Tread softly, but go out to explore
Iwas on my way back to New Zealand just after New Year, killing time at Portland airport, scrolling through my Instagram feed, when I first saw the pictures. Auckland bathed in eerie shades of yellow and orange. The Sky Tower, Mt Eden, Sylvia Park . . . so many recognisable spots all looked like they’d been heavily filtered in sepia tones.
‘‘Apocalyptic’’, read one caption. ‘‘Spooky’’, read another.
An ‘‘unprecedented plume of smoke’’ from the west had moved in. Smoke was filtering and blocking sunlight, and the skies were gloomy due to a layer of smoke sitting on top of cloud. At that point, Australia’s bushfires had been raging for many days, and had claimed numerous human and animal lives.
Many parts of Australia have been untouched by the fires but, understandably, travellers are apprehensive. Tourism officials in Australia insist the country is still open for business. ‘‘The best way to support Australia, Australian communities, and the tourism sector is to keep visiting,’’ they said. Western Australia has been spared the devastation. In our cover story on pages 4-5, Ronan O’Connell explores some of the coast’s most beautiful beaches and shows us why they are worth visiting.
From Australia’s bushfires to the spread of coronavirus, it’s definitely a challenging time for tourism, and the world in general.
Travel advice and conditions can change quickly, so it’s always important to check safetravel.govt.nz before making travel plans, and even up to and during your travel.
Happy travels and stay safe!