So it's turns out a four hour or so wait in Auckland airport feels twice that long. Finally got checked in for the flight to Kaitaia: they had to weigh me and my bags...together we were beyond the limit of the scales... Found out why we needed weighing as I headed out into the tarnack and into the smallest commercial aircraft I have ever seen! Capacity for seven passengers plus a pilot and co pilot. With our four passengers and pilot we trundled onto the runway looking like a fly on the tail of the 737 ahead of us and took off. The plane was so small that from the back I could still read the dials in front of the pilot (23,500 RPM during take off and landing, dropping back to 21,000 RPM throughout our cruising altitude of 9,000 ft).
I'd spent and hour trying to organise a lift from the airport with Kaitaia Taxis but getting no answer. Happily the woman next to me, Linda, said her sister Sandra was picking her up and they could give me a ride. Lovely women who are keen spinners and weavers...and warned me my accommodation for the night, The Northerner, was known for cockroaches...ick.
I checked in and was stoked to find they had managed to get me a gas canister! Room was dated but functional, and there wasn't a cockroach in sight. I drank cup after cup of tea made with a kettle and watch "Planes" on TV, waiting for the adventure tomorrow would bring...
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