoy the panoramic views, and rest their heads (thus eliminating the need to carry a tent).

This 4-day, 33.2-mile, point-to-point, 150-year-old trail is the most popular of all of New Zealand's Great Walks. The breathtaking journey traverses Fiordland National Park, typically beginning at the head of Lake Te Anau and ending at the majestic Milford Sound. Throughout the bucket-list adventure, hikers pass over suspension bridges, mountain passes, and alongside Sutherland Falls (the tallest waterfall in New Zealand) - all the while contending with capricious rains that are considered part of the charm. The trek can be capped off with a boat cruise into Milford Sound - a great way to gain another perspective of the Norwegian-esque scenery.

Located on Stewart Island, just off the Southern Coast of the South Island, the Rakiura Track is a peaceful, 3-day trek. This 20-mile meader comprises many boardwalks, open-air and sheltered coastlines, suspension bridges, and forested ridges. Stewart Island has a population of only 400 people, which explains the untouched feel of the Rakiura Track. Though low on humans, the island acts as a sanctuary for an impressive population of birds. Their mix of tunes adds to the levity of the experience.

Exploring a country on foot (or bike or boat) is a perfect way to absorb the experience thoroughly. This is especially true for a place as isolated and whimsical as New Zealand. The 10 Great Walks merge the beauty of minimally impacted natural settings with the practical enhancements of well-maintained trails and overnight infrastructure. Each one offers a different glimpse into the densely packed and amazingly varied landscapes throughout the North and South Islands.

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10 Great Walks Of New Zealand - Worldatlas.com

Its good to be alive, artist Sallie Culy says as she finishes a ham and cheese sandwich at one of the many cafes she visits most days in Wellington. It really is good to be alive.

Sallies words, like much of how she interacts with the world, are life-affirming. As a person, and as an artist, she celebrates connection, imagination, joy and the daily interactions that make life shimmer. Her approach is a welcome reprieve at a time when the world grapples with tragedy, and the city Sallie loves Wellington is still catching its breath after a weeks-long protest that ended with parliaments grounds burning.

Sallie, who was born with Williams Syndrome a rare genetic condition that causes developmental and learning disabilities has become a familiar face to Wellingtonians. As the title of her first ever public art exhibition suggests Hello to Everybody Sallie is one of the friendliest people in the city.

I love the people saying hi and hello, she says of the wide community she has created for herself.

Sallie leads a relatively independent life, and when she isnt volunteering at the Wellington City Mission and the Holy Cross School in Miramar, singing in the Wellington Community Choir or chatting to her wide array of friends in the capitals shops and cafes, she is making art.

Just around the corner from the cafe, on Courtenay Place, one of the citys main strips, are a series of light boxes nearly a storey high. Displayed within them are Sallies works felt-pen and crayon drawings featuring brightly coloured flowers, cats with attitude, skaters in orange tracksuits, pop-stars such as Rhianna, platters of food, and depictions of friends and family.

The drawings are bold, playful, and an utterly joyful homage to the city she has called home for her 41 years.

Its just love and its hopes and dreams for other people because they are trying not to struggle, Sallie says of her work.

The revolving light box exhibitions have been a part of Wellingtons public art programme since 2008 and Sallie is the first artist with an intellectual disability to have her work exhibited there.

But were sure Sallie wont be the last, said Eve Armstrong, the councils senior arts adviser.

Sallie has enjoyed drawing since she was a child, but has had no formal artistic training. Five years ago, she started visiting her brother award-winning photographer Harry Culy for weekly drawing sessions, and built up a large portfolio of work. Harry and Sallie then contacted Wellington city council with an exhibition proposal.

This exhibition in a larger way may be a public forum for the often overlooked unique talents that can be found in people with disabilities, the proposal read.

On receiving the proposal, Armstrong said: It was engaging and joyful, and we felt Sallies drawings and perspective on life in Pneke [Wellington city] would spark interest and conversation among audiences.

The response to the exhibition has been beyond what she could have imagined. So many people have felt a personal connection to the show through knowing Sallie and having seen her around the city over the years.

One of the most moving experiences I have heard is of a group of students visiting the light boxes exhibition, as they recognised Sallie from the media but also had a student at their school with Williams Syndrome.

It is incredibly difficult for people with disabilities to get into art spaces, says Harry, who as a photographer, understands the art world.

There has been a lot of exclusion in past in those spaces giving more diverse voices to that space is really important.

Sallie, who is really honoured and really proud with the exhibition hopes that displaying work of an artist with a disability will foster connection and understanding between people: because if people understand me, I can understand them you know, we can just sit down and learn to bond.

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Its good to be alive: groundbreaking New Zealand artist brings light and joy to city streets - The Guardian

"Doug," who was believed to be the world's largest potato sits on a kitchen bench of the home of Colin and Donna Craig-Brown near Hamilton, New Zealand, on Aug. 29, 2021. The Craig-Browns have had their dreams turned to mash after Guinness wrote to say that scientific testing had shown it wasn't, in fact, a potato after all, but a tuber of a type of gourd. (Colin Craig-Brown via AP)

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

WELLINGTON, New Zealand When is a potato not a potato?

When it's a tuber of a gourd, according to Guinness World Records.

A New Zealand couple who believed they had dug up the world's largest potato in the garden of their small farm near Hamilton have had their dreams turned to mash after Guinness wrote to say that scientific testing had found it wasn't, in fact, a potato after all.

Colin Craig-Brown, who first hit the tuber with a hoe last August when gardening with his wife Donna, said it sure looked and tasted like a potato. Mind you, he added, he's never tasted a gourd tuber.

"What can you say?" said Craig-Brown. "We can't say we don't believe you, because we gave them the DNA stuff."

After months of submitting photos and paperwork, the couple got the bad news from Guinness in an email last week.

"Dear Colin," the email begins, going on to say "sadly the specimen is not a potato and is in fact the tuber of a type of gourd. For this reason we do unfortunately have to disqualify the application."

The couple had named their find Doug, which they took to spelling Dug, after the way it was unearthed. The tuber became something of a local celebrity, after the couple began posting photos of it on Facebook with a hat on and even built a cart to tow it around.

An official weigh-in at a local farming store put Dug at 7.8 kilograms (17 pounds), equal to a couple of sacks of regular potatoes, or one small dog. The existing Guinness record will stand, a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed in at just under 5 kg.

Craig-Brown remains a big believer in Dug, who still sits in their freezer.

"I say 'gidday' to him every time I pull out some sausages. He's a cool character," Craig-Brown said. "Whenever the grandchildren come round, they say, 'Can we see Dug?'"

"Dug is the destroyer from Down Under," Craig-Brown added. "He is the world's biggest not-a-potato."

Craig-Brown said he's not done yet with chasing the potato record. Dug was self-sown but Craig-Brown said that with all his subsequent research into giant potatoes, he's ready to try and deliberately grow a record-breaking monster next season.

And this time, it will definitely be a potato.

TagsOdds & EndsWorld

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'World's biggest not-a-potato': Doug the gigantic ugly New Zealand potato unmasked as imposter - KSL.com

Pedestrians walk past a sailing boat as it passes in front of the central business district (CBD) of Wellington in New Zealand, July 2, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray

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WELLINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) - New Zealand's gross domestic product (GDP) returned to growth in the final quarter of 2021 as the economy emerged from COVID-19 lockdowns, and economists said the data supported expectations the central bank would raise interest rates further.

Production-based output grew by 3.0% in the quarter, Stats NZ said on Thursday. That was a touch below economists' median expectations of a 3.2% rise and a sharp turnaround from a revised 3.6% fall in the September quarter, when lockdowns had curbed activity.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) last month forecast growth for the December quarter at 2.3%.

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"The Q4 GDP data reflect a robust, albeit very stimulated economy," ANZ economists said in a report.

While there were a number of uncertainites on the outlook, the main concern was rising inflation in New Zealand that would require the RBNZ to further tighten policy, they added.

Annual GDP rose 3.1%, a little below a Reuters poll forecast of a 3.3% rise.

The RBNZ has already raised interest rates three times since October.

"Given that the rebound in activity in Q4 was above the RBNZ's expectations, today's data will keep the Bank on its hiking path," Ben Udy, economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.

OMICRON OUTBREAK

Economic growth improved as New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, moved out of a lengthy lockdown that had hit retail, manufacturing, construction and recreational activities in the prior quarter. Other parts of the country had also experienced shorter lockdowns in the third quarter.

Consumer and government spending were strong in the fourth quarter as was business investment, while trade was a drag as the country sucked in more imports, the data showed. There was also a big drag from inventories as companies ran down stocks to meet demand.

New Zealand's economy is being hit again this year as the country experiences its first significant nationwide outbreak of coronavirus infections as the Omicron variant spreads.

Although there are few restrictions in place, growing case numbers and hospitalisations have tempered people's desires to go out while sickness and isolation requirements are hurting some manufacturing sectors.

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Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Karishma Singh and Richard Pullin

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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New Zealand returns to growth in Q4 as COVID restrictions ease - Reuters.com

It doesnt get much bigger than this for New Zealand and England as they prepare for a must-win match at Eden Park in the ICC Womens Cricket World Cup.

MATCH CENTRE | STANDINGS

Eight group stage points may well be required to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in New Zealand, and both the tournament hosts and Sundays opponents England know that they need to win this and their remaining matches in order to make that eight-point target.

It was a fixture against the White Ferns that sent England through to the last four of the 2017 Cricket World Cup, a tournament that they went on to win of course, and victory in Auckland would go a long way to putting them into the semis again five years on, with winnable fixtures against Bangladesh and Pakistan to come.

And Englands recent record against New Zealand is good too, with a 4-1 series win coming the last time these sides squared off in English conditions last summer.

Losses at the start of the tournament to Australia, West Indies and South Africa have put huge pressure on England to win all of their remaining games in the group stage if they want to have a chance to defend their trophy. And veteran bowler Anya Shrubsole says that the scenario has given the side an extra element of motivation.

I think we want to win every game of cricket that we play - we're here representing England, and we take a huge amount of pride in that and we're here to win every game that we play, Shrubsole said.

But I guess we're motivated by wanting to put some things right that we feel like we haven't achieved in this tournament so far, and everyone will individually have their own, I guess, their own motivations.

New Zealand have suffered defeats to the same three opponents as England, with losses to West Indies, Australia and South Africa setting up this head-to-head clash at Eden Park.

And the two-wicket last-over loss to the Proteas last time out was particularly frustrating for the White Ferns, with captain Sophie Devine saying her team just need to sharpen up for the final group stage matches.

I think we've played good cricket probably 70 - 80% of the time, Devine said. It's just that final 20%.

We know World Cup pressure is on, we know that every ball something's on the line. So we're really close, two more runs and we win that game.

We'll look at the positives to move forward quickly, and it's about resetting and looking forward because it's another really exciting opportunity to play at home in front of hopefully a really big crowd at Eden Park.

THE TEAMS

England Squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt. Travelling Reserves:Lauren Bell, Mady Villiers

New Zealand Squad: Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite (vc), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Frankie Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu. Travelling Reserve: Molly Penfold

Video CWC22, WCWC Feature 09 Mar 22 03:09

Introducing White Ferns legend Amy Satterthwaite | CWC22

KEY PLAYERS

Sophie Devine -Devine's experience with bat and ball is invaluable, but it is perhaps her tactical nous that is her most underrated asset of all. The White Ferns skipper always sets good fields and generally rotates her bowlers well to ensure batters don't become too comfortable. Devine can also turn a game with bat or ball and will be crucial to the fortunes of the home nation.

Tammy Beaumont -The England opener always seems to save herself for the big occasion, so expect to see the 30-year-old score plenty of runs in New Zealand. Beaumont topped the scoring charts at the 2017 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup with a whopping 410 runs.

Video cwc19 13 Mar 22 03:10

Tammy Beaumont Englands force to reckon with | CWC22

CWC22 DREAM11 FANTASY WATCH

Captaincy Pick Amelia Kerr

New Zealands all-rounder came into the World Cup in terrific form and offers genuine quality with both bat and ball. She was in power-hitting mode against Bangladesh, blasting an unbeaten 47* from 37 balls to help the tournament hosts to victory, hit a superb 50 against India, and racked up 42 against South Africa too. And the spinner has also picked up eight wickets so far at the tournament, and has the quality to do serious damage to England batting line-up.

Video CWC22, WCWC Feature 12 Mar 22 03:05

Amelia Kerr rising star of the White Ferns | CWC22

Must have Natalie Sciver

So often considered a generational talent in English cricket, Natalie Scivers international record has been good but not as great as her potential could see her reach. But if she clicks then the 29-year-old could be one of the dominant batters at the tournament, and her outstanding century in the loss to Australia hinted that shes at the top of her game at precisely the right moment for England.

THE VENUE

Video cwc19 18 Mar 22 03:18

A stadium steeped in history | Eden Park | CWC22

The giant Eden Park in Auckland is New Zealands largest stadium and a regular host of international cricket and rugby matches.

This is the second match to be hosted at Eden Park during the tournament, following a day after the India v Australia clash.

Video cwc19 18 Mar 22 02:45

Eden Park rooftop tour with Sonia Gray | CWC22

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

All eight teams at the tournament will play each other across seven rounds in a league format.

The top four teams in the standings after the conclusion of the Group Stage will qualify for the semi-finals, which will be held in the final week of March.

REMAINING FIXTURES

Englands remaining tournament fixtures:

20 March v New Zealand24 March v Pakistan27 March v Bangladesh

New Zealands remaining tournament fixtures:

20 March v England26 March v Pakistan

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Must-win World Cup clash awaits for New Zealand and England - International Cricket Council

Amid the massive success of The Kashmir Files, the movie based on the true stories of the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide, the censor board of New Zealand has decided to re-evaluate the film and its release in the country. This is after some communal groups in the country pressurized the New Zealand Censor board to ban the film.

On Friday, Director Vivek Ranjan Agnohotri called for urgent attention of the Indians in the country and asked them to stand united against the radicals. Some communal groups are trying to put pressure on New Zealand Censor to ban The Kashmir Files. I request all Indians to be united and oppose this undemocratic tactic by radicals with utmost humility and release this film about HUMANITY and HUMAN RIGHTS, he tweeted.

The statement shared by Agnihotri read that the Muslim communities in New Zealand had a problem with the film and that they were planning to protest against its release. We have a problem releasing this film in New Zealand. The Muslims have taken the issue to censor board officials and also the External Affairs Ministry, the authorities in New Zealand said.

It also stated that the Muslim communities had issued threats to the board saying that they would protest in front of the theatres if released. The Director also shared a screenshot of the email which read that the film had raised concerns with the public, the NZ Police, Department of Internal Affairs and many others. Reportedly, the advertisements for the film have also been requested removal.

Vivek Agnihotris gut-wrenching movie The Kashmir Files has become one of the biggest blockbuster movies of recent times. The movie starring Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty, Mrunal Kulkarni, and others has managed to earn Rs 106 crores in seven days. Agnihotri shared the tweet and expressed his happiness over entering the 100 crore club.

The movie had impressed the box office by making the business of around Rs 4.25 crores on the very first day of its public screening. Interestingly, the movie which was initially released across just 650-700 screens has also seen an increase in screens and shows to accommodate the audiences demand.

The film is inspired by the true stories of Kashmiri Pandits. It takes viewers back to 1989, when conflict erupted in Kashmir due to rising Islamic Jihad, forcing the great majority of Hindus to flee the valley. According to estimates, roughly 100,000 of the valleys total 140,000 Kashmiri Pandit inhabitants migrated between February and March 1990. More of them fled in the years that followed until just about 3,000 families remained in the valley by 2011. The movie based on video interviews with first-generation Kashmiri Pandit victims of the Kashmir Genocide was released in India on March 11 and is open to watch in theatres.

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New Zealand to re-evaluate release of The Kashmir Files after communal groups pressurise the Censor Board to ban the film - OpIndia

News that a New Zealand army veteran is already in Ukraine helping train civilian fighters, and more are planning to travel to the war zone, raises important questions about what is lawful and what the risks of such actions might be.

As the number of volunteers for the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine rises to a reported 20,000 from over 50 countries, how does New Zealand respond?

Firstly, there is a difference between foreign enlistment, where someone joins another countrys armed forces, and what is often called foreign fighting, where someone takes up arms as an individual or volunteer in a group.

Foreign enlistment generally poses little problem. Its lawfulness depends on the domestic law of the persons home country (does it allow citizens to fight for another countrys armed forces?) and the law of the destination country for instance, does it allow non-citizens to enlist?

New Zealand does not generally prevent people joining another countrys military. In Ukraine, a 2016 presidential decree made it possible for non-Ukrainian citizens to enlist in Ukraines armed forces, and in February this year it was announced the International Legion will form part of the nations armed forces.

In contrast to foreign enlistment, application of the law to foreign fighting both internationally and domestically has always been guided by the nature and context of the conflict, and has varied depending on what was at stake in different political moments in history.

In New Zealand, mercenary activities are prohibited but the laws definition of a mercenary is relatively limited. Criteria include that a person must be motivated by private gain and be paid substantially more than local soldiers.

New Zealands terrorism suppression laws are also relevant to foreign fighting, but these only apply if the person engages in terrorism.

Apart from these two categories, there is no specific law governing foreign fighting, and therefore nothing that prevents someone from volunteering to fight in Ukraine.

Read more: What does it mean to be 'neutral' over Ukraine and what responsibilities come with it?

This is in line with international legal provisions, which likewise do not explicitly prohibit foreign fighting in a general way, and different countries laws vary in their permissiveness.

Even if New Zealand has not taken stronger legislative steps to prevent volunteer fighting more generally, its government is certainly not encouraging it. New Zealand has advised against travel to Ukraine, and may not be able to provide consular assistance to citizens who choose to fight there.

Under the laws of war, someone fighting in Ukraine can be targeted by the other side. If they act only as a medic or first responder, they remain protected from direct targeting, but are nevertheless put at great risk of incidental harm.

Russia has also reportedly threatened to treat foreigners fighting in Ukraine as mercenaries and to refuse them prisoner of war status. Even if this is legally wrong, captured foreigners risk prosecution or worse by Russia.

Read more: Boycotting Russian products might feel right, but can individual consumers really make a difference?

War can also attract all sorts. There have been volunteers fighting on both sides in Ukraine since 2014, with both also claiming a heritage to the international brigades of the Spanish Civil War. Some of those foreign volunteer fighters in Ukraine have reportedly held right-wing extremist views.

There are also concerns that the experience of war may see volunteers bring violence back to their home country, as well as suffering long-term injury or other trauma.

Crucially, anyone fighting in Ukraine must follow international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions. This requires respect for and protection of civilian populations, places such as hospitals, cultural property, neutral humanitarian workers and others protected by the laws of war (such as captured soldiers).

People fighting without adequate military training including in the rules of war is a major concern. Despite good intentions or bravery, war crimes can be committed. Civilians, who are already bearing the brunt of the conflict, or other people protected by the laws of war, may end up being harmed.

In other words, foreign volunteer fighting can escalate and complicate a situation, and they could be prosecuted for the commission of war crimes upon their return to New Zealand. Because of its commitment to the Geneva Conventions, New Zealand is obliged to ensure respect for the laws of war in whatever feasible way it can.

New Zealand Defence Force soldiers are trained in the laws of war, so former military personnel volunteering may be of less concern. The same may apply where people are fighting as part of state armed forces, where command and control structures will be in place.

Read more: Beyond sanctions: 5 more ways New Zealand can help support Ukraine and punish Russia

However, as Australias Brereton Report showed, even highly trained soldiers can become involved in alleged crimes amidst the heat and tragedy of war.

Thinkers like writer George Orwell and philosopher Simone Weil, who were both volunteer fighters in the Spanish Civil War, warned about the way war sees even those on the good side committing violence and abuse.

All these factors should give governments pause for thought. Even if we feel solidarity with a cause, we may feel torn by the idea of individuals taking up arms on their own prerogative, especially when there are other, non-violent alternatives.

The rest is here:

There is little to stop New Zealanders leaving to fight in Ukraine but few legal protections if they do - The Conversation

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When youre in a relationship with someone from a different culture, its about give and take.

Lance McGregor is an industrial designer originally from Lower Hutt who spent 20 years in London and New York designing lighting and fragrance bottles for everyone from Beyonc and Calvin Klein. He met his American wife Melissa, an HR consultant, in Manhattan in 2002. The couple, their daughters Dylan, 12, and Quinn, 9, and 8-year-old son Hunter, moved back to Wellington in 2020.

Melissa: I was born in New Jersey, went to university in New York then moved there for work, so that was my whole world.

Id been single for seven months when I met Lance. Id moved into my own apartment in the East Village and was living my best single girl life.

One night I was having cocktails with my Kiwi friend Catherine who asked if her friend Lance could join us. I was like, what do I care? Lance walked into the bar and it was an immediate wow! He was the hottest guy I had ever seen in my life! He was also super cool, a designer with a cute Kiwi accent. He was so creative compared to my life in the corporate world.

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I invited him to a party at my apartment but thought he wouldnt come because he was way too cool for me. But he turned up and stayed to help me clean up. Hed earmarked a Tiffany & Co catalogue I had and said, these are all the things I want to buy you from Tiffany!

Because Lance had just arrived in New York, he only had a pay-as-you-go phone so I couldnt call him and never heard from him.

In April 2003 Catherine told me it was his birthday so I called and left a message but again never heard from him. Two months later I saw Lance at a party, we started chatting and there was definitely chemistry. I made up a fake after-party so we could keep talking and then had to run around telling all my friends to come back to my place!

We finally kissed that night and had our first date a few days later. Weve been together ever since.

Of course I was attracted to his looks but Lance also has amazing style and taste hes decorated all our homes. Id also never been treated so nicely by someone. Seventeen years later, every day I still learn something new from Lance. He truly expands my world.

Dating someone from another culture wasnt an issue because Id always wanted to live abroad. Wed been talking about moving to New Zealand for a few years but then Covid hit and it seemed like the perfect time.

I do love it here but Im from a huge Italian family and miss them a lot. Lance isnt keen to move back to the United States so we might have to do the back and forth thing. But we both want to retire in New Zealand.

Lance is an incredible father whod do anything for our family. We have a lot of fun together. Im definitely a better person for being with him.

Lance: I had been single for two years when I met Melissa and hadnt actually been in New York that long. It was an obvious attraction because Melissa is the complete package. Id always loved the dark hair/Italian look and Melissa is part Sicilian so she was my dream girl.

Melissa always looked so put-together she wore beautiful dresses and high heels and had a real elegance about her. She also has a magnetic personality that everyone flocks to. Shes bubbly and outgoing, the exact opposite of my introverted personality. Melissa has a zest for life that I admire, which does rub off on me.

The reason I never called Melissa back after we met was because I was too nervous. I was completely captivated by her and thought she was totally out of my league. We come from such different worlds - I grew up in the Hutt and she was this cool New York woman. It took me a long time to summon the gumption to call her.

Wed been together two years when I decided to propose. We were coming to New Zealand for a holiday so she could meet my family and I could show her how beautiful this country is.

Melissa is a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn and Breakfast at Tiffanys, so the night before we flew out I went to Tiffanys and picked out a ring. But my account didnt cover the cost so I had to get money transferred from another account.

I rang the bank and even the salesperson got on the phone and eventually they transferred some over so I could buy the ring. The irony is that in 2017, I was invited to design an engagement ring box for Tiffany, which was like coming full circle.

We were in Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel, lying on the beach, when I pulled the ring out and proposed. Thankfully, Melissa said yes.

Were actually very different - Im extremely tidy and need a clean, clear space for my brain to work properly. But with Melissa it sometimes looks as though a tornado has hit the house! Im also organised and Melissa is a bit more fluid in her approach to life.

A key to our relationship is giving each other space. We do lots of things together but we also have our own interests. Because we work in different industries, we always have lots to talk about.

I love the United States, but dont want to live there again. But when youre in a relationship with someone from a different culture, its about give and take and trying to combine those two worlds and do whats best for the whole family.

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Married in New York, retiring in New Zealand: The couple with opposite personalities and cultures - Stuff

For much of the past two years, New Zealand has weathered the pandemic by stopping Covid-19 at its borders, which closed to almost everyone but New Zealand citizens and permanent residents on 19 March 2020.

Until recently anyone entering the country went into managed hotel isolation. With a million New Zealanders living overseas, and not enough capacity within the hotel quarantine system to accommodate everyone who wanted or needed a space, our border controls have caused misery for many people. The absence of tourists, backpackers and foreign students has been difficult for many industries. With family in the UK and Australia, Ive found it tough.

But controlling the entry of the virus into the country has been key to our success. It enabled us to embrace a go hard and early elimination strategy, stamping out any cases that leaked through the border.

Thats meant that life inside most of New Zealand has been pretty normal. Its been surreal and upsetting watching wave after wave of deaths overseas while our kids were at school, and we were safely going to restaurants and holding sporting events and concerts. And I mean safe even for the most vulnerable who in countries like the UK have had to isolate.

Weve had no need for refrigerated morgues outside hospitals. People having babies, heart attacks or strokes have been able to safely access medical care. In fact, while countries like the UK had two years of excess deaths, in 2020 we had the opposite fewer people died than expected.

The elimination strategy has been incredibly popular within New Zealand. Most people have backed the governments efforts to keep Covid-19 out, despite smear attacks on experts like me and almost daily assaults from opinionated pundits.

We saved thousands of lives and bought time for safe and effective vaccines to be developed and rolled out. Aiming for elimination also bought time for the medical profession globally to better understand how to treat Covid-19 patients and for the development of safe and effective antiviral treatments, though these arent available in New Zealand yet.

Our efforts helped the world understand more about how the virus spreads. Our ability to investigate and genome sequence every case showed how the virus transmitted on international and domestic flights and even through the act of briefly opening hotel room doors that were more than two metres apart.

Our elimination strategy ended when Delta made it through our border controls in August last year. Until then wed had fewer than 1,000 confirmed community cases and just 26 deaths. We switched to trying to minimise the spread of Covid-19 using vaccine and mask mandates and vaccine passes.

Again, we were successful, and by early December, thanks to our high vaccination rates, we were looking forward to a summer of festivities and festivals, at least for the vaccinated. Our Delta outbreak had peaked at about 200 confirmed cases a day, massive by New Zealand standards. Sadly, another 25 people had died.

But by then Omicron had evolved. Soon, managed isolation hotels were straining under the number of cases arriving daily. The government ditched its famous go hard and early four-level alert system for the so-called traffic light system, swapping lockdowns for masks and vaccines. We knew it was only a matter of time before Omicron entered New Zealand. And it did, both the BA.1 and BA.2 versions. Again, border controls bought us time to encourage more people to get vaccinated and boosted and to start vaccinating five- to 11-year-olds.

Omicrons entry coincided with schools and universities going back after the Christmas break, and cases started to skyrocket. It didnt take long for them to completely overwhelm our PCR testing and contact tracing systems. Now were using rapid antigen tests and are reliant on people reporting their results to count cases.

By international standards, mask-wearing is high, but most people dont have access to high-quality ones. Weve gone from a country where most people didnt know anyone with Covid-19 to everyone knowing someone. Were at about 20,000 confirmed cases a day. The real number is likely to be much higher. Ive been surprised how quickly people have adapted to the increase. Relatively speaking, death rates are still low, but its early days.

New Zealand is trying to balance limiting the spread of the virus so that our healthcare system still functions, with having enough people working so that transport chains and critical infrastructure dont collapse under the strain of people needing to isolate. Weve joined the rest of the world

Weve even had our own version of the Canadian truckers protest outside parliament. Our 23-day, super-spreader freedom camp ended with protesters who believe Covid-19 symptoms are a result of government radiation ray weapons setting fire to tents and the childrens playground outside parliament.

Our borders are beginning to open, and like the rest of the world, New Zealand is now leaning on individual choice rather than collective action. While some remain cautious and in self-imposed forms of lockdown, others are living as though Covid-19 isnt in the community through choice or necessity. That means the burden is not falling equitably.

New Zealands colonial past and systemic racism that continues to this day means the burden is disproportionately felt by Mori and Pacific Islander communities. Its a pattern weve seen repeated around the world, with the poor, immunocompromised, and ethnic minorities hardest hit. Its a situation we should find utterly repugnant. It worries me how much the world is ignoring potential long-term impacts of even mild infection on organs including the brain, heart and testicles.

Moving forward, New Zealand desperately needs to set up the kinds of studies the UK has excelled at but is now abandoning like REACT-1, ZOE, and the ONS prevalence survey, so we can keep track of how Covid is playing out nationwide. Weve established a good sewage surveillance system but its not enough, especially with winter on its way here.

The irony is, New Zealands early response to the pandemic showed that if the world had focused on collective rather than individual action, and protecting health before the economy, we may have prevented Covid-19 following diseases like HIV in becoming endemic. Just because it is becoming endemic doesnt mean we should do nothing. At the very least, we need global cooperation to monitor for the emergence of new variants and counter misinformation and disinformation that persuades people and governments to reject vital public health measures. We also need action to ensure equitable access to effective antivirals and vaccines.

In the meantime, Ill keep wearing a mask, get vaccinated again if thats needed, and play my part to protect myself and my community from this awful disease.

Dr SiouxsieWilesMNZM is a microbiologist and associate professor at the University of Auckland and was 2021s New Zealander of the Year

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New Zealand divided over how to handle 20,000 daily Covid cases after years of barely any - iNews

There were tn Covid-related deaths in New Zealand on Thursday, and 19,566 new cases.Video / NZ Herald

The risks of long Covid and suffering serious complications from the virus mean Omicron must not be taken lightly. By Nicky Pellegrino

As a wave of Omicron sweeps across New Zealand, there are a lot of unknowns. Even once the present outbreak subsides, no one can say for sure how many of those infected will go on to suffer the lasting effects of long Covid.

Auckland cardiologist Harvey White has already warned that the health system will be under strain from longer-term complications, including cardiovascular disease. And immunologist Anna Brooks is equally concerned that we should be taking this latest variant of Covid-19 very seriously.

At the University of Auckland, she is busy collaborating with international researchers to find out more about long Covid, the post-viral condition that leaves 10-30 per cent of sufferers with ongoing symptoms that include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, dizziness, pain in muscles and joints and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

Working closely with New Zealand's long-Covid sufferers, Brooks has been collecting blood samples from the group.

"I've now got over 80 participants, ranging from people who know they've had Covid to some that were in the early waves and didn't get diagnosed. Since then, we have started collecting samples from the Delta wave and will likely see cases in due course, too, from Omicron, which is going to be our biggest wave."

Her plan is to analyse the blood, examining immune cells and various inflammatory proteins, and hopefully help identify the signals of long Covid so that a diagnostic blood test can be developed, as well as therapies.

"We know there is a disruption of the immune system," says Brooks. "And we know that this virus attacks right throughout the body. The lungs and upper airways are just its gateway; it damages and inflames the blood vessels and affects blood flow and the clotting system."

Flurries of micro-clots have been found in the blood of those suffering from long Covid.

"Your blood feeds every part of your body, every system. So, when that is affected, it is going to cause all sorts of problems. If blood isn't circulating properly and is trafficking inflammatory proteins, that may relate to why people feel fatigued, for instance."

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Low levels of antibodies called IgM and IgG3 have also been identified in those with long Covid. The theory is that these imbalances in the immune system and the blood-clotting system are intertwined, and behind a confusingly wide range of symptoms.

Even if only a tiny percentage of those who catch Omicron go on to develop long Covid once the initial acute infection has passed, that still translates to a large number of sufferers.

The US is seeing a rise in the number of children diagnosed with post-Covid conditions. And a recent large-scale study with adults in the US showed that those who had tested positive for Covid were 55 per cent more likely to go on to suffer a major adverse cardiovascular event, including heart attack and stroke. These heightened risks were seen even in those who had mild to moderate Covid-19 symptoms initially.

Long Covid is debilitating and can be long-lasting, warns Brooks. "There are people in this country who have had it for two years and they are getting sicker, not better. Some may never recover."

She reports that sufferers in New Zealand have been dismissed by their doctors, told their problem is anxiety and even informed they can't possibly have long Covid, as there isn't any in this country.

Since we don't know how much protection the existing vaccinations give from developing long Covid after an infection with Omicron, Brooks says it is important to do everything possible to avoid catching the virus.

"It would be great if we come out of this in three months' time and we don't have lingering long Covid. I'd be the first to say it's amazing. But we absolutely don't know yet. So, wear a mask, socially distance, get vaccinated, don't actively choose to get infected, do whatever you can to support your immune system."

For those who do catch Omicron despite their best efforts, Brooks' advice is to take it easy.

"We haven't identified the key triggers of long Covid, and we don't yet know why the lingering inflammation and damage resolves for some people and not others. So, it's about rest and listening to your body, rather than trying to soldier on."

Read more:

Long Covid: What New Zealand researchers say about the risk - New Zealand Herald