I had just walked in the terminal, and pretty much boarding for the flight back to Wellington was called. On the flight down from Taupo, i had seat 3F. Now on the flight down to Wellington, i wanted seat 3A. So in order to achieve this, i booked the TUO-WAG and WAG-WLG flights separately. I checked in via the gate scanner and made my way back out to the AC. It was probably the shortest transit ever, 5 minutes between deplaning and then boarding.

The FO who was welcoming people aboard was surprised to see me again. I explained the method of my madness and he laughed. A few of the PAX who had traveled down from Taupo gave me weird looks as i boarded. I grinned and took my seat. We started up and taxied to the end of the runway. We powered forth and took off to the east over the Whanganui River and the Wanganui city centre. We banked to the left and headed out over the Tasman Sea. By now, those on my side of the aircraft were being treated to a glorious sunrise. We leveled off at 14.000ft. In the distance i could see Palmerston North, huddled up against the Ranges. We started our descent just off the coast of Paraparaumu, and banked slightly to the east. It was a beautiful approach into the capital. Over Mana Island and past the windmills on the hills. We turned and the whole city of Wellington spread out beneath my window. After a smooth landing, we taxied to the gate, surprisingly not one of the far regional gates like 7,8,9 but Gate 14. I had only a short transit before my next flight, so short it wasn't worth a visit to the Koru Lounge.