Stranded tourists restarting travels

When Italian couple Lisa Galluzzo and Ugo Perdoncin jetted off for a New Zealand adventure, they did not expect they would spend seven weeks in isolation.

The pair are among several freedom campers at Ocean View Recreation Reserve in Dunedin who are restarting their travels and looking forward to exploring a changed New Zealand now Covid-19 restrictions have eased.

Ms Galluzzo said arriving in New Zealand at the start of March, the pair bought a van and planned to travel across the country.

Instead, they spent seven weeks in Hokitika before continuing their travels down south.

The pair had no doubts about remaining in New Zealand during lockdown, and were grateful to be somewhere "much safer than Italy".

Beginning to travel again in Level 2, the pair are excited to head to Queenstown today, but noticed a difference in their travels before and after lockdown.

"The country seems less busy.

"The main roads are very quiet and we have not met many other tourists.

"We heard Queenstown is always very busy and full of adventure. It will be interesting to see how it is now."

Frenchwoman Hortense Maury arrived in New Zealand in Januarywith partner Thomas Jeanson, planning to spend six months hiking and travelling.

The lockdown put their travels on hold, and tpent Level 4 in a Lake Hawea Airbnb with five other tourists.

Ms Maury said when they restarted their van travels in Level 2, their surroundings had changed.

"There are many less people now, many of our friends went home.

"Some of the towns we have been through looked abandoned — it is very beautiful though.

They had planned to fly to Australia in June and home to France in July, but the Australian leg had been cancelled.

"We will extend our stay in New Zealand.

"We hope we are able to go home in July."