New Zealand ⁽³⁾

How lucky are we to have abundant geothermal activity in New Zealand? It's a wonder to me that we don't make better use of this resource: our climate warrants it. I've asked myself whether the absence of a spa/sauna culture in South Eastern Australia and NZ is responsible for poorer public health outcomes. Sure our winters are not quite as cold as those in Northern Europe, but they're cold enough that regular hot mineral baths could no doubt help: particularly…

Cleaning up my digital closet, I was about to delete this letter I printed and sent to NZ Labour MP Stuart Nash back in September 2020. I thought I'd share it here first as the ideas contained are still hugely relevant. Unedited and as it was printed and sent, even if I've now spotted things that could've been said better. 11/09/2020 Dear Stuart, I’m a thirty year old resident of Wairoa. As Labour’s representative for my electorate I’m opening this…

Having been marooned in Australia upon halt of the NZ - Aus travel bubble in late July, I'm currently enjoying a stay in the 'resort'. That is, the Sudima Auckland Airport Hotel, one of the NZ governments managed isolation facilities. It took me five tries at the 'lottery' to secure a room. The lottery is the online allocation system at https://allocation.miq.govt.nz that lets a certain number of people through each round to secure a voucher: their permission to enter the…