Leaving The Bubbleby Fiona Garlick

Today I ventured out of my Arrowtown home bubble for the first time since the 19th March when, with the prospect of Level 2 just looming, I chose to start working from home. Little did I know that lockdown would be put in place so quickly and I would not go into Queenstown again for nearly 6 weeks. In fact I never left Arrowtown, not even to go to the supermarket.

During this time I have been outside looking in through the windows of social media, trying to get a handle on what was going on in Queenstown. Liking and sharing the waves of positive Instagram and Facebook posts from friends and businesses alike but with no proper sense of the reality for anyone. We are all in this together but actually none of our journeys through Covid 19 are the same. We are all discombobulated, insecure and frankly dazed and confused by the wobbly, ever-changing horizon. I personally have been feeling a little bit like I have Stockholm syndrome. I have fallen in love with my Covid 19 captor a little bit, feeling safe in my beautiful home prison with no desire to leave it.

So what got me out of the bubble today? A conversation with Davey Mackenzie, owner and operator of Atlas Beer Cafe at Steamer Wharf. Putting my Steamer Wharf marketing hat on I rang Davey to see how things had gone in the first few days of Level 3. Atlas is one of Queenstown’s, old and trusted cafe/ bars with a great selection of craft beer and a healthy following in the local bike scene. They have taken the, what I consider brave, decision to trade in Level 3 (not everyone is willing), with a takeaway and pick up offering but with the added sweetener of takeaway beer.

Our chat was frank, and I summarise, but the essence of what Davey said was that trade was not amazing, but it was good, good to be open, good to be doing something, good to be positive, and good to feel the support and love from the locals. “We have to get out of this, there’s absolutely no option. And we have to be positive, to shut out the negativity and just get on with it!”

With the phrase “just get on with it” ringing in my ears I knew it was time to leave the bubble and go and see Queenstown for myself. Not the news footage of empty streets, not the faux cheerful Instagram posts, or the Facebook stories harking back to old times, the real thing! I jumped into the car I have not driven for 6 weeks and drove out of Arrowtown to Queenstown. Suddenly it was essential to my job, I needed to see, feel, and yes, smell the town!

As I parked in Beach Street next to the park what struck me was the sheer beauty.  Autumn was well and truly in its fullness, the lake and surrounding mountains picture perfect in the sunshine. The golden tree in Earnslaw Park, the graceful old TSS Earnslaw parked up by the wharf. No smoke from its funnel, no tourists lining up to board, but looking amazing inspite of this. There were a few people wandering around, children feeding and chasing the ducks (who looked ridiculously happy to be fed once more), and work had recommenced on the facade of the Steamer Wharf building that houses Pub on Wharf and Ivy & Lolas. Painters were hefting buckets of paint and parts of the scaffolding being removed chain gang style. Restaurant kitchen back doors were open and cleaning and stock taking work happening inside. Life unfolding, the waiting game for bars and restaurants to be fully operational finally a tangible thing.

And the smells emanating into the clear air. Unconfused by sheer quantity or the smell of exhaust from idling taxis and tourist buses. I could smell Indian food, and steak cooking, I could even smell a coffee in the hand of a passer by! And I could definitely smell the mouth watering contents of a fat paper bag that Wes, manager of Atlas smilingly placed on the table outside. A biker swooped in and picked it up with a whoop and a wave before biking off.

Lets just get on with it Queenstown! I can’t wait to come back, witness the unfurling and talk to some of the other businesses giving it their best post COVID -19.