"I'd been in lockdown up on the farm for weeks drinking cups of tea, so as soon as the places in Ohakune started doing food again, I jumped in the car and headed into town.
"I was never much of a coffee drinker before all this, but the flat whites and chai lattes at places like Utopia and Mountain Rocks have definitely converted me."
O'Reilly said she'd tried to visit all the different restaurants and cafes in town because they "made up such a big part of Ohakune".
"The cheesy chips at Captain Kune's were another amazing discovery, and I took my mum to The Cypress Tree in town too.
"Because I'm from [England] it's been great to actually go and meet all the people at these local places and maybe try out some of the stuff I wouldn't have before.
"The waitress at The Cypress Tree said she couldn't carry as many plates as she used to, what with having six weeks off and everything, but hopefully the places around here are on their way back to normal business.
"Even just buying a reusable coffee mug from a cafe or something can help out in a small way, and every little bit counts."
O'Reilly said business at Ruapehu Homestead Horse Treks was "slowly picking up again", and that their regulars had got "come straight back in the saddle " for lessons when level 2 came into effect.
Meanwhile other businesses have also been thankful for local support.
Chef's Choice Whanganui owner Dean Fitness said a lot of his friends and members of his roller hockey team had been placing orders during level 2, and that it was great to see "familiar faces popping in and showing their support".
"I've definitely been buying as much as I can locally, as opposed to just jumping online and pressing a button."
Local musician Ben Broughton said he had "raced down" to the Gatshack music shop on Ridgway St as soon as it reopened.
"I needed a new set up so I bought an electric guitar and some pedals."
Our tips for shopping local
Holiday in our region
Seriously, why not? Pretend you're coming here as a visitor - even book accommodation. You'll be surprised what new things you can find. And all that money you save on petrol can give you more to spend on doing things and supporting local. If things are too tight, invite out of town friends or family here.
Spend more time, not more money
Many of us have been hit in the pocket but supporting local doesn't have to mean spending more money. Take time to think about how you can shift a current purchase, even one small thing you might by from overseas, to a local business. It might not cost any more than a bit of time.
Share the love
Try a café or eatery you've never been too before. It doesn't have to become your regular but it all helps the money-go-round.
Go local! Big and small
Shopping local doesn't necessarily mean shopping small. Many larger businesses are owned locally or employ many local staff. At the end of the day that's what we're shopping local for.
Every bit helps
Again, we don't need to feel under pressure to spend up large. There are thousands of us – and that means all our dollars and cents can add up to the big economic boost.
