Kelly Makiha: Wait a second, could things be going well?

Could our economy be getting better? Actually? Photo / File

OPINION

I've got a feeling, things might be starting to look up.

The other night I made a last-minute decision to take my girls out for dinner.

We put on our fancy clothes and lipgloss and jumped in the car to see where the mood took us.

On the way, we decided to go to Eat Streat in Rotorua. But after driving around the block a few times, we realised parking was going to be a mission.

Not a worry, Rotorua's got tonnes of awesome restaurants. We then drove past the Pig and Whistle. Still no parks.

Hmm, that's okay, another good idea cropped up. Let's go to Good Eastern out at Lynmore. Holy haka, no parks there either - and the rain and frosty air meant we weren't keen on just any park unless it was pretty much right outside.

By then, the girls had started dreaming about McDonald's Happy Meals and McFloats (fizzy and icecream) so we hit the drive-through instead.

I could have been annoyed our plans were thwarted but instead you couldn't wipe the smile off my face - and it wasn't because I'd just saved a lot of money. I was so happy to see Rotorua pumping again. It was like the "old days".

Wind the clock back just over 12 months and restaurants and cafes were begging locals for business.

With all that money we'd saved on petrol by staying home during lockdown levels, we were being ushered out for breakfasts and lunches like never before in a bid to keep local businesses afloat.

Now it seems we're fighting to get in.

As we have reported today, Queen's Birthday weekend across the region has been crazy busy.

Tauranga shopping malls have been brimming with money-spenders escaping the rubbish weather and in Rotorua, the diehard mountainbike fans have still been hitting the trails.

This on top of news there's jobs galore in the Bay of Plenty.

Tauranga's Phil Van Syp from 1st Call Recruitment said if 50 people showed up tomorrow with the right skill sets and attitudes, they could get work.

He said companies were definitely getting competitive and trying to find ways to sweeten the deal, so the ball was in the employee's court.

There are hospitality, accountancy and skilled labour jobs on offer, to name a few.

Like anything though, you need the right attitude before you're even considered.

So if you're like many in our region who have felt the brunt of the pandemic, now's the time to dust off the gloom and look forward to a brighter future.

I've got a feeling we might be on the right track.