Piano practice: How Tauranga's Carole Long is spending her self-imposed isolation

Carole Long is in self-imposed isolation at home after returning from a trip. Photo / George Novak

Tauranga's Carole Long has two weeks of self-imposed isolation to learn to play Robin's Return.

The retirement village resident and conservationist returned home from Australia on Sunday evening and decided to self-isolate after a month away, two flights and a wedding.

"I talked to the registered nurse at the village and she suggested that to look after everyone here it would make sense to self-isolate," Long said. "And I totally agreed."

Long said although Air New Zealand had brought her flight forward and she arrived in the country before the 1am Monday morning cut-off for mandatory two weeks of self-isolation, the decision wasn't a hard one to make.

Long said since Sunday everybody had been more than willing to help her out. "My shopping is dropped off at the front door and so many people have been in touch to see if there is anything I need."

Carole Long spent a month travelling. Photo / George Novak

The Queens Service Medal recipient said that for a person who does a lot of volunteer work within the community, isolation was not horrid but was odd.

"I had two talks about kiwi booked but both groups had called to say the events were cancelled. I'm very devastated I wasn't able to go to a St Patrick's Day event last night but I understand that was the last get-together that will be hosted for a while."

Long said as chairwoman of the Te Puke branch of Forest and Bird, consideration was being given as to whether monthly meetings and annual general meetings would go ahead.

"There are some big decision that need to be made, at all levels, but I believe people are being sensible and making the adjustments that are required."

So for the next week-and-a-half, Long said she has committed to learning Robin's Return, a song her grandmother used to play on the piano.

"I've got a piano here and I"ve always wanted to play Robin's Return, so now's my chance," she laughed.

"Although I'm not sure how successful I'll be - it'll probably take me a week just to unpack."