The effects of COVID on Peter and Xiaoli Tours?
a) Not sure how I can define the exact effects. Obviously we have no staff now or any sub contractors. They like us need learn to find ways to survive. And I seem to carry a lot of mental guilt for letting people go albeit not my fault. (Not good for a bipolar person the mental stress)
b) Financially the direct impact is an absolute minimum of $60,000 and that is not counting ongoing annual loss of a 6 figure income business that is highly unlikely we could now resurrect given border closures ongoing but more importantly, my age. The $60,000 was costs incurred as we quickly tried to close things down which has now become a mortgage on the property.
c) Business is obviously all but dead other than the odd accommodation booking. The latest June/July GST return our income was just $240. Thank goodness for pension. So yes IRD will be paying us as semi closed down or not, the business still has ongoing expenses until we can fully close it
d) The mental stress of going from very full on to zilch is really taxing. And I see it in both of us with our drive gone. Instead we sit and watch the tide come and go. No need to go catch the fish as there is no one to share it with so the boat sits
e) The property now it has a mortgage albeit small must now be sold. We had half heartedly been trying to sell but now with a mortgage and no income it is a necessity.
The positives though:
a) When we can kick our butt we have a life now outside of being committed to a business 12 months a year
b) We can have holidays and not need rush back home
c) We can spend more time with our children. Helping them out however that may be
d) We have our toys we can enjoy. The boat. The caravan. The torpedoes. The 2 4wds etc etc
e) I can once again look at supporting children’s charities which I always enjoyed before
f) And most importantly we get true Peter and Xiaoli time
So COVID stay away and let us enjoy what you didn’t destroy. We are young (yeah right), vaccinated and happy. Just no longer debt free but that I will resolve.
And yeah, I can grow a beard. Grow the hair long. No need to have to present myself tidy for the customers. I can just be Peter the way I like
Peter and Xiaoli Tours 
Two beautiful people and I feel your sorrow like a lot of others are experiencing.The whole world is in turmoil with every thing but you at least you have some assets to carry on with and are still young enough to survive in some comfort where as some people have lost every thing. I feel your pain and wish there was some way to help but keep smiling and keep the chin up.
Regards and best wishes for all your dreams,
Dennis Johnston. (Tauranga)
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We are fine Dennis. Maybe not the best mentally. Just need try find what grabs us to break the boredom moving forward. Not young enough to consider another business venture but young enough to get outside and find a new challenge to stimulate the brain. I try see it as a positive, not a negative. Positive as when one door closes there is every opportunity to open another. As people we need find it as we do as a country
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