Two years later, 24 months wiser. New Zealand is about to reopen again to international travellers after a pandemic, a period of clipped wings and stop-go 'traffic light' restrictions that seemed like they would last forever.
While it remains to be seenwhat level of tourism and cheap international air connectivity will return, since the announcement that NZ was "welcoming back the world", airlines and tour operators have been queuing up to announce their return to Aotearoa. New Zealand is firmly back on the itinerary for international tourists.
But how will the reopening change our own travel habits?
And what have we learned since we had the motu to ourselves?
Do you know your Ahipara from your Te Waewae Bay? We're on the search for New Zealand's best (and least) known places. Play our Tiki Tour Quiz to guess the location of six New Zealand towns and places. Scores are given for speed and accuracy.
Far from developing cabin fever, Kiwis embraced their backyard. When there was snow, and we could go, Queenstown's ski slopes were full of New Zealanders. DoC Huts have booked out and every single hire bike on the freshly completed Lake Dunstan has been busy wheeling its way through Otago.
We needed little encouragement to try something new.
There was a short lived 'Transtasman Blip' which lasted for all of 95 days, through April to July. For the most part we've been on our own.
We wanted to find out just how much exploring you've done.
Give our game a go and share it to see where your NZ knowledge stands against your friends and whānau. One things’ for certain: we’ll never take our backyard for granted again.
