Kerikeri — Storm — Resonances
Between a tropical storm that derailed the refit schedule and the slow work of convincing people to speak honestly about climate, this dispatch is about what it takes to keep going when the weather is hostile and the silence is louder than expected.
Flying to Kerikeri
After taking a day in an airport hotel to recuperate from the long-haul flight, I flew to Kerikeri, the regional airport serving the Bay of Islands. Last time, I drove from Auckland to Opua. The drive was long and unpleasant — and this time, I had no idea how to return a car when I intended to leave by sea. So I looked into the domestic flight option.
I loved it. The terminal is full of airplanes, not a jet engine in sight. Single-engine prop planes. It felt like I could fly some of them. I was excited just looking at the ramp.
That excitement was followed by confusion. People seemed to be waiting for their flights right where they'd checked in their luggage. I had to ask where security was, worried about missing my flight. The airline employee gave me a large smile. No security on domestic flights. No X-ray, no pat-down. You just walk to the plane. That's when I realized I am actually much closer to Vanuatu than to the US or Europe.
And Row 8 was the very last row. No business class on these planes.