Still in the same plane (between AKL and HKG), looking out over a sky of sunrise haze this time. Imagine a blurred landscape of horizontal swathes of colour.. purples, pinks, oranges, yellows.. and finally a whiteish-blue.
I have changed into more Hong Kong appropriate clothing (cotton dress > merino + denim for HK weather) and having washed my face in the smallest bathroom in the word (tiled in brown inch squares no less), I feel more human.
I feel also like I need to write of my time in Whakatane. Or at least, give some of my impressions voice:
We left Auckland on a stormy day, in a very small plane [Beechcraft 1900D to be precise] and despite the awful (awful) weather, the flight was incredibly smooth.
I quietly put that down to the skills of the rather good looking co-pilot who I had the pleasure of observing from my front-row 1F seat.
And what to say of Whakatane itself? It is a pretty little place. Green, lush, sunkissed.. all of the usual superlatives one accords small town New Zealand.
I do recall an incredible chill wind, an interesting rocky mountain (hill?) side, and a low but picturesque river.. with the outline of the Mount in the background.
The work was not too challenging – we
spent all out time talking to people about their day to day jobs. And I like that. Talking to people. Maybe helping in some small way, either by sharing my knowledge or just listening. I’ve listened to people for so long that I realise sometimes that I find it hard to be the one doing the talking.
Maybe this blog will help 🙂
Anyway – coming into land; will write more later.
ambilirmbls 
