WELLINGTON to GISBORNE (WLG-GIS) on NZ Beech 1900D

Back out to the airport – a short ride from the central city. With no bags to check I head straight for the lounge and check in using the quick check machine there. Once again there is no choice of seats but the auto-selected seats are good enough.

I grab breakfast and a coffee while I wait for the flight. One coffee machine is broken, so like the Auckland lounge only one machine is in operation. For breakfast there is toast, several different cereals, cold cuts, a selection of fresh fruit, yoghurt, juice, quiche, etc. Not bad at all. I also check my email before heading out to my flight. At the gate I’m asked to wait a moment since the aircraft next door to mine has started its engines. A couple of minutes later it departs and I board last. With one spare seat I put one carry on by that seat and the other under the seat in front of me.

As we take off I notice the surf has subsided somewhat from yesterday but still plenty of white caps. Unfortunately there is an extensive layer of low cloud obscuring all views even though we are in bright sunshine above it. An hour later we descend over the hills behind Gisborne and a break in the clouds in the sheltered Poverty Bay. We fly over lots of vineyards and land short of the railway which crosses the runway.

Another 2 domestic routes down, still quite a lot to go.