Distance has made the heart grow fonder. How COVID-19 shelved the NZ-Aussie ‘sibling rivalry’

An early-morning ride to the airport, the onboard drinks trolley and a new stamp in the passport — remember that?

We Australians are a travelling people.

The newly opened New Zealand travel bubble can’t offer a long-haul journey to an exotic faraway place but it has opened a port to a land known for its truly awesome scenery and extreme sense of adventure.

And for many travel-starved Australians, I’m sure that will do nicely.

It’s something tourism operators are banking on too. The proverbial red carpet was rolled out in Queenstown where the vibe was very much: “Bring on the Aussies.”

But when NZ PM Jacinda Ardern announced the bubble, the line of questioning from local reporters was focused on what risk this arrangement would bring to…