Transport yourself – no TARDIS necessary. At the time of writing, the rain was still falling. Despite recently returning from a holiday in warmer climes, cabin fever was beginning to seep into my daily mood with that old ‘covid-time bubble’ looking like it just might return.
I looked despondently out at another gray sky and wet road. But then I remembered my grandmother.
Nana S., who lived in the outer suburbs - perhaps inspired by Petula Clark’s 1968 hit Downtown - used to say, “when you’re feeling a bit blue, tidy yourself up, put on your good clothes, get on a bus and go into town”. That she did - on many occasions; a small sherry at the old Travelodge on the waterfront probably helped just a little too.
It was good advice, but these days there are obviously a lot more ways to shake off the winter blues and to get into town other than taking a bus ride. Driving yourself, if you can, is one way, if you don’t mind the often bumper to bumper ride and the circling while looking for a carpark, or are partial to feeding a hungry parking meter machine, although all this can be avoided by renting a conveniently located Cityhop vehicle from around 15 dollars an hour, or an e-bike or e-scooter.
The first time I hired an e-scooter in Auckland back in 2018 I went head-over-heels over the handlebars. Luckily, training from my skydiving course in my youth (when parachutes weren’t as advanced as they are today) kicked in, and I automatically rolled into a ball ending back up on my feet and upright. No harm done. Those e-scooters are now much safer and more robust than they were and remain a mode of transport - when ridden sensibly - hard to beat for an uplifting environmentally friendly trip.
However, if you’re not an e-scooter user, you can always take a bus as my grandmother did, but no longer have to waste time waiting for ages at the bus stop for one to arrive. The AT app on our phones tells us exactly where the next bus is on route and when exactly to expect it. Allowing us to leave home just beforehand, the app is great when you’re short of time, and especially great if it’s raining cats and dogs! And now, since 1 July, children under 13 can travel for free, children aged 13 to 15 and young people aged 16 to 24 can travel for half price. Super Gold holders continue to travel at no cost after 9.00am weekdays and anytime on weekends and public holidays.
If Nana S. was still with us, I’m not sure if she would get on a bicycle or an e-bike, either in cycling gear or in her best clothes in order to get into town these days, but with the current and future planned cycleways she certainly would now have that option. The recent decision by AT that the long-discussed development of Great North Road will go ahead, making cycling connections safer and more convenient is welcome news - improvements not limited to dedicated cycle lanes, but which also include greater safety for pedestrians, better bus stops and dynamic bus lanes.
Of course, another major way to connect with people and places is by electric train. A friend of mind recently needed to get from a central city suburb to Middlemore Hospital. Having never used the trains before, despite living in the city for some time, he was impressed with the ease of doing so and after using the train came away with a refreshed vision of the city. Sometimes, on a sunny day I cycle the city, and after an extra-long ride when I have over-rewarded myself with food at my destination, I put my bike on the train and return in the comfort of a carriage.
So, no need to let the winter blues and that ol’ bubble stop you getting out-and-about, there’s more than one way to travel this ol’ town! (William Greig)
For further details check out at.govt.nz.
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published: 12 july 2023