Sitting on a plane flying back into Gisborne after a full on family weekend and I suddenly realise it is quite possibly the last time I will ever fly into Gisborne airport.
When I leave for good in two weeks time I will be driving.
I've seen more of airports and aeroplanes than I ever realised I would when I made the choice to come to Te Karaka five and a half years ago. There have been months where I've flown in and out of Gisborne three or four times in quick succession.
A combination of holidays and being on various committees has seen me both value and dread flying. I certainly no longer see it as something romantic. It can be exhausting, and when you fly into Wellington on one of the small planes it can be scary.
But I do have to acknowledge the service from Air NZ. They try really hard to run to schedule and when they cant they keep you very informed of what’s happening. They tell you when it will be smooth and when it will be bumpy. They are always friendly and helpful.
The service they provide to the regions is really important. Without the ease and convenience of air travel even less people would visit or ultimately live in more remote parts of the country like Gisborne, and that would be a shame.
I have to also give a shout out to the great check in staff at Gisborne airport. They somehow manage to be extremely professional but have a strongly personal touch at the same time. They've become very familiar faces over the last couple of years. I've seen them deal with a range of situations, and always keep their cool and do what they can to help everyone travelling.
There is much I will miss in two weeks. People and places mostly. And I will miss the flying. The superb Gisborne air NZ staff and the Gisborne airport I've spent so much time in.
I probably wont miss flying in those small planes to be perfectly honest, but in saying that I have admiration and respect for the men and women flying them.
Thanks Air NZ for the great service over the last five years.
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